Day 7 delivered the drama we expected and then some. Hikaru Nakamura’s American Gambits demolished upGrad Mumba Masters 16-1—the most lopsided result of the tournament—before Marc’Andria Maurizzi’s clutch win over Volodar Murzin gave Triveni Continental Kings an 8-7 escape against the same Gambits side to open up a commanding six-point lead. With Ganges Grandmasters edging Alpine SG Pipers 10-9 and PBG Alaskan Knights defeating the Grandmasters 9-7, the championship picture has crystallized: the Kings are one victory away from securing their Finals spot, while five teams remain locked in a fierce battle for second place. Day 8 features four matches that could effectively end some teams’ championship dreams.
Match 24: Alpine SG Pipers vs upGrad Mumba Masters (15:30 IST)
The opening clash pairs two teams desperately trying to salvage their campaigns. Both Alpine SG Pipers and upGrad Mumba Masters have played one fewer match than the rest, making this a critical opportunity to close the gap. The Pipers sit on nine match points after narrow losses to Ganges Grandmasters in both their encounters, while Mumba Masters remain on 12 points despite their crushing defeat to American Gambits.
Key Matchups:
Icon Board: Fabiano Caruana versus Maxime Vachier-Lagrave is a rematch of their Day 3 encounter, which MVL won convincingly. Caruana has been sensational all tournament, maintaining near-perfection on the Icon board and ending Alireza Firouzja’s winning streak. MVL suffered his worst defeat of the tournament on Day 7, with only Bardiya Daneshvar managing a draw against the American Gambits onslaught. How he responds mentally to that humiliation could determine this match.
Men’s Boards: R Praggnanandhaa and Anish Giri face Wesley So and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. Giri produced his best chess of the tournament on Day 6, defeating Wei Yi in brilliant fashion, while Pragg continues searching for consistency. Wesley So has been world-class when engaged, and Mamedyarov remains devastating when he finds his rhythm—his wins over Sindarov broke the Uzbek’s winning streak twice.
Women’s Boards: Hou Yifan and Nino Batsiashvili against Koneru Humpy and Harika Dronavalli. Batsiashvili has been the Pipers’ most reliable performer with multiple victories, while Hou Yifan is finding her stride after a slow start. Humpy finally broke through on Day 6, ending her struggles with a crucial win, though Harika’s inconsistency remains concerning for the Mumba Masters.
Prodigy Board: Leon Luke Mendonca takes on Bardiya Daneshvar. Leon has delivered clutch performances throughout the tournament—his Day 3 and Day 4 victories turned matches around when his team needed him most. Daneshvar was the only Mumba Masters player to avoid defeat against the Gambits, salvaging a draw against Murzin, but he’s yet to recapture his early-tournament confidence.
What to Expect:
This is must-win territory for both teams. The Pipers have been agonizingly close in their matches against Ganges Grandmasters but couldn’t finish either encounter. Caruana has been magnificent, but he needs support from his teammates if they’re to mount a serious challenge for the Finals. The Mumba Masters are reeling from their Day 7 humiliation—that 16-1 scoreline was shocking for a team that had been co-leaders just days earlier. MVL’s perfect record on the Icon board was shattered, and the psychological impact of such a comprehensive defeat cannot be underestimated. Whoever loses this match likely kisses their Finals hopes goodbye, while the winner keeps their slim championship dreams alive. Expect both teams to come out swinging with nothing to lose.
Match 25: Ganges Grandmasters vs Triveni Continental Kings (17:00 IST)
The day’s second encounter features the team chasing second place against the runaway leaders. Ganges Grandmasters have surged to 12 match points after their Day 7 victory over Alpine SG Pipers, though they surrendered that momentum immediately by losing to PBG Alaskan Knights. Triveni Continental Kings sit comfortably on 18 points and need just one more victory to mathematically secure their Finals berth.
Key Matchups:
Icon Board: Viswanathan Anand versus Alireza Firouzja is the headline attraction. These two met on Day 3, with Anand claiming victory in what was Firouzja’s first loss of the tournament. The Iranian prodigy then lost again to Gukesh before drawing with Nakamura on Day 7—his first non-decisive result. Firouzja’s aura of invincibility has been punctured, and the question is whether he’s found his equilibrium or if doubt has set in. Anand has been solid throughout, pushing MVL to the brink on Day 6 and holding Caruana to a draw on Day 7. The five-time world champion knows victory here keeps his team’s Finals hopes realistic while potentially derailing the Kings’ coronation.
