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The Global Chess League (GCL) 2024 is set to return for its second season in London from October 3 to 12, and the player draft has already made headlines with the acquisition of Indian Grandmasters Vaishali Rameshbabu and Nihal Sarin.Vaishali, a rising star in the women's chess circuit, has been signed by Ganges Grandmasters in the Superstar Women 1 section. She will join the legendary Viswanathan Anand, who is also part of the Ganges lineup.Meanwhile, the 20-year-old Sarin has been drafted by Alaskan Knights in the Prodigy category. He will be playing alongside renowned players like Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov."For someone my age, coming up the ranks in this sport, I am super thrilled to be part of the Global Chess League Season 2," said Sarin after the draft. "I am looking forward to learn from the stalwarts playing in this season and I am happy to be part of Alaskan Knights this season."Other notable Indian players who have been retained by their respective teams include Grandmasters Koneru Humpy and Harika Dronavalli, who will continue to play for Mumba Masters.The GCL has also announced its icon players for the upcoming season. Magnus Carlsen will represent Alpine SG Pipers, Anand will play for Ganges Grandmasters, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave will lead Mumba Masters, Ian Nepomniachtchi will captain Triveni Continental Kings, and debutants Hikaru Nakamura and Anish Giri will join American Gambits and Alaskan Knights, respectively.The GCL is a unique chess league that features teams from around the world competing in a series of online matches. The league aims to promote chess and provide a platform for players to showcase their skills.

Former world chess champion Vladimir Kramnik has sparked controversy with his latest accusations of cheating in online chess. Kramnik, who previously raised suspicions about Hikaru Nakamura's winning streak, has now suggested that Indian grandmaster Nihal Sarin's online blitz results against the world's top ten players this year are "mathematically 99.9999% impossible."Kramnik's allegations have been met with skepticism and criticism from the chess community. Nihal's manager, Priyadarshan Banjan, has challenged Kramnik to a face-to-face playoff against Nihal, while others have questioned Kramnik's statistical analysis.Kramnik's concerns about cheating in online chess are legitimate, but his public accusations have been criticized for being unsubstantiated and damaging to the reputation of players. Chess.com, one of the leading online chess platforms, has closed Kramnik's blog and muted his account after investigating his allegations and finding them baseless.The recent wave of paranoia over cheating in chess has been fueled by high-profile accusations from top players such as Magnus Carlsen and Kramnik. However, experts argue that mass public accusations and blackballing are not effective ways to address the issue.Kramnik's accusations have also raised questions about the role of statistics in detecting cheating. While statistical analysis can be a useful tool, it is important to interpret the results carefully and avoid making unfounded conclusions.The issue of cheating in chess is complex and requires a nuanced approach. While it is important to maintain the integrity of the game, it is equally important to avoid unsubstantiated accusations that can damage the reputations of players and undermine the sport's credibility.