Friday marked the final day of matches at the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League, where two teams advanced to the finals. Despite three matches taking place, all eyes were on the decisive clash between second-placed Alpine Sg Pipers and Triveni Continental Kings, battling directly for the remaining spot in the finals. The Pipers entered with 18 match points and 81 game points, while Triveni had 15 match points but a higher game point tally of 90. A Triveni win would push them past the Pipers for the final spot.

The match’s importance was clear from the start, with FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich making the ceremonial first move on the icon board, where Triveni’s Alireza Firouzja faced Sg Pipers’ Magnus Carlsen. The Pipers started strong, securing solid positions on the top two boards, and soon after, Hou Yifan gained the upper hand against Alexandra Kosteniuk. A draw between Radjabov and Rapport on board three kept the tension high.

At this point, Sg Pipers seemed on the verge of victory. However, as often happens in rapid chess, momentum shifted in minutes. Triveni’s Valentina Gunina delivered a crucial win against Kateryna Lagno. While Carlsen secured victory on the top board, giving Sg Pipers a temporary lead, Praggnanandhaa blundered a winning position against Wei Yi, and Hou Yifan misplayed her advantage against Kosteniuk.

With the score at 7-6 in favor of Sg Pipers, everything came down to the prodigy board, where Triveni’s Javokhir Sindarov was winning against Daniel Dardha. Despite severe time pressure on both sides, Sindarov held his nerve and secured the win, swinging the match for Triveni 9-7 and sending them to the finals, where they will defend their season one title.

The other two matches of the day also brought excitement. The bottom two teams, upGrad Mumba Masters and Ganges Grandmasters, opened the day. Despite their strong squads, both teams struggled this season. Last season’s runners-up, Mumba, managed only three wins in nine matches, while Ganges secured just two. In their final match, Vishy Anand’s Ganges Grandmasters triumphed over Mumba with a commanding 12-4 score, avoiding a last-place finish. For upGrad Mumba Masters, it was a disappointing end to a season that began with high hopes.

In the second match, PBG Alaskan Knights, already through to the finals, defeated the American Gambits 14-5. While the top two boards ended in draws, PBG scored with Black on three of the remaining four boards. Though this match had no impact on the standings—PBG was already qualified for the finals, and the Gambits couldn’t improve their fourth-place standing—the players gave their all. PBG’s victory, their eighth in ten matches, further boosted their confidence ahead of the finals. Despite the loss, the Gambits finished fourth, securing a prize.

A spectacular comeback for Triveni

Sg Pipers, playing with the Black pieces, had a strong start to the match. On the icon board, Magnus Carlsen—playing as Black—applied significant pressure on Alireza Firouzja. By the middlegame, Carlsen had secured a strong advantage that only continued to grow.

Meanwhile, on board two, Triveni’s superstar Wei Yi was also in trouble. Facing Praggnanandhaa with the white pieces, he defended well until move 21, when he blundered, directly entering a lost position.

On board three, Triveni’s Teimour Radjabov held steady against Richard Rapport, with the two agreeing to a draw—the first game to finish.

On board four, in a battle between two former Women’s World Champions, Sg Pipers’ Hou Yifan gained the upper hand against Alexandra Kosteniuk, who fought hard to stay in the game.

Triveni’s lone bright spot was on board five, where Valentina Gunina had a significantly better position against Kateryna Lagno. Gunina ultimately won, marking the beginning of a remarkable turnaround for Triveni.

The prodigy board remained even until the endgame.

Then, momentum sharply shifted. While Carlsen defeated Firouzja to give Sg Pipers a critical lead, Praggnanandhaa misplayed his winning position against Wei Yi, resulting in a draw. The same fate struck Hou Yifan, who also drew her game. With that, Sg Pipers clung to a slim one-point lead, 7-6, but one game remained.

On the prodigy board, Triveni’s Javokhir Sindarov created a dominating position against Daniel Dardha and refused to let up. Despite Dardha’s attempts to salvage a draw, Sindarov maintained his pressure and defeated his opponent with just 14 seconds remaining on the clock.

It was a spectacular comeback for Triveni, who will now attempt to defend their season one title in a round-robin showdown against PBG Alaskan Knights on Saturday.

In a surprising turn of events, upGrad Mumba Masters delivered a shocking defeat to tournament leaders PBG Alaskan Knights 10-9, disrupting their path to direct qualification for the finals. The win revived Mumba’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage themselves.

