Inaugural edition of Global Chess League officially opened in Dubai

 The Global Chess League,  the world’s first chess team franchise, kicked off in Dubai with a spectacular opening ceremony at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel

(L-R) Parag Shah, Director – Global Chess League and Member of Group Executive Board, Mahindra Group, Jagdish Mitra, Chairperson, Global Chess League Board, Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group, CP Gurnani, MD & CEO, Tech Mahindra, Akash Premsen, Triveni Continental Kings, Ronnie Screwvala, upGrad Mumba Masters Punit Balan, Balan Alaskan Knights,  Anubhav Gupta, SG Alpine Warriors.

Khel Today Bureau 

Dubai: Dubai witnessed a historic moment in the world of chess as the inaugural edition of the Global Chess League officially opened with a dazzling ceremony at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.

Chess enthusiasts, dignitaries, and renowned personalities from around the world gathered in the City of Gold to witness the official opening of a pioneering project poised to redefine the image of chess and revolutionise the perception of the game worldwide.

Viswanathan Anand and Anand Mahindra.

Among the VIPs at the event were HE Saeed Mohammed Hareb (Secretary General of the Dubai Sports Council), Anand Mahindra (Chairman of the Mahindra Group), Arkady Dvorkovich (President of the International Chess Federation, FIDE) famous Australian cricketer Steve Waugh, Indian tennis star Sania Mirza as well as CP Gurnani (Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Tech Mahindra). They were joined by Parag Shah, Director – Global Chess League and Member of Group Executive Board, Mahindra Group,  and Jagdish Mitra, Chairperson of the Global Chess League Board.

The ceremony marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter for chess, as the Global Chess League aims to revolutionize the game and expand its reach globally.

Anand Mahindra during Opening Ceremony.

The 36 Grandmasters taking part in the event are among the best in the world and include former World Champions Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand, two-time challenger for the title of World Champion Ian Nepomniachtchi, former Blitz world champions Levon Aronian and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and others.

FIDE President, Arkady Dvorkovich.

For the first time, a chess tournament will feature a new competition concept and scoring system akin to football or cricket. The first match of the Global Chess League will take place on June 22nd at 5:30 PM at the Le Méridien Hotel (the tournament venue) between Triveni Continental Kings and upGrad Mumba Masters.

About Tech Mahindra Global Chess League:

The Global Chess League is the world’s first and largest official franchise league of its kind, with chess players from all over the world competing in a unique joint team format. It is a joint venture between Tech Mahindra, a part of the Mahindra Group, and FIDE. The league will feature male and female chess champions competing in the same team. Playing on the popular Rapid format, the league’s joint male-female teams will have the rare distinction of being a unique multiplayer team in the world of professional sports. In addition, the League will be the first ever Live televised chess event of its kind that will help offer fans a unique viewing experience. Tech Mahindra and FIDE will explore innovative ways to promote the game through interactive technology-enabled platforms by leveraging next-generation technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality, among others.