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[QUOTE="Munyaradzi Mafaro, post: 60238, member: 636"]
Mumbai prepares to host the Global Chess League player draft on September 26 for the tournament's third season. Six franchises will select players from a diverse pool of 36 competitors representing 17 countries. World Champion D. Gukesh leads the Icon Board alongside chess legends Viswanathan Anand, Hikaru Nakamura, and Fabiano Caruana. Additional star players feature Alireza Firouzja, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, and rising talents like R. Praggnanandhaa and Arjun Erigaisi. The roster showcases both established champions and emerging prodigies across all categories.

Each franchise constructs teams through four draft rounds targeting specific player classifications. The league maintains its unique format requiring one Icon player, two men, two women, and one under-21 prodigy per squad. Defending champions Triveni Continental Kings join five other teams competing for the title. This gender-inclusive competition represents the only official league under a global sports federation. The third season brings the championship home to India, chess's birthplace, after successful tournaments in Dubai and London.
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