Maxime Vachier-Lagrave at the Global Chess League

FIDE title

Grandmaster

Federation

France

2026 team

CheQ Mumba Masters

2026 board

Icon (board one)

Seasons

2023, 2024, 2025, 2026

FIDE id

623539

Vachier-Lagrave is the only Icon who has stayed with one franchise since the league began. He has led the Mumba Masters in 2023, 2024 and 2025 and continues on board one of the CheQ Mumba Masters in 2026.

In the 2026 season Vachier-Lagrave plays for the CheQ Mumba Masters on board one as the team's Icon. The season runs from 5 to 13 September 2026 in Bengaluru, India.

Global Chess League record

In 2023 the upGrad Mumba Masters reached the first league final in Dubai. The Triveni Continental Kings won the first match 9-7, the Masters won the second 12-3, the blitz tiebreaks were split, and the title went to a single sudden-death game on a board drawn by lots, which the Kings won.

In 2024 the Masters did not reach the final in London. In 2025 they were in contention for the final until the last day in Mumbai and finished fifth.

1. 1.2023: upGrad Mumba Masters, Icon. Team result: runners-up. Lost the final to the Triveni Continental Kings on a sudden-death tiebreak after one match each.
2. 2.2024: upGrad Mumba Masters, Icon. Team result: did not reach the final.
3. 3.2025: upGrad Mumba Masters, Icon. Team result: fifth.

Career highlights

1. 1.World Blitz Champion 2021.
2. 2.Won the Sinquefield Cup in Saint Louis in 2017 and 2021.
3. 3.Played the 2020-21 Candidates Tournament in Yekaterinburg.
4. 4.Three-time French champion.
5. 5.Icon of the Mumba Masters in all four Global Chess League seasons, including the 2023 final.
6. 6.On the September 2026 FIDE rating list, Vachier-Lagrave is rated 2718 in classical chess, 2706 in rapid and 2734 in blitz.

2026 season

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave plays the 2026 season with the CheQ Mumba Masters, which runs from 5 to 13 September 2026 in Bengaluru, India. Vachier-Lagrave's squad mates are Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Pranesh M, Carissa Yip, Harika Dronavalli and Bardiya Daneshvar.

Each Global Chess League match is played on six boards of rapid chess, one board per squad member, and a win with Black earns the team more game points than a win with White. The format and scoring page explains the points. Matches are streamed free; the how-to-watch page lists the streams and the IST start times.

• —Matches played: 4
• —Match points: 6
• —Game points: 36
• —Position: 2 of 6

1. 1.Saturday 5 September, 18:30 IST: CheQ Mumba Masters 8–10 Alpine APL Pipers
2. 2.Sunday 6 September, 17:00 IST: PBG Alaskan Knights 11–6 CheQ Mumba Masters
3. 3.Sunday 6 September, 20:00 IST: CheQ Mumba Masters 10–9 Triveni Continental Kings
4. 4.Monday 7 September, 17:00 IST: CheQ Mumba Masters 12–3 Ganges Grandmasters

Results were last checked on 7 September 2026 at 8:44 PM IST.

The 2026 final is scheduled for Sunday 13 September 2026 in Bengaluru, India. The champion appears here after the final.

2026 games

Vachier-Lagrave has 4 finished games in the 2026 season: 1 win, 3 draws, 0 losses, 6 team points earned.

1. 1.Saturday 5 September, 18:30 IST: board 1, White against Carlsen, Magnus (Alpine APL Pipers), draw.
2. 2.Sunday 6 September, 17:00 IST: board 1, Black against Anand, Viswanathan (PBG Alaskan Knights), draw.
3. 3.Sunday 6 September, 20:00 IST: board 1, White against Firouzja, Alireza (Triveni Continental Kings), win.
4. 4.Monday 7 September, 17:00 IST: board 1, White against Nepomniachtchi, Ian (Ganges Grandmasters), draw.

Daily reports mentioning Vachier-Lagrave

1. 1.Day 2: Grandmasters stop Gambits as three teams tie

Frequently asked questions

More on the league: the Global Chess League 2026 hub, the schedule, the points table and the league overview with every season since 2023.