Match 1: ASGP vs. UMM

Magnus Carlsen vs. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave

The opening battle between world number one Magnus Carlsen and the nimble-minded Maxime Vachier-Lagrave ended in a remarkable victory for the black pieces, marking a 4-0 game point win for Vachier-Lagrave. Carlsen, steering the game into a King’s Indian Defence, sought to seize control with an early h-pawn push, a speculative aggressive line that has been extensively analysed in recent grandmaster play. However, Carlsen’s slow manoeuvre in the middlegame, attempting to create an imbalance with 15.Kf2, was exploited deftly by Vachier-Lagrave. The turning point was at move 20.g4 where Carlsen, aiming to disrupt Black’s solid structure, was met instantly with 20…Nf4, showcasing a tactical alertness by Vachier-Lagrave, who effectively used his knight to anchor the growing advantage. Carlsen’s control unwound rapidly after this, and Vachier-Lagrave converted his positional and material advantage decisively in a prolonged endgame.

Praggnanandhaa R vs. Vidit Santosh Gujrathi

Opening with the Italian Game, young Praggnanandhaa established a dominating centre early against Vidit Gujrathi. Vidit’s attempts to counter in the middlegame with a series of pawn advances resulted in Praggnanandhaa seizing a decisive tactical shot on move 24 with Nd4, capitalising on the discoordination of Vidit’s pieces. This move transformed the game into a tactical melee, from which Praggnanandhaa emerged victorious, carving out critical lines into Black’s weakened king position. Vidit resigned after 31.Qe6, seeing no way to stave off material loss and mating threats. Praggnanandhaa’s win added 3 valuable game points to his team’s total and underscored his growing reputation as a lethal finisher in critical league games.

Richard Rapport vs. Peter Svidler

Richard Rapport, known for unconventional openings, opted for an assertive line against Peter Svidler’s Sicilian Defense. An early queen move to f4 by Rapport immediately challenged Svidler to find precise defensive measures. Svidler’s adept positional play under pressure began to tell as he smoothly transitioned to a favourable middlegame with better piece activity, highlighted by the decisive bishop manoeuvre to e6. Rapport’s aggressive strategy backfired as his attempts at kingside attacks were efficiently parried by Svidler, who then transitioned into a favourable endgame. Svidler’s consistent pressure led to superior pawn structure and piece activity that Rapport found insurmountable. This loss cost Rapport’s team dearly, yielding a 4-0 score in favour of Svidler.

Hou Yifan vs. Humpy Koneru

In a classic showdown, Hou Yifan and Humpy Koneru played out an intensec game that ended in a draw. Both grandmasters, proficient in Ruy López, exhibited deep preparation. Hou Yifan’s handling of the white pieces saw an early sacrifice of the bishop pair which Koneru leveraged to gain slight positional advantages. Nevertheless, Hou’s resolute defence and timely counterattacks balanced the scales. Following a series of exchanges leading towards a diminished material endgame, both players agreed to a draw.

Kateryna Lagno vs. Harika Dronavalli

Another keenly contested game was played between Kateryna Lagno and Harika Dronavalli, where a complex Sicilian Najdorf saw numerous fluctuations in positional advantages. Lagno’s ambitious play on the kingside was effectively countered by Dronavalli’s strategic queenside break. After an intricate middlegame filled with tactical skirmishes, the game veered into an evenly balanced endgame where neither side could claim any advantage without incurring significant risks, culminating in a draw. This result accrued 1 game point for both the Alpine SG Pipers and the upGrad Mumba Masters.

Daniel Dardha vs. Raunak Sadhwani

This game marked a significant win for Raunak Sadhwani with the black pieces against Daniel Dardha. From an English opening, Dardha’s positional approach met with Sadhwani’s vigorous central and kingside activity. Sadhwani’s superior manoeuvring in the middlegame led to gaining a crucial pawn majority on the kingside. Despite Dardha’s attempts to activate his pieces for a counterattack, Sadhwani’s accurate and forceful play, particularly at the crucial juncture with 34…Qxf2+, led to winning material and a subsequent resignation by Dardha. Sadhwani’s victory earned the upGrad Mumba Masters an additional 4 game points.

Match 2: TCK vs AG

Firouzja, Alireza vs. Nakamura, Hikaru

In an intense encounter, Hikaru Nakamura emerged victorious against Alireza Firouzja, securing 4 game points with a victory as Black. Nakamura’s meticulous defence and strategic foresight allowed him to capitalise on slight inaccuracies by Firouzja, particularly during the middlegame transition. A pivotal moment arose on move 31, where Nakamura’s 31…Nxd5 exploited the over-extended position of Firouzja’s pieces, leading to an advantageous endgame. Firouzja’s attempt at complicating the position backfired, showcasing Nakamura’s superior tactical awareness and endgame technique.

Wei, Yi vs. Duda, Jan-Krzysztof

Wei Yi and Jan-Krzysztof Duda battled to a draw in a game that saw both sides demonstrating solid prep and deep understanding in the Italian Game. Key moments were fairly balanced, with Duda neutralising Wei’s attempts to seize an advantage. A critical juncture occurred at move 23, where Wei’s 23. Neg5 threatened to unsettle Black’s setup, but Duda’s accurate 23…Qxe2 simplified into an equal endgame.

