United States Chess League

United States Chess League
(USCL)
Sport Chess
Founded 2005
Ceased 2016
Replaced by Professional Online Rapid Chess League
President Greg Shahade
No. of teams 20
Country United States
Last
champion(s)		 Manhattan Applesauce(1 title)
Most titles Dallas Destiny
New York Knights (2 titles)
Official website http://uschessleague.com/

The United States Chess League (USCL) was the only nationwide chess league in the United States for eleven years. In 2016 the League announced it would be opened to cities from around the world, moved to the website chess.com, and renamed the Professional Rapid Online Chess League.[1]

At its peak, the USCL comprised twenty teams, whose members included some of the highest-rated chess players in the United States.[2] Participants in the last season included Wesley So, Alexander Onischuk, Alex Lenderman, Anton Kovalyov, Varuzhan Akobian, Daniel Naroditsky, Julio Becerra, Joel Benjamin, and many other grandmasters. The League was founded in 2005 by International Master Greg Shahade.[3] In later seasons the league was run by Arun Sharma, who was the Vice President of the USCL.

2005

The 2005 season began on August 30 and ended on November 23 with the Baltimore Kingfishers crushing the Miami Sharks to win the inaugural USCL title.[4]

Team Origins

The following teams were selected to play in the inaugural season.

Teams Date Joined
San Francisco Mechanics January 30[5]
New York Knights February 3[6]
Philadelphia Masterminds February 3[7]
Baltimore Kingfishers March 24[8]
Dallas Destiny March 30[9]
Miami Sharks April 23[10]
Boston Blitz April 25[11]
Carolina Cobras April 30[12]

Standings

Eastern Division
WLGame Points
New York Knights8225.5
Baltimore Kingfishers6.53.524
Boston Blitz4618
Philadelphia Inventors3.56.516
Western Division
WLGame Points
San Francisco Mechanics6422
Miami Sharks5.54.519.5
Dallas Destiny3.56.518.5
Carolina Cobras3716.5

Playoffs

The top two teams from each division qualified for the playoffs.

Semifinals USCL Championship
      
E1 New York Knights 1.5
E2 Baltimore Kingfishers 2.5
E2 Baltimore Kingfishers 3.5
W2 Miami Sharks 0.5
W1 San Francisco Mechanics 1.5
W2 Miami Sharks 2.5

All Stars [13]

Team 1
PlayerTeam
Board 1Pascal CharbonneauBaltimore Kingfishers
Board 2Lev MilmanCarolina Cobras
Board 3Gregory BraylovskyNew York Knights
Board 4Elvin WilsonPhiladelphia Inventors
Team 2
PlayerTeam
Board 1Julio BecerraMiami Sharks
Board 2Tegshsuren EnkhbaBaltimore Kingfishers
Board 3David PruessSan Francisco Mechanics
Board 4Katerina RohonyanBaltimore Kingfishers

2006

The 2006 season began on August 30 and ended on November 29 as the San Francisco Mechanics defeated the New York Knights in the blitz tiebreaker to win the championship.[14]

Expansion Teams

On March 4, Shahade announced that two expansion teams, the Seattle Sluggers and the Tennessee Tempo, would join the league for the 2006 season making it then 10 teams.[15] In addition, the Carolina Cobras moved to the Eastern Division in order to make space for the expansion teams.[16]

Standings

Eastern Division
WLGame Points
Boston Blitz8225.5
New York Knights4.55.518.5
Carolina Cobras4619.5
Philadelphia Inventors4619
Baltimore Kingfishers4618.5
Western Division
WLGame Points
San Francisco Mechanics8.51.526
Seattle Sluggers7325.5
Dallas Destiny4.55.521
Miami Sharks4618
Tennesse Tempo1.58.58.5


Playoffs

The top three teams from each division qualified for the playoffs.