The seventh day of the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League saw PBG, playing as Black, play against Mumba Masters, who had won only two out of seven matches so far. With three rounds left (including this one), PBG had the opportunity to secure their place in the finals. For Mumba, this was a must-win match to keep their finals hopes alive.

The opening game between the two teams ended in a narrow 8-5 victory for PBG, with just one decisive result: PBG’s Nihal Sarin pulling off a crucial win against Raunak Sadhwani on the prodigy board.

Early on in the match, Mumba gained the upper hand. Sadhwani created a strong position against Sarin, and Humpy Koneru was better placed against former Women’s World Champion, Tan Zhongyi. However, on the superstar board, Vidit Gujrathi was struggling with time against Nodirbek Abdusattorov, echoing their earlier encounter. Meanwhile, PBG’s icon player Anish Giri could only manage to create a drawn position against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, which, considering Giri was Black, would normally be a favourable result.

The first game to conclude was a draw on the women’s board, where Harika Dronavalli and Alina Kashlinskaya, both top scorers, drew. Needing to rally quickly, PBG instead found themselves in trouble.

A highly unusual position then developed on the icon board: despite Black having two pawn-runners on the queenside, the engine showed White had the advantage—provided Vachier-Lagrave could push his pawns on the kingside. In time trouble, the Frenchman – who also holds a degree in mathematics – calculated flawlessly, seizing a decisive advantage.

However, Mumba suffered a setback when Vidit lost on time, giving PBG a lead of 4-2. Still, Mumba was in control on three of the remaining four boards.

Vachier-Lagrave’s victory over Giri closed the gap to 5-4. But then Mumba’s Peter Svidler fell against Shakhriyar Mamedyarov in time trouble, pushing PBG ahead to 9-4.

It all came down to the final two boards, where Mumba was in dominant positions. Despite pressure on the clock, both Humpy and Sadhwani converted their advantages, securing a 10-9 victory for Mumba. When Sarin resigned, the crowd at Friends House erupted in applause.

“It feels great. I’m glad I could help the team. We had nothing to lose, wanting to play a good match and it worked,” Sadhwani said after the match.

With this victory, upGrad Mumba Masters remain in contention for the finals, while PBG Alaskan Knights will have to wait for another chance to secure their finalist spot.

Please see attached pics from the match today.

The Gulf Inclusive Cricket Board (GICB) has officially launched at the prestigious AccessAbilities Expo in Dubai by the former captain of UAE Cricket Team CP Rizwan, Founder of GICB Ghazal Khan and the Co-founder Sayed Shah Aziz, marking a historic moment for disability cricket in the Gulf region. Founded with the mission to promote and support cricket for differently-abled individuals, GICB is set to redefine inclusivity in sports, creating opportunities for athletes with disabilities to showcase their talents on a global platform.

The official launch, held at the World Trade Center, Dubai, comes as part of GICB’s vision to elevate differently-abled sports and foster an inclusive sporting community across the Gulf. GICB will work in partnership with local and international organizations to promote disability cricket, create employment opportunities for differently-abled individuals, and engage the community through various initiatives such as merchandise sales and inclusive restaurant ventures.

Ghazal Khan, Founder of GICB and a long-standing advocate for the differently-abled community, shared her excitement about this milestone: “The launch of GICB is a dream come true, not just for me but for all the differently-abled athletes in the region. We aim to create a world where everyone has the opportunity to shine, regardless of their physical limitations. This is just the beginning, and we look forward to expanding our initiatives to further break down barriers and empower differently-abled individuals across the Gulf.”

Ghazal organised the first ever International Disability Cricket League namely Divyang Premier League T-20 at Sharjah International Stadium in 2021. Over 100 specially abled cricketers took participate in the 8 franchise based teams. It was a massively successful event.

The launch at the AccessAbilities Expo is particularly symbolic, as the event is dedicated to showcasing the latest innovations and advancements in accessibility and inclusion. GICB’s participation highlights the critical role sports play in empowering individuals with disabilities, providing them with platforms for personal growth, community engagement, and professional development.

As part of its future plans, GICB will organize cricket tournaments for differently-abled athletes across the Gulf region, bringing together players from various countries.

The GICB launch is set to make a lasting impact on the landscape of disability sports in the region, opening doors for athletes to pursue their passion and succeed in their careers.

For more information about GICB and its upcoming projects, please visit our website or follow us on social media.