The pieces are falling in place, with a question mark over which team finishes second behind Triveni Continental Kings and qualifies for the final of the third edition of the Global Chess League (GCL) played in Mumbai.
Two-time defending champions Triveni, spearheaded by the indomitable Alireza Firouzja, have already qualified for the championship duel by securing 21 match points from nine outings. With one more round to go, they are assured of the top spot in the six-team league standings. Firouzja, the player of Iranian origin who represents France, has been the driving force, with six wins, one draw and two defeats.
Who’s next, is the question. Despite two draws and a loss in the last three rounds, Alpine SG Pipers are the team in second position with 15 match points. Even if they draw against PBG Alaskan Knights in the final game of the 10th round on Monday, the team featuring India’s R Praggnanandhaa and Leon Luke Mendonca will make it to the title clash.
It will become interesting if the Pipers play second fiddle against the Knights. That eventuality will leave both teams on 15-match points, because the Knights led by D Gukesh and seconded by Arjun Erigaisi have 12. However, they are significantly lower than the Knights on game points, which will determine who goes ahead in case of a tie.
Upgrads Mumba Masters and Ganges Grandmasters will also be hoping that the Pipers lose. Both teams have 12 match points and a win for the Knights would mean that if Mumba defeat Triveni and Ganges prevail over Fyer American Gambits, both will finish on level terms with the Pipers and Knights. This scenario will leave four teams on 15-match points. Going by game points, Mumba are well ahead of their rivals. However, for this to happen, a lot of things will have to align favourably for them.
So it’s like this. A draw between Pipers and Knights or a win for the former will put an end to speculations. For things to become more intriguing and complex, Pipers have to lose. In the previous encounter between these two teams in the fifth round, the Knights were 4-2 winners, with D Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi scoring victories.
Before that, Mumba and Ganges have to win to ensure that such a scenario emerges. It’s complicated and involves ifs and buts. But then, isn’t the game of chess itself a complex matter? Because of factors like the involvement of the top players of the world, the margin of error being thin and the fact that anything can happen, this edition of the GCL is in a tantalising state before the last set of group matches roll on.
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