  Wildcard     Semifinals     USCL Championship
                           
  Eastern     E1 Boston Blitz 1  
  E2 New York Knights 2*     E2 New York Knights 3    
  E3 Carolina Cobras 2         E2 New York Knights 2
      W1 San Francisco Mechanics 2**
  Western     W1 San Francisco Mechanics 3    
  W2 Seattle Sluggers 2*     W2 Seattle Sluggers 1  
  W3 Dallas Destiny 2  

*Advanced due to draw odds
**Won blitz tiebreaker

All Stars [17]

Team 1
PlayerTeam
Board 1Julio BecerraMiami Sharks
Board 2Jacek StopaDallas Destiny
Board 3Oleg ZaikovCarolina Cobras
Board 4Sam ShanklandSan Francisco Mechanics
Team 2
PlayerTeam
Board 1Josh FriedelSan Francisco Mechanics
Board 2Vinay BhatSan Francisco Mechanics
Board 3Richard CostiganPhiladelphia Inventors
Board 4Craig JonesCarolina Cobras

2007

The 2007 season began on August 27 and ended on November 28 with the Dallas Destiny defeated the Boston Blitz in the blitz tiebreaker.[18]

Expansion Teams

Two further expansion teams, the New Jersey Knockouts and the Queens Pioneers, joined the USCL.[19] Moreover, the Philadelphia Masterminds changed their name to the Philadelphia Inventors[20] while the Carolina Cobras moved back to the Western Division in order to make room for the expansion teams.

Standings

Eastern Division
WLGame Points
Boston Blitz7323.5
Philadelphia Masterminds6420.5
New York Knights5519.5
New Jersey Knockouts4.55.519.5
Queens Pioneers4.55.519
Baltimore Kingfishers4618.5
Western Division
WLGame Points
Dallas Destiny7323.5
San Francisco Mechanics6423.5
Miami Sharks5519
Seattle Sluggers4.55.520.5
Carolina Cobras4.55.519
Tennesse Tempo2814

Playoffs

The top three teams from each division qualified for the playoffs.

  Wildcard     Semifinals     USCL Championship
                           
  Eastern     E1 Boston Blitz 2.5  
  E2 Philadelphia Inventors 0.5     E3 New York Knights 1.5    
  E3 New York Knights 3.5         E1 Boston Blitz 2
      W1 Dallas Destiny 2*
  Western     W1 Dallas Destiny 3.5    
  W2 San Francisco Mechanics 1.5     W3 Miami Sharks 0.5  
  W3 Miami Sharks 2.5  

*Won blitz tiebreaker

All Stars [21]

1st Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Julio Becerra (MIA)
Board 2Jorge Sammour-Hasbun (BOS)
Board 3Jacek Stopa (DAL)
Board 4Iryna Zenyuk (NY)
2nd Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Joel Benjamin (NJ)
Board 2Davorin Kuljasevic (DAL)
Board 3Denys Shmelov (BOS)
Board 4Chris Williams (BOS)
3rd Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Larry Christiansen (BOS)
Board 2Vinay Bhat (SF)
Board 3Jay Bonin (NY)
Board 4Bayaraa Zorigt (DAL)

2008

The 2008 season began on August 25 and ended on December 6 with a rematch of last years USCL Championship game. The Dallas Destiny successfully defended their title as they took down the Boston Blitz in another blitz tiebreaker.[22]

Expansion Teams

At the end of 2007, the league announced two additional teams for the 2088 season which were the Chicago Blaze and the Arizona Scorpions.[23][24] Once again, the Carolina Cobras moved back to East to balance the Divisions.

Standings

Eastern Division
WLGame Points
Carolina Cobras7324
Queens Pioneers7323.5
Boston Blitz6423
New York Knights5518
New Jersey Knockouts4.55.520
Philadelphia Masterminds2815
Baltimore Kingfishers1.58.514
Western Division
WLGame Points
Miami Sharks7326.5
San Francisco Mechanics6.53.523.5
Dallas Destiny6.53.521
Seattle Sluggers4.55.518
Arizona Scorpions4.55.517.5
Chicago Blaze4619.5
Tennesse Tempo4616.5

Playoffs

The top four teams from each division qualified for the playoffs.

