Five-time World champions Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand headline a star-studded field as the Global Chess League prepares to kick off in Bengaluru.
Five-time World champion Magnus Carlsen expressed his delight at returning to the Global Chess League (GCL) ahead of its kickoff in Bengaluru on Saturday. Carlsen noted that chess has been attracting newer fans globally over the past five or six years, highlighting the continuous drive to present the sport through innovative formats.
Returning to the Alpine Pipers after a one-year hiatus, the Norwegian grandmaster reflected on his previous stint, noting that while the team faced frustrating years when he played, they won the title during his absence. Carlsen stated his aim this season is to do his best to ensure the team does no worse than last year.
Fellow five-time World champion Viswanathan Anand is featuring for a new team this season, the PBG Alaskan Knights, confirming that his role is strictly as a player rather than a mentor. Turkish prodigy Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus is making his GCL debut with the Alaskan Knights, sharing his excitement about playing alongside Anand and Arjun Erigaisi.
Javokhir Sindarov, who will challenge D. Gukesh for the World title later this year, is set to play on the first board for Fyers American Gambits. Meanwhile, Women's World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh is also making her GCL debut, looking forward to the challenge of playing without an increment. Ahead of the event, GCL chairperson Peeyush Dubey emphasized that the league proves chess can be a festival backed by major global companies.
Reporting sourced from The Hindu Sport. Photo courtesy The Hindu Sport.