Professional Rapid Online Chess League

Professional Rapid Online Chess League (PRO Chess League)
Most recent season or competition:
2018
Formerly United States Chess League
Sport Chess
Inaugural season 2017
Commissioner Greg Shahade
No. of teams 32
Country International
Most recent
champion(s)		 Armenia Eagles (1st title)
Most titles Armenia Eagles
St. Louis Arch Bishops (1 title)
TV partner(s) Twitch
Related
competitions		 Speed Chess Championship
Official website https://www.prochessleague.com/

The Professional Rapid Online Chess League (PRO Chess League and abbreviated PCL) is an online rapid chess league operated by chess.com. It was preceded by the United States Chess League, which announced in 2016 that it would be renamed, reformatted, and opened to cities from around the world, and moved to the website chess.com.[1][2]

In its inaugural season, the PCL comprised 48 teams, whose members included some of the highest-rated chess players in the world, including the reigning world champion Magnus Carlsen, and other elite players including Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Hikaru Nakamura, and Wesley So plus over 100 other grandmasters.[3] The 48 teams represent cities in five continents.[3][4]

Teams

Arch Bishops
Windmills
Pawngrabbrs
Blizzard
Sopranos
Champions
ChessBrahs
Surfers
Destiny
Hackers
Sluggers
Ospreys
Desert Rats
- Atlantic - Pacific
Krakens
- Atlantic
Horses
Gnomes
Stormbringers
Magicians
Trolls
Snowballs
Migraines
Blockbusters
Turtles
Mosquitoes
Lions
Towers
Puffins
- Eastern - Central
Eagles
Dyamite
Movers
Pandas
- Eastern - Pacific
Kangaroos
- Pacific

Format

  • For each match, teams may have at least one free agent in the lineup
  • The average rating of the four players in each match must be under 2500
  • Each match uses a scheveningen system with the first team to reach 8.5 points or higher winning. Time control is 15|2

For more information on the rules, see the following link

2017: Inaugural Season

The first season started on January 11, 2017 and ended March 26, 2017.[5][6] 48 teams participated, twelve of which had previously participated in the USCL. After the end of the first season, the St. Louis Arch Bishops defeated the Norway Gnomes; thus securing their first title.[7] Moreover, the PCL has a total prize fund of $50,000 compared to a prize fund of $10,000 in the USCL.[8]

Standings [9]

Key W = Win L = Loss TB = Tiebreaker GP = Game Points
Eastern Division
WLTBGP
y – India Delhi Dynamite5 220.565.5
x – Hungary Budapest Gambit4.5 2.524.562
x – Russia Gorky Stormbringers4.5 2.51961
x – Norway Norway Gnomes3.5 3.52860
x – India Mumbai Movers3.5 3.52754
x – Latvia Riga Magicians3.5 3.525.556.5
Slovenia Ljubljana Direwolves3.5 3.524.551.5
Serbia Belgrade Sparrows3.5 3.518.562.5
India Odisha Express2 52045
India Amaravati Yodhas1.5 5.51648.5
Kazakhstan Shymkent Nomads1 62344.5
South Africa Johannesburg Koeksisters1 620.540
Central Division
WLTBGP
y – France Marseille Migraines5 22767
x – Sweden Stockholm Snowballs5 22462.5
x – Netherlands Amsterdam Mosquitoes4 32658.5
x – France Cannes Blockbusters4 325.556
x – United Kingdom London Lions4 32555.5
x – United Kingdom London Towers4 32368
Germany Hamburg Swashbucklers3.5 3.52553.5
Netherlands Apeldoorn Apes3 42156.5
Iceland Reykjavik Puffins2.5 4.523.562
Republic of Ireland Dublin Desperados2 519.556.5
Nigeria Abuja Rockstars2 517.539
Nigeria Lagos Leatherbacks0 721.526.5
Atlantic Division
WLTBGP
y – Canada Montreal ChessBrahs6 12765.5
x – Argentina Buenos Aires Krakens5 22758.5
x – Canada Toronto Dragons5 226.571
x – United States Montclair Sopranos5 222.566
x – United States Philadelphia Inventors4.5 2.526.562
x – United Kingdom Miami Champions4 32262
United States New Jersey Knockouts3.5 3.52755
United States New York Knights3 42855.5
Argentina Patagonia Penguins3 42350
United States Atlanta Kings2.5 4.525.556.5
United States Carolina Cobras2 52142.5
United States Columbus Cardinals0 723.526.5
Atlantic Division
WLTBGP
y – United States St. Louis Arch Bishops6 129.570.5
x – United States Webster Windmills6 127.568.5
x – United States Dallas Destiny5.5 1.52967
x – United States San Diego Surfers5.5 1.52668
x – United States Rio Grande Ospreys5 23158.5
x – United States San Jose Hackers4 333.559
United States Las Vegas Desert Rats3.5 3.52959.5
United States Minnesota Blizzard3 428.551
United States Seattle Sluggers3 42557
United States San Francisco Mechanics3 42352.5
United States Pittsburgh Pawngrabbers3 421.547
United States Portland Rain1.5 5.52736.5

