Magnus Carlsen Returns to Fourth Edition of Global Chess League with $1 Million Prize Pool

The fourth edition of the Global Chess League will take place from September 5 to 13, featuring a $1 million prize pool and participation from six teams. Magnus Carlsen, who led Alpine APL Pipers to victory last year, returns after skipping the previous season. Other top players including Anish Giri, Arjun Erigaisi, and Alireza Firouzja are also set to compete. However, two young prodigies, D Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa, have opted out. The final will follow a best-of-two format. Sponsored by Tech Mahindra, the event will be streamed online. Teams will compete in a double round-robin format, meaning each team plays every other team twice. The Chess Olympiad begins just two days after the league concludes, creating a demanding schedule for participants.