Archive · 15 Sep 2026
Ganges Grandmasters Overcome Ownership Crisis to Win Global Chess League
Ganges Grandmasters almost had no team owner before the chess league auction.
Insurekot Sports Private Limited had decided to leave.
The league asked Team MGD1 to manage the team temporarily.
Team MGD1 quickly chose Adhiban Bhaskaran as coach and built a new lineup.
The team included Ian Nepomniachtchi, Levon Aronian, Leinier Dominguez Perez and Leon Luke Mendonca.
Some players initially thought the women’s boards were not very strong.
Stavroula Tsolakidou and Polina Shuvalova played extremely well instead.
Ganges Grandmasters then beat the defending champions and won the league title.
Insurekot Sports Private Limited withdrew as Ganges Grandmasters’ owner shortly before the Global Chess League auction.
Team MGD1 took over interim franchise operations after the league sought a caretaker management team.
The hastily rebuilt Ganges Grandmasters defeated defending champions Alpine APL Pipers to win Season 4.
The team replaced longtime player Viswanathan Anand with Ian Nepomniachtchi on the Icon board.
Stavroula Tsolakidou won Player of the Tournament after scoring 21.5/37, while coach Adhiban Bhaskaran helped energize the squad.
- Who
- Ganges Grandmasters, managed temporarily by Team MGD1 and coached by Adhiban Bhaskaran, defeated Alpine APL Pipers.
- What
- Ganges Grandmasters won the Global Chess League Season 4 title after rebuilding its management and playing squad.
- When
- The ownership crisis emerged 10 to 15 days before the auction; the team won the final on September 13.
- Where
- The article identifies the tournament but does not specify the match venue.
- Why
- The team had to be rebuilt after Insurekot Sports Private Limited withdrew, and its new management assembled a squad that performed strongly.
Initial Assessment
Tournament Outcome
Strength of the women’s boards
Initial Assessment
Levon Aronian initially believed Ganges Grandmasters’ women’s boards were weaker than those of other teams.
Tournament Outcome
Stavroula Tsolakidou and Polina Shuvalova became a major strength; Tsolakidou scored 21.5/37, the tournament’s highest individual total.
Team-building prospects
Initial Assessment
The franchise faced uncertainty because it had no owner, coach or complete team shortly before the auction.
Tournament Outcome
Team MGD1, Adhiban Bhaskaran and the new roster assembled a competitive side that won the championship.
- Competition
- Global Chess League Season 4
- Champions
- Ganges Grandmasters
- Runner-up
- Defending champions Alpine APL Pipers
- Former owner
- Insurekot Sports Private Limited, owned by the Kotak Group
- Interim operator
- Team MGD1
- Coach
- Adhiban Bhaskaran
- Top scorer
- Stavroula Tsolakidou, with 21.5/37 and the Player of the Tournament award