Quarterfinals Semifinals USCL Championship
         
E1 Carolina Cobras 3.5
E4 New York Knights 0.5
E1 Carolina Cobras 1.5
Eastern
E3 Boston Blitz 2.5
E2 Queens Pioneers 1.5
E3 Boston Blitz 2.5
E3 Boston Blitz 2
W3 Dallas Destiny 2*
W1 Miami Sharks 2.5
W4 Seattle Sluggers 1.5
W1 Miami Sharks 1
Western
W3 Dallas Destiny 3
W2 San Francisco Mechanics 1.5
W3 Dallas Destiny 2.5

*Won blitz tiebreaker

All Stars [25]

1st Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Julio Becerra (MIA)
Board 2Davorin Kuljasevic (DAL)
Board 3Alex Lenderman (QNS)
Board 4Bayaraa Zorigt (DAL)
2nd Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Sergey Erenburg (BAL)
Board 2Slava Mikhailuk (SEA)
Board 3Marc Esserman (BOS)
Board 4Eric Rodriguez (MIA)
3rd Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Jaan Ehlvest (TEN)
Board 2Tom Bartell (PHI)
Board 3Sam Shankland (SF)
Board 4Ilya Krasik (BOS)

2009

The 2009 began on August 31 and ended on December 7 with the New York Knights defeating the Miami Sharks in a blitz tiebreaker for the fourth straight season.[26]

For the first time, the participating teams and divisions remained the same in the 2009 season with no expansion teams. One key rule change was the elimination of bonus rating points for female players, instead establishing a bonus roster spot for the team if at least one woman was on the roster.

This season would be the last season for the Tennessee Tempo as they were be replaced by two expansion teams next season.

Standings

Eastern Division
WLGame Points
New Jersey Knockouts8226
Boston Blitz7.52.523.5
New York Knights5522
Baltimore Kingfishers4.55.518.5
Philadelphia Masterminds4617.5
Queens Pioneers3.56.517
Carolina Cobras2813.5
Western Division
WLGame Points
Seattle Sluggers7.52.523.5
San Francisco Mechanics6.53.522.5
Arizona Scorpions6422.5
Miami Sharks6422
Chicago Blaze4618.5
Dallas Destiny3.56.518.5
Tennesse Tempo2816

Playoffs

The top four teams from each division qualified for the playoffs.

Quarterfinals Semifinals USCL Championship
         
E1 New Jersey Knockouts 3
E4 Baltimore Kingfishers 1
E1 New Jersey Knockouts 1.5
Eastern
E3 New York Knights 2.5
E2 Boston Blitz 1.5
E3 New York Knights 2.5
E3 New York Knights 2*
W4 Miami Sharks 2
W1 Seattle Sluggers 0.5
W4 Miami Champions 3.5
W4 Miami Sharks 2.5
Western
W3 San Francisco Mechanics 1.5
W2 San Francisco Mechanics 3.5
W3 Arizona Scorpions 0.5
  • Won blitz tiebreaker

All Stars [27]

1st Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Hikaru Nakamura (SEA)
Board 2Boris Gulko (NJ)
Board 3Angelo Young (CHC)
Board 4Eric Rodriguez (MIA)
2nd Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Julio Becerra (MIA)
Board 2Dean Ippolito (NJ)
Board 3Andrei Zaremba (QNS)
Board 4Yaacov Norowitz (NY)
3rd Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Alex Stripunsky (QNS)
Board 2Pascal Charbonneau (NY)
Board 3Marc Esserman (BOS)
Board 4Yian Liou (SF)

2010

The 2010 season began on August 23 and ended on November 20 with the New England Nor'easters nearly capping off a perfect season as they crushed the Miami Sharks.[28]

This season featured the expansion team from New England which shattered many records such as becoming the first expansion team to have a winning record and make the playoffs since the Sluggers did back in 2006, the best regular season record in 2010, and having the best record in USCL history (9.5-0.5), drawing only with their local competitors, the Boston Blitz.

The rules were also changed to eliminate alternates, favoring instead another permanent roster spot, increasing the size to nine, or ten if at least one woman is on the team.