Notes

  • y – Clinched Division
    •
  • x – Clinched Playoff Berth

Playoffs

After the end of the regular season, the top six teams from each division qualify for the playoffs with each team being seeded 1-6 based on regular season wins.

Eastern Division

  Division Quarterfinals     Division Semifinals     Division Championship
                           
      1 Delhi Dynamite 6.5  
  4 Norway Gnomes 9     4 Norway Gnomes 9.5    
  5 Mumbai Movers 7         4 Norway Gnomes 9.5
      3 Gorky Stormbringers 6.5
      2 Budapest Gambit 6.5    
  3 Gorky Stormbringers 8     3 Gorky Stormbringers 9.5  
  6 Riga Magicians 8  

Central Division

  Division Quarterfinals     Division Semifinals     Division Championship
                           
      1 Marseille Migraines 10.5  
  4 Cannes Blockbusters 7     5 London Lions 5.5    
  5 London Lions 9         1 Marseille Migraines 6.5
      2 Stockholm Snowballs 9.5
      2 Stockholm Snowballs 8.5    
  3 Amsterdam Mosquitoes 7.5     6 London Towers 7.5  
  6 London Towers 8.5  

Atlantic Division

  Division Quarterfinals     Division Semifinals     Division Championship
                           
      1 Montreal Chessbrahs 9  
  4 Montclair Sopranos 9     4 Montclair Sopranos 7    
  5 Philadelphia Inventors 7         1 Montreal Chessbrahs 10
      2 Buenos Aires Krakens 6
      2 Buenos Aires Krakens 10    
  3 Toronto Dragons 7.5     6 Miami Champions 6  
  6 Miami Champions 8.5  

Pacific Division

  Division Quarterfinals     Division Semifinals     Division Championship
                           
      1 St. Louis Arch Bishops 8.5  
  4 San Diego Surfers 9.5     4 San Diego Surfers 7.5    
  5 Rio Grande Ospreys 6.5         1 St. Louis Arch Bishops 8
      2 Webster Windmills 8
      2 Webster Windmills 9.5    
  3 Dallas Destiny 7.5     6 San Jose Hackers 6.5  
  6 San Jose Hackers 8.5  

Semifinals & Championship

During the semifinal round, regardless of the participating teams, the winner of the Eastern Division will play the winner of the Central Division, and the winner of the Atlantic Division will play the winner of the Pacific Division.

Semifianls PCL Championship
      
E4 Norway Gnomes 10
C2 Stockholm Snowballs 6
E4 Norway Gnomes 7
P1 St. Louis Arch Bishops 9
A1 Montreal Chessbrahs 8
P1 St. Louis Arch Bishops 8

Awards

MVPs
PlayerTeam
1st, gold medalist(s)Wesley SoSt. Louis Arch Bishops
2nd, silver medalist(s)Magnus CarlsenNorway Gnomes
3rd, bronze medalist(s)Georg MeierStockholm Snowballs
Invitational Performances
AwardPlayerTeam
Best FemaleDeimante DaulyteCannes Blockbusters
U2600Yannick GozzoliMarseille Migraines
U2500Nikolay NoritsynToronto Dragons
U2400Nico ZwirsApeldoorn Apes
U2300Richard FranciscoAtlanta Kings
U2200Nicholas RosenthalSt. Louis Arch Bishops

