Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Leonard Barden

Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura and the chess elite now playing in London

Magnus Carlsen at the Global Chess League
Magnus Carlsen leads Alpine Warriors in the Global Chess League at Friends House in London. Photograph: Tolga Akmen/EPA

There is a unique opportunity to watch the world elite in action in London this week. The Tech ­Mahindra Global Chess League (GCL) has ­Norway’s world No 1, Magnus Carlsen, as its absolute star, and also includes seven others from the world’s top 12: Hikaru Nakamura (United States), Arjun ­Erigaisi, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu and Vishy Anand (India), Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan), Alireza Firouzja (France), and Wei Yi (China), as well as the world’s top rated woman, Hou Yifan (China).

Russia’s world No 9 and double world title challenger, Ian Nepomniachtchi, along with two other Russian GMs, Alexander Grischuk and Vladislav Artemiev, were apparently denied UK visas. Russian women GMs, however, are competing, including Grischuk’s wife, Kateryna Lagno.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.