The highly anticipated Global Chess League (GCL) 2023 is all set to take place very soon, with the final teams drafts and squads all set and decided, check out all the competition details below
The GCL is a joint venture between Tech Mahindra and FIDE, in collaboration with the Dubai Sports Council.
Global Chess League Dubai (GCL) 2023 schedule, teams and owners list, squads, venue, format
Witness the fury of the SG Alpine Warriors as they embark on their quest to become the ultimate chess franchise.
Get ready! The Tech Mahindra Global Chess League starts on 21st June 2023.#GlobalChessLeague #SGAlpineWarriors #TheBigMove #GCL pic.twitter.com/3hFIg5iOpd
— Tech Mahindra Global Chess League (@GCLlive) June 6, 2023
From calculated moves to breathtaking endgames, @SGAlpineWarrior are here to dominate the league. #GlobalChessLeague starts on 21st June 2023. #GCL #TheBigMove pic.twitter.com/jbKiBIKDCs
— Tech Mahindra Global Chess League (@GCLlive) June 13, 2023
The GCL is scheduled to take place from June 21 to July 2, 2023, at the prestigious Dubai Chess and Culture Club. The competition will feature renowned chess players like Magnus Carlsen, Viswanathan Anand, Ding Liren, and Hou Yifan.
GCL 2023 franchises and owners list
Given below is a list of all the six different franchises and owners in the GCL 2023:
| Franchise | Owners |
| Ganges Grandmasters | Suresh Kotak led-Insurekot Sports (ISPL) |
| Triveni Continental Kings | Triveni Group (Triveni Engineering & Industries Ltd. and Triveni Turbine Ltd.) |
| SG Alpine Warriors | APL Apollo-led SG Sports |
| Chingari Gulf Titans | Chingari App (Tech4Billion Group) |
| upGrad Mumba Masters | Ronnie Screwvala led-U Sports |
| Balan Alaskan Knights | Punit Balan Group (PBG) |
GCL 2023 final team drafts
Ahead of the start of the competition, the organizers held a draft where each franchise selected their players. The organizers divided 36 of the world’s top chess players into different categories – ICONS, Superstars Men, Superstars Women, and Prodigies.
Each team started out with a total of 1000 points to use while selecting players from categories two, three, and four (excluding ICONS). The teams chose the ICON players based on a preferential draft system.
Following an exciting bidding process, SG Alpine Warriors chose Magnus Carlsen, the five-time World Chess Champion and top-ranked player globally. Meanwhile, Indian ace Viswanathan Anand, who is a five-time World Chess Champion, joined the Ganges Grandmasters.
Ding Liren, who is the current World Champion, got drafted by Triveni Continental Kings. Some other notable selections include, Grandmaster Jan-Krzysztof Duda joining the Chingari Gulf Titans and Grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi joining the Balan Alaskan Knights. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave joined the upGrad Mumba Masters as their ICON player.
Global Chess League 2023 final squads list
Given below are the final squads lists for the Global Chess League 2023:
Balan Alaskan Knights
Ian Nepomniachtchi (ICON), Teimour Radjabov, Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Superstar Men), Tan Zhongyi, Nino Batsiashvili (Superstar Women), Raunak Sadhwani (prodigy)
Chingari Gulf Titans
Jan-Krzysztof Duda (ICON), Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Daniil Dubov (Superstar Men), Alexandra Kosteniuk, Polina Shuvalova (Superstar Women), Nihal Sarin (prodigy)
Ganges Grandmasters
Viswanathan Anand (ICON), Richárd Rapport, Leinier Domínguez Pérez, (Superstar Men) Hou Yifan, Bella Khotenashvili (Superstar Women), Andrey Esipenko (prodigy)
SG Alpine Warriors
Magnus Carlsen (ICON), Gukesh D, Arjun Erigaisi (Superstar Men), Elisabeth Pähtz, Irina Krush (Superstar Women), Praggnanandhaa R (prodigy)
upGrad Mumba Masters
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (ICON), Vidit Gujrathi, Alexander Grischuk (Superstar Men), Koneru Humpy, Harika Dronavalli (Superstar Women), Javokhir Sindarov (prodigy)
Triveni Continental Kings
Ding Liren (ICON), Wei Yi, Yu Yangyi (Superstar Men), Kateryna Lagno, Nana Dzagnidze (Superstar Women), Jonas Buhl Bjerre (prodigy)
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