Global Chess League 2024 – Day 1 recap
Global Chess League launches second season in London with a day of spectacular matches. London, 3rd October 2024 – The second edition of the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League—chess’s first franchise competition—kicked off with a bang as top players from around the world squared off in an electrifying opening day. After three matches, the PBG Alaskan Knights, American Gambits, and Alpine SG Pipers emerged victorious, setting the pace for the competition. The packed venue at Friends House in London erupted in applause as top world players entered the hall, dressed in team jerseys, in an atmosphere more akin to a football match than a traditional chess tournament. The opening match of the season featured the American Gambits against season one runners-up, the Mumba Masters. According to league regulations, each match starts with a coin toss to decide colors. For this round, the American Gambits played with the white pieces. As this is a double round-robin tournament, they will switch to black when they meet the Mumba Masters again. The American Gambits secured a commanding 11:6 victory over the Mumba Masters, earning three match points. On the Icon board, reserved for the league’s strongest players, world number two Hikaru Nakamura, playing as White, earned a hard-fought draw against France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. Despite describing his performance as “shaky,” Nakamura remained optimistic about his team’s chances: “I think as the event goes on, we’ll build more chemistry. Everyone’s in a pretty good mood, and today we played really well… My game was maybe a little shaky at times, but everybody seemed to play well, so I’m actually pretty optimistic. As the event goes on, we’ll continue to get better.” While Nakamura sealed a draw, his teammate, 26-year-old Polish grandmaster Jan-Krzysztof Duda, delivered a decisive win. Duda defeated Vidit Santhosh Gujrathi with a brilliant checkmate combination, earning him the title of Player of the Match. Elsewhere, China’s Yu Yangyi drew with Peter Svidler in a balanced encounter between seasoned grandmasters. However, it was on the lower boards that the American Gambits sealed their victory. Kazakhstan’s Bibisara Assaubayeva upset one of India’s top female players, Humpy Koneru, while Harika Dronavalli provided a win for the Mumba Masters beating German GM Elisabeth Paehtz. Jonas Buhl Bjerre capped off the Gambits’ commanding win by defeating Mumba’s Raunak Sadhwani. The second match of the day saw the Ganges Grandmasters, playing with White, face the Alpine SG Pipers. Despite the color disadvantage, the SG Pipers triumphed with an 11:6 victory, thanks to wins by Richard Rapport and Hou Yifan. The top duel of the day featured a showdown between two chess titans—both five-time World Champions—Viswanathan Anand and Magnus Carlsen. The game ended in a draw, with Carlsen managing to steady the ship after a tough middlegame. Alpine SG Pipers’ Richard Rapport’s victory came after a tense battle with Iranian grandmaster Parham Maghsoodloo, where he turned the tables despite White’s early initiative. For his performance, Rapport was named Player of the Match. Meanwhile, Ganges’ Vaishali Rameshbabu put up a fierce fight against former women’s World Champion Hou Yifan, but ultimately lost. IM Nurgyul Salimova salvaged some pride for the Ganges Grandmasters by defeating the experienced blitz and rapid player Kateryna Lagno. On the junior board, the game between Volodar Murzin and Daniel Dardha ended in a draw. The final match of the day saw the defending champions, Triveni Continental Kings, face the PBG Alaskan Knights. Despite having the first-move advantage, the champions were caught off guard as the Alaskan Knights came out swinging, securing a dominant 15:3 victory. On the Icon board, 21-year-old Alireza Firouzja—one of the world’s top grandmasters, described by Magnus Carlsen as a potential successor at the top—miraculously saved a lost position against Anish Giri, preventing an even more devastating loss for his team. The Alaskan Knights claimed three victories on the superstars’ boards and drew the remaining two, finishing the match without a single defeat. With the most impressive score on day one, the PBG Alaskan Knights have firmly positioned themselves as strong contenders for the title. Written by Milan Dinic Photos: Lennart Ootes and Michal Walusza Official website: globalchessleague.com/ 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 is a one-of-its-kind live televised chess event, offering 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. For more information on Tech Mahindra Global Chess League, please visit: globalchessleague.com/ Contact: Abhilasha Gupta, Head – Global Corporate Communications & Public Affairs, Tech Mahindra Email: Abhilasha.Gupta@TechMahindra.com; media.relations@techmahindra.com
Tickets for FIDE World Chess Championship Match 2024 are now on sale!
FIDE is excited to announce that tickets for the highly anticipated World Chess Championship Match 2024, set to take place at Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore, are now available. From November 23 to December 13, 2024, Ding Liren and Gukesh D will battle it out for the most prestigious title in chess. Ticket holders will not only get to watch the intense battles unfold live but also enjoy exclusive access to the Fan Zone, where visiting masters and special guests will engage with fans, providing insights, explaining the moves, and sharing their analysis of the games. For those looking for a premium experience, VIP pass holders will enjoy front-row seats, access to the VIP Lounge with top-tier hospitality, including food and drinks, as well as priority invitations to exclusive side events like workshops, simuls, talks, and fan meets. Additionally, Google activities on-site will be open to all ticket holders, offering an interactive experience that brings fans closer to the game. Secure your tickets now and be part of this landmark event in Singapore! Get your tickets here. Ticket Prices Day Pass: S$64 VIP Pass: S$380 Promotions Concessions (Students/Seniors) – Students under 12 years old and seniors over 65 years old are eligible for this discount – Please note that random checks on concession tickets will be conducted at the point of entry – Patrons unable to present proof of eligibility are required to upgrade their concession tickets to full-price tickets Group Discount (min. 5 people) – 10% off Standard tickets – With a minimum purchase of 5 tickets per transaction VIP Group Discount (min. 5 people) – 10% off Standard tickets – With a minimum purchase of 5 tickets per transaction Standard 3-day Pass – 10% off Standard Day Pass with selection of any 3 games VIP 3-day Pass – 10% off VIP Day Pass with selection of any 3 games About the FIDE World Championship Match The FIDE World Championship Match is one of the most important and widely watched chess events globally. Held every two years, it features the defending World Champion and the Challenger, chosen through a qualification process culminating in the Candidates Tournament, which includes eight of the world’s top players. The defending Champion is Ding Liren, who won the title after defeating Ian Nepomniachtchi in Astana, Kazakhstan, in April 2023 on tiebreaks. The Challenger is the 18-year-old Gukesh D from India, who won the Candidates Tournament in April 2024 in Toronto. The World Championship Match will consist of 14 games. The player who scores 7.5 points or more wins the Match, and no further games are played. If the score is equal after 14 games, the winner is decided by a tiebreak.