PANAJI
For Goan Grandmaster Leon Luke Mendonca, Ganges Grandmasters’ maiden Global Chess League (GCL) title was more than another team triumph.
It marked back-to-back GCL championships for the 20-year-old, achieved with two different teams and against the side with which he won the title last season.
Mendonca was part of Alpine SG Pipers’ championship-winning side last season before switching to Ganges Grandmasters for the fourth edition. His move to Ganges also meant facing the team with which he had celebrated the title a year earlier.
“Winning back-to-back Global Chess League titles with two different teams makes this incredibly special. I was part of Alpine SG Pipers’ championship-winning side last season, and to now win with Ganges Grandmasters after competing against my former team is a unique feeling,” said the Goan GM.
“We built a great bond through the season, and contributing to this title means a lot. As a Goan, I also hope this inspires more youngsters back home to believe they can compete and succeed on the world stage,” he added.
The achievement adds to Mendonca’s progress since he became India’s 67th Grandmaster at 14. He won the Tata Steel Challengers in 2024 and made his debut in the elite Masters section the following year.
In the final, Mendonca faced his former team, losing to Volodar Murzin in the opening leg as the match ended 3-3. Ganges won the second leg 4-2 to clinch the title.
It is another notable achievement for Mendonca, who has continued to make the transition from teenage prodigy to an established presence in international chess.
