A legend in the world of chess, Viswanathan Anand, welcomed Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to his sport in style as the cricketer became co-owner of a chess franchise. Ashwin has purchased stakes in American Gambits, a new team that will participate in the second edition of the Global Chess League, a joint venture between Tech Mahindra and the International Chess Federation. Ashwin, who is an icon in the sport of cricket, was welcomed in style by Vishy Anand, who shared a glorious post on social media as Ashwin entered the world of chess.
“Congratulations @ashwinravi99 on your exciting new adventure in the world of chess! As someone who has bowled the best in cricket, I’m sure you will bring the same competitive spirit to the Global Chess League with American Gambits. May your rooks and bishops be just as unstoppable as your spinners!
Good luck in London! @GCLlive
Vetri kodi kattu
Malaigalai muttumvarai muttu
Lathchiyam ettum varai ettu
Padaiyedu padaiyappa!”, Anand posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Congratulations @ashwinravi99 on your exciting new adventure in the world of chess! As someone who has achieved the best in cricket, I am sure you will bring the same competitive spirit to the Global Chess League with American Gambits. May your rooks and bishops be as…
– Viswanathan Anand (@vishy64theking) July 8, 2024
The League revealed this Monday the six franchises for the second edition, which will be played in London, from October 3rd to 12th.
American Gambits, owned by prominent business leaders Prachura PP, Venkat K Narayana and Ashwin, will replace the Chingari Gulf Titans.
“We are excited to introduce American Gambits to the world of chess. With a blend of strategic brilliance and unwavering determination, our team aims to redefine the game. As co-owner, I am excited to witness their journey and contribute to their success,” Ashwin said in a statement the press.
The other five franchises – Alpine SG Pipers, PBG Alaskan Knights, Ganges Grandmasters, defending champions Triveni Continental Kings and Mumba Masters will return for a second season.
Sameer Pathak, CEO of the Global Chess League, said: “We are excited to welcome teams to the second season of the Global Chess League. We have found the right partners to strengthen the league’s global reach and look forward to bringing an exciting season of chess to fans across the world.
“The teams made the first season a huge success and we believe their impact and popularity will continue to expand in the chess world.” Players will compete in a unique joint team format consisting of six players, including two top chess players and one prodigy player per team.
To heighten excitement and anticipation among fans, this innovative format will be broadcast on major OTT and streaming platforms across the world.
Global Chess League Format
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 on a best-of-six scoring system.
Each team will play 10 games with black and white pieces. The sides will play five games, with all six players on each team initially playing with the white or black pieces against their opponents, followed by a reverse round in which the entire team will play five games with the reversed colored pieces against the same opponent.
The winning team of each match will be determined by the aggregate points from wins and draws across all six games played in the match. The top two placed will advance to the final round.
With PTI inputs
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