Chess
9 Indians among world's best chess players drafted into 6 Global Chess League teams
Ding Liren, Magnus Carlsen, Viswanathan Anand were among the world's best 36 chess players to be drafted into the GCL. The highest bid was for Hou Yifan.
World's top ranked women Grandmaster Hou Yifan
The Global Chess League, scheduled to take place from June 21st to July 2nd, 2023 at the Dubai Chess & Culture Club, held its first draft for its highly anticipated inaugural edition in Mumbai on Wednesday.
The draft witnessed the selection of 36 of the world’s best chess players, who were drafted by six GCL franchises: Ganges Grandmasters, Triveni Continental Kings, SG Alpine Warriors, Chingari Gulf Titans, upGrad Mumba Masters and Balan Alaskan Knights.
World’s top-ranked women’s Chess Grandmaster Hou Yifan became the highest points bid in the first edition of the drafts among both Superstar Men & Women categories.
Praggnanandhaa R became the highest-bid player in the U21 category, at 290 points, bid by the SG Alpine Warriors.
Tournament format
The Global Chess League will showcase an intense competition as each of the six franchises will engage in a double round-robin format, playing a total of 10 matches.
The matches will be decided using a best-of-six board scoring system, played simultaneously, adding an extra layer of excitement to the tournament.
The top two teams emerging from the league will advance to the final, scheduled for July 2nd, 2023, where the coveted title of World Champion Franchise Team will be awarded.
GCL owners at the GCL draft
Final Squads
Balan Alaskan Knights: Ian Nepomniachtchi (ICON), Teimour Radjabov, Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Superstar Men), Tan Zhongyi, Nino Batsiashvili (Superstar Women), Raunak Sadhwani (prodigy)
Chingari Gulf Titans: Jan-Krzysztof Duda (ICON), Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Daniil Dubov (Superstar Men), Alexandra Kosteniuk, Polina Shuvalova (Superstar Women), Nihal Sarin (prodigy)
Ganges Grandmasters: Viswanathan Anand (ICON), Richárd Rapport, Leinier DomÃnguez Pérez, (Superstar Men) Hou Yifan, Bella Khotenashvili (Superstar Women), Andrey Esipenko (prodigy)
SG Alpine Warriors: Magnus Carlsen (ICON), Gukesh D, Arjun Erigaisi (Superstar Men), Elisabeth Pähtz, Irina Krush (Superstar Women), Praggnanandhaa R (prodigy)
upGrad Mumba Masters: Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (ICON), Vidit Gujrathi, Alexander Grischuk (Superstar Men), Koneru Humpy, Harika Dronavalli (Superstar Women), Javokhir Sindarov (prodigy)
Triveni Continental Kings: Ding Liren (ICON), Wei Yi, Yu Yangyi (Superstar Men), Kateryna Lagno, Nana Dzagnidze (Superstar Women), Jonas Buhl Bjerre (prodigy)
