Global Chess League: Vishwanathan Anand's Ganges Grandmasters pull off major comeback
Ganges Grandmasters were dominating the League from the outset but then suffered two consecutive defeats, leaving them on 12 match points and in second place. For the result, but also for their psychological stability, Ganges Grandmasters had to make a comeback.
The team of Balan Alaskan Knights started the round in the middle of the standings, on six match points. With a two-match winning streak behind them, and playing with white pieces, in this match they had to push themselves further.
The first to finish was a game between Teimour Radjabov and Leinier Dominguez who reached a drawn endgame and decided to call it a day.
In a match where both sides held their own for a long time, the positions gradually started to look more favourable for Balan Alaskan Knights, but the team of Ganges Grandmasters were fighting back on all boards.
Viswanathan Anand got into a somewhat uncomfortable situation on board one against Ian Nepomniachtchi. The two-time candidate for World Champion managed to create two free pawns on the queenside but then came a pawn exchange where White ended a pawn up. Still, it was even and in the end the game ended in a draw.
In the duel of prodigies, Andrey Esipenko gained more initiative and had a rook for a knight against Raunak Sadhwani. The player from the BAK’s team was managing to hold the position but it was becoming more difficult, especially as Esipenko created a passed pawn on the queenside. In time trouble, Sadhawani could not keep on holding and the game went to team Ganges.
Hou Yifan and Tan Zhongyi also drew their game. Things in the match were going the way which favoured team Ganges as they were in the lead with 7:3.
Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Balan Alaskan Knights played a sharp game with Richard Rapport. He ended with two pawns up but, somehow, Rapport was resisting. In the end, Abdusattorov managed to make a breakthrough and win, securing three important points for BAK. Now the result was 7:6, still favouring Ganges Grandmasters.
For the second time in the day, the outcome of the match depended on the last game being played. BAK’s Nino Batsiashvili took the early initiative against her compatriot from Georgia, Bella Khotenashvili. Despite having a better position, she dropped her advantage. The tense game ended in an even position. However, both kept on playing – Nino had to win for her team to take the match while a draw was enough for Khotenashvili and Ganges Grandmasters. A series of positional maneuvers took place on the board as Nino was trying to force a victory. Despite her efforts, Khotenashvili did not give way and the game was drawn.
A narrow but important victory for Ganges Grandmasters, keeping their hopes for the finals alive.
Global Chess League Media Release