2018

The 2018 season began on January 17 and ended on April 8 with the Armenia Eagles defeating the Chengdu Pandas to claim their first title.[10]

Qualification

In order to combat the large league, Shahade decided to cut the league from 48 teams to 32 teams as he believed the inaugural season was "a bit to large and chaotic".In order to determine which teams would return, he used the following:[11][12][13]

  • 24 teams invited
  • 6 teams per Qualifier Tournament
  • 2 teams per fan vote

Qualification Tournament

The Qualification Tournament started on October 28 with the Early Qualifier for teams located in Europe, Africa, and Western Asia. The Late Qualifier were for teams in North & South America and Southeast Asia. The event format was as stated:[14]

  • 15 round individual swiss using time format of 3|2
  • If you play with another teammate during tournament, you'll be guaranteed one point from the game
  • Scores determined by adding sum of scores from all four team members
  • Top 3 teams from each qualifying tournament automatically qualify for PCL
Early Qualifier
Team
1
Armenia Eagles
2
Estonia Horses
3
Mumbai Movers
4
Oslo Trolls*
5
Apeldoorn Apes
6
Rehovot Masters
Late Qualifier
Team
1
Chengdu Pandas
2
Seattle Sluggers
3
Australia Kangaroos
4
New York Knights
5
Minnesota Blizzard*
6
San Francisco Mechanics

*Won fan vote to qualify for PCL

Super Saturday & Super Sunday

For 2018, the PCL introduced a new match format which allowed teams to play outside of their division. In these matches, each team will play one single four game match against eight other teams on Saturday and then do it with different teams on Sunday. Once every team has played sixteen other teams, the total match points will be added up. The following prizes were given:[15][16]

  • 1st: 1 match win + $500
  • 2nd-6th: 1 match win
  • 7th-10th: 1 match draw
  • 11th-16th: 1 match loss
2/24 Early Super Saturday
Team Points Result
1 St. Louis Arch Bishops 24 Win
2 Chengdu Pandas 23 Win
3 Montclair Sopranos 21.5 Win
4 Pittsburgh Pawngrabbers 19.5 Win
5 Dallas Destiny 18.5 Win
6 Seattle Sluggers 18 Win
7 Buenos Aires Krakens 17 Draw
8 Armenia Eagles 16 Draw
9 Delhi Dynamite 16 Draw
10 Ljubljana Turtles 14 Draw
11 Reykjavik Puffins 13.5 Loss
12 Rio Grande Ospreys 13.5 Loss
13 Volga Stormbringers 13 Loss
14 Cannes Blockbusters 12.5 Loss
15 Mumbai Movers 11 Loss
16 Marseille Migraines 5 Loss
2/24 Late Super Saturday
Team Points Result
1 Norway Gnomes 21.5 Win
2 San Jose Hackers 20.5 Win
3 San Diego Surfers 19.5 Win
4 Webster Windmills 19.5 Win
5 Australia Kangaroos 19 Win
6 Estonia Horses 17.5 Win
7 Minnesota Blizzard 17.5 Draw
8 Miami Champions 17 Draw
9 Montreal Chessbrahs 16 Draw
10 Riga Magicians 15 Draw
11 Amsterdam Mosquitoes 14 Loss
12 London Towers 13 Loss
13 Oslo Trolls 13 Loss
14 London Lions 12 Loss
15 Stockholm Snowballs 11.5 Loss
16 Las Vegas Desert Rats 9 Loss
2/4 Super Sunday
Team Points Result
1 Armenia Eagles 22 Win
2 Volga Stormbringers 21.5 Win
3 Ljubljana Turtles 21 Win
4 Marseille Migraines 18.5 Win
5 Stockholm Snowballs 17.5 Win
6 Mumbai Movers 17.5 Win
7 Norway Gnomes 17 Draw
8 Riga Magicians 16.5 Draw
9 Delhi Dynamite 16 Draw
10 London Lions 15 Draw
11 Amsterdam Mosquitoes 15 Loss
12 Reykjavik Puffins 14.5 Loss
13 Oslo Trolls 13.5 Loss
14 London Towers 12.5 Loss
15 Cannes Blockbusters 9 Loss
16 Estonia Horses 8.5 Loss
2/3 Super Saturday
Team Points Result
1 San Jose Hackers 21.5 Win
2 Chengdu Pandas 20 Win
3 Australia Kangaroos 19.5 Win
4 Webster Windmills 19 Win
5 Montreal Chessbrahs 18 Win
6 Dallas Destiny 18 Win
7 Rio Grande Ospreys 17.5 Draw
8 San Diego Surfers 16.5 Draw
9 Pittsburgh Pawngrabbers 16 Draw
10 Saint Louis Arch Bishops 15.5 Draw
11 Seattle Sluggers 15 Loss
12 Minnesota Blizzard 14.5 Loss
13 Montclair Sopranos 13.5 Loss
14 Miami Champions 11 Loss
15 Las Vegas Desert Rats 11 Loss
16 Buenos Aires Krakens 9.5 Loss

