Global Chess League: World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen ended Candidates 2026 winner Javokhir Sindarov’s three-game winning streak, and Vidit Gujrathi defeated Daniil Dubov in a rook-knight endgame to help defending champions Alpine APL Pipers beat FYERS American Gambits 9-7 in the clash of the top two teams in the penultimate round of Season 4 of the Global Chess League (GCL) in Bengaluru on Friday.
Pipers and American Gambits were tied on match points and game points going into the ninth round, and winning the match was important for both teams to close in on the final berth.
Carlsen, who won the Player of the Match Award, was in total control throughout against Sindarov on the icon board and forced the Uzbek player to resign after 36 moves.
“First of all, I think this was a great match with a very good team performance. We are thrilled to get the win. In my game, I was doing pretty well early on, but he (Sindarov) put up a big fight, and I was able to wriggle out and find the win,” said Carlsen, who said Vidit deserved the trophy more than him and then handed the trophy to the Indian GM.
The game between Vidit and Dubov on the Superstar Men board went into a time scramble, but the Indian GM kept his cool as he made the most of an additional knight and pawn against his opponent’s rook to claim victory after a marathon 96-move battle and help Pipers complete a double over the Gambits.
Women’s World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh’s struggles in her debut GCL continued as she ran out of time on move 34 against Bibisara Assaubayeva for the only loss for her team on Friday.
“It was a very close match, and when I saw the board, we were not in a clear position to win. I felt that I played a good game, and it was very good to win for the team,” said Vidit, whose win over Dubov sealed the victory for his team.
In the match between two bottom-placed teams, two-time champions Triveni Continental Kings proved too strong for the PBG Alaskan Knights.
“It was a very close match, and when I saw the board, we were not in a clear position to win. I felt that I played a good game, and it was very good to win for the team,” said Vidit, whose win over Dubov sealed the victory for his team.
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With the Continental Kings picking up 12 points for three victories with black pieces, Arjun Erigaisi’s win over Wei Yi and 15-year-old Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus beating Aravindh Chithambaram did not really help the Alaskan Knights' chances of making it to the final.