Expansion Teams

The league expanded from fourteen to sixteen teams this year, with the addition of three new teams which were the St. Louis Arch Bishops, the Los Angeles Vibe, and the New England Nor'easters and the folding of the Tennessee Tempo.[29] Additionally, the Queens Pioneers moved to Manhattan and became known as the Manhattan Applesauce.

Standings

Eastern Division
WLGame Points
New England Nor'easters9.50.528
Boston Blitz7321.5
Baltimore Kingfishers5.54.522
New York Knights5523.5
Philadelphia Masterminds3.56.518
New Jersey Knockouts3.56.516.5
Manhattan Applesause3.56.515.5
Carolina Cobras2814
Western Division
WLGame Points
Arizona Scorpions6.53.522.5
Chicago Blaze6420.5
Miami Sharks5.54.521
Seattle Sluggers5522
St. Louis Arch Bishops5518.5
Los Angeles Vibe4.55.518.5
San Francisco Mechanics4619
Dallas Destiny4619

Playoffs

The top four teams from each division qualified for the playoffs.

Quarterfinals Semifinals USCL Championship
         
E1 New England Nor'easters 2.5
E4 New York Knights 1.5
E1 New England Nor'easters 2*
Eastern
E2 Boston Blitz 2
E2 Boston Blitz 2.5
E3 Baltimore Kingfishers 1.5
E1 New England Nor'easters 3
W3 Miami Sharks 1
W1 Arizona Scorpions 2*
W4 Seattle Sluggers 2
W1 Arizona Scorpions 1
Western
W3 Miami Sharks 3
W2 Chicago Blaze 1
W3 Miami Sharks 3

*Advanced due to draw odds

All Stars [30]

1st Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Sergey Erenburg (BAL)
Board 2Robert Hungaski (NE)
Board 3Marcel Martinez (MIA)
Board 4Alex Cherniack (NE)
2nd Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Julio Becerra (MIA)
Board 2Pascal Charbonneau (NY)
Board 3Michael Lee (SEA) (2432)
Board 4Alex Guo (SEA)
3rd Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Hikaru Nakamura (STL)
Board 2Marc Esserman (BOS)
Board 3Ben Finegold (STL)
Board 4Aleksandr Ostrovskiy (NY)
4th Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Varuzhan Akobian (SEA)
Board 2Julio Sadorra (DAL)
Board 3Daniel Rensch (ARZ)
Board 4Nicholas Rosenthal (MIA)

2011

The 2011 season began on August 29 and ended on November 20 with the New York Knights claiming their second title in three years title over the Chicago Blaze.[31]

As in the 2009 season, the participating teams and divisions remained the same as in the previous season. The only major rule change was the increasing of roster size from nine spots to ten along with the elimination of the bonus roster spot that had previously been given if there was at least one woman on the team.

Standings

Eastern Division
WLGame Points
Philadelphia Inventors8225.5
New York Knights6422
Boston Blitz6422
Manhattan Applesause5.54.522.5
New England Nor'easters5.54.520.5
Baltimore Kingfishers3716.5
Carolina Cobras3716.5
New Jersey Knockouts2.57.516.5
Western Division
WLGame Points
Chicago Blaze8.51.528
Los Angeles Vibe6.53.522.5
San Francisco Mechanics5.54.521
Dallas Destiny5.54.520.5
Arizona Scorpions4.55.519.5
Miami Sharks4.55.519
Seattle Sluggers3.56.516
St. Louis Arch Bishops2814.5

Playoffs

The top four teams from each division qualified for the playoffs.

Quarterfinals Semifinals USCL Championship
         
E1 Philadelphia Inventors 1
E4 Manhattan Applesause 3
E4 Manhattan Applesause 1.5
Eastern
E2 New York Knights 2.5
E2 New York Knights 2*
E3 Boston Blitz 2
E2 New York Knights 2.5
W1 Chicago Blaze 1.5
W1 Chicago Blaze 2*
W4 Dallas Desitny 2
W1 Chicago Blaze 2.5
Western
W2 Los Angeles Vibe 1.5
W2 Los Angeles Vibe 2.5
W3 San Francisco Mechanics 1.5

*Advanced due to draw odds

All Stars [32]

