In a promotional round‑table interview, a roster of elite chess players—including Magnus Carlsen, Viswanathan Anand, Alireza Firouzja, Jan Kramnik, Levon Aronian, and others—answer a single question: what are they most excited about for the Global Chess League (GCL) 2026. The conversation repeatedly surfaces several themes: the thrill of playing rapid games without time‑increment, the strategic "flag‑ging" opportunities this creates, the pride of representing and winning for one’s team, the novelty of mixed‑generation squads, off‑board activities (badminton, pickleball, even basketball with LeBron), and personal narratives such as city walks in Bangalore and the desire for redemption after last year’s Alpine loss. Players also hint at expected drama or controversy, and many stress the importance of team spirit, learning from new teammates, and enjoying the cultural experience of Indian host cities. The interview is informal, promotional, and interspersed with repeated phrasing, but it provides clear insight into the motivations, expectations, and personal touches each grandmaster brings to the upcoming league.
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Magnus, what are you most looking forward to this GCL?
I want to do what I've been doing in the EWC last two years, which is flag the shit out of Alireza.
I have my own. Well, like in the EWC, I want to watch Magnus flag Alireza. I guess analyzing some chess with Magnus—that will be fun. Yes, it's a very different format than others, and I'm very much interested to play in this rapid. Surya, what is the one thing that you are looking forward to at this edition of GCN? Uh, lots of exciting chess and questions like this.
I just like play and enjoy chess. I also like this format without time increment.
It's always some like show, it's always interesting.
Thank you.
Thank you. To win a game by flagging down the opponent. By flagging the opponent? Yeah, because this is the tournament where you don't have increment for each move. So hoping I could experience that. Thank you. Katrina, what is that one thing that you are most looking forward to at the Global Chess League 2026? I want to play good for my team. And your team is? With Vishy Anand, so it's a lot of pressure. Good luck. Thank you. To play in a team alongside like different generations, we have like Anand sir, Yagish, and myself. Thank you. Just to play some good chess and play all the sports like badminton, pickleball, and everything. Yeah. Oh, and you got a last-minute call for this event. Were you surprised? Not really, because they didn't take me in the juniors, so I thought something good should happen, and this was the good thing. Yeah, I'm happy. You are excited? Yeah, yeah, of course. All the best. Thank you. You Mumbai doing well here in the fourth edition. What does doing well mean? Already as Maxim told, we want to win, but I don't want to repeat the same sentence, so I said doing well. Maxim, what is the one thing that you are looking forward to in this edition of GCN?
A Mumbai win.
It's like for the first 40 moves there's no increment. I'm very much looking forward to seeing a lot of chaotic time scrambles. Thank you.
Winning.
Shak, at this GCL, what is the one thing that you are looking forward to?
I hope finally I will win this GCL.
I think it's very important for me. Thank you. I would have to say playing basketball with Lebron. Really? Yeah. Did you play today? Yeah, we played today, and I'm looking forward to cooking his ass every day. Yeah, I just get to lead a team, so I see all my icons and players. So I just want to want my team to win, and I want to lead them to victory.
So it would be. playing a little bit faster, uh, just personally, and trying to get a good result in rapid chess would be nice. I mean, I've been playing a lot of rapid lately with, you know, mixed results. Just wanted to consolidate a bit, and if I can get more consistent, and this would be a great opportunity to start.
Brilliant, thank you. Jan, at this Global Chess League 2026, what is that one thing that you are most looking forward to?
Generally, I guess have fun playing against the guys I know.
Can you say like who are those guys? Like, because you know almost all of them, yes?
Yeah, I mean, it would be Magnus, Alireza, Vishy, Sindarov, and MVL.
Okay, thank you. I'm looking forward to the team spirit and the excitement we get when we win a match. As a team.
Thank you.
I'm looking to enjoy the tournament with our team. I think it's the most important for the team events. Thank you. Levon, uh, I'm asking everyone a question. I wanted to ask you as well. What is the one thing that you are looking forward to at the Global Chess League 2026?
Looking to spend time, uh, With a team. I generally love being part of a team, love working together with people and learning new personalities and learning how to be a better teammate. You know, it's the most exciting thing to, to see success working with people, and especially when working with people that you have never worked with.
Mm.
So that's definitely a challenge and that's something I'm looking forward to.
Because in your team, you know Dominguez very well.
Yes.
Lennier. Yes. But Jan is someone maybe you have been teammates with before?
I don't think so.
No?
No.
So the first time? Yes. And that would be very interesting because, you know, you both are like amazing players. So, you know, generally it's like interesting how those dynamics work.
Sure.
And then there are these 2 young girls, Polina and Stavrula. and Leon. So very interesting team.
I love our girls and Leon. I mean, they are very light-hearted and kind people. So yeah, I think this is going to be a great experience, human experience.
And also you saw a bit of the city outside.
Yes.
The city of Bangalore.
Yes, I walked in one direction, I think, for 1.5 hours. I went to the train station, then I went to the KR Market area, then I walked to the old fort. I got to the palace, but I, I was too tired to enter already, and I went back.
You like the city?
Quite a walk, yeah. It was interesting.
Because you walked through Mumbai, I think you walked through Chennai a lot.
Yes, yes.
And Chennai, Bangalore, do you find a lot of difference?
Yes, yes. I think Bangalore feels, I think, feels in a way more kind of business-like. Chennai is more relaxed. That's my impression with just the people and the traffic. There was clearly a difference between characters of the city.
Thank you, Levon, for your time and all the best for your team. Alireza, what is that one thing that you are most looking forward to in this GCL? I most look forward to win the GCL again because last year we were so close, but this year I would like to win it again. And can I just tell you that when I asked Magnus this question, he said, I want to— like EWC, I want to flag the shit out of Alireza. Do you want to say anything to that? No, I mean, what to say? But yeah, I mean, we'll play 2 games and we'll see. It'll be very exciting.
Well, we still have some unfinished business from last year and the loss against Alpine really still hurts and we are looking for redemption.
Oh, thank you. I'm looking forward to great games and exciting match. Thank you. Well, it's very hard to name just one thing, I believe, but I'm always looking forward to seeing great chess games in this GCL or in any other tournaments, and hopefully be able to play decent chess myself. Thank you. Wei, in this GCL, what is that one thing that you are looking forward Um, maybe I'm looking forward to playing faster. So like, there are so many things I look forward to, but one thing that comes to my mind like instantly is controversies. Yeah, you want to see some controversies? Wow. I'm just kidding. Yeah, like also I'm looking forward to interesting games like
