Mayank Chaudhary

Now, the GCL is back for its fourth season in Bengaluru. And so is Carlsen, fueled by a desire to finally rewrite his history with team events. The franchise-based GCL is often viewed as a relaxed affair for players, a welcome break from the relentless grind of the chess circuit, but Carlsen made it clear that he is not here for leisure. He means business. When a light-hearted question was thrown at him about the golf course near the players’ hotel, Carlsen was quick to cut through the pleasantries.

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa's coach Vaibhav Suri poses for a photo. (Express Photo) Vaibhav Suri could not stop grinning. From a quiet corner of the Deichman Bjørvika public library in Oslo, Suri had just witnessed his student, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, take down Magnus Carlsen in the third round of the Norway Chess 2026 tournament. As Praggnanandhaa’s full-time coach, the result marked a significant milestone.

Viswanathan Anand (left) and R Praggnanandhaa at Tata Steel Chess India tournament earlier this month. (Express Photo by Partha Paul) It promises to be one of the hottest debates in Indian chess: who plays for India on board one at the upcoming Chess Olympiad, with at least three contenders in the race, Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa and Arjun Erigaisi. It’s a question that has even the OG of Indian chess, Viswanathan Anand, curious.