Alpine pipers

The Tech Mahindra Global Chess: The 2025 Women's Chess World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh will make her debut in the Global Chess League with defending champions Alpine Pipers when the fourth season begins in Bengaluru on September 5.

The 20-year-old Indian chess star, recently named an Arjuna Award recipient, will join a formidable Pipers line-up featuring world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, Anish Giri, Vidit Gujrathi and Volodar Murzin.

Having largely competed in individual tournaments, Deshmukh is looking forward to the challenge of rapid chess in the league’s franchise-based team format and the opportunity to play in front of a home crowd.