Six teams, six boards, 36 players and 31 matches with rapid time control (15 minutes + 10 seconds increment per move) were what the inaugural season of the Global Chess League (GCL) offered in an effort to catch the imagination of the chess world and give a facelift to the sport.
The idea of two Anands — chess legend Viswanathan Anand and entrepreneurial wizard Anand Mahindra — was finally put together to cater to the market that has evolved with time.
After 11 days of intense rivalry on the board, Triveni Continental Kings emerged as the champion, a result that would have surprised many, given that the team had been languishing in the last spot nearly halfway into the tournament.
