GCL: Sindarov bests Anand to set ball rolling for American Gambits

BENGALURU: AMERICAN Gambits obtained off to the perfect start on the opening day of the Global Chess League (GCL) as they did the double to move to six points.

Key points

• Results: FYERS American Gambits bt PBG Alaskan Knights, Ganges Grandmasters bt Triveni Continental Kings, Alpine APL Pipers bt CheQ Mumba Masters, American Gambits bt Continental Kings.
• The first sort of marquee clashes will be on Monday when Sindarov, the contender to D Gukesh's World Championship throne, will take on Carlsen in the top board.
• In a bigger and revamped version of the game's biggest standalone franchise-style league competition, Saturday wasn't just regarding Gambits' perfect score.

In a bigger and revamped version of the game's biggest standalone franchise-style league competition, Saturday wasn't just regarding Gambits' perfect score. Magnus Carlsen, who stayed away from the GCL in the third edition, played out a draw against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in the top board of the match between Alpine APL Pipers and CheQ Mumba Masters.

Even though Pipers, the defending champions, saw Anish Giri lose from board 2, they did win the contest as Vidit Gujrathi and Konery Humpy delivered major wins in a side with heavy local influence.

Though the premium tickets have been priced at well in excess of four figures, the crowd began gathering with an hour to go for the opening match of the fourth season. It again indicated that there are residents who will not mind paying for tickets to watch a game like chess, a game where fans have historically struggled to follow games since of restrictions.

Everything you need to know regarding the fourth edition of the Global Chess League Even so, the organisers at GCL have tried to create it as inclusive as feasible with the employ of commentary and headphones available for free to all ticket-holders. Even if one of the biggest cheers of the day was reserved for Carlsen, the likes of Sindarov, Nihal Sarin, Anand, Arjun Erigaisi and Divya Deshmukh were additionally welcomed with gusto. The first sort of marquee clashes will be on Monday when Sindarov, the contender to D Gukesh's World Championship throne, will take on Carlsen in the top board.

For now, GCL: Sindarov bests Anand to set ball rolling for American Gambits remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.