GCL Season 3: Gukesh & Arjun Propel Alaskan Knights to Maiden Victory, Alireza Firouzja Tops Continental Kings
World champion Dommaraju Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi shine for Alaskan Knights, while Alireza Firouzja maintains perfect record to boost Continental Kings in Global Chess League
Mumbai, Dec 19: World Champion Dommaraju Gukesh and compatriot Arjun Erigaisi delivered crucial performances to guide PBG Alaskan Knights to their first victory of the Global Chess League (GCL) Season 3, while GM Alireza Firouzja’s flawless form helped defending champions Triveni Continental Kings climb to the top of the leaderboard at the halfway stage. The matches were held at the Royal Opera House in Mumbai on Thursday.
In a top-of-the-table clash, Continental Kings defeated upGrad Mumba Masters 9-5, taking sole lead with 12 match points. Meanwhile, Alaskan Knights overcame Alpine SG Pipers 12-8 in a thrilling contest where all six boards ended decisively. Ganges Grandmasters edged past Fyers American Gambits 8-7 to claim third place with nine match points.
After losing their first four matches, Alaskan Knights faced a must-win situation against Pipers. Arjun gave the team an early edge by defeating Anish Giri on the second board. Despite setbacks from Pipers’ Nino Batsiashvilli and Leon Luke Mendonca, Gukesh delivered a decisive victory over Fabiano Caruana. Wins by Leinier Dominguez and Kateryna Lagno sealed the Knights’ first triumph.
“It’s a very special feeling to get my first win,” said Gukesh. “When I saw Dominguez’s game was even, I knew I had to push for a win. By then, my opponent was running low on time, and I had good chances.” Arjun, named Player of the Match, added, “It was a special win as none of us had won any match so far, and today we won four games.”
Earlier, Alireza Firouzja continued his dominant run on the icon board, maintaining his all-win streak. In a tense battle against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Firouzja capitalized on a critical blunder to force MVL’s resignation after 52 moves, securing the Continental Kings’ victory. “We needed this win to take the lead after the first half. I knew it would be a close match, but my strategy paid off,” said Firouzja, also named Player of the Match.
In the final match of the day, 2025 World Cup winner Javokhir Sindarov defeated Richard Rapport with the black pieces, while Viswanathan Anand drew against Hikaru Nakamura on the icon board.
Matchday 6 action will see PBG Alaskan Knights take on Fyers American Gambits and later face Triveni Continental Kings. upGrad Mumba Masters will play Ganges Grandmasters, and Continental Kings will open the day against Alpine SG Pipers.
The day’s results highlighted the resurgence of Alaskan Knights and Firouzja’s continued dominance, setting up an exciting second half of GCL Season 3.
