Magnus Carlsen Returns and Divya Deshmukh Debuts in Global Chess League Season 4
The Global Chess League (GCL) will hold its fourth season from September 3 to 13 in Bengaluru, with the player draft scheduled for June 29 in Mumbai. Norwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen returns after a year’s absence, while FIDE Women's World Cup champion Divya Deshmukh will debut. The draft features 36 grandmasters, including Viswanathan Anand, Javokhir Sindarov, and Koneru Humpy. Teams will form six-player squads across categories in a six-board rapid format. Notably, Indian stars Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa are absent this season.