Alaskan Knights beat UpGrad Mumba Masters 10-8

Mumbai, Dec 21 (PTI) PBG Alaskan Knights survived a tense contest to defeat UpGrad Mumba Masters 10-8 in Match 27 of the the Global Chess League (GCL) here on Sunday.

In a closely contested battle featuring three decisive results and two hard-fought draws, Leinier Dominguez Perez and Sarasadat Khademalsharieh delivered maximum points to secure victory for the Knights despite a stunning performance from Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.

The icon board delivered the evening's biggest surprise as Maxime Vachier-Lagrave dismantled world champion D Gukesh with clinical precision. After building steady pressure from the opening, MVL launched a devastating attack that left Gukesh scrambling for survival.

The French Grandmaster's pieces coordinated beautifully, creating unstoppable threats across the board. Despite Gukesh's desperate attempts at counterplay, MVL's technique proved flawless. The resignation on move 55 handed the Masters crucial points and sent shockwaves through the arena.

Board two featured a gruelling marathon between Wesley So and Arjun Erigaisi. The game exploded into tactical chaos with both players sacrificing material and creating dangerous attacks.

After 49 moves of relentless pressure from both sides, neither could find the breakthrough. The draw kept the match finely balanced.

Humpy Koneru and Kateryna Lagno battled to a quick draw on board four after just 33 moves. Despite early tension, both players maneuvered carefully, ultimately settling for repetition. With two draws on boards two and four, the match outcome hinged on the remaining three boards.

Board three provided the Knights' first breakthrough. Leinier Dominguez Perez unleashed a brilliant attacking masterclass against Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. After Mamedyarov launched an aggressive pawn storm, Dominguez countered with surgical precision, exposing weaknesses in White's position.

His pieces swarmed forward with lethal coordination, creating unstoppable threats. The spectacular finish came on move 40 when Mamedyarov's king had nowhere to run. The 4-point victory levelled the match and shifted momentum to the Knights.

Sarasadat Khademalsharieh provided the decisive blow on board five. Against Harika Dronavalli, the Iranian star demonstrated exceptional endgame technique. After winning material in the middlegame, Khademalsharieh methodically converted her advantage through precise calculation.

Despite Dronavalli's stubborn resistance, Khademalsharieh's queen danced across the board, creating threats Dronavalli couldn't contain. The resignation on move 65 handed the Knights a commanding lead and essentially sealed the match.

The prodigy board offered one final twist as Bardiya Daneshvar defeated Daniel Dardha for the Masters. Daneshvar built pressure patiently before launching a fierce attack. His pieces penetrated Dardha's position relentlessly, and despite desperate defensive attempts, Dardha's fortress crumbled.

The resignation on move 54 cut the Knights' lead to just two points, but it came too late for the outcome to change. PTI PDS PDS AH AH