Ganges Grandmasters raise the stakes at the player draft for the inaugural edition of the Global Chess League to be held in Dubai. Courtesy Tech Mahindra
The first Global Chess League player draft saw women’s top-ranked Grandmaster Hou Yifan become the star pick in a pool of 36 after the bidding process in Mumbai. The highly anticipated six-team tournament is scheduled to take place from June 21 to July 2 at the Dubai Chess and Culture Club, in association with the Dubai Sports Council.
A day after the owners of the six franchises were announced, the cream of world’s chess players – Yifan, Magnus Carlsen, Viswanathan Anand, Ding Liren and others – were picked from a purse of 1,000 points for each team. A joint venture between Tech Mahindra and FIDE, the GCL has captured the attention of chess enthusiasts worldwide, and where each team have players across four categories: Icon, Superstars Men, Superstars Women, and Prodigy. The Icon players were selected based on a preferential draft system.
Magnus Carlsen, the five-time World Chess Champion and the top-ranked player in the world was selected by SG Alpine Warriors. A five-time World Chess Champion, Viswanathan Anand, joined the Ganges Grandmasters. The current World Champion, Ding Liren was drafted by Triveni Continental Kings. Other notable selections included Grandmaster Jan-Krzysztof Duda by Chingari Gulf Titans and Grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi by Balan Alaskan Knights. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave joined upGrad Mumba Masters as their Icon player.
Yifan attracted the highest points’ bid across men and women categories when Ganges Grandmasters picked her for 470 points. “I am looking forward to being on the same team as Viswanathan Anand and also to have the likes of Richárd Rapport, Leinier Domínguez, Bella Khotenashvili, and Andrey Esipenko on our team,” she said.
upGrad Mumba Masters picked up the Indian pair of Koneru Humpy and Harika Dronavalli at 360 and 330 points, respectively. Praggnanandhaa R became the highest-bid player among the U21 Prodigy category, won by SG Alpine Warriors at 290 points. Andrey Esipenko went to Ganges Grandmasters in a lucky draw after receiving an equal point bid by Triveni Continental Kings, who got Jonas Buhl Bjerre eventually.
“From being on opposite sides of the table with most players to being on the same team, I am excited to meet my teammates and see how we can make the most of this experience and apply it to future competitions,” said Praggnanandhaa.
To ensure the smooth progress of the tournament, there are 3 chess players who have been chosen as reserve players who will be assigned to the particular team in case, due to any unforeseen circumstances, the current squad member/s cannot participate.
The six teams 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 will advance to the final on July 2, where the coveted title of World Champion Franchise Team will be awarded.
TEAMS
(Icon, Superstar Men (2), Superstar Women (2), Prodigy):
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has postponed the launch of its online portal for verification, photocopy requests and re-evaluation of answer sheets related to the 2026 board examinations.
The board announced that the Post-Result Activities portal will now go live on June 1 instead of the previously expected schedule.
According to CBSE, the delay is intended to ensure a smoother and more transparent experience for students applying for post-result services following the declaration of board exam results.
In an official statement, the education board said the additional preparation time would help strengthen evaluation protocols and minimise technical issues during the application process.
CBSE added that the revised timeline is aimed at maintaining accuracy and ensuring the system operates efficiently for lakhs of students expected to access the portal for answer book verification and re-evaluation requests.
Students seeking assistance or clarification regarding the process can contact the CBSE Tele-Counselling Helpline or submit queries through the board’s official support email.
The post-result services allow students to apply for answer sheet verification, obtain photocopies of evaluated answer books and request re-evaluation of specific responses after board results are announced.
Round 4 of Norway Chess 2026 produced another dramatic day of elite competition in Oslo, with Magnus Carlsen claiming a crucial victory over reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju in the marquee matchup of the day.
Playing with the black pieces, Carlsen navigated a tense, strategically rich encounter before gradually taking control in the middlegame. Although the position remained balanced for long stretches, mounting pressure and severe time trouble eventually pushed Gukesh into inaccuracies that allowed the Norwegian star to convert his advantage into a full classical win.
The victory marks an important turnaround for Carlsen after a difficult opening phase of the tournament and significantly improves his standing before the home crowd.
Tournament leader Alireza Firouzja was held to a classical draw by Wesley So following a cautious positional battle in which neither player managed to create decisive winning chances. Wesley So later secured victory in the Armageddon tiebreak, earning the additional points.
In another closely fought encounter, Vincent Keymer and Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu shared the points after a balanced contest featuring opportunities for both players. Praggnanandhaa later triumphed in Armageddon to collect the bonus points.
Despite the Armageddon loss, Firouzja remains at the top of the standings after four rounds, while Carlsen’s classical victory has reignited his challenge near the top of the leaderboard.
The women’s section of the tournament also delivered another intense round, with all three classical games ending in draws before being decided in Armageddon playoffs.
Humpy Koneru and Zhu Jiner fought a tense encounter that remained level throughout, before Zhu Jiner emerged victorious in the Armageddon decider.
Defending women’s world champion Ju Wenjun managed to hold a difficult position against tournament leader Bibisara Assaubayeva in classical play. Assaubayeva later won the Armageddon game to strengthen her lead in the standings.
Meanwhile, Divya Deshmukh pushed strongly for victory against Anna Muzychuk during a complex middlegame battle, but Muzychuk defended resiliently before going on to win the Armageddon tiebreak.
After four rounds, Assaubayeva continues to lead Norway Chess Women, with Muzychuk, Divya and Zhu Jiner remaining firmly in contention as the tournament heads deeper into its decisive stages.
Dubai Police has warned residents against purchasing or attempting to use stolen credit cards and banking data being illegally promoted through suspicious websites and social media platforms, stressing that offenders could face severe legal penalties under the UAE’s cybercrime laws.
According to police officials, organised fraud networks operating outside the UAE are increasingly using fake online platforms to advertise stolen financial information, including compromised credit card details and unauthorised banking access.
Officials said criminals were targeting internet users through deceptive websites and online pages designed to lure buyers seeking illegal financial services or discounted payment methods.
Authorities stressed that anyone found purchasing, sharing or using stolen banking information could face imprisonment, in addition to financial penalties reaching up to Dh2 million under federal cybercrime legislation.
Officials explained that many victims unknowingly compromise their own financial information after entering banking details on fake websites carefully designed to imitate trusted companies, online stores or service providers. Cybercriminals also frequently use fraudulent payment links sent through messages, emails or social media platforms to steal card information from unsuspecting users.
Police said stolen banking data is often circulated through organised cybercrime networks, where compromised card details are bought and sold before being used in fraudulent transactions. Authorities noted that the misuse of stolen information may occur days or even weeks after the original breach, making it harder for victims to trace exactly when or where their financial data was exposed.
Dubai Police also urged residents to closely monitor bank accounts and credit card statements and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions immediately. Officials explained that quick reporting significantly improves the chances of freezing fraudulent activity, tracing transactions and recovering stolen funds before larger financial losses occur.
The warning comes as cybercrime and online financial fraud continue to evolve across digital platforms, with authorities repeatedly advising the public to avoid dealing with unverified websites, suspicious online advertisements or unknown payment channels.
Police further encouraged residents to rely only on secure banking applications and official payment platforms when conducting financial transactions online.