PBG Alaskan Knights Dominate Global Chess League

PBG Alaskan Knights lead the Global Chess League with six wins in seven matches, needing only one more victory to secure finals. Key games saw Mumba Masters beating Alpine Sg Pipers, and American Gambits a surprising win over Triveni Continental Kings. Remaining teams play catch up as the finals approach.

PBG Alaskan Knights continue their impressive run in the Global Chess League, a step away from securing a place in the finals. With a commanding lead of 18 match points, they've gained a substantial six-point margin over nearest rivals Triveni and Alpine Sg Pipers.

Despite the current standings, PBG's Anish Giri remains cautious about the team's prospects. "It's not done yet," he remarked, acknowledging that both securing a finals spot and winning are targets yet to be achieved. Meanwhile, the league saw dramatic twists on Tuesday, including a major upset where Mumba Masters overpowered Alpine Sg Pipers, leaving favorite Magnus Carlsen in dismay after a game-changing blunder, allowing Maxime Vachier-Lagrave to snag victory.

Elsewhere, the Triveni Continental Kings suffered a shock loss to the American Gambits. Despite entering the game on the back of a strong season, a series of individual blunders led to their defeat, including a notable error by Alireza Firouzja against world number two Hikaru Nakamura. Triveni now fights to maintain its second-place standing in the league.

(With inputs from agencies.)