Sports
Cream of chess world descends in Dubai for GCL
The inaugural edition of Global Chess League will be held in Dubai from June 22 to July 2, featuring the world’s strongest players, including world champions (active and former) in all three chess categories – classical, rapid and blitz. A global hub, the Emirate will be at the centre of the chess world for two weeks.
This is the second most important chess event held in Dubai, following the match for the title of World Chess Champion in 2021. This unparalleled gathering will showcase 36 top-ranked players categorized as Chess Icons, Superstars, and Prodigies (those born in 2002 and later), vying for the ultimate glory.
Anand Mahindra , chairman of Tech Mahindra, third from left, addresses the media. Supplied
The cream of the crop:
The very best in the chess world today will take part in this event as members of six different teams. Leading them will be the former world champion in classical chess, and reigning world champion in rapid and blitz, Magnus Carlsen.
Joining Carlsen in the pool of players tipped as ‘Chess Icons’, are – fellow former world champion, Viswanathan Anand, two-time challenger for the title of World Champion Ian Nepomniachtchi, former Blitz world champion Levon Aronian and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, as well the 2021 winner of the chess World Cup Jan-Krzysztof Duda.
The pool of Superstars includes Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2021 world rapid champion), Alexander Grischuk (three-time world blitz champion) and Daniil Dubov (2018 world rapid champion), as well as a score of top-Indian players such as Vidit Gujrathi, Arjun Erigaisi and Gukesh D.
The world’s leading women players are also taking part, including Grandmaster Alexandra Kosteniuk (who held titles of world champion in classical and rapid chess), Kateryna Lagno (two times world blitz champion and once a world rapid champion), and world-leading players Koneru Humpy and Harika Dronavalli. The event in Dubai will also feature a surprising return to the board of Hou Yifan, a four-time world champion who has in recent years dedicated herself to a career in academia.
The teams:
The Global Chess League, the first global chess franchise of its kind, brings together distinguished sports entrepreneurs as franchise owners. Leading global and Indian companies such as U SPORTS, Insurekot Sports (ISPL), Punit Balan Group, Triveni Group (Triveni Engineering & Industries Ltd. and Triveni Turbine Ltd.), Chingari App, and APL Apollo-led SG Sports all own one team each taking part in the competition.
The event will feature six teams, made up of six players. Each team will consist of one Icon player, two male players, two female players and one prodigy player (those born in 2002 and later).
The teams are:
- Ganges Grandmasters {owned by Insurekot Sports (ISPL)}
- Triveni Continental Kings {owned by Triveni Group (Triveni Engineering & Industries Ltd. and Triveni Turbine Ltd.)}
- SG Alpine Warriors (owned by APL Apollo-led SG Sports)
- Chingari Gulf Titans {owned by Chingari App (Tech4Billion Group)}
- upGrad Mumba Masters (owned by U SPORTS)
- Balan Alaskan Knights (owned by Punit Balan Group (PBG)
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