PBG Alaskan Knights pulled off a coup by buying the reigning World Champion Gukesh D. and Arjun Erigasi, who defeated legendary Magnus Carlsen in June, in its steady for the third season of the Global Chess League, to be performed from December 13.

The participant draft for the third season was held right here on Friday, thus confirming the star-studded line-up together with a galaxy of grandmasters – female and male, for the marquee occasion.

With Carlsen opting out of the occasion, the Knights needed to search for a marquee signing. And it couldn’t have requested for a greater choice than Gukesh. Arjun’s signing turned out to be an icing on the cake for the Knights desk.

“We had an enormous process as a result of we needed to choose all six gamers, and we’re comfortable that we obtained World Champion Gukesh, together with a balanced group ultimately,” mentioned GM Abhijit Kunte, the Knights coach. “They (Gukesh & Arjun) might be very happy to fulfill the followers with their efficiency. It’s taking place in India, and it’ll positively deliver extra cheer to our group.”

The Ganges Grandmasters has additionally constructed a powerful squad with Viswanathan Anand, the enduring GM, as its marquee participant, whereas R. Praggnanandhaa, the bespectacled GM, will lead American Gambits.

The squads: American Gambits: Hikaru Nakamura, Richard Rapport, Vladislav Artemiev, Bibisara Assaubayeva, Teodora Injac, Volodar Murzin.

Alpine SG Pipers: Fabiano Caruana, Praggnanandhaa R., Anish Giri, Hou Yifan, Nino Batsiashvili, Leon Mendonca.

Ganges Grandmasters: Viswanathan Anand, Javokhir Sindarov, Vincent Keymer, Stavroula Tsolakidou, Polina Shuvalova, Raunak Sadhwani

upGrad Mumba Masters: Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Wesley So, Koneru Humpy, D. Harika, Bardiya Daneshvar.

PBG Alaskan Knights: Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, Leinier Dominguez, Sara Khadem, Kateryna Lagno, Daniel Dardha.

Triveni Continental Kings: Alireza Firouzja, Yi Wei, Vidit Gujrathi, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Zhu Jiner, Marc’Andria Maurizzi.

Published – September 26, 2025 08:54 pm IST