New chess league launched

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 14

There was a sense of cautious optimism even as the All-India Chess Federation (AICF) announced the launch of the Indian Chess League today.

The new league, to be held in June 2022, will have six teams, which will face each other over two weeks in rapid and blitz formats. The top two teams will play in the final. The winning team will take home Rs 2 crore in prize money. The details of the franchise owners will be revealed soon as the AICF is yet to open the bidding for teams.

However, one of most pertinent questions to arise at the launch was how the new league would survive when revenue losses have forced some of the other leagues, including the Indian Wrestling League, to shut shop.

AICF president Sanjay Kapoor and secretary general Bharat Singh Chauhan conveyed that they will be mindful of the mistakes made by the other leagues and ensure that the stakeholders didn’t lose money.

“We are optimistic about the chances of this league,” Kapoor, who took over as the AICF president in July, said. “We will not stop walking due to the fear of falling. We will be mindful of the mistakes (made by other leagues) but at the same time we want to move forward as this was the dream of many from the chess community,” he added.

The league’s rights holder is Gameplan Sports Private Limited. “We need to be realistic,” Jeet Banerjee, director of Gameplan Sports Private Limited, said. “I do not want to comment on other leagues as I was not involved but we will do everything so that it works for all the parties. There is no point if the team owners lose money,” he added.

‘This is big’

Grandmasters Vidit Gujrathi and Harika Dronavalli, who joined the launch via video conferencing, said that the league will help the new generation connect with the game even more.

“It is very important to hold tournaments in India,” Gujrathi said. “When the young see big chess players live, it makes a big impression. I remember 2002 when I saw Viswanathan Anand play in Hyderabad in the World Cup, it made a big impression on me and it inspired me to take up the sport. This league is going to change a lot of lives,” he added.

Harika said: “This (league) has been a dream for all of us for a long time. I am happy and thankful that this is finally happening. This is the next big step for chess in our country.”