The Tech Mahindra Global Chess League (GCL) is back for its third season, again with a jaw-dropping lineup of the strongest players in the world. Now, for the first time ever, amateur and titled players alike can compete in the GCL Contenders, an online qualifier system—with the finalists joining the action in India at the GCL main event alongside legends of the game.
The GCL Contenders takes place from September 12 to October 12, with qualifiers occurring at various times each day to accommodate players from different regions worldwide. You can register to participate in the GCL Contenders by clicking the button below.
The Contenders are divided into three sections, Men, Women, and U21, that will qualify two players each for the main event of the Global Chess League. Each qualifier consist of three stages. The first is the GCL Open, which features six blitz arenas for non-titled players. The top two players from each arena advance to the GCL Titled KO, a knockout where titled players join the competition. From there, the top four move on to the GCL Challengers, a rapid knockout that will qualify two players to play in the main event of the GCL. All qualifiers will be online and played on Chess.com.
“It’s an honor to support the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League and help them on their mission to take chess to fans all around the world in an exciting new format,” said Danny Rensch, Chess.com’s CCO. “As the official platform for the GCL Contenders, we’re excited to give every player the opportunity to join this great event.”
This is the first time that any player in the world can participate in a worldwide league with such fierce competition. The GCL famously attracts the best men, women, and juniors in the world, including players like GMs Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Viswanathan Anand, Ju Wenjun, Hou Yifan, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and more.
The impressive field of chess superstars, coupled with a rapid time control, naturally brings drama and excitement to the event:
Last year, the Triveni Continental Kings, led by GM Alireza Firouzja, won a thrilling final against GM Anish Giri‘s PBG Alaskan Knights. The spectacle was enjoyed live by a crowd of cheering fans, who made sure the energy was one the players would never forget.
The crowd is 𝐋𝐈𝐓 for the Grand Finale 🤩#TechMGCL #TheNextMove #PBGvTCK @FIDE_chess | @tech_mahindra | @MahindraRise | @chesscom | @chesscom_in | @JioCinema pic.twitter.com/uzvUBbWAVQ
— Tech Mahindra Global Chess League (@GCLlive) October 12, 2024
This year, many of the great players who participated in the first two seasons of the league are expected to return. The main event will also feature the same team format and rapid time control. You can learn more about the event on the official website.
Who do you think will win this year’s Tech Mahindra Global Chess League? Let us know in the comments below!
