Gukesh and Erigaisi Shine as Knights Claim First Win in Global Chess League

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Mumbai: Reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju and India's top-ranked chess player Arjun Erigaisi led the PBG Alaskan Knights to their first victory in the ongoing Global Chess League season, defeating Alpine SG Pipers 12-8. Gukesh, playing with the white pieces, secured a crucial win over world No. 3 Fabiano Caruana on the high-profile 'icon' board. Erigaisi also made a significant contribution, beating Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri. On the women's board, Kateryna Lagno's victory over former world champion Hou Yifan was instrumental in securing the win for the Knights. Meanwhile, Nino Batsiashvili and Leon Luke Mendonca emerged victorious for the SG Pipers, defeating Sara Khadem and Daniel Dardha respectively. In an exclusive interview, Gukesh expressed his satisfaction with the win, citing the team's control over the match from the start. However, he acknowledged that the game became more challenging towards the end. "The position was relatively even, but I managed to gain an upper hand as my opponent struggled to find a clear plan," he said. The Global Chess League continues to witness intense competition, with the Ganges Grandmasters narrowly defeating Fyers American Gambits 8-7. Meanwhile, league leaders Triveni Continental Kings maintained their top position, beating U Mumba Masters 9-5, thanks to Alireza Firouzja's win over Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.