Global Chess League: Carlsen’s Pipers Take the Lead

by Johannes Fischer
9/8/2026 – The Alpine APL Pipers, with Magnus Carlsen on the icon board, took sole lead in the standings on day three of the Global Chess League in Bengaluru. In their first match of the day, Carlsen beat Viswanathan Anand on time (pictured), but the Pipers nevertheless lost to the PBG Alaskan Knights. Carlsen's team then bounced back with a 15-3 victory over the previously leading FYERS American Gambits. After four of ten matches, the Pipers lead the table with nine match points, followed by four teams on six. | Photos: Global Chess League
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PBG Alaskan Knights – Alpine APL Pipers 9:7

In the first team match of the day, Vishy Anand and Magnus Carlsen faced each other on the icon board. Carlsen had Black and pressed for much of the game, but in the end the clock decided the outcome: on move 64, Anand lost on time in a drawn position.

ChessBase India captured the final phase of the game:

Vishy Anand | Photo: Global Chess League

This win with Black earned the Pipers four points, but it was not enough to win the match. Vidit also lost on time. He had an equal position against 15-year-old Yagiz Kaan Erdogmuş, but ran out of time on move 43. Nino Batsiashvili scored the decisive win for the Alaskan Knights against Humpy Koneru.

Photo: Global Chess League

White Black Result GCL points
Viswanathan Anand Magnus Carlsen 0–1 0:4
Yağız Kaan Erdoğmuş Vidit 1–0 3:0
Arjun Erigaisi Anish Giri ½–½ 1:1
Nino Batsiashvili Humpy Koneru 1–0 3:0
Kateryna Lagno Divya Deshmukh ½–½ 1:1
Abhimanyu Mishra Volodar Murzin ½–½ 1:1
Team result 9:7

CheQ Mumba Masters – Ganges Grandmasters 12:3

The second match was more one-sided. The Mumba Masters won three games without losing any.

Pranesh M caused an upset by defeating Levon Aronian. The young Indian grandmaster was a late addition to the team, replacing Vladimir Fedoseev, but has been playing well so far. Carissa Yip scored her first win after starting the event with three losses. Bardiya Daneshvar claimed the third victory, beating Leon Luke Mendonca.

White Black Result GCL points
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave Ian Nepomniachtchi ½–½ 1:1
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov Leinier Dominguez ½–½ 1:1
Pranesh M Levon Aronian 1–0 3:0
Carissa Yip Stavroula Tsolakidou 1–0 3:0
Harika Dronavalli Polina Shuvalova ½–½ 1:1
Bardiya Daneshvar Leon Luke Mendonca 1–0 3:0
Team result 12:3

Alpine APL Pipers – FYERS American Gambits 15:3

A few hours after their defeat, the Pipers scored the biggest win of the day. They had Black on all six boards and thus benefited from the GCL scoring system in each of their three victories.

Humpy Koneru beat Sara Khadem in just 29 moves, Volodar Murzin defeated Marc'Andria Maurizzi, and Vidit beat Daniil Dubov.

On the icon board, Carlsen faced Javokhir Sindarov. Carlsen surprised his opponent as early as move three with 3...f6!?, an idea which, according to Carlsen, originated from a misclick by his second Peter Heine Nielsen. Carlsen had good winning chances in the endgame but failed to convert them, and the game ended in a draw after 57 moves. Afterwards, Carlsen praised his opponent: "Sindarov is very good. He has a very, very good positional understanding ... is versatile and has no obvious weaknesses."

Top encounter: Javokhir Sindarov against Magnus Carlsen | Photo: Global Chess League 

White Black Result GCL points
Javokhir Sindarov Magnus Carlsen ½–½ 1:1
Nihal Sarin Anish Giri ½–½ 1:1
Daniil Dubov Vidit 0–1 0:4
Sara Khadem Humpy Koneru 0–1 0:4
Bibisara Assaubayeva Divya Deshmukh ½–½ 1:1
Marc'Andria Maurizzi Volodar Murzin 0–1 0:4
Team result 3:15

Triveni Continental Kings – PBG Alaskan Knights 11:6

In the final team match of the day, the Triveni Continental Kings scored their first victory after starting the event with three defeats. Wei Yi beat Arjun Erigaisi, Aravindh Chithambaram defeated Yagiz Kaan Erdoğmuş, and Alexandra Kosteniuk beat Nino Batsiashvili.

For the Knights, Kateryna Lagno defeated Zhu Jiner with Black to score four points. Alireza Firouzja drew with Anand, while Pranav and Mishra also shared the point.

White Black Result GCL points
Alireza Firouzja Viswanathan Anand ½–½ 1:1
Wei Yi Arjun Erigaisi 1–0 3:0
Aravindh Chithambaram Yağız Kaan Erdoğmuş 1–0 3:0
Zhu Jiner Kateryna Lagno 0–1 0:4
Alexandra Kosteniuk Nino Batsiashvili 1–0 3:0
Pranav Abhimanyu Mishra ½–½ 1:1
Ergebnis 11:6

Pipers in sole lead

After day three, all teams have played four matches. The Alpine APL Pipers are the only team with three wins and lead the standings with nine match points. Four teams are tied behind them on six points.

Rank Team Matches Wins Losses MP GP
1 Alpine APL Pipers 4 3 1 9 43
2 CheQ Mumba Masters 4 2 2 6 36
3 FYERS American Gambits 4 2 2 6 34
4 PBG Alaskan Knights 4 2 2 6 30
5 Ganges Grandmasters 4 2 2 6 28
6 Triveni Continental Kings 4 1 3 3 34

The first half of the preliminary stage concludes on Tuesday. Among the day's matches, the Triveni Continental Kings will face the leading Alpine APL Pipers, with Alireza Firouzja taking on Magnus Carlsen on the icon board.

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Topics: Global Chess League 2026, Javokhir Sindarov, Magnus Carlsen, Vishy Anand
Johannes Fischer was born in 1963 in Hamburg and studied English and German literature in Frankfurt. He now lives as a writer and translator in Nürnberg. He is a FIDE-Master and regularly writes for KARL, a German chess magazine focusing on the links between culture and chess. On his own blog he regularly publishes notes on "Film, Literature and Chess".
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Video

60m The Two Knights

This entry into the 60 minutes series concentrates on the Modern variation of the Italian game where White opens the centre early : 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Nf6 4 d4 exd4 5 e5!. This line can be reached by various move orders, most frequently from the Scotch 3 d4 exd4 4 Bc4. It's a sharp variation and Grandmasters such as Evgeny Sveshnikov have used it frequently,with very good results. It's a perfect line for club players to adopt which is relatively easy to learn and which contains many traps. All the main responses are covered here, including 5...d5, 5...Ng4 and 5...Ne4 and the conclusion is that is is difficult for Black to equalize in a straightforward way. Problems are being posed, which over the board might prove tough to solve.