Chess Prodigies Choose Jersey Numbers at Global Chess League: From Praggnanandhaa’s No 10 to Anand’s No 64

Chess prodigies from India, D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, and Arjun Erigaisi, faced a unique dilemma last year when they received an email from the team management of the Alpine SG Pipers asking them to choose their jersey numbers for the Global Chess League. This seemingly simple question led to some interesting choices and stories behind the numbers selected by these young players.

Praggnanandhaa, after contemplating for a while, decided on No 10, not only because it was his date of birth but also because it was the number worn by legendary athletes like Sachin Tendulkar and Lionel Messi. However, he had to settle for No 7 as Gukesh had already requested No 10. Praggnanandhaa found success with No 7 in the previous season and decided to stick with it this time as well.

Meanwhile, five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand chose No 64, a number that has become synonymous with him due to the number of squares on a chessboard. American Gambits icon star Hikaru Nakamura ended up with No 2, despite initially wanting either No 1 or No 5. Vidit Gujrathi had to settle for No 1 after his initial choice of No 4 was taken, with the hope of emulating the success of the previous wearer of the number.

The players’ choices were not limited to just sports legends, as some picked numbers with personal significance. Harika Dronavalli chose her daughter’s birthdate, 24, while Arjun Erigaisi selected No 3 because he was born on September 3, 2003. Nihal Sarin, despite the superstition surrounding the number 13, embraced it as his manager chose it based on his birthdate, July 13, with the hope of changing its luck.

The jersey number selection process provided a glimpse into the personal preferences and superstitions of these chess prodigies, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the upcoming Global Chess League.