Alpine SG Pipers stunned defending champions Triveni Continental Kings in both rapid matches, with 4\u20132 and 4.5\u20131.5 to claim the Global Chess League title in Mumbai. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the match for third place, PBG Alaskan Knights defeated Ganges Grandmasters in both blitz tiebreak matches following a 1\u20131 result in the rapid matches.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Two-time champions Triveni had a smooth path to the final with eight wins in ten matches. The road was more complicated for the Pipers, but fortune was on their side. Despite losing their last round-robin match, they reached the final thanks to a single game point advantage over Ganges Grandmasters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Triveni and Alpine had split their round-robin meetings. In the first match, Triveni won 9\u20137. Alpine struck back 12\u20138 in the return encounter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the first final match, Triveni had the white pieces. It was an extremely tight encounter, with sharp but balanced positions on almost all six boards. As so often, time was the ultimate decision-maker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite getting an edge against Alireza Firouzja with Black in a King\u2019s Pawn Opening, Fabiano Caruana misplayed and had to give up a piece for two pawns. Triveni\u2019s advantage on the Icon board was offset on the lower boards. The Pipers\u2019 secret weapon, Nino Batsiashvili, struck again, defeating Alexandra Kosteniuk on board five and putting her team in front.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then time trouble arrived and nerves began to show. For once, it was Triveni who suffered. First, Leon Luke Mendonca prevailed over Marc\u2019Andria Maurizzi, increasing the Pipers\u2019 lead to 2\u20130. Zhu Jiner and Hou Yifan drew, while Firouzja converted his extra piece against Caruana, narrowing the gap to 2.5\u20131.5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With Vidit and Praggnanandhaa drawing, the score moved to 3 \u2013 2 for the Pipers and everything depended on the result of Wei Yi against Anish Giri. Black had been better since the early stages. Wei gave up his queen for two rooks to stay in the game, but despite time trouble and practical traps, Giri stayed focused and converted smoothly. Alpine SG Pipers took the first match 4 \u2013 2. It was an unsettling start for the defending champions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The return match saw colours reversed, with Pipers now playing White. The pressure was entirely on the champions \u2013 they had to win to keep their crown. Things did not start well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On board three, Praggnanandhaa obtained a significantly better position against Vidit, signalling that the Pipers might strike first again. Soon Giri also gained the initiative against Wei. Alpine were better or clearly comfortable on five boards out of six \u2013 only Kosteniuk seemed to have more chances against Batsiashvili. As time trouble hit, Pragg defeated Vidit to give the Pipers the first point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then came a mini-shock for Triveni. In a completely winning position, Alexandra Kosteniuk blundered and overlooked a checkmate. In mutual time trouble, Batsiashvili missed it and went into a rook endgame, where she lost on time. It was a lucky escape for the champions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With Zhu and Hou drawing, the score stood at 1.5\u20131.5. When Giri converted his advantage against Wei, Alpine moved ahead 2.5\u20131.5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then another twist. In a completely winning position, just as he went for the final blow against Caruana, Triveni\u2019s Icon player Alireza Firouzja lost on time. He was stunned and called the arbiters, convinced something was wrong with the clock. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The live broadcast showed him making his penultimate move with one second left and then flagging on the next move. A defeat for Firouzja meant that Alpine SG Pipers had already secured the title on match points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While the arbiters checked the electronic board data, one more game was still going \u2013 the prodigy duel between Mendonca and Maurizzi. After an Indian Opening, the players reached a rook endgame that was objectively drawn, but they played on. Despite having more time, Maurizzi blundered and allowed White to advance his pawns to victory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With this result, the match score was definitively sealed in favour of the Pipers. If the result on the Icon board stood, they won 4.5\u20131.5. Even if it had been overturned or changed to a win for Triveni, the champions would still have lost the match. Triveni decided not to challenge the decision on board one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n