Hou Yifan and Viswanathan Anand both triumphed in their respective matches.
On the opening day of the Global Chess League, former world champions Viswanathan Anand and Hou Yifan emerged victorious for their team, Ganges Grandmasters, against Chingari Gulf Titans. Ganges Grandmasters secured a 10-4 triumph in match points, with Viswanathan and Yifan winning their respective games.
The team played with the advantage of white pieces, which proved valuable as they capitalized on the first-move advantage. In another match, Mumbai Masters narrowly defeated Triveni Continental Kings by a score of 8-7. Levon Aronian, leading the Kings, failed to capitalize on playing with white pieces, and the match ended in a draw on most of the boards.
The Global Chess League’s inaugural day received positive feedback from Anand, who expressed excitement about the league and its promising future.