London, Oct 4 (PTI) Five-time world champion Vishawanathan Anand went down to former world blitz champion Maxime Vachier-Lagrave as upGrad Mumba Masters registered a 14-5 win over Ganges Grandmasters on day two of the ongoing Global Chess League here on Friday.
Both teams came into this match seeking their first win, having lost their opening games by identical scores. The headline icon matchup on board one pitted the Anand against Vachier-Lagrave.
Despite holding a better position, Anand blundered a tactical sacrifice, allowing Vachier-Lagrave to turn the tables.
Although facing time pressure, the French star tapped into his blitz champion instincts, tightening his control over the game and ultimately clinching a vital victory.
upGrad Mumba Masters, who played the match as Black – took control from there, with a win on the youngsters’ board and a draw on the second women’s board, pushing them into the lead.
Ganges Grandmasters couldn’t catch a break, and despite world number three Arjun Erigaisi’s best efforts, he could only manage a draw against Vidit Gujrathi, despite being ahead on the clock.
The situation worsened when Koneru Humpy overcame Vaishali R, clinching the match for the upGrad Mumba Masters.
While Parham Maghsoodloo secured a hard-fought victory against Peter Svidler to salvage some pride for the Ganges, it wasn’t enough to save them from a 14-5 defeat.
With the upGrad Mumba Masters claiming their first points, Ganges Grandmasters face an uphill battle after back-to-back losses.
The situation is even worse because this is their second defeat with white pieces. They’ll need to regroup quickly if they hope to stay in contention for the top places.
Both teams will be in action again later tonight. The match between American Gambits and Triveni Continental Kings is underway.
upGrad Mumba Masters will play Alpine SG Pipers in the third match, while Ganges Grandmasters will be up against Triveni Continental Kings in the last match of the day. PTI APA KHS
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