Day 3 delivered one of the most dramatic chapters yet in Global Chess League history, with both leading teams suffering shock defeats and late prodigy board heroics turning matches on their heads. As the dust settles at Mumbai’s Royal Opera House, four teams now share the lead on six match points, while winless PBG Alaskan Knights face a must-win situation. Day 4 promises more twists as the race for the finals intensifies.
Match 10: FYERS American Gambits vs Alpine SG Pipers (17:00 IST)
The day opens with a fascinating encounter between two teams on contrasting trajectories. The American Gambits stunned defending champions Triveni Continental Kings with a dramatic 10-8 comeback victory, thanks to World Rapid Champion Volodar Murzin’s miraculous turnaround on the prodigy board. Meanwhile, Alpine SG Pipers finally broke their duck with a nerve-wracking 10-8 win over upGrad Mumba Masters after Leon Mendonca delivered checkmate in a must-win prodigy board clash.
Key Matchups:
Icon Board: Hikaru Nakamura faces Fabiano Caruana in what promises to be a tactical masterclass. Despite losing to Alireza Firouzja on Day 3, Nakamura has been solid throughout, while Caruana has won all three of his Icon board games but desperately needs team support. This battle between world number two and world number three could set the tone for the entire match.
Men’s Boards: Richard Rapport and Vladislav Artemiev for the Gambits versus R Praggnanandhaa and Anish Giri. Rapport was sensational on Day 3, delivering a spectacular victory over Vidit Gujrathi that was Chess.com’s Game of the Day. Pragg finally secured his first win against Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, though he nearly squandered a dominant position, while Giri continues to struggle with form and confidence.
Women’s Boards: Bibisara Assaubayeva and Teodora Injac against Hou Yifan and Nino Batsiashvili. Hou Yifan crushed Koneru Humpy on Day 3 to finally get her first win, and the women’s world number one will be hungry for more. Batsiashvili has been the Pipers’ most consistent performer with three wins from three matches.
Prodigy Board: Volodar Murzin versus Leon Mendonca in a rematch of two heroes. Both youngsters delivered match-winning performances on Day 3 by converting seemingly lost positions into victories through sheer determination and their opponents’ time pressure errors. This could be the decisive board once again.
What to Expect:
Both teams showed incredible resilience on Day 3, proving they can win from desperate positions. The Gambits have momentum after toppling the champions, while the Pipers have the relief of finally getting points on the board. Expect aggressive chess from the opening moves, with both teams knowing they’re capable of competing with anyone when firing on all cylinders. The prodigy board battle could steal the show once more.
Match 11: PBG Alaskan Knights vs upGrad Mumba Masters (18:30 IST)
This is effectively an elimination match for the PBG Alaskan Knights, who remain the only team without a point after three rounds. The upGrad Mumba Masters, despite their Day 3 heartbreak, are still in the four-way tie for the lead and will be determined to bounce back immediately.
Key Matchups:
Icon Board: World Champion D Gukesh takes on Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in a battle of contrasting fortunes. Gukesh has endured a nightmare start to his home tournament, losing to Alireza Firouzja, drawing with Nakamura, and suffering a comprehensive defeat to his mentor Viswanathan Anand on Day 3. MVL has been exceptional, beating both Anand and Caruana while only losing to Nakamura. This is a must-win for Gukesh to kickstart his campaign.
Men’s Boards: Arjun Erigaisi and Leinier Dominguez face Wesley So and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. Erigaisi, India’s number two, has been underwhelming so far and needs to deliver for his struggling team. Mamedyarov was brilliant on Day 2, demolishing Richard Rapport, but escaped with a draw against Pragg on Day 3 from a nearly losing position. Wesley So has been quietly effective for the Masters.
Women’s Boards: Sara Khadem and Kateryna Lagno versus Koneru Humpy and Harika Dronavalli. Humpy suffered a crushing defeat to Hou Yifan on Day 3, falling into a mating net she should have held. The Indian duo needs to regroup and support their team better. Lagno has been solid for the Knights but lacks winning support elsewhere.
Prodigy Board: Daniel Dardha against Bardiya Daneshvar in a rematch from Day 2. Daneshvar had won his first two games before making a crucial mistake on move 45 against Leon Mendonca, losing what should have been a winning position. Dardha has struggled to make an impact for the winless Knights.
What to Expect:
The Knights are running out of time and need to start collecting points immediately. Gukesh faces enormous pressure in front of the home crowd, and the entire team needs to step up. The Mumba Masters were devastated by their Day 3 loss after dominating for most of the match, and they’ll be eager to prove it was just a momentary lapse. This could be physical and mental as much as chess, with the team that handles pressure better likely to prevail.
Match 12: Triveni Continental Kings vs Ganges Grandmasters (20:00 IST)
The day’s finale features the defending champions Triveni Continental Kings against a resurgent Ganges Grandmasters side inspired by Viswanathan Anand’s stunning victory over Gukesh. Despite Alireza Firouzja’s brilliance on Day 3, defeating Nakamura convincingly, the Kings saw their perfect record shattered by a late collapse. The Grandmasters have won two consecutive matches and are brimming with confidence.
Key Matchups:
Icon Board: Alireza Firouzja versus Viswanathan Anand promises to be the day’s most emotionally charged encounter. Firouzja has been in scintillating form, defeating Caruana, Gukesh, and Nakamura in successive matches with brilliant attacking chess. Anand finally found his rhythm on Day 3, dominating Gukesh in a game where his advantage “galloped away,” as he put it. The five-time world champion will look to prove he can still compete with the absolute elite.
Men’s Boards: Wei Yi and Vidit Gujrathi for Triveni face Vincent Keymer and Javokhir Sindarov. Wei Yi has been rock-solid throughout, but Vidit suffered a spectacular loss to Richard Rapport on Day 3. Sindarov has been exceptional for the Grandmasters, rejecting draw offers and converting winning positions with precision. This section could determine the match outcome.
Women’s Boards: Zhu Jiner and Alexandra Kosteniuk versus Stavroula Tsolakidou and Polina Shuvalova. Zhu has been a revelation for the Kings, consistently leaving opponents in near-zugzwang positions. Shuvalova trapped Hou Yifan in a mating net on Day 2, showcasing the Grandmasters’ firepower in this department.
Prodigy Board: Marc Maurizzi against Raunak Sadhwani. Maurizzi was cruising to victory against Volodar Murzin before collapsing in time pressure, making several mistakes that cost his team the match. He’ll need to show mental strength to recover from that devastating loss. Sadhwani bounced back nicely after his Day 1 blunder, winning on Days 2 and 3.
What to Expect:
This is a clash of momentum versus quality. The Grandmasters have the belief that comes from two straight wins, while the Kings remain the team to beat despite their Day 3 setback. Firouzja continues to look unstoppable, but the Grandmasters have shown they can win without relying solely on Anand. The atmosphere at the Royal Opera House will be electric for this evening showdown. Expect the defending champions to come out with a point to prove after their shock loss.
The Standings Battle
After Day 3’s chaos, Ganges Grandmasters, FYERS American Gambits, upGrad Mumba Masters, and Triveni Continental Kings all sit on six match points. Alpine SG Pipers have climbed off the bottom with three points, while PBG Alaskan Knights remain winless and in danger of being left behind. Day 4 could be pivotal in determining which teams emerge as genuine contenders for the finals.
