Tech Mahindra GCL 2025 Day 4: PBG Alaskan Knights suffer a landslide defeat against upGrad Mumba Masters
Triveni Continental Kings and upGrad Mumba Masters bounced back well in Round 4 of Tech Mahindra Global Chess League 2025. The day started with Fyers American Gambits suffering a loss against Alpine SG Pipers by 4-10. Leon Luke Mendonca (ASGP) scored a crucial victory over the reigning World Rapid champion, Volodar Murzin (FAG). PBG Alaskan Knights' tough run continues. They suffered one of the biggest defeats of GCL as they lost 2-18 against one of the leaders, upGrad Mumba Masters. The two-time reigning World Rapid Women champion, GM Humpy Koneru scored her first win of the event in a wild battle against GM Kateryna Lagno. Triveni Continental Kings defeated Ganges Grandmasters by 11-6. Vidit Gujrathi suffered a loss against FIDE World Cup 2025 winner, Javokhir Sindarov after missing simple two move tactics and mate in two. Round 5 starts today at 5 p.m. IST with upGrad Mumba Masters vs Triveni Continental Kings. Photos: Aditya Sur Roy
Vidit misses mate in two against Sindarov
Vidit Gujrathi (TCK) missed way too much against FIDE World Cup 2025 winner, Javokhir Sindarov (GG). At this level, mating simple two move tactics or mate in two is like a wicket keeper dropping a regulation catch in cricket or a penalty expert missing the penalty shootout in football twice in a match. You do not get an opportunity to beat an in-form player that also via checkmate. Use code CBIGCL to get 20% Off when you buy tickets on District. Link is at the end of the article.

Match #10: Fyers American Gambits vs Alpine SG Pipers: 0-3 (4-10)
R Praggnanandhaa (ASGP) drew his game against Richard Rapport (FAG). The former is still in search of his first win of the event. Leon Luke Mendonca (ASGP) scored a crucial victory on the prodigy board against the reigning World Rapid champion, Volodar Murzin (FAG).
Leon - Volodar

15...Nxd5?! 16.cxd5 Nf6? 17.e4 c4 18.Bxf6 Qxf6 19.Rxc4+- the passed d-pawn played a crucial role in White earning the victory.

Replay FAG - ASGP games

Match #11: PBG Alaskan Knights - upGrad Mumba Masters: 0-3 (2-18)
World Champion, D Gukesh (PBG AK) and Leinier Dominguez Perez (PBG AK) scored the only two points, a draw each for their team against World Blitz 2021 champion, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (uMM) and World Rapid 2013 champion, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (uMM) respectively. Wesley So (uMM), Humpy Koneru (uMM), Harika Dronavalli (uMM) and Bardiya Daneshvar (uMM) scored the four wins for their team against Arjun Erigaisi (PBG AK), Kateryna Lagno (PBG AK), IM Sara Khadem (PBG AK) and Daniel Dardha (PBG AK) respectively.
Arjun - So

29...Nd5? allowed White to gain the upperhand 30.Bxd5 Rxd5 31.g4 Nh6 32.Re7 Qd6 33.R1e6 was not the best practical choice as after 33...Qxe6 34.Rxe6 fxe6 even though the computer might say White has an edge, it is not easy for a human to translate it on the board. What White could have done instead was 33.Rb7

Kateryna - Humpy

The two-time reigning World Rapid Women champion, GM Humpy Koneru (uMM) and former three-time World Blitz Women champion, GM Kateryna Lagno (PBG AK) had an absolutely rollercoaster of a battle where the evaluation swung back and forth. 15.f5+- Bxd3 16.fxe6 would have probably ended the game a lot sooner in favor of White. Instead, 16.cxd3?? was played and Humpy eventually won a wild battle.
Replay PBG AK - uMM games

Match #12: Triveni Continental Kings vs Ganges Grandmasters: 3-0 (11-6)
Alireza Firouzja (TCK), Wei Yi (TCK) and GM Alexandra Kosteniuk (TCK) scored the wins for their team against Vishy Anand (GG), Vincent Keymer (GG) and IM Stavroula Tsolakidou (GG) respectively. Vidit Gujrathi (TCK) missed a simple two-move tactics and mate in two in the same game against the FIDE World Cup 2025 winner, Javokhir Sindarov (GG).
Vidit - Sindarov

50.Qb4+ and taking the queen in the next move should have been an easy win the queen controls the e1 square in the back rank. Instead, the game continued 50.Rf1+?? Ke7 51.Qh4+ Kd7 52.Qxh6 Qe4?? now Vidit missed mate in two against Sindarov.


Replay TCK - GG games

For more Match #10, #11 and #12 photos, please click on the respective links.


Replay live stream
Replay Round 4 games
Standings after Day 4

Day 5 matches
Match #13: upGrad Mumba Masters vs Triveni Continental Kings - 5 p.m. IST.
Match #14: Alpine SG Pipers vs PBG Alaskan Knights - 6:30 p.m. IST.
Match #15: Ganges Grandmasters vs Fyers American Gambits - 8 p.m. IST.
Scoring System for Game Points (GP)
4 GP (3+1) | A player wins the Game with Black Pieces |
3 GP | A player wins the Game with White Pieces |
1 GP | Draw |
0 GP | Defeat |
Scoring System for Match Points (MP)
3 MP | The team that scores more Game Points |
1 MP | If both teams are level on Game Points |
0 MP | The team that scores lesser Game Points than the opponent |
Links
Tech Mahindra Global Chess League: Official site, facebook, twitter, instagram, youtube and linkedin
Tech Mahindra: Official site, facebook, twitter, youtube and linkedin