1st Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Jorge Sammour-Hasbun (BOS)
Board 2Conrad Holt (DAL)
Board 3Jay Bonin (PHI)
Board 4William Fisher (PHI)
2nd Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Giorgi Kacheishvili (NY)
Board 2Levon Altounian (ARZ)
Board 3Tatev Abrahamyan (LA)
Board 4Sam Schmakel (CHC)
3rd Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Ben Finegold (STL)
Board 2Jesse Kraai (SF)
Board 3Angelo Young (CHC)
Board 4Roland Feng (SEA)

2012

The 2012 season began on September 4 and ended on December 1 which featured the Philadelphia Inventors against the Seattle Sluggers; both making their first appearance in the title match. The Sluggers crushed the Inventors as they claimed their first title.

Expansion Team

Despite making back-to-back playoff appearance and reaching the championship game the previous season, the Chicago Blaze did not play in 2012. Chicago's slot was filled by a new team, the Connecticut Dreadnoughts, featuring grandmaster Robert Hess as its top-rated player.[33] This change resulted in a slight re-shuffling of the divisions, with the Carolina Cobras team moving back to the Western Division.

Standings

Eastern Division
WLGame Points
Philadelphia Inventors7.52.523.5
Manhattan Applesause6.53.523
New York Knights5.54.521
Baltimore Kingfishers5.54.519
New Jersey Knockouts5519
Connecticut Dreadnoughts4.55.519
Boston Blitz4620
New England Nor'easters]3717.5
Western Division
WLGame Points
Dallas Destiny7324
St. Louis Arch Bishops6.53.524.5
Arizona Scorpions5.54.522
Seattle Sluggers5.54.519.5
San Francisco Mechanics4619
Los Angeles Vibe3.56.516.5
Miami Sharks3.56.515
Carolina Cobras3717.5

Playoffs

The top four teams from each division qualified for the playoffs.

Quarterfinals Semifinals USCL Championship
         
E1 Philadelphia Inventors 3.5
E4 Baltimore Kingfishers 0.5
E1 Philadelphia Inventors 3
Eastern
E2 Manhattan Applesause 1
E2 Manhattan Applesause 2.5
E3 New York Knights 1.5
E1 Philadelphia Inventors 1
W4 Seattle Sluggers 3
W1 Dallas Destiny 1.5
W4 Seattle Sluggers 2.5
W4 Seattle Sluggers 2.5
Western
W3 Arizona Scorpions 1.5
W2 St. Louis Arch Bishops 1.5
W3 Arizona Scorpions 2.5

*Advanced due to draw odds

All Stars [34]

1st Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Sergey Erenburg (PHI)
Board 2Priyadharshan Kannappan (STL)
Board 3Dov Gorman (PHI)
Board 4Shaun Smith (MAN)
2nd Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Varuzhan Akobian (SEA)
Board 2Georgi Orlov (SEA)
Board 3Joshua Sinanan (SEA)
Board 4Alex King (MIA)
3rd Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Julio Sadorra (DAL)
Board 2Levon Altounian (ARZ)
Board 3Levan Bregadze (STL)
Board 4Alexander Katz (NY)

2013

The 2013 season began on August 27 and ended on November 20 with the Miami Sharks getting their first title over the New York Knights in a rematch from 2009 championship game.

This season was the first time chess.com hosted the USCL as the Internet Chess Club parted ways with the USCL.[35]

Due to the fact ten out of sixteen teams use eastern time and two eastern time teams are situated in the western division, the USCL decided to have four divisions instead of two to deal with the issue.[36]

Standings

Eastern Conference
Atlantic DivisionWLGame Points
Manhattan Applesause6.53.525
New York Knights5.54.521
New Jersey Knockouts4618.5
Philadelphia Inventors3715.5
Northeast DivisionWLGame Points
New England Nor'easters7324
Connecticut Dreadnoughts6.53.523.5
Boston Blitz4.55.519
Baltimore Kingfishers3.56.516
Western Conference
Southern DivisionWLGame Points
Miami Sharks7.52.525
Dallas Destiny7322.5
St. Louis Arch Bishops6420.5
Carolina Cobras1913
Pacific DivisionWLGame Points
San Francisco Mechanics6.53.524.5
Los Angeles Vibe4.55.519.5
Arizona Scorpions4616.5
Seattle Sluggers3716

Playoffs

The top two teams from each division qualified for the playoffs.

