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Ganges Grandmasters advanced to the finals of the Global Chess League (GCL), in Bengaluru on Saturday, despite losing to PBG Alaskan Knights, while Alpine APL Pipers will have to wait for the final league match to know their fate after the defending champions went down against Triveni Continental Knights.
Both Alpine APL Pipers and Ganges Grandmasters went into the final round-robin matches with 18 match points, and a win against teams who were at the bottom of the standings would have been enough for them to ensure a final berth, as per a press release. However, two-time champions Triveni Continental Kings threw the race to the final wide open as they became the first team in Season 4 to win both matches against the Pipers, winning 11-6 in the first match of the day. Their loss meant that Ganges Grandmasters needed to score just one game point against PBG Alaskan Knights with black pieces to advance to the final on better game point score. That target was achieved with Ian Nepomniachtchi drawing against Viswanathan Anand on the icon board and Stavroula Tsolakidou defeating Nino Batsiashvili to put the Grandmasters ahead. But Player of the Match Abhimanyu Mishra got the better of Luke Leon Mendonca in 32 moves on the prodigy board, and Grandmasters Leinier Dominguez Perez lost on time in a time scramble when he knocked off a few pieces while trying to play fast. Earlier, Alpine APL Pipers looked on course in the first few minutes of the match before Aravindh Chithambaram began tightening the noose around Vidit Gujrathis white king. Despite the time scramble in the endgame, Aravindh managed to convert the position and won the match in 36 moves. But it was Alireza Firouzja who ultimately put the brakes on Piper's march as the Frenchman forced world number one Magnus Carlsen to resign after 49 moves. This was Carlsens first loss in the competition and Firouzja's first win for Firouzja, keeping alive his teams hopes of at least making it to the third-place play-off. Volodar Murzins win over Pranav V on the prodigy board meant that Pipers at least scored six points and kept their chances of making it to the final alive. It was a good game, and after a sharp opening I found some good moves, and when we went through time trouble, I managed to put pressure and win the game. As a team, we played very well today and made it difficult for them to win (the title) for the second time, said Firouzja. FYERS American Knights can pip the Pipers for the final spot if they beat CheQ Mumba Masters in the final league game and score at least nine game points. (ANI)
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