Mumbai, Dec 14 (NationPress) The Mumba Masters showcased a remarkable display of skill by achieving four victories on six boards, decisively defeating the Ganges Grandmasters with a score of 17–4 on the inaugural day of the Global Chess League (GCL) in front of their enthusiastic home crowd.

Earlier in the day, at the prestigious Royal Opera House in Mumbai, the defending champions, Triveni Continental Kings, kicked off their title defense with a narrow 9-7 win against Alpine SG Pipers.

The opening of GCL Season 3 saw the spotlight shine on a much-anticipated match between Alireza Firouzja and Fabiano Caruana. Caruana, playing as Black, chose an aggressive Sicilian Dragon setup, aiming for the extra point. However, his risk proved detrimental as Firouzja expertly took control of the game, sacrificing material to establish a superior position and dominating the endgame. Initially, Pipers scored the season's first victory when Nino Batsiashvili overcame Alexandra Kosteniuk with Black, leveraging a central advantage and a time edge for a crucial four-point win.

In response, Wei Yi of the Kings outmaneuvered Anish Giri with White in a dynamic Vienna Game, shifting the momentum in their favor. The highly anticipated all-Indian showdown between Vidit Gujrathi and R Praggnanandhaa concluded in a hard-fought draw, as did the women's high-stakes match between Zhu Jiner and World No.1 (Rapid) Hou Yifan, along with the youthful clash between Marc’Andria Maurizzi and Leon Mendonca. Firouzja's outstanding performance earned him the Player of the Match title.

After his team's success, Firouzja expressed, “I’m thrilled about our victory. Wei Yi also deserves this (MOTM award). I’ll share it when I return. We had a great run last year, and now we must defend our title. Our opponents (Pipers) were formidable; they have many excellent players. Securing this win was crucial.”

In a pivotal match, Mumba Masters’ Maxime Vachier-Lagrave squared off against Viswanathan Anand of Ganges Grandmasters, with Vachier-Lagrave ultimately prevailing, setting a strong precedent for the tie. The Masters gained early momentum on the prodigy board when Bardiya Daneshvar capitalized on a critical error from Raunak Sadhwani, achieving a decisive victory and giving the hosts a 4–0 lead. Wesley So and Vincent Keymer engaged in a tense match that concluded in a perpetual-check draw, but by then, the Masters had already solidified their lead through victories on the top boards.

The star-studded lineup led the charge for the Masters, with Harika Dronavalli and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov both converting their advantages, applying relentless pressure. Koneru Humpy faced a sustained assault from Polina Shuvalova, who controlled the center adeptly to claim the Grandmasters' sole win of the tie. Hopes for a comeback were swiftly dashed as Harika secured her board, followed by Mamedyarov finishing his game, culminating in a comprehensive all-around performance. GCL debutant So was awarded Man of the Match.

The PBG Alaskan Knights, featuring a dynamic duo of Gukesh D-Arjun Erigaisi, faced off against the Hikaru Nakamura-led Fyers American Gambits in the day's third tie.

On matchday 2, the Fyers American Gambits will encounter the in-form Mumba Masters, followed by the Alpine SG Pipers facing off against the Ganges Grandmasters. The day will wrap up with an exciting clash between the PBG Alaskan Knights and the defending champions, Triveni Continental Kings.