Unexpectedly, Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has ventured into the chess world by acquiring a stake in the American Gambits, a team that will compete in the Global Chess League in 2024.

This year will see the launch of the Global Chess League, an initiative of the International Chess Federation that will include teams co-owned by global chess fans, business executives, and sports legends. Each team in the Global Chess League has six players, including two of the best female chess players and a prodigy. The league has a unique team structure. This model aims to promote a collaborative attitude among league players and display a wide variety of abilities.

Introduction to the Global Chess League: Uniting Top Players Worldwide

The prodigy player's job on the squad is to represent the future wave of talented chess players. Chess prodigies are young players who push the limits of what is possible in the sport by showcasing extraordinary abilities and accomplishments at a very young age. The Global Chess League seeks to identify and develop the next generation of chess players by fielding a prodigy player on each team.

business leaders Prachura PP and Venkat K Narayana will both have Co-ownership of Ashwin's squad, the American Gambits. In the league, the team will take the place of the Chingari Gulf Titans. The renowned Indian chess grandmaster Viswanathan Anand greeted Ashwin at the game and expressed his enthusiasm for the cricketer's interest in chess.

Global Chess League
Image Source: SportsTiger.com

"It's great to see Ravichandran Ashwin, one of India's cricketing icons, foraying into the world of chess. His passion for the game and his commitment to promoting it are truly commendable," said Anand.

The World Chess League aims to unite the top chess players worldwide, engaging them in a team-based competition that is anticipated to expand the game's fan base.

Ashwin's choice to finance the American Gambits is regarded as evidence of his passion for the game of chess and his wish to spread awareness of it among chess fans in India and abroad.

Fans and chess lovers alike are anticipating the commencement of the Global Chess League, where Ashwin's American Gambits will play other teams for the coveted championship title, with much anticipation as the cricketer sets out on this new journey.

The second edition of the Global Chess League, a joint venture between Tech Mahindra and the International Chess Federation (FIDE), will take place in London from October 3–12, 2024. The defending champion Triveni Continental Kings are one of five teams Ashwin's American Gambits will face up against.

Ashwin's participation in the Global Chess League is considered evidence of his wide range of interests and his desire to help the game of chess, which he loves, develop, and become more popular.

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