Quarterfinals Semifinals USCL Championship
         
A1 Manhattan Applesauce 1.5
A2 New York Knights 2.5
A2 New York Knights 2.5
N1 New England Nor'easters 1.5
N1 New England Nor'easters 2*
N2 Connecticut Dreadnoughts 2
A2 New York Knights 0.5
S1 Miami Sharks 3.5
S1 Miami Sharks 2.5
S2 Dallas Destiny 1.5
S1 Miami Sharks 2.5
P1 San Francisco Mechanics 1.5
P1 San Francisco Mechanics 3
W2 Los Angeles Vibe 1

*Advanced due to draw odds

All Stars [37]

1st Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Zviad Izoria (MAN)
Board 2Jeffery Xiong (DAL)
Board 3Akshat Chandra (NY)
Board 4Ryan Goldenberg (MAN)
2nd Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Julio Becerra (MIA)
Board 2Renier Gonzalez (MIA)
Board 3Eric Rodriguez (MIA)
Board 4Siddharth Banik (SF)
3rd Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Vinay Bhat (SF)
Board 2Daniel Naroditsky (SF)
Board 3Vadim Martirosov (BOS)
Board 4Lawyer Times (NE)

2014

The 2014 season began on August 26 and ended on December 3 with the St. Louis Arch Bishops defeating the Dallas Destiny in a blitz tiebreaker.

Expansion Team

With the addition of two new teams, the Rio Grande Ospreys and the Atlanta Kings, the league divided its eighteen teams into three divisions: Eastern, Southern, and Western.[38][39]

Standings

Eastern Division
WLGame Points
Manhattan Applesause7.52.522.5
New York Knights7322
New Jersey Knockouts6.53.521.5
Philadelphia Inventors5519.5
Boston Blitz3717
New England Nor'easters0.59.513.5
Southern Division
WLGame Points
St. Louis Arch Bishops7.52.525
Miami Sharks5518.5
Connecticut Dreadnoughts4.55.520.5
Baltimore Kingfishers4.55.519.5
Atlanta Kings4620
Carolina Cobras3.56.517
Western Division
WLGame Points
Dallas Destiny8226.5
Rio Grande Ospreys6.53.520.5
San Francisco Mechanics6422.5
Seattle Sluggers4.55.522
Arizona Scorpions4617.5
Los Angeles Vibe2.57.514.5

Playoffs

Ten total teams qualified for the playoffs. Division winners were seeded 1-3, second place teams were 4-6, third place teams were 7-9, while the wildcard team whose division scored the highest in interleague play qualified as the tenth seed.

 
                                     
8 San Francisco Mechanics 2.5  
9 Connecticut Dreadnoughts 1.5     1 Dallas Desinty 3  
        8 San Francisco Mechanics 1    
      1 Dallas Destiny 2.5  
      4 New York Knights 1.5  
        4 New York Knights 2.5    
        5 Rio Grande Ospreys 1.5  
    1 Dallas Destiny 2
  2 St. Louis Arch Bishops 2*
    3 Manhattan Applesause 1  
    6 Miami Sharks 3    
      2 St. Louis Arch Bishops 2*
      6 Miami Sharks 2  
    2 St. Louis Arch Bishops 2.5    
  7 New Jersey Knockouts 2.5     7 New Jersey Knockouts 1.5  
10 Seattle Sluggers 1.5  

*Won blitz tiebreaker

All Stars[40]

1st Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Wesley So (STL)
Board 2Le Quang Liem (STL)
Board 3Francisco Guadalupe II (DAL)
Board 4David Golub (SEA)
2nd Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Gata Kamsky (NY)
Board 2Joel Benjamin (NJ)
Board 3Richard Francisco (ATL)
Board 4Karthik Ramachandran (DAL)
3rd Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Georgi Orlov (SEA)
Board 2Andrey Stukopin (RIO)
Board 3Cameron Wheeler (SF)
Board 4Levy Rozman (MAN)

2015

The 2015 season began on August 25 and ended on December 1 with the Manhattan Applesauce defeating the St. Louis Arch Bishops to claim their first title.

