CSC at the Global Chess League

Thirty children from Malorees Junior School in Brent enjoyed a trip to the Global Chess League (GCL) in central London. The GCL features many of the world’s top players: Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Vishy Anand, Hou Yifan, Humpy Koneru, to name but a few. In teams of six, the Grandmasters are battling it out in rapidplay games, broadcast live around the world.

The Malorees pupils took part in a morning of chess activities organised by CSC: lessons from CSC tutors, some practice games with coaching times, and a simultaneous game against Grandmasters Andrew Hong (USA) and Nino Batsaishvili (Georgia). After lunch, it was time for the children to take their seats in the auditorium to watch the American Gambits take on the Mumba Masters. Led by Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, the Mumba Masters team featured a wealth of chess talent but found themselves on the end of a heavy defeat, going down 11-6 to the team from across the pond.

For most of the children, it was their first experience of a world-class chess event, of a live television studio, and an inspiring experience for them to take back to their chess lessons back at school. Over the course of the GCL, CSC will be hosting over 200 children at this great event.