Speed Demon flagged: How Pranesh denied Nihal Sarin & Gambits a spot in GCL final
Speed demon Pranesh M denied CheQ Mumba Masters a spot in the 2026 Global Chess League (GCL) final. The 20-year-old replaced Vladimir Fedoseev last minute and secured a win against Nihal Sarin in a tense game to deny the Indian team a chance at the summit clash. Despite trailing 2.0-8.0 earlier in the match, Nihal and Javokhir Sindarov were leading with victories on both sides, which would have given Gambits a 10.0-8.0 result.
However, Pranesh's decisive win changed the outcome, allowing Masters to secure a top-four finish and a place in the third-place match. Gambits and Masters will face off in the third-place clash, while Ganges Grandmasters and Alpine APL Pipers will compete in the final.
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