Standings [17]

The top four teams from each division qualify for the playoffs while the two worst teams are relegated from the league and will have to partake in the qualifiers in order to rejoin the league.[18]

Eastern Division
TeamsWinsLossGame Points
1Armenia Armenia Eagles6.52.598
2India Delhi Dynamite5.53.595
3India Mumbai Movers5.53.585
4Estonia Estonia Horses5488
5Norway Norway Gnomes4592
6Russia Volga Stormbringers4588
7Latvia Riga Magicians3.55.581
8Norway Oslo Trolls2775.5
Central Division
TeamsWinsLossGame Points
1Sweden Stockholm Snowballs6.52.590.5
2France Marseille Migraines6.52.587
3France Cannes Blockbusters5478.5
4Slovenia Ljubljana Turtles4.54.589.5
5Netherlands Amsterdam Mosquitoes3690
6England London Lions4679.5
7Iceland Reykjavik Puffins2.56.578.5
8England London Towers1871.5
Atlantic Division
TeamsWinsLossGame Points
1United States Webster Windmills7.51.599.5
2United States Pittsburgh Pawngrabbers7298
3United States St. Louis Arch Bishops5.53.5101
4United States Minnesota Blizzard5.53.592
5United States Montclair Sopranos4585.5
6United States Miami Champions3683
7Canada Montreal ChessBrahs2.56.583
8Argentina Buenos Aires Krakens2773.5
Pacific Division
TeamsWinsLossGame Points
1United States San Diego Surfers7.51.599
2China Chengdu Pandas6.52.5104
3United States Dallas Destiny6.52.5100
4Australia Australia Kangaroos5494.5
5United States San Jose Hackers4.54.597.5
6United States Seattle Sluggers4.54.586
7United States Rio Grande Ospreys3.55.584.5
8United States Las Vegas Desert Rats1860.5

Playoffs

After the regular season, the top four teams from each division qualify for the playoffs with the teams being seeded 1-4 in their division. In addition, the teams that won their division were invited to play the final two round in San Francisco at the Folsom Street Foundry.[19][20]

Division Semifinals
March 13
Division Championship
March 21
Semifinals
April 7
San Francisco 		PCL Championship
April 8
San Francisco
            
