Mumba Masters secured a vital 14-5 win over Alpine Sg Pipers on day six of the Global Chess League here on Tuesday, dealing a major blow to the Pipers' chances of closing in on the top two teams.
Despite a strong start to the season, Mumba Masters struggled and lost five matches, including a heavy 4-12 defeat to the Pipers, earlier in the event.
But this time, they bounced back decisively to climb from the bottom of the standings to fourth place, just behind the Pipers.
The match began with a quiet draw on the women's board between Hou Yifan and Humpy Koneru, but the momentum soon shifted dramatically.
Former world champion Magnus Carlsen, playing on the icon board for the Pipers, blundered against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, suffering a shock loss that left him visibly shaken as he stormed out of the playing area.
In response, Pipers' Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa launched a fierce attack against Vidit Gujrathi's black king, securing a crucial win to keep his team in the contest.
Peter
