Ding, Magnus, Viswanathan and Hou join the Global Chess League

Ding, Magnus, Viswanathan and Hou join the Global Chess League

Dubai; by Nawaz Gohar

Global Chess League (GCL), a joint venture between Tech Mahindra and FIDE, today announced the complete list of players for the upcoming inaugural edition. The first season of the Global Chess League will be held at the Dubai Chess & Culture Club from June 21st – July 2nd, 2023, in association with the Dubai Sports Council. It will feature reigning World Chess Champion Ding Liren, the world’s top-ranked chess player and five-time World Champion Magnus Carlsen, five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand, and four-time Women’s World champion Hou Yifan, among others.

Grandmaster Liren, said, “Global Chess League appeared to be a fantastic opportunity from the moment I heard about it, and I was eager to participate. Not only is it an interesting format, but also, as an ICON player, I get to contribute to an exciting concept that will change the face of the chess world for years to come.
Carlsen is the world’s top-ranked chess player. A five-time World Chess Champion, and the reigning four-time World Rapid Chess Champion, Carlsen’s peak FIDE rating has been the highest in chess history.
Speaking about his association with the league, the world’s top-ranked chess player Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, said, “The Global Chess League will be a great new event in over-the-board chess that has never been done before. I am excited to be a part of this unique mixed-team format. Chess is played by many people worldwide, but it needs to catch up to other major sports as a spectator sport, and I am optimistic that GCL will contribute significantly to this. I look forward to meeting the team, competing against India’s exciting new generation of players, and enjoying the league’s team spirit.”

All teams will compete in a one-of-a-kind joint team format at GCL, with each team consisting of six players a minimum of two women chess players per team.
Global Chess League will also feature top female superstars, including Grandmaster Hou Yifan, a four-time Women’s World Chess Champion and the second highest-rated female player of all time. She was a chess prodigy who was the youngest female player ever to qualify for the title of grandmaster at the age of 14. Hou Yifan is accompanied by Grandmaster Koneru Humpy, Grandmaster Harika Dronavalli, Grandmaster Kateryna Lagno, Grandmaster Alexandra Kosteniuk, Grandmaster Tan Zhongyi, Grandmaster Nana Dzagnidze, Grandmaster Bella Khotenashvili, Grandmaster Nino Batsiashvili, Grandmaster Irina Krush, International Master Polina Shuvalova, and 2018 European Women’s Champion in rapid chess, Elisabeth Paehtz.
Jagdish Mitra, Chairperson of the Global Chess League Board, said, “We are honoured to have some of the biggest names in chess for the inaugural edition. Apart from being great players, all of them have been ambassadors for the game in their respective countries and worldwide.