Global Chess League Kicks Off in Bengaluru

The Global Chess League (GCL) has officially started in Bengaluru, India, a city known for its prominence in the IT sector. This event, which is a collaboration between Tech Mahindra and FIDE, is taking place at the Lalit Ashok and marks the fourth edition of the league.

World-renowned chess players have gathered for this tournament, which introduces unique rules such as no increment for the first 40 moves and awarding four points for wins with black pieces. Magnus Carlsen, the World No. 1 and defending champion with the Alpine Pipers, returns after missing the previous season. However, only Anish Giri remains from last year's team, with new additions including top female players Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh.

Chess enthusiasts in Bengaluru can look forward to watching several prominent players, including Viswanathan Anand, Alireza Firouzja, and Ian Nepomniachtchi, as they compete in this prestigious league.