Expansion Teams

With the addition of four new teams, the Las Vegas Desert Rats, Lubbock Tornadoes, Minnesota Blizzard, and San Diego Surfers,along with the departure of the Baltimore Kingfishers and the Los Angeles Vibe, the total number of teams reached 20, causing a reversion back to the two division system.

Standings

Eastern Division
WLGame Points
New England Nor'easters7.52.524
New York Knights7.52.524
New Jersey Knockouts7325
Manhattan Applesause6.53.522.5
Connecticut Dreadnoughts5.54.521
Carolina Cobras4617
Boston Blitz3.56.518
Atlanta Kings3.56.515.5
Philadelphia Inventors3720
Miami Sharks2813
Western Division
WLGame Points
Dallas Destiny}6.53.524
St.Louis Arch Bishops6.53.523
Las Vegas Desert Rats6421.5
San Francisco Mechanics6419.5
Seattle Sluggers5.54.522
Arizona Scorpions4.55.519.5
Minnesota Blizzard4.55.517
Lubbock Tornadoes4619.5
Rio Grande Ospreys4618
San Diego Surfers2.57.516

Playoffs

The top six teams from each division qualified for the playoffs.[41]

Eastern Division

  Wildcard     Quarterfinals     Semifinals
                           
      E1 New England Nor'easters 1.5  
  E4 New Jersey Knockouts 2*     E4 Manhattan Applesauce 2.5    
  E5 Connecticut Dreadnoughts 2         E4 Manhattan Applesauce 3
      E2 New York Knights 1
      E2 New York Knights 2*    
  E3 New Jersey Knockouts 2*     E3 New Jersey Knockouts 2  
  E6 Carolina Cobras 2  

*Advanced due to draw odds

Western Division

  Wildcard     Quarterfinals     Semifinals
                           
      W1 Dallas Destiny 2.5  
  W4 San Francisco Mechanics 3     W4 San Francisco Mechanics 1.5    
  W5 Seattle Sluggers 1         W1 Dallas Destiny 1.5
      W2 St. Louis Arch Bishops 2.5
      W2 St. Louis Arch Bishops 3    
  W3 Las Vegas Desert Rats 4     W3 Las Vegas Desert Rats 1  
  W6 Arizona Scorpions 0  
USCL Championship
   
E4 Manhattan Applesauce 2.5
E2 St. Louis Arch Bishops 1.5

All Stars [42]

1st Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Zviad Izoria (MAN)
Board 2Varuzhan Akobian (STL)
Board 3Elliott Liu (LV)
Board 4Nicholas Rosenthal (STL)
2nd Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Jeffery Xiong (DAL)
Board 2Joel Benjamin (NJ)
Board 3Levy Rozman (MAN)
Board 4Bryce Tiglon (SEA)
3rd Team All Stars
Player (Team)
Board 1Andrey Stukopin (RIO)
Board 2Andrey Gorovets (LUB)
Board 3Atulya Vaidya (DAL)
Board 4Jason Shi (CON)

Titles by Team

TeamTitles WonLast Won
Dallas Destiny22008
New York Knight22011
Baltimore Kingfishers12005
Manhattan Applesauce12015
Miami Sharks12013
New England Nor'easters12010
San Francisco Mechanics12006
Seattle Sluggers12012
St. Louis Arch Bishops12014

Format

Teams consist of rosters of ten players, and each week the manager selects a lineup of four, depending on rating, form, and availability. The average rating for each match is capped at less than 2401, with certain exceptions for highly rated players.

The season starts the last week of August or first week of September and ends in late November or early December. Each team plays one match per week, and matches are almost always scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday nights. All matches are played online at the Internet Chess Club. Team members gather at a common public location where a league-approved tournament director is present.

