The inaugural Global Chess League will see some of the best players in the world lock horns against each other to establish their supremacy.
Chess now has its very own franchise league much in the vein of other sports such as cricket, kabaddi, kho-kho, hockey, badminton, tennis, and football.
The tournament promises to be a riveting display of strategic brilliance as stars such as Magnus Carlsen, Viswanathan Anand, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Hou Yifan, Levon Aronian, Konery Humpy, R Praggnanandhaa are set to participate in the tournament.
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TSN tells you all you need to know about the brand-new chess franchise league.
What is the Global Chess League?
The Global Chess League (GCL), a joint initiative by Tech Mahindra and International Chess Federation (FIDE), which will see six teams battle for supremacy.
The best players in the world will compete and the aim is to grab eyeballs by making the sport spectator-friendly.
What are the six teams involved?
Each team has got six players divided into icons, superstars and prodigies. A total of six icons, six prodigies and 26 superstars have been drafted in the six teams.
Balan Alaskan Knights: Ian Nepomniachtchi, Teimour Radjabov, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Tan Zhongyi, Nino Batsiashvili, Raunak Sadhwani.
Chingari Gulf Titans: Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Daniil Dubov, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Polina Shuvalova, Andrey Esipenko.
Ganges Grandmasters: Viswanathan Anand, Richard Rapport, Leinier Dominguez Prez, Hou Yifan, Bella Khotenashvili, Javokhir Sindarov.
SG Alpine Warriors: Magnus Carlsen, Gukesh D, Arjun Erigaisi, Elisabeth Pahtz, Irina Krush, R Praggnanandhaa.
upGrad Mumba Masters: Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Vidit Gujrathi, Alexander Grischuk, Koneru Humpy, Harika Dronavalli, Jonas Buhl Bjerre.
Triveni Continental Kings: Ding Liren, Wei Yi, Yu Yangyi, Kateryna Lagno, Nana Dzagnidz
Who are the Icons of the Global Chess League?
- Viswanathan Anand (Ganges Grandmasters)
- Magnus Carlsen (Alpine Warriors)
- Levon Aronian (Triveni Continental Kings)
- Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Chingari Gulf Titans)
- Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Upgrad Mumba Masters)
- Ian Nepomniachtchi (Balan Alaskan Knights)
Who are the Prodigies of the Global Chess League?
- R Praggnanandhaa (Alpine Warriors)
- Andrey Esipenko (Ganges Grandmasters)
- Nihal Sarin (Chingari Gulf Titans)
- Javokhir Sindarov (Mumba Masters
- Raunak Sadhwani (Balan Alaskan Knights)
- Jonas Buhl Bjerre (Triveni Continental Kings).
What is the format of the Global Chess League?
The six franchises will compete in a double round-robin format. Each team will play a total of 10 matches using a best-of-six board scoring system played simultaneously.
The timer will be set at 15 minutes plus 10 seconds from move number one.
At the conclusion of the league matches, the top two teams from the standings will advance to the final, scheduled for July 2, 2023. In the final, these two teams will vie for the prestigious title of World Champion Franchise Team.
Teams have also been awarded 3 reserve players each in case any of the regular players are unavailable.
A game won with black pieces will result in four Game Points (GP) to the winning player. A victory for a player with white pieces will see them win three GP. A draw will be rewarded with one GP. Each players' GP will contribute to the Team's total Match Points (MP).
There is a concept of bonus point as well: "With regards to the calculations on Match Points (MP), a team which scores more GP than their opposition will be rewarded with a bonus of three MP. If both the teams are level on GP, they will be awarded one MP each. However, if a team scores lesser GP than the opposing team, they won't get any MP for that match."
The final will be a best of two-match. If there is a tie then they will play a playoff best-of-two blitz match. If they still remain unseparated then there will be a sudden death blitz game.
Where will the Global Chess League take place?
The GCL will be taking place at Dubai’s Chess & Culture Club.
Where to watch the Global Chess League?
The GCL will be live-streamed on the JioCinema app and website.
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