Global Chess League: All You Need To Know
We're a few days away from the second season of the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League 2024, taking place October 3-11 in London. GMs Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Viswanathan Anand, Hou Yifan, and Vaishali Rameshbabu are among the players in what is expected to be another exciting showcase of fast chess played among six teams for a $1 million prize fund.
There are a lot of different chess events these days, both over-the-board and online, and you might not remember all the ins and outs of what the first Global Chess League was all about. Hence, here's a preview of the second edition that tells you everything you need to know.
- What is the Global Chess League?
- Who is playing?
- What's the format?
- When does it start and how can I watch it?
- Who won last year?
- What are the prizes?
- Can I visit the tournament?
What is the Global Chess League?
The Tech Mahindra Global Chess League (GCL) is the world’s first and largest official franchise chess league. The term franchise league refers to a professional sports league where teams (franchises) are privately owned and operated as individual businesses under the league's umbrella. With the Indian Premier League (IPL) in cricket or the National Football League (NFL) in American football as successful examples, the GCL is an avenue for chess to become even more popular.
The Indian multinational information technology services company Tech Mahindra is the main sponsor behind the league and works together with the International Chess Federation (FIDE) to promote chess further, with innovative formats and technologies. Eventually, the teams should be sharing revenue from sources like broadcasting deals, sponsorships, and ticket sales.
Chess fans!
— Tech Mahindra Global Chess League (@GCLlive) June 27, 2024
London is Calling. See you soon in season 2.#TechMGCL #TheNextMove pic.twitter.com/n5Re5bfkcQ
"It’s definitely a great thing that we now have the Global Chess League in the chess circuit," said GM Arjun Erigaisi to the official website. "I really hope it makes a big impact in the chess world like IPL did to cricket."
"We are yet to see if the concept will take off in our sport as well as it did in cricket, but such initiatives are important to try and push chess to further heights, using the momentum that it has gotten in the last few years," said GM Anish Giri.
Who is playing?
Also in this second season, the tournament will comprise six teams, all with six players:
| Alpine SG Pipers | upGrad Mumba Masters |
| GM Magnus Carlsen | GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave |
| GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu | GM Vidit Gujrathi |
| GM Richard Rapport | GM Peter Svidler |
| GM Hou Yifan | GM Humpy Koneru |
| GM Kateryna Lagno | GM Harika Dronavalli |
| GM Daniel Dardha | GM Raunak Sadhwani |
| American Gambits | PBG Alaskan Knights |
| GM Hikaru Nakamura | GM Anish Giri |
| GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda | GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov |
| GM Yu Yangyi | GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov |
| IM Bibisara Assaubayeva | GM Tan Zhongyi |
| GM Elisabeth Paehtz | IM Alina Kashlinskaya |
| GM Jonas Buhl Bjerre | GM Nihal Sarin |
| Ganges Grandmasters | Triveni Continental Kings |
| GM Viswanathan Anand | GM Alireza Firouzja |
| GM Arjun Erigaisi | GM Wei Yi |
| GM Parham Maghsoodloo | GM Teimour Radjabov |
| GM Vaishali Rameshbabu | GM Alexandra Kosteniuk |
| IM Nurgyul Salimova | GM Valentina Gunina |
| GM Volodar Murzin | GM Javokhir Sindarov |
What's the format?
Each team should have at least two women and at least one player born in 2003 or later. The team composition, with a fixed board order, is as follows:
- Highest rated player ("icon")
- Male player
- Male player
- Female player
- Female player
- A player who is 21 years old or younger
Unlike in other team events, here, in each match all players of one team will play with the same color. The tournament starts as a double round-robin, meaning that each team will play all other teams twice, once with each color. The time control is 20 minutes for the whole game without increment.
The points system is also different. A win with the black pieces is worth 4 game points, a win with the white pieces 3 game points, a draw is worth 1 game point, and a loss 0 points. A team victory is worth 3 match points, a tie is worth 1 match point, and a loss is worth 0 match points.
The two teams with the most match points after the round-robin phase qualify for a final, to be played over two matches. In case of a tie, there will be blitz playoffs.
About the specific format of the tournament, Anand said:
Chess is an individual game. However, when you play for a team, you have an added responsibility, as your performance can directly or indirectly impact your team members’ results. So, everyone is motivated to do well. On top of that, when all the team members get along well, and the team atmosphere is good, players can be inspired to produce their best performances.
When does it start and how can I watch it?
After the opening ceremony, to be held on Wednesday, October 2, the first round will kick off on Thursday, October 3, at 13:15 London time (8:15 a.m. ET / 14:15 CEST / 5:45 p.m. IST). Matches are not played simultaneously but are staggered, so the second match starts at 15:55 (10:55 a.m. ET / 16:55 CEST / 8:25 p.m. IST) and 17:15 (12:15 p.m. ET / 18:15 CEST / 9:45 p.m. IST). The same schedule will be followed on subsequent days, with an added game starting at 14:30 (9:30 a.m. ET / 15:30 CEST / 9:30 p.m. IST).
The big final will be played on Saturday, October 12, again starting at 13:15 London time (8:15 a.m. ET / 14:15 CEST / 5:45 p.m. IST) and its second match starting at 14:35 London time (9:35 a.m. ET / 15:35 CEST / 7:05 p.m. IST).
Chess.com is the official platform partner of the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League. You can follow the broadcast live on the Global Chess League's official broadcast website (coming soon). The games can be followed on our dedicated Events Page. There is also the league's official website.
Who won last year?
The reigning champions are the Triveni Continental Kings, who won in July 2023 in Dubai, UAE, after an incredible comeback. The team defeated the upGrad Mumba Masters but not before a blitz tiebreak match, and then also a sudden-death game was needed to determine the champion. The Danish GM Jonas Bjerre was the hero for the Kings as he took down the upGrad Mumba Masters' board six, GM Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan, in the fourth sudden-death blitz tiebreaker.
What are the prizes?
The $1 million prize fund will be allocated as follows:
| Place | Prize |
| 1st | $500,000 |
| 2nd | $250,000 |
| 3rd | $100,000 |
| 4th | $100,000 |
| Bonus prize* | $50,000 |
* The bonus prize is divided among the six players and the coach of the winning team.
Can I visit the tournament?
Yes! The tournament takes place at Friends House (173-177 Euston Rd., London NW1 2BJ) located in central London, from Thursday, October 3, to Saturday, October 12. Tickets will get you:
- A seat in the Light Auditorium to watch the matches live
- A seat in the Light Auditorium to watch pre/post-match interviews with expert analysis
- Social chess area (limited space) to play casual games
- Autograph and photo opportunities with the players (limited space)
- Plus venue exclusive fan experiential events
Peter Doggers joined a chess club a month before turning 15 and still plays for it. He used to be an active tournament player and holds two IM norms.
Peter has a Master of Arts degree in Dutch Language & Literature. He briefly worked at New in Chess, then as a Dutch teacher and then in a project for improving safety and security in Amsterdam schools.
Between 2007 and 2013 Peter was running ChessVibes, a major source for chess news and videos acquired by Chess.com in October 2013.
As our Director News & Events, Peter writes many of our news reports. In the summer of 2022, The Guardian’s Leonard Barden described him as “widely regarded as the world’s best chess journalist.”
In October, Peter's first book The Chess Revolution will be published!
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