Mumbai, June 27 (IANS) The Global Chess League (GCL) is gearing up for its fourth season. The Season 4 Player Draft is scheduled for July 29 here, before the league begins in Bengaluru from September 3–13. This draft will see Magnus Carlsen return after a year’s absence, and Divya Deshmukh, the current FIDE Women’s World Cup champion, will make her debut in the league.

The Season 4 player pool includes 36 Grandmasters from different generations, such as World Champions, World Cup winners, Olympiad medallists, and top figures from the international chess scene. Combining both returning stars and new entrants, franchises will have a broad selection to assemble balanced six-player teams across various categories.

Since its launch, the Global Chess League has transformed elite chess by introducing a franchise-based mixed-team format and a technology-driven fan experience. Hosted in India for the first time, Season 3 achieved a significant milestone, establishing new standards with AI-powered in-arena features, improved broadcast quality, and the ongoing growth of GCL Contenders, its global talent development program. The season ended with Alpine SG Pipers crowned champions following a commanding victory in the final.

Ahead of Season 4, Peeyush Dubey, Chairperson, Global Chess League, said, “Over the past three seasons, the Global Chess League has demonstrated how a franchise-based team format can bring together the world’s leading players while attracting new audiences to chess. Season 4 continues that journey with an outstanding player pool that reflects the quality and diversity of talent that the league continues to attract. We are excited to bring the league to Bengaluru, a city with a rich sporting tradition and a deep-rooted chess culture, and look forward to seeing the six franchises build squads capable of producing another highly competitive season.”

In the player draft, teams will form six-player squads in four categories, one Icon, two Superstar Men, two Superstar Women, and one Prodigy, within the league’s six-board rapid format, where all boards are equally important.

The marquee draft list features five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand, 2025 FIDE World Cup winner Javokhir Sindarov, Women’s World Rapid Champion Koneru Humpy, former Women’s World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk, World Championship challenger Ian Nepomniachtchi, and ex-World Cup champion and Olympiad gold medallist Levon Aronian. It also includes rising stars such as reigning World Rapid Champion Volodar Murzin and Indian Grandmaster Leon Luke Mendonca, providing franchises with a mix of established champions and new talent as they assemble their squads for Season 4.

Gourav Rakshit, Commissioner, Global Chess League, added, “The Season 4 draft is where every franchise begins building its squad for the season ahead. The Global Chess League’s unique format places equal emphasis on every category, making team composition as important as individual excellence. With a player pool featuring World Champions, established Grandmasters and emerging talent, the draft will shape the balance and competitiveness of every team heading into Season 4.”

With the player pool finalised and the retention period over, focus shifts to the Season 4 Player Draft in Mumbai on July 29. The league’s six franchises, Mumba Masters, American Gambits, Ganges Grandmasters, Triveni Continental Kings, Alaskan Knights, and Alpine APL Pipers, will select their squads for the Bengaluru event, leading up to the championship match on September 13.

–IANS

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