NEW DELHI
Ganges Grandmasters defeated Alpine APL Pipers 1.5-0.5 in the final to win the Global Chess League 2026. Ian Nepomniachtchi produced a decisive victory over Magnus Carlsen, while teammate Stavroula Tsolakidou defeated Koneru Humpy to secure the title for the Grandmasters.
The opening round of the final ended in a closely fought 3-3 draw. Ganges Grandmasters then dominated the second match, winning 4-2 with the Black pieces to seal the championship. Nepomniachtchi played a strong game against Carlsen in the Catalan Opening, an opening Carlsen had also used during their 2021 World Championship match.
Carlsen initially caught Nepomniachtchi off guard, but an inaccuracy on the 28th move, when he captured a pawn, allowed Nepomniachtchi to launch a powerful attack. The Russian combined his rook and bishops effectively and defeated Carlsen in 39 moves. Levon Aronian also contributed to the Grandmasters’ success, defeating Anish Giri in the first game.
India’s Adhiban Bhaskaran coached the Ganges Grandmasters, while Tsolakidou earned the Player of the Tournament award with 21 points. She was popularly known as the Greek Goddess. Interestingly, Carlsen has never been part of a team that won the GCL; Alpine APL Pipers won the previous edition without his participation. The six-team event featured a double round-robin format in rapid chess, with the two highest-scoring teams advancing to the final. The champions received $250,000, while Pipers earned $125,000 as prize.
In the third-place matches, FYERS American Gambits, led by icon player Javokhir Sindarov, defeated CheQ Mumba Masters twice, winning 3.5-2.5 and 4-2. FYERS finished third, while CheQ Mumba Masters placed fourth. Dronavalli Harika of CheQ Mumba Masters remained the only undefeated player throughout the tournament.
