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Professional Rapid Online Chess League

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The Professional Rapid Online Chess League (PRO Chess League and abbreviated PCL) was 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] It was discontinued in 2024.[3]

Professional Rapid Online Chess League (PRO Chess League)
Most recent season or competition:
2023
FormerlyUnited States Chess League
SportChess
First season2017
CommissionerGreg Shahade
No. of teams32
CountryInternational
Most recent
champion(s)		Gotham Knights (1st title)
Most titlesSt. Louis Arch Bishops (2 titles)
TV partner(s)Twitch
Related
competitions		Speed Chess Championship
Official websitewww.prochessleague.com

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.[4] The 48 teams represent cities in five continents.[4][5]

Teams

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Country Team 2017
(48) 		2018
(32) 		2019
(32) 		2020
() 		2021
() 		2023
() 		Total
appearances 		Total
championships
  ARG Buenos Aires Krakens QF 8th in division 0
  ARG Patagonia Penguins 9th in division 0
  ARM Armenia Eagles 1st DSQ 1
  AUS Australia Kangaroos QF 0
  CAN Montreal Chessbrahs SF 7th in division 0
  CAN Toronto Dragons L24 0
  CHN Chengdu Pandas 2nd 0
  ENG London Lions L16 6th in division 0
  ENG London Towers L16 8th in division 0
  EST Estonia Horses L16 0
  FRA Cannes Blockbusters L24 L16 0
  FRA Marseille Migraines QF QF 0
  GER Hamburg Swashbucklers 7th in division 0
  HUN Budapest Gambit L16 0
  IND Amaravati Yodhas 10th in division 0
  IND Delhi Dynamite L16 L16 0
  IND Mumbai Movers L24 QF 0
  IND Odisha Express 9th in division 0
  IRL Doblin Desperados 10th in division 0
  ISL Reykjavik Puffins 9th in division 7th in division 0
  KAZ Shymkent Nomads 11th in division 0
  LAT Riga Magicians L24 7th in division 0
  NED Amsterdam Mosquitoes L24 5th in division 0
  NED Apeldoorn Apres 8th in division 0
  NGR Abuja Rockstars 11th in division 0
  NGR Lagos Leatherbacks 12th in division 0
  NOR Norway Gnomes 2nd 5th in division 0
  NOR Oslo Trolls 8th in division 0
  RSA Johannesburg Koeksisters 12th in division 0
  RUS Gorky Stormbringers (2017)
Volga Stormbringers (2018-)		 QF 6th in division 0
  SLO Ljubljana Direwolves 7th in division 0
  SLO Ljubljana Turtles 4th 0
  SRB Belgrade Sparrows 8th in division 0
  SWE Stockholm Snowballs SF L16 0
  USA Atlanta Kings 10th in division 0
  USA Carolina Cobras 11th in division 0
  USA Columbus Cardinals 12th in division 0
  USA Dallas Destiny L24 L16 0
  USA Las Vegas Desert Rats 7th in division 8th in division 0
  USA Miami Champions L16 6th in division 0
  USA Minnesota Blizzard 8th in division QF 0
  USA Montclair Sopranos L16 5th in division 0
  USA New Jersey Knockouts 7th in division 0
  USA New York Knights 8th in division 0
  USA Philadelphia Inventors L24 0
  USA Pittsburgh Pawngrabbers 11th in division L16 0
  USA Portland Rain 12th in division 0
  USA Rio Grande Ospreys L24 7th in division 0
  USA Saint Louis Arch Bishops 1st 3rd 1st 1st 3
  USA San Diego Surfers L16 L16 0
  USA San Francisco Mechanics 10th in division 0
  USA San Jose Hackers L16 5th in division 0
  USA Seattle Sluggers 9th in division 6th in division 0
  USA Webster Windmills QF L16 0

Format

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The league had a variety of formats over its history, but there were some consistent points throughout. Matches were played between teams of 4 players using the scheveningen system, pitting each team member against every player from the opposing team. Teams had a rating cap (usually 2500) to ensure balanced matchups.

Teams were split into geographical divisions (Central & Western for Europe & West/Central Asia, and Atlantic & Pacific for the Americas, East Asia & the Pacific nations)

The time control was 15+2 in the first seasons, but this changed to 10+2 for the later seasons.[6]

History

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2017–present

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The first season started on January 11, 2017, and ended March 26, 2017.[7][8] 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.[9] Wesley So won MVP. The PCL has a total prize fund of $50,000 compared to a prize fund of $10,000 in the USCL.[10] In its second season, Greg Shahade introduced and new qualifications to join the league and an All-Star Game.

Championship history

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PRO Chess League Champions
Team Year
  St. Louis Arch Bishops (1)
2017
  Armenia Eagles (1)
2018
  St. Louis Arch Bishops (2)
2019
  St. Louis Arch Bishops (3)
2020
  Russia Wizards (1)
2021
  Gotham Knights (1)
2023

Critic response

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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.[5]

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".[11][12]

In an article written by ESPN, Viswanathan Anand spoke about how convenient it was to play online compared to playing over-the-board.[13]

Here you don't get together with the team the previous night to discuss strategy, so it's far more improvised. In all leagues you play one game a day. Here you play four, so you're very alive to the evolving score.

— Viswanathan Anand, article by ESPN[13]

References

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  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. ^ "An Update About The Pro Chess League". Chess.com. 19 January 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  4. ^ a b Copeland, Sam (December 24, 2016). "48 Teams, Over 100 Grandmasters To Play PRO Chess League". United States Chess Federation. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  5. ^ a b 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.
  6. ^ "Home".
  7. ^ US Chess (January 9, 2017). "The PRO Chess League Begins on Wednesday". United States Chess Federation. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  8. ^ PROChessLeague (December 19, 2016). "2017 PRO Chess League Schedule". United States Chess Federation. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  9. ^ "St. Louis Arch Bishops Win Inaugural PRO League Title". 26 March 2017.
  10. ^ Rensch, Daniel (January 10, 2017). "PRO Chess League Prize Fund Increased To $50k+". United States Chess Federation. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  11. ^ Shahade, Greg (January 9, 2017). "The Top 10 Reasons You Should be Watching the PRO Chess League". wordpress.com. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
  12. ^ "The PRO Chess League Returns on Saturday! - US Chess". US Chess. 2017-10-27. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
  13. ^ a b "Pro Chess: In a 'league' of its own". 17 February 2018.
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