Continental Kings clinch Global Chess League for the second consecutive year

10/13/2024 – Triveni Continental Kings defeated PBG Alaskan Knights in both matches of the Finals to defend their Tech Mahindra Global Chess League title. In the first match, Alireza Firouzja and Alexandra Kosteniuk scored the key wins for TCK. Nodirbek Abdusattorov was the sole victor for PBG AK. In the second match, the 'Icon' of PBG AK, Anish Giri, avenged his loss against Firouzja by playing fast, furious and accurate chess. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov was the only other winner for the team. Wei Yi, Alexandra Kosteniuk and Valentina Gunina scored the crucial wins which allowed TCK to score a dominating victory. | Photos: Shahid Ahmed

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Giri and Shakh's wins not enough for Playoffs

PBG Alaskan Knights had a fantastic tournament but in the Finals they underperformed. The 'Icon' Anish Giri bounced back, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov scored a win, but the rest of the team could not deliver when they needed it the most. Triveni Continental Kings might have had a shaky round-robin stage. However, in the Finals, they played like champions and defended their title successfully. GM Nihal Sarin and IM Alina Kashlinskaya were announced as the male and female players of the series. Alexandra Kosteniuk won the Player of the Final for winning both of her games.

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Alireza Firouzja, who was not in the initial lineup of the team, turned out to be the key player for the team's second consecutive triumph

The finalists - Triveni Continental Kings and PBG Alaskan Knights

Final 1: Continental Kings - Alaskan Knights: 3-0 (9-7)

PBG Alaskan Knights won the toss and opted for the black pieces. The first result was a draw between Teimour Radjabov and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. Alireza Firouzja scored the first win of the match, against Anish Giri. Javokhir Sindarov drew with Nihal Sarin. Valentina Gunina and Alina Kashlinskaya had a rollercoaster game which ended in a draw. Alexandra Kosteniuk defeated Zhongyi Tan to ensure the team's victory in the first match of the Finals. Nodirbek Abdusattorov scored the sole win for his team, against Wei Yi.

Firouzja - Giri

Position after 23.Rxe6

Alireza Firouzja sacrificed an exchange - 23.Rxe6 - for a bishop and pawn. A closer look reveals that Black has light square weakness on the kingside, so this makes sense. 23...Bxe6 24.Qxe6 Qxe6 25.Bxe6 d4 Black decided to return the exchange 26.Bxc8 Rxc8 27.cxd4 Nxd4 28.Kg2 Rd8 29.Ne5 Be5? 30.Bxe5 and White went on to convert his advantage into a win comfortably.

Anand Mahindra, Chairman of Mahindra Group, made the ceremonial first move on Alireza Firouzja and Anish Giri's board in the first match of the Finals

Wei - Abdusattorov

Position after 91...Ke4

After a back-and-forth queen and minor piece endgame, Wei somehow got himself back in the bishop and knight endgame. However, he made one final mistake with 92.Kc6?? g4-+ and Abdusattorov won the game in the next few moves. 92.Kb4/c4 would have kept the game going for White.

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Nodirbek Abdusattorov scored the sole win for his team

Alexandra Kosteniuk's win over Zhongyi Tan secured the match for her team

Gunina - Kashlinskaya

Position after 56.Rf6??

GM Valentina Gunina blundered 56.Rf6?? Her opponent, IM Alina Kashlinskaya, correctly spotted h5+ 57.Kg5 Rg3+ 58.Kh6 Nf5+ 59.Kh7 Ke7 60.Rxg6 Kxd8 61.Rf6 Ne7? Black needed to go Nd6 to win the game.

Replay Final 1 games

Final 2: Alaskan Knights - Continental Kings: 0-3 (7-13)

GM Valentina Gunina scored the first win against IM Alina Kashlinskaya. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov defeated Teimour Radjabov. Nihal Sarin drew with Javokhir Sindarov. Anish Giri won a must-win game against Alireza Firouzja. Nodirbek Abdusattorov lost to Wei Yi after a blunder in the endgame. Zhongyi Tan lost to Alexandra Kosteniuk and this brought Triveni Continental Kings their second consecutive GCL title.

Giri - Firouzja

Position after 30...f6

Giri made a very nice exchange sacrifice with 31.Rxd5! when he had about ten minutes to Firouzja's two. Qxd5 32.Qxf6+ Kh7 33.Qe7+ Kg8 and after a few more moves, Black got a winning opportunity. However, in time trouble, he blundered, arrived at a lost position and also ran out of time.

Anish Giri avenged his loss of the first game against Alireza Firouzja

Abdusattorov - Wei

Position after 78...Kb4

Nodirbek Abdusattorov almost managed to save the game from a losing position. He maintained a stronghold for almost 22 moves. Then he blundered 79.Rd4+?? Rc4-+ and Wei Yi won the game.

Nodirbek Abdusattorov had a great tournament except a tough loss at the end

Bologan‘s Chess Academy Vol. 1 - “Practical Endgames”

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Shakhriyar Mamedyarov scored the only other victory for his team

Alexandra Kosteniuk defeated Zhongyi Tan for the second time in a day

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For more prize distribution ceremony and closing ceremony photos, please click here.

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