Men’s Boards: Vincent Keymer and Javokhir Sindarov for the Grandmasters against Wei Yi and Vidit Gujrathi. Sindarov’s four-game winning streak was ended by Mamedyarov twice, and he’s struggled since, though he defeated Praggnanandhaa on Day 7. Keymer has been inconsistent—outclassed by Wesley So but capable of quality chess when he finds his rhythm. Wei Yi has shown resilience, bouncing back from losses to deliver important victories, while Vidit finally broke his drought on Day 6 after his nightmare mate-in-two blunder. The Indian desperately needs to build on that momentum.
Women’s Boards: Stavroula Tsolakidou and Polina Shuvalova versus Zhu Jiner and Alexandra Kosteniuk. Zhu has been exceptional for the Kings throughout the tournament, consistently delivering points when her team needed them. Kosteniuk has been less consistent but remains dangerous. Shuvalova cooled after her sensational opening but remains one of the Grandmasters’ more reliable performers, while Tsolakidou scored a crucial victory on Day 7.
Prodigy Board: Raunak Sadhwani faces Marc’Andria Maurizzi in what could be the most important individual matchup of the day. Maurizzi is coming off his heroic Day 7 performance—his last-gasp victory over Murzin saved his team from defeat and earned him Player of the Match honors. The 18-year-old Frenchman has become the Kings’ clutch performer in critical moments. Sadhwani defeated Daniel Dardha on Day 6 but has endured a difficult tournament overall.
What to Expect:
The Kings know one victory seals their Finals spot, and they’ll be motivated to clinch it here rather than let the tension build. However, Firouzja’s recent struggles—two losses followed by a draw—suggest vulnerability. The Grandmasters have shown they can compete with anyone when Anand and Sindarov fire together, but they’ve also demonstrated alarming inconsistency. This could go either way: if Anand defeats Firouzja again and the supporting cast contributes, the Grandmasters can pull off the upset and keep their Finals hopes alive. But if Firouzja returns to his dominant form and the Kings play with the confidence of champions, they’ll close out the group stage with a match to spare. The Maurizzi-Sadhwani clash on the prodigy board could once again prove decisive—Maurizzi has delivered when it mattered most, and the Kings will be counting on him if the match goes down to the wire.
Match 26: Alpine SG Pipers vs FYERS American Gambits (18:30 IST)
The third encounter of the day brings together two teams on nine match points, both desperate to break into Finals contention. American Gambits had a rollercoaster Day 7—crushing Mumba Masters 16-1 before losing narrowly to Triveni Continental Kings 7-8. The Pipers suffered consecutive 9-10 losses to Ganges Grandmasters in their double round-robin meetings.
Key Matchups:
Icon Board: Fabiano Caruana faces Hikaru Nakamura in their second meeting of the tournament. Nakamura won their first encounter on Day 1 and has been solid since, though he’s struggled to produce the wins his team needs from the Icon position. Caruana has been the Pipers’ warrior, carrying them almost single-handedly with his Icon board excellence. This rematch is crucial—Nakamura will want to prove his Day 1 victory wasn’t a fluke, while Caruana seeks revenge.
Men’s Boards: R Praggnanandhaa and Anish Giri versus Richard Rapport and Vladislav Artemiev. Rapport remains the Gambits’ X-factor—his Day 3 brilliancy against Vidit demonstrated his ceiling, but he’s been quiet since. Artemiev needs to elevate his game after losing to Arjun’s precise endgame technique. Giri is riding high after his stunning defeat of Wei Yi, while Pragg continues his gradual improvement.
Women’s Boards: Hou Yifan and Nino Batsiashvili against Bibisara Assaubayeva and Teodora Injac. Batsiashvili has been remarkably consistent with multiple victories and remains the Pipers’ most reliable non-Icon performer. Hou Yifan’s win over Humpy on Day 3 showed her class. Assaubayeva and Injac both contributed to the Day 7 demolition of Mumba Masters and will be confident.
Prodigy Board: Leon Luke Mendonca takes on Volodar Murzin in a rematch of their dramatic Day 3 encounter. Murzin produced a stunning comeback to defeat Maurizzi that day, one of the tournament’s most memorable moments, but he’s since lost to Leon on Day 4 and Maurizzi again on Day 7. Leon has been clutch throughout—his victories have consistently come when his team needed them most.
