Mumbai, Aug 5
India's top young players Nihal Sarin and Raunak Sadhwani will be among the Prodigy players to be included for Season 2 of the Global Chess League, scheduled to be held from October 3-12 at Friends House in London. The Global Chess League is a joint venture between FIDE, the sport's World governing body, and Tech Mahindra.
The first-of-its-kind franchise-based league features a total of six teams consisting of six players - one Icon player, two Superstar male players, two Superstar female players, and one prodigy in each team. In the tournament, each team will play a total of 10 matches in a double round-robin format, with the winner of each match being decided in a best-of-six board scoring system.
Raunak Sadhwani, who earned the Grandmaster title at the age of 13, will be making his comeback in the second season. To further add to the excitement, World No. 54 and Grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov return to the fray along with Jonas Buhl Bjerre and Nihal Sarin. They will be joined by Daniel Dardha and Volodar Murzin for the highly anticipated second season.
On his return to the league, Sadhwani, said, "I am thrilled to be back for the second season of the Global Chess League. In the first season, I got an opportunity to be a part of exciting matchups and immerse myself in the ever-expanding chess ecosystem. With the tournament now happening in London, I look forward to collaborating with my team and meeting fans."
Javokhir Sindarov, added, "The inaugural season of the Global Chess League was a fantastic experience for me. Being among some of the biggest names in the world of chess, and being a part of their team, allowed me to gain new insights into the sport. I am excited to be a part of the second season in London and I cannot wait to witness the spectacle in store."
Sameer Pathak, CEO of Global Chess League, said, "We are elated to announce the prodigy players for the second season. Our elite roster of talent is further elevated with the presence of these dynamic and brilliant individuals, who have already made a mark in the world of chess with their spectacular performances at such a young age. The Global Chess League provides a unique platform where veteran players and youngsters get a chance to play on the same team."
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. 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.