India’s chess stars Gukesh and Arjun team up for PBG Alaskan Knights in Global Chess League

The Global Chess League Season 3 player draft in Mumbai saw PBG Alaskan Knights sign Gukesh Dommaraju and Arjun Erigaisi, while Wesley So joined upGrad Mumba Masters. Six franchises finalized squads ahead of the league, scheduled at Mumbai’s Royal Opera House in December

Hyderabad: The Global Chess League (GCL), a joint initiative between Tech Mahindra and FIDE, set the stage for Season 3 at a high-stakes Player Draft in Mumbai. PBG Alaskan Knights pulled off a blockbuster move by securing India’s star duo Gukesh Dommaraju and Arjun Erigaisi, while debutant Wesley So triggered a fierce bidding battle before joining upGrad Mumba Masters, as six franchises built their squads. The league is set to be played at Mumbai’s Royal Opera House from December 13 to 24, 2025.

Building on the momentum of Dubai (2023) and London (2024), Season 3 marks GCL’s arrival in India, where both chess and the idea of the league were born. At the draft, the Icon Round set the ball rolling as Alpine SG Pipers snapped up Fabiano Caruana, PBG Alaskan Knights edged out rivals to secure Gukesh, while five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand continued with the Ganges Grandmasters.

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Speaking on the occasion, Peeyush Dubey, Chairperson, Global Chess League, said: “Bringing the Global Chess League to India is a statement on where the sport stands today. India is not only the birthplace of chess but also its most dynamic growth market, producing champions and inspiring millions. At the same time, GCL remains a truly global league, uniting players and fans from every corner of the world. The successful completion of the draft sets the stage, and we are ready for a spectacular Season 3 this December at Mumbai’s Royal Opera House, even as the league continues to chart a worldwide journey in the years ahead.”

Adding to the day’s drama, upGrad Mumba Masters made a bold play for So, swooping for the American Grandmaster after a tug-of-war with American Gambits and PBG Alaskan Knights. Ganges Grandmasters strengthened their roster with 20-year-old Vincent Keymer.

Suhail Chandhok, CEO, upGrad Mumba Masters, said: “We wanted to retain the core of our squad, and we managed to do that with Harika, Humpy, and MVL. We had most boxes ticked. One thing on our mind was to get one of our top picks from male superstars, and we got our top pick, Wesley So.”

Meanwhile, the headline-grabbing duel of the round saw Erigaisi spark a three-way contest. After a flurry of bids, PBG Alaskan Knights won out, uniting him with Gukesh to form India’s dream pairing.

“We had a big task because we had to pick all six players, and we are happy that we got World Champion Gukesh, along with a balanced team in the end. They (Gukesh and Arjun) will be more than happy to satisfy the fans with their performance. It’s happening in India, and it will definitely bring more cheer to our team,” said PBG Alaskan Knights’ Coach Abhijit Kunte.

Ahead of the draft, four teams strengthened their squads with retentions. Alpine SG Pipers retained Hou Yifan and R Praggnanandhaa, while American Gambits secured Hikaru Nakamura and Bibisara Assaubayeva before the draft. Alireza Firouzja, Alexandra Kosteniuk, and Wei Yi stayed with Triveni Continental Kings following their title win last season. Indian Superstar Women Koneru Humpy and Harika Dronavalli, as well as GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, were retained by upGrad Mumba Masters.

The Superstar Women round was headlined by Chinese Grandmaster Zhu Jiner’s swoop by the Triveni Continental Kings, following an intense bidding war. Kateryna Lagno’s move to PBG Alaskan Knights added more star power to their roster, while Ganges and Alpine built depth with steady picks.

“Our strategy was to create a team that is highly competitive, has a killer instinct, and to have good people who are going to get along, because the psychology of the sport is quite serious. We wanted to have people who will function well as a team,” remarked Akash Premsen, CEO of two-time reigning champions Triveni Continental Kings.

The final round, featuring some of chess world’s sharpest prodigies, started with Ganges snapping up Raunak Sadhwani and American Gambits securing Volodar Murzin. PBG Alaskan Knights countered by signing Daniel Dardha, while Alpine SG Pipers secured Leon Mendonca.

“We looked for consistency. We thought it was better to have balanced players and focus on getting players who will do well overall. We have a very good team. Fabiano Caruana is fantastic, Pragg has been consistent, and Hou Yifan is the best female player in the world,” said Alpine SG Pipers’ Head Coach Pravin Thipsay.

Played over 12 days, the six-team franchise league will feature a double-round-robin format, with each team playing ten matches, decided on a best-of-six board system. Also new this year is GCL Contenders 2025, a global initiative offering aspiring players a direct pathway to the GCL Draft. Three winners from six time zones will have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play alongside Grandmasters in the world’s first franchise-based chess league.