Grandmaster Koneru Humpy, a 2003 Arjuna Awardee and winner of the Padma Shri, is set to play in the first-ever Global Chess League (GCL), which takes place from June 21 to July 2, 2023. The GCL is a league-styled chess tournament with mixed teams of men, women, and junior players. It will feature six teams competing in a minimum of 10 matches each in a double round-robin format, competing in the rapid chess format. Tech Mahindra and FIDE are joint-venture partners in the GCL. Humpy said that participating in the event is essential as it fills the gaps in the chess ecosystem and will inspire organizers worldwide. She added that she enjoys shorter time formats in a fun way, which will be more entertaining for the audience.
Humpy is the youngest female chess player to become a Grandmaster. She started playing chess when she was six years old, introduced to the sport by her father. At age 15, Humpy earned the Grandmaster title, becoming the then-youngest player to achieve it. She has a current world ranking of 204 and a Classical Elo rating of 2586, making her one of India’s top players.
Humpy is also a mother of a five-year-old and spends her time with her family watching movies and going out for dinner on weekends when not competing in tournaments. She believes that there is a lot of scope for female athletes to continue pursuing their sport even after attaining motherhood.