What to Expect:
This is effectively a playoff match. Both teams sit on nine points, and whoever loses likely sees their Finals hopes evaporate. The Gambits showed they can be devastating—that 16-1 destruction of Mumba Masters was the tournament’s most comprehensive victory—but they also demonstrated vulnerability by failing to defeat the Kings despite taking a 7-4 lead. The Pipers have been maddeningly inconsistent: capable of upsetting the tournament leaders but unable to close out matches against weaker opposition. Caruana versus Nakamura is the marquee clash, but the supporting cast will determine the outcome. If the Gambits can recapture the form they showed against Mumba Masters, they’ll be overwhelming. If the Pipers’ depth finally shows up alongside Caruana’s excellence, they can steal the victory. This could be the most wide-open match of the day.
Match 27: upGrad Mumba Masters vs PBG Alaskan Knights (20:00 IST)
The evening finale pairs two teams heading in dramatically different directions. upGrad Mumba Masters have plummeted from co-leaders to crisis mode after their 1-16 humiliation against American Gambits. PBG Alaskan Knights have transformed from winless wonders to genuine contenders, winning three of their last four matches to reach 12 match points.
Key Matchups:
Icon Board: Maxime Vachier-Lagrave versus D Gukesh is the battle of world-class talent searching for consistency. MVL was perfect on the Icon board through five games before Nakamura destroyed him on Day 7. That defeat—and the manner of it—will test his mental fortitude. Gukesh has been maddeningly inconsistent: brilliant one day (defeating both Caruana and Firouzja on Day 6), ordinary the next (missing winning chances against Anand on Day 7). The young World Champion desperately needs to find consistency if the Knights are to sustain their charge.
Men’s Boards: Wesley So and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov face Arjun Erigaisi and Leinier Dominguez. Arjun has been crucial to the Knights’ resurgence, delivering match-winning performances despite occasional losses like his Day 6 defeat to Wei Yi. Dominguez has been less consistent. Wesley So was near-flawless against Keymer on Day 6, showcasing world-class form, while Mamedyarov continues his devastating run—he’s been one of the tournament’s most impactful players.
Women’s Boards: Koneru Humpy and Harika Dronavalli versus Sara Khadem and Kateryna Lagno. Khadem finally broke through on Day 6 with a comprehensive victory over Injac, then defeated Kosteniuk on Day 7—she’s found her form at the perfect moment. Lagno has been solid throughout. Humpy’s Day 6 breakthrough was crucial, but she needs to build on it, while Harika remains the Mumba Masters’ biggest question mark.
Prodigy Board: Bardiya Daneshvar takes on Daniel Dardha in the battle of struggling prodigies. Daneshvar salvaged pride with his draw against Murzin when everything else was collapsing around him. Dardha has endured a nightmare tournament, losing to Sadhwani on Day 6 and struggling to find any rhythm.
What to Expect:
The Mumba Masters are in crisis. That 16-1 defeat was more than a loss—it was a psychological demolition that could shatter confidence for the remainder of the tournament. MVL’s perfect record is gone, and the team that was co-leaders just days ago suddenly looks vulnerable and fragile. They need to respond immediately or risk falling further behind in the Finals race. The Knights are the tournament’s feel-good story—four consecutive defeats to start, now three wins in four matches. Gukesh and Arjun are finally delivering the performances expected of them, and the supporting cast is contributing crucial points. Momentum is everything in team competitions, and the Knights have it while the Mumba Masters are reeling. If MVL and his team cannot recover mentally from the Day 7 humiliation, the Knights will feast on their vulnerability. But if the Mumba Masters rediscover the form that made them co-leaders, they can halt the Knights’ charge and reassert themselves in the Finals race. This match will reveal which team has the stronger mentality heading into the final stretch.
The Championship Picture
After Day 7, Triveni Continental Kings lead with 18 match points—six clear of second place—and one more victory clinches their Finals berth. The battle for second is ferocious: upGrad Mumba Masters, Ganges Grandmasters, and PBG Alaskan Knights all sit on 12 points, while Alpine SG Pipers and Fyers American Gambits are on nine. With the Mumba Masters and Pipers having played one fewer match than the others, every result matters enormously. Day 8 will likely eliminate at least one team’s Finals hopes while potentially crowning the Kings as group stage winners. The pressure has never been higher, and the chess promises to be spectacular.
