Divya Deshmukh to make Global Chess League debut with defending champions Alpine Pipers

The 20-year-old, 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, according to a press release.

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.

"It's my debut, so I'm definitely very excited. It's not like any other chess tournament. There's going to be a lot of audience for this one, which is going to be really nice. And also, the format is quite different to classical events, so it's fun. Playing in India is always fun," Deshmukh said.

While the opportunity to play alongside Carlsen has added to the anticipation surrounding her debut, Deshmukh said the overall strength of the squad was equally exciting.

"I guess it's always great to have a teammate that is considered one of the best in the world. But for me, it's also not just Magnus in my team. There are so many great players overall. There's Anish, there's Vidit, and there's also Murzin. So, it's not just about one person. It's about the whole team," she added.

Deshmukh said she would first look to understand the demands of the format before assessing what she could take away from the experience.

"If I can take lessons from it, we will only find out after the event. I can't say anything now. But yeah, I'm very excited to play this format, " she said.

The tournament will also mark her first proper visit to Bengaluru.

"I've only been to Bengaluru airport. This is the first time in the city," Deshmukh said.

Season 4 will feature 36 leading players representing six global franchises in the league's mixed-team format. The Tech Mahindra Global Chess League Season 4 will be held at The Lalit Ashok in Bengaluru from September 5 to 13, 2026. (ANI)