Bullet chess champion

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GCL Season 4 Draft: Nihal Sarin Sparks Bidding War, Divya Deshmukh Joins Carlsen; Anand Teams Up With Arjun Erigaisi

By IANS News June 29, 2026 • 20:28 PM View: 70

World Rapid Champion Magnus Carlsen: Newly-crowned Bullet Chess Champion and Season 2 MVP, Nihal Sarin, emerged as one of the most sought-after names before joining FYERS American Gambits as the Global Chess League (GCL) lit the countdown for Season 4—scheduled to be held in Bengaluru from September 3 to 13—with the player draft in Mumbai on Monday.

Defending champions Alpine APL Pipers strengthened their title defence around Magnus Carlsen and Women’s Chess World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh, while five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand moved teams for the first time in the league's history to join Arjun Erigaisi at PBG Alaskan Knights.

Season 4 marks Global Chess League (GCL), a joint initiative between Tech Mahindra and FIDE, continuing its commitment to India, the birthplace of chess and one of the fastest-growing forces in the global arena. Following three seasons across Dubai, London, and Mumbai, the league now heads to Bengaluru.