E1 Armenia Eagles 10.5
E4 Estonia Horses 5.5
E1 Armenia Eagles 8**
Eastern
E3 Mumbai Movers 8
E2 Delhi Dynamite 7.5
E3 Mumbai Movers 8.5
E1 Armenia Eagles 8.5
A3 St. Louis Arch Bishops 7.5
A1 Webster Windmills 7.5
A4 Minnesota Blizzard 8.5
A4 Minnesota Blizzard 6
Atlantic
A3 St. Louis Arch Bishops 10
A2 Pittsburgh Pawngrabbers 6
A3 St. Louis Arch Bishops 10
E1 Armenia Eagles 12***
P2 Chengdu Pandas 11
P1 San Diego Surfers 5.5
P4 Australia Kangaroos 10.5
P4 Australia Kangaroos 7
Pacific
P2 Chengdu Pandas 9
P2 Chengdu Pandas 8*
P3 Dallas Destiny 8
P2 Chengdu Pandas 9.5
C4 Ljubljana Turtles 6.5
C1 Stockholm Snowballs 7.5
C4 Ljubljana Turtles 8.5
C4 Ljubljana Turtles 9.5
Central
C2 Marseille Migraines 6.5
C2 Marseille Migraines 9
C3 Cannes Blockbusters 7
3rd Place Game
   
A3 St. Louis Arch Bishops 9.5
C4 Ljubljana Turtles 6.5

*Advanced due to higher seed

**Advanced due to higher draw odds

***Triple overtime victory

Awards [21]

All Stars
DivisionPlayerTeam
Eastern
Mangus CarlsenNorway Gnomes
Hrant MelkumyanArmenia Eagles
Zaven AnderiasyanArmenia Eagles
Viswanathan AnandMumbai Movers
Central
Maxime Vachier-LagraveMarseille Migraines
Georg MeierStockholm Snowballs
Luka LenicLjubljana Turtles
Gawain JonesLondon Towers
Atlantic
Fabiano CaruanaSt. Louis Arch Bishops
Aleksandr ShimanovWebster Windmill
Awonder LiangPittsburgh Pawngrabbers
Andrew TangMinnesota Blizzard
Pacific
Hikaru NakamuraSeattle Slggers
Yu YangyiChengdu Pandas
Alexey DreevSan Diego Surfers
Anton SmirnovAustralia Kangaroos
MVPs
PlayerTeam
1st, gold medalist(s)Fabiano CaruanaSt. Louis Arch Bishops
2nd, silver medalist(s)Magnus CarlsenNorway Gnmoes
3rd, bronze medalist(s)Hikaru NakamuraSeattle Sluggers
Invitational Performances
AwardPlayerTeam
Best FemaleJu WenjunChengdu Pandas
U2600Zaven AndriasyanArmenia Eagles
U2500Andrew TangMinnesota Blizzard
U2400Brandon ClarkeAustralia Kangaroos
U2300Artak ManukyanArmenia Eagles
U2200Sander KukkEstonia Horses

All-Star Game

The 2018 All-Star Game will be scheduled on September 8 with stage 1 and on September 9 for stage 2. The following event format will be used.[22]

  • Stage 1: Round-robin tournament where every player plays one game against everyone else from other three teams, total of 12 games (Time control = 3|1)
  • Stage 2: Knockout round. Seeding determined by total amount of points in stage 1 (Time control = 3|0)
  Quarterfinals Semifianls Finals
                           
    1
    2    
3      
4

2019

The 2019 season will begin on November 9 with the Qualification Tournament in order to decide the expansion teams.[23][24]

Championship History

PCL Championship by Team
Team Titles Won Last Won
Armenia Armenia Eagles
1
2018
United States St. Louis Arch Bishops
1
2017

Critic Response

Supporters say the league's worldwide distribution, the prize money, and the participation of many of the world's top-rated players may create a new level of competition and awareness for the game. It is anticipated that the new formats are leading to a "rise in popularity of online and rapid chess". In addition, the PCL has the potential to dramatically change chess culture and could lead to corporate sponsorships. This change from an "individual and slow game," to a relatively quick and team format, has made the offering more viewer friendly.[4]

In a 2017 article, Greg Shahade made a similar statement to what Eric Rosen mentioned. Shahade talked about the league featuring worldwide team competition, using the scheveningen system which gives lower rated players the chance to pull upset each week, and having the chance to "revolutionize chess".[25][26]

In an article written by ESPN, Viswanathan Anand spoked about how convenient it was to play online compared to playing over-the-board.[27]


