Global Chess League 2023: Excitement builds as teams finalize after draft

The highly anticipated Global Chess League (GCL), a joint venture between Tech Mahindra and FIDE, recently conducted its inaugural draft in Mumbai. The event is scheduled to be held from June 21 to July 2, 2023, at the prestigious Dubai Chess and Culture Club. Organized in collaboration with the Dubai Sports Council, the GCL has garnered great attention from chess enthusiasts worldwide.

Renowned players like Magnus Carlsen, Viswanathan Anand, Ding Liren, and Hou Yifan are set to headline the tournament.

During the draft, 36 of the world's top chess players were selected by the six GCL franchises. These franchises, and their owners, are:

Ganges Grandmasters, owned by Suresh Kotak led-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 Ronnie Screwvala led-U Sports, and Balan Alaskan Knights, owned by Punit Balan Group (PBG).

The players were categorized as ICONS, Superstars Men, Superstars Women, and Prodigies.

In an exciting bidding process, Magnus Carlsen, the five-time World Chess Champion and top-ranked player globally, was chosen by the SG Alpine Warriors. Viswanathan Anand, a five-time World Chess Champion himself, joined the Ganges Grandmasters.

The current World Champion, Ding Liren, was drafted by Triveni Continental Kings. Notable selections also included Grandmaster Jan-Krzysztof Duda by the Chingari Gulf Titans and Grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi by the Balan Alaskan Knights. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave became part of upGrad Mumba Masters as their ICON player.

Each team had a total of 1000 points to allocate while selecting players from categories two, three, and four (excluding ICONS). The ICON players were chosen based on a preferential draft system.

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Global Chess League 2023: Final squads after the draft

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 Domínguez 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)