Global Chess League: Nihal Sarin stars as PBG Alaskan Knights take sole lead
Oct 05, 2024
London [UK], October 5 : Day two of the Global Chess League season 2 brought high drama and intense competition to the boards. The PBG Alaskan Knights emerged as the sole leaders, winning all three of their matches and securing nine match points. This puts them ahead of four teams tied with three points each, while the Ganges Grandmasters languish in last place with zero points.
With two impressive victories on Friday --dominating the American Gambits 14-2, followed by a narrow 8-5 win over the Mumba Masters--the Alaskan Knights secured their position at the top of the standings.
They are followed by Mumba Masters (who have also played three matches) and Triveni Continental Kings, Alpine SG Pipers, and American Gambits--all of whom have three match points from two matches. Meanwhile, Ganges Grandmasters, led by former world champion Vishy Anand, remain winless after two consecutive defeats.
The day wasn't without surprises. World number one Magnus Carlsen suffered a shocking defeat on time against Alireza Firouzja despite being in a winning position. However, the standout player of the day was Indian prodigy Nihal Sarin, whose critical victory in the match against Mumba Masters cemented the Alaskan Knights' lead.
In the final match of the day, here at Friends House, saw the Alaskan Knights take on the upGrad Mumba Masters. Both teams entered with strong performances earlier in the day, but it was the Knights who had the upper hand.
On board one, Anish Giri and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave quickly agreed to a draw, as did Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Peter Svidler. Mumba's Vidit Gujrathi had an opportunity to turn the tide against Nodirbek Abdusattorov, but after gaining a promising position, time pressure forced him to settle for a draw.
With the match hanging in the balance, it all came down to the final board. Nihal Sarin, the star youngster of the Alaskan Knights, pulled off a crucial win against Raunak Sadhwani, securing an 8-5 victory and putting the Alaskan Knights in the sole lead of the tournament.
The league resumes on Saturday with four matches scheduled to begin at 1 PM BST in London.