References

  1. ↑ Doggers, Peter (August 25, 2016). "U.S. Chess League Becomes PRO Chess League". United States Chess Federation. Retrieved February 12, 2017. The Professional Rapid Online (PRO) Chess League is the combined vision of what the USCL and Chess.com see as the future of high-stakes, top-level, entertaining chess. Unlike its predecessor, the USCL, the PRO Chess League will have faster time controls, provide more flexibility in forming and managing teams, and allow for "free agent" acquisitions from all over the world. The fundamental goal will remain promoting the growth and togetherness of the... local community chess clubs.
  2. ↑ "Pro Chess League". QuantumGambitz. January 2, 2017. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  3. 1 2 Copeland, Sam (December 24, 2016). "48 Teams, Over 100 Grandmasters To Play PRO Chess League". United States Chess Federation. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  4. 1 2 Rosen, Eric (January 19, 2017). "PRO Chess League: Bringing Chess into Mainstream Sports Culture". KWMU National Public Radio. Retrieved February 12, 2017. While it’s hard to say whether chess will ever become as popular as major sports, I wouldn’t be surprised if the PRO Chess league creates a popularity surge in chess in the years to come.
  5. ↑ US Chess (January 9, 2017). "The PRO Chess League Begins on Wednesday". United States Chess Federation. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  6. ↑ PROChessLeague (December 19, 2016). "2017 PRO Chess League Schedule". United States Chess Federation. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  7. ↑ https://www.chess.com/news/view/saint-louis-arch-bishops-win-inaugural-pro-league-title-7360
  8. ↑ Rensch, Daniel (January 10, 2017). "PRO Chess League Prize Fund Increased To $50k+". United States Chess Federation. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  9. ↑ (PROChessLeague), PRO Chess League. "2017 PRO Chess League: Standings". Chess.com. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  10. ↑ (MikeKlein), Mike Klein. "Armenia Eagles Win PRO Chess League In Triple Overtime". Chess.com. Retrieved 2018-06-22.
  11. ↑ https://www.chess.com/news/view/pro-league-qualifier-40-teams-vie-for-8-spots-3530
  12. ↑ https://www.chess.com/news/view/pro-league-qualifiers-set-for-oct-28-7112
  13. ↑ https://www.chess.com/news/view/pro-chess-league-announces-returning-teams-new-qualification-system-8669
  14. ↑ https://www.chess.com/news/view/6-teams-qualify-for-pro-chess-league-you-pick-2-more
  15. ↑ (PROChessLeague), PRO Chess League. "Carlsen, 5 Of World's Top 10 To Play In PRO Chess Super Weekend". Chess.com. Retrieved 2018-07-20.
  16. ↑ https://www.chess.com/news/view/caruana-perfect-carlsen-nearly-so-in-record-breaking-super-saturday-smashing-8119
  17. ↑ "Standings". PRO CHESS LEAGUE. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  18. ↑ "Rules". PRO CHESS LEAGUE. Retrieved 2018-06-22.
  19. ↑ (News), Chess.com Webmaster. "PRO Chess League Finals Set For San Francisco". Chess.com. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  20. ↑ (News), Chess com Webmaster. "PRO Chess League Finals FAQ". Chess.com. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  21. ↑ https://www.chess.com/news/view/pro-chess-league-all-stars-and-mvps-announced-9130
  22. ↑ https://www.chess.com/blog/PROChessLeague/pro-chess-league-all-star-match
  23. ↑ (PeterDoggers), Peter Doggers. "MVL, Nakamura Headline PRO Chess League All-Stars Sept. 8". Chess.com. Retrieved 2018-09-08.
  24. ↑ "Qualifier Rules". PRO CHESS LEAGUE. Retrieved 2018-09-08.
  25. ↑ Shahade, Greg (January 9, 2017). "The Top 10 Reasons You Should be Watching the PRO Chess League". wordpress.com. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  26. ↑ "The PRO Chess League Returns on Saturday! - US Chess". US Chess. 2017-10-27. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
  27. ↑ http://www.espn.com/chess/story/_/id/22473355/league-own
  28. ↑ http://www.espn.com/chess/story/_/id/22473355/league-own
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