Mumbai, Sep 26 (IANS) World Champion Dommaraju Gukesh and compatriot Arjun Erigaisi came together in a dream teammates as the Global Chess League (GCL) launched its third season with an intense player draft in Mumbai on Friday. The PBG Alaskan Knights made a major move by acquiring India’s top players Gukesh and Arjun.
Meanwhile, debutant American GM Wesley So sparked a heated bidding war before joining the Mumba Masters, as six teams assembled their squads. The league is scheduled to take place at Mumbai’s Royal Opera House from December 13 to 24, 2025.
Building on the momentum from Dubai (2023) and London (2024), Season 3 signifies GCL’s debut in India, the birthplace of both chess and the league concept.
The draft kicked off on Friday with the Icon Round, where Alpine SG Pipers selected Fabiano Caruana, PBG Alaskan Knights narrowly beat competitors to acquire Gukesh, and five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand remained with the Ganges Grandmasters.
Speaking on the occasion, Peeyush Dubey, Chairperson of the Global Chess League, stated: “Bringing the Global Chess League to India is a statement on where the sport stands today. India is not only the birthplace of chess but also its most dynamic growth market, producing champions and inspiring millions.
“At the same time, GCL remains a truly global league, uniting players and fans from every corner of the world. The successful completion of the draft sets the stage, and we are ready for a spectacular Season 3 this December at Mumbai’s Royal Opera House, even as the league continues to chart a worldwide journey in the years ahead,” he added.
Adding to the day’s drama, Mumba Masters made a bold move for Wesley So, engaging in a bidding war with American Gambits and PBG Alaskan Knights before securing the American Grandmaster. Meanwhile, Ganges Grandmasters bolstered their team by signing 20-year-old German Vincent Keymer.
Suhail Chandhok, CEO of Mumba Masters, said upon securing his preferred pick: “We wanted to retain the core of our squad, and we managed to do that with Harika, Humpy, and MVL (Maxime Vachier-Lagrave). We had most boxes ticked. One thing on our mind was to get one of our top picks from male superstars, and we got our top pick, Wesley So.”
The highlight of the round was the duel for Erigaisi that ignited a three-way competition; after several bids, PBG Alaskan Knights emerged victorious, bringing him together with Gukesh to create India’s ideal duo.
“We had a big task because we had to pick all six players, and we are happy that we got World Champion Gukesh, along with a balanced team in the end. They (Gukesh & Arjun) will be more than happy to satisfy the fans with their performance. It’s happening in India, and it will definitely bring more cheer to our team,” said PBG Alaskan Knights’ Coach Abhijit Kunte.
Before the draft, four teams strengthened their rosters through retainments. Alpine SG Pipers kept former women’s World Champion Hou Yifan and R. Praggnanandhaa, while American Gambits signed Hikaru Nakamura and Bibisara Assaubayeva ahead of the draft. Alireza Firouzja, Alexandra Kosteniuk, and Wei Yi remained with Triveni Continental Kings after winning the title last season. Indian superstar women Koneru Humpy and Harika Dronavalli, along with GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, were retained by Mumba Masters.
“There are a lot of dynamics and uncertainty (in a draft), it’s like playing chess on a much bigger board. Also, I am really happy and pleased that the tournament is coming to India, which I believe is the most happening country in the world when it comes to chess. We are happy with our picks,” American Gambits’ Head Coach Shrinath Narayanan said after the draft.
The Superstar Women round was headlined by Triveni Continental Kings’ impressive swoop for Chinese Grandmaster Zhu Jiner following a fierce bidding war. Kateryna Lagno’s transfer to PBG Alaskan Knights added more star power to their squad, while Ganges and Alpine strengthened their line-ups with stable picks.
“Our strategy was to create a team that is highly competitive, has a killer instinct, and has good people who are going to get along, because the psychology of the sport is quite serious. We wanted to have people who will function well as a team,” remarked Akash Premsen, CEO of two-time reigning champions, Triveni Continental Kings.
The final round, showcasing some of the chess world’s brightest prodigies, began with Ganges capturing Raunak Sadhwani and American Gambits acquiring Volodar Murzin. In response, PBG Alaskan Knights signed Daniel Dardha, and Alpine SG Pipers secured Leon Mendonca.
“We looked for consistency, we thought it was better to have more balanced players, and the focus was to get players who would do well overall. We have a very good team, Fabiano Caruana is fantastic, Pragg has been doing consistently well, and Hou Yifan is the best female player in the world,” said Alpine SG Pipers’ Head Coach Pravin Thipsay.
Speaking strategy on the sidelines, Ganges Grandmasters’ Head Coach Vishnu Prasad said, “The main thing we wanted was a young team–and we succeeded in that, excluding Vishy! I am very happy with what we have picked. It’s a team event and every player is important.”
The six-team franchise league, played over 12 days, will adopt a double-round-robin format, with each team playing ten matches based on a best-of-six board system. This year’s new addition is GCL Contenders 2025, an international initiative that provides aspiring players with a direct route to the GCL Draft.
Three winners from six different time zones will earn the unique chance to compete alongside Grandmasters in the world’s first franchise-based chess league.
Season 3, with six teams, is scheduled to take place at Mumbai’s Royal Opera House from December 13 to 24, 2025.
GCL Season 3 Squads:
American Gambits: Hikaru Nakamura, Richard Rapport, Vladislav Artemiev, Bibisara Assaubayeva, Teodora Injac, Volodar Murzin
Alpine SG Pipers: Fabiano Caruana, Praggnanandhaa R, Anish Giri, Hou Yifan, Nino Batsiashvili, Leon Mendonca
Ganges Grandmasters: Viswanathan Anand, Javokhir Sindarov, Vincent Keymer, Stavroula Tsolakidou, Polina Shuvalova, Raunak Sadhwani
upGrad Mumba Masters: Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Wesley So, Koneru Humpy, Harika Dronavalli, Bardiya Daneshvar
PBG Alaskan Knights: Gukesh D, Arjun Erigaisi, Leinier Dominguez, Sara Khadem, Kateryna Lagno, Daniel Dardha
Triveni Continental Kings: Alireza Firouzja, Yi Wei, Vidit Gujrathi, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Zhu Jiner, Marc’Andria Maurizzi
— IANS
vi/bsk/
