Grandmaster Anish Giri Excited for Global Chess League Debut in London
As the second season of the Global Chess League (GCL) approaches, Grandmaster Anish Giri shared his excitement and plans for his debut at this unique chess event. The league, a joint venture between Tech Mahindra and the International Chess Federation (FIDE), will take place from October 3 to 12 in London.
“I am thrilled to be part of the event this year. I could not join last year due to a scheduling conflict, but I followed the finale with great excitement. Looking forward to being on the other side of the screen this time,” expressed Giri, who will feature as an Icon player for the Punit Balan Group-owned PBG Alaskan Knights.
Giri will compete against other Icon players, including Magnus Carlsen (Alpine SG Pipers), Hikaru Nakamura (American Gambits), Viswanathan Anand (Ganges Grandmasters), Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Mumba Masters), and Ian Nepomniachtchi (Triveni Continental Kings). “The line-up is absolutely stacked this time. My board is going to be insanely strong,” acknowledged Giri. Despite the challenge, the 30-year-old Grandmaster has only one goal in mind, and that is – “winning!”
“I will do my utmost best to live up to the challenge,” he added. Sharing his thoughts on the Global Chess League’s unique joint team format, Giri said, “We are yet to see if the concept will take off in our sport as well as it did in cricket, but such initiatives are important to try and push chess to further heights, using the momentum that it has gotten in the last few years.”
He further added, “I believe if we play our cards right, being part of the team will help each player shine. It can add to the pressure, but with the positive team spirit, it turns into support.”
Giri is one of the popular chess figures on social media. In a message to his fans ahead of his Global Chess League debut, Giri said, “I am always happy to hear positive responses on my social media and anything I do on and off the board. I try to entertain others and myself. I think you perform better when in a good mood; it is scientifically proven.”
Giri also shared his off-the-board plans for the 10-day event in London: “I have played in London before. It is among the most spectacular cities. There will be no shortage of sightseeing options, restaurants, and places to relax.”
Doubts Revealed
Grandmaster -: A Grandmaster is a very strong chess player who has achieved the highest title awarded by the world chess organization, FIDE. It means they are really, really good at chess.
Anish Giri -: Anish Giri is a famous chess player from the Netherlands. He is known for being one of the best chess players in the world.
Global Chess League (GCL) -: The Global Chess League is a big chess competition where teams from different places compete against each other. It’s like a cricket league but for chess.
London -: London is the capital city of the United Kingdom. It’s a very big and famous city with lots of history and interesting places.
PBG Alaskan Knights -: PBG Alaskan Knights is the name of the team that Anish Giri is playing for in the Global Chess League. Teams in the league have cool names like this.
Magnus Carlsen -: Magnus Carlsen is a very famous chess player from Norway. He has been the World Chess Champion for many years.
Hikaru Nakamura -: Hikaru Nakamura is another top chess player, originally from Japan but representing the United States. He is known for being very good at fast chess games.
team format -: In a team format, players compete as part of a group rather than individually. This means they work together to win matches, just like in cricket or football.