MUMBAI: Global Chess League, a joint venture between Tech Mahindra and FIDE, began the lead-up to the inaugural season of GCL to be held at the Dubai Chess and Culture Club from June 21 to July 2, with a multi-city chess flash mob kicking off at the iconic Bandra Fort in Mumbai.
Bandra Fort, also known as Castella de Aguada, is one of the key historical and tourist venues in Mumbai overseeing the famous Bandra-Worli sea link that played host to the flash mob, leaving the people around the area in awe. Celebrating the importance and popularity of chess, the flash mob was graced by several fans, eminent personalities such as Sagar Shah, Co-founder and CEO of ChessBase India, among others.
Lokesh Natoo, an ardent chess fan who also participated in the tournament, said, “Legendary day as Mumbai’s iconic Bandra Fort was filled with chess vibes. The chess flash mob was full of energy and fire on the board with speed chess like never before, and the highlight was the unique joint team format similar to the GCL, which added crazy excitement. I am looking forward to GCL.”
The chess flash mob featured exciting activities for fans, including a joint-team styled Blitz chess tournament inspired by the unique GCL format. The tournament was followed by a pop quiz session with the visitors, culminating in an awards ceremony for the winners.
Speaking about the initiative, Jagdish Mitra, Chairperson of the Global Chess League Board, said, “Global Chess League is intended to be a phenomenon in the chess world, and through it, we hope to ensure that chess reaches every corner of the globe. We are happy to see the participation and sheer enthusiasm of the people of Mumbai. Today’s event is only the beginning of bigger things as we get closer to the start of Season 1. We will take this initiative worldwide as we work to make GCL a household name in the coming years.”
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