If either team in a given match scores two and a half points or more from the four games, that team wins the match. If the score is split at two points apiece, the match is drawn. At the end of the regular season, the four teams in each division with the highest match point totals qualify for the playoffs, which are conducted in a knockout format. In the Championship match, a drawn match proceeds to a series of blitz games to determine the ultimate winner.[43]

References

  1. ↑ Doggers, Peter (August 25, 2016). "U.S. Chess League Becomes PRO Chess League". Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  2. ↑ US Top Player List January 2015
  3. ↑ Historical notes on USCL in New York Times
  4. ↑ http://www.uschessleague.com/Features/Feature76.html
  5. ↑ "Feature 1". www.uschessleague.com. Retrieved 2018-07-21.
  6. ↑ "Feature 4". www.uschessleague.com. Retrieved 2018-07-21.
  7. ↑ "Feature5". www.uschessleague.com. Retrieved 2018-07-21.
  8. ↑ "Feature 7". www.uschessleague.com. Retrieved 2018-07-21.
  9. ↑ "Feature 8". www.uschessleague.com. Retrieved 2018-07-21.
  10. ↑ "Feature 12". www.uschessleague.com. Retrieved 2018-07-21.
  11. ↑ "Feature 13". www.uschessleague.com. Retrieved 2018-07-21.
  12. ↑ "Feature 14". www.uschessleague.com. Retrieved 2018-07-21.
  13. ↑ http://www.uschessleague.com/Features/Feature77.html
  14. ↑ Shahade, Jennifer. "The United States Chess Federation - Dallas Wins the U.S. Chess League!". www.uschess.org. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
  15. ↑ http://www.uschessleague.com/Features/Feature79.html
  16. ↑ http://www.uschessleague.com/Features/Feature81.html
  17. ↑ http://www.uschessleague.com/Features/Feature169.html
  18. ↑ "USCL Final Recap: Dallas vs Boston". www.uschessleague.com. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
  19. ↑ "New Jersey and Queens join the USCL". www.uschessleague.com. Retrieved 2018-07-21.
  20. ↑ "Philadelphia Masterminds change name to Inventors" Accessed Apr. 14th, 2007
  21. ↑ "US Chess League News". usclnews.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
  22. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/14/crosswords/chess/14chess.html?_r=1
  23. ↑ Official USCL announcement
  24. ↑ Shahade, Greg (2007-12-26). "US Chess League News: Arizona Scorpions and Chicago Blaze join the USCL". US Chess League News. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
  25. ↑ "US Chess League News". usclnews.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
  26. ↑ Champions by a Heartbeat
  27. ↑ "US Chess League News". usclnews.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
  28. ↑ "US Chess League". uschessleague.com. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
  29. ↑ Sharma, Arun (2010-05-25). "US Chess League News: St. Louis and New England join the USCL". US Chess League News. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
  30. ↑ "US Chess League News". usclnews.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
  31. ↑ "sfarmer29 - 2011 USCL Championship Finals! [36:46]". www.chessvideos.tv. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
  32. ↑ "US Chess League News". usclnews.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
  33. ↑ "Connecticut Dreadnoughts join the USCL | US Chess League". uschessleague.com. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
  34. ↑ "US Chess League News". usclnews.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
  35. ↑ (MikeKlein), Mike Klein. "Chess.com to Host 2013 US Chess League". Chess.com. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
  36. ↑ "USCL sees divisional reconfiguration for 2013 | US Chess League". uschessleague.com. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
  37. ↑ "US Chess League News". usclnews.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
  38. ↑ "Atlanta Kings and Rio Grande Ospreys join the USCL | US Chess League". uschessleague.com. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
  39. ↑ "New Divisional/Playoff Configuration for 2014 Season | US Chess League". uschessleague.com. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
  40. ↑ "2014 Board One All Stars Revealed | US Chess League". uschessleague.com. Retrieved 2018-07-26.
  41. ↑ http://uschessleague.com/wp/2015/07/06/divisional-configuration-and-playoff-format-for-2015-season/
  42. ↑ "2015 Board Four All Stars Declared! | US Chess League". uschessleague.com. Retrieved 2018-07-26.
  43. ↑ Official rules from USCL site
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