Radjabov, Teimour vs. Yu, Yangyi

Teimour Radjabov and Yu Yangyi’s game ended in a draw after a Queen’s Pawn opening transitioned into a complex middlegame. Both players showed great persistence in finding the best lines, with neither side able to secure a decisive advantage. Radjabov’s handling of the symmetrical structure was commendable, yet it was Yu’s defensive setup that ultimately held the balance, notably his manoeuvre with 24…Re8 consolidating his position.

Kosteniuk, Alexandra vs. Assaubayeva, Bibisara

Alexandra Kosteniuk faced a tough defeat against Bibisara Assaubayeva. Assaubayeva’s choice of the Sicilian Defence paid off as she navigated through the complexities better than Kosteniuk. Critically, at move 25, Assaubayeva’s 25…hxg5 broke through Kosteniuk’s kingside, shifting the momentum in Black’s favour and leading to a series of powerful tactical strikes that Kosteniuk couldn’t parry, securing 4 crucial game points for Assaubayeva.

Gunina, Valentina vs. Paehtz, Elisabeth 

Elisabeth Paehtz scored a victory over Valentina Gunina in a dramatic game where Gunina’s aggressive play backfired. The turning point came at move 36, Gunina’s choice to capture on f2 was met by vigorous counterplay from Paehtz. This critical decision led to a favourable endgame transition for Paehtz, where her active pieces dominated the board, culminating in a significant material advantage and victory, thus earning her 4 game points.

Sindarov, Javokhir vs. Bjerre, Jonas Buhl

Javokhir Sindarov earned 3 game points in a sharp battle against Jonas Buhl Bjerre. Playing as White, Sindarov’s aggressive approach in the Scotch Game paid dividends. The decisive moment was at move 25, where Sindarov’s d5 opened the d-file resulting in significant positional superiority. Bjerre struggled to find adequate counterplay, leading to a material loss and eventually resignation.

Match 3: GG vs PBG

Viswanathan Anand vs. Anish Giri

This dramatic confrontation concluded with Anish Giri securing a victory over Viswanathan Anand. Giri’s exceptional use of spatial advantage and timely counterattacks from the black side proved pivotal. His strategic play involving the transfer of the knight to b7, followed by the bishop capture on c1, indicated a shift in momentum which Anand struggled to balance. Despite Anand’s resilient defence, his over-extension on the b-file and insufficient counterplay in the centre allowed Giri to dominate. The crucial moments began post move 32, where Giri utilised the f-file to infiltrate Anand’s position, culminating in a decisive exchange that weakened Anand’s pawn structure irreversibly. This victory handed Giri 4 game points, marking a significant achievement on the black side.

Arjun Erigaisi vs. Nodirbek Abdusattorov

This deeply contested game ended in a draw, with both players showcasing their defensive capabilities. Erigaisi opened with an aggressive pawn push in the centre, but Abdusattorov’s careful piece manoeuvring, especially the knight repositioning, neutralised the threats effectively. The game reached a climactic point when Erigaisi initiated a sacrifice with Nxf6+, aiming to disrupt the coordination of Abdusattorov’s pieces. However, Abdusattorov accurately simplified the position, leading to an unavoidable repetition of moves after move 30. Each player earned 1 game point for their efforts.

Parham Maghsoodloo vs. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov

Maghsoodloo triumphed over Mamedyarov in a game where aggressive tactics and precise calculation dominated. Employing a subtle knight manoeuvre and capitalising on openings in Mamedyarov’s kingside, Maghsoodloo launched an effective attack that was catalysed by a destructive pawn push. The defining moment was the skew of Mamedyarov’s queen that forced material loss, giving Maghsoodloo an overwhelming position by the 25th move, leading to Mamedyarov’s resignation. This victory earned Maghsoodloo 3 game points.

Rameshbabu Vaishali vs. Zhongyi Tan

Vaishali and Tan fought to a stalemate in a battle that highlighted both players’ tenacity and theoretical preparation. Key moments included a strategic pawn sacrifice by Vaishali aimed at disrupting Tan’s pawn structure. However, Tan’s resourceful defence, particularly her handling of the queenside majority, kept the game balanced. The peace agreement was signed following a series of exchanges that left neither side with sufficient material to claim victory, each earning a valuable game point from this encounter.

Nurgyul Salimova vs. Alina Kashlinskaya

Kashlinskaya defeated Salimova in a game where dynamic play and tactical alertness were on full display. Kashlinskaya’s adept manipulation of pawn structure and superior minor piece activity allowed her to gain a positional edge early in the game. Salimova’s attempt at complicating the position with a centre pawn push backfired, leading to significant material loss. Kashlinskaya’s continuous pressure culminated in winning a decisive endgame, hence securing 4 points.

Volodar Murzin vs. Nihal Sarin

Nihal Sarin emerged victorious in this encounter, demonstrating his prowess in capitalising on slight inaccuracies. Sarin’s decision to challenge the centre early with energetic pawn play gave him a slight edge. Murzin’s knight manoeuvres, though initially posing a challenge, were eventually outplayed by Sarin’s tactical awareness, particularly when Sarin opened the kingside leading to a winning endgame sequence. Sarin claimed 4 game points for his team, strengthening his position with a win on the black side.