About The Pro Chess League
In order to track the roots of the Pro Chess League, we have to go way back in 2005. Recognizing the growth of online chess and realizing the potential the creation of an online chess league might unveil, International Master Greg Shahade founded the US Chess League.
In contrast to the Pro Chess League which has international character, US Chess League was restricted to US-based teams exclusively. Very soon after its foundation, San Francisco Mechanics became the first team to join the league and others soon followed.
During the subsequent decade the league would be held regularly. It was hosted by the International Chess Club, with the exception of the season 2013, where chess.com first got involved. The culmination of this period of growth happened in 2016 when even 20 teams all over the US participated.
Realizing that the league might be a huge game changer, after the end of the season 2016, chess.com decided to make a decisive move that would change the nature of the league (and online chess competitions) once and for all.
US Chess League becomes Pro Chess League
On March 29, 2019, chess.com made headlines with a huge announcement that US Chess League becomes a Pro Chess League.
Apart from the new name, the character of the league also switched from national-based to international-based, as the teams all over the world were now allowed to participate.
This announcement was a huge step toward the professionalization of online chess competitions. In the words of the chess.com Vice-Precident, International Master Danny Rensch:
“With this merger, Chess.com and the USCL are coming together to give birth to a league that will do more to grow the game and relations of chess players internationally, attract the highest level of chess professionals, and increase viewership, with a stronger possibility of bringing in more big sponsorship dollars to the game of chess,”
Inaugural season of the Pro Chess League 2017
Even though the newly formed Pro Chess League was international, it still retained the regional character.
According to the regulations, for every round teams would assemble four players, which would then play against four players from the opposing team. Teams were formed on the basis of the city and three out of four players had to be ‘local’ in character (meaning living/residing in the vicinity of native city).
In additional, regulations envisioned that the average rating of the team should not exceed 2500 FIDE, meaning that every team had to bring at least one “lower-rated” player which would get the opportunity to play against the pros.
This combination of regional character and rating restriction proved to be a winning formula which generated a lot of interest among the players and the audience. For the first season, a groundbreaking 48 teams applied, which where then divided into 4 Divisions.
Four best team out of every division proceeded into the playoffs, in which the team Saint Louis Archbishops (supported by the Saint Louis Chess Club) turned out to be most successful. After beating the Norway Gnomes (led by the world champion Magnus Carlsen) 9-7 in the final, they managed to win the inaugural Pro Chess League title.
Pro Chess League season 2018
After the successful inaugural season, the Pro Chess League kept going strong in the 2018. The basic regulations and the format were kept more or less the same – teams were divided into four divisions from which they qualified into the playoff stage.
However, from the purely organizational perspective, certain novelties were introduced:
- The number of teams was reduced to 32.
- An open qualifier was held for the first time before the start of the regular season, granting new teams opportunity to qualify for the league
- Special rounds where teams play against team from other divisions
- An all-star match featuring the best players from the regular season was to be held at the end of the season
However, none of these changes were as significant as the groundbreaking decision to hold the Final Four of the league (semi-finals and finals of the playoffs) live.
The event was staged in San Francisco at the Folsom Street Foundry, and was a huge organizational feat. It featured live broadcast, commentators, interviews, videos and, in general, extensive coverage of the final two rounds, in which the team Armenia Eagles topped Ljubljana Turtles, Chengdu Pandas and the defending champions, Saint Louis Arch Bishops, to become crowned as the Pro Chess Laegue 2018 champions.
Pro Chess League Season 2019
In contrast to the second season which introduced some big changes compared to the first, in the third season, there weren’t any major changes. The only real novelty was the introduction of the Pro Chess League Summer series where fans of the league got the opportunity to play against the players.
As for the rest, the officials decided to stick to the tested format. 32 teams were divided into four divisions, with four best teams from each division advancing to the playoff stage. The final four of the playoffs was once again held live in San Francisco and included extensive media coverage.
After the long and exhausting season Saint Louis Archbishops, the winners of the inaugural season, once again came strong and with dominant performance managed to repeat their feat from two years earlier and clinch the Pro Chess League title!
Pro Chess League Season 2020
Before the 2020 season, it seemed that everything would proceed just as in the past. The only real difference compared to earlier seasons was the introduction of four qualifying tournaments instead of one. Also, for the first time in the history of PCL, teams had to meet certain requirements in regard to their online presence to be eligible to participate.
However, just a couple of weeks before the date of the first qualifier, on October 10, chess.com made a huge announcement about the major change in the format and the regulations of the Pro Chess League.
The main difference was that the character of the teams was changed from regional to the national character. Also, other significant changes were announced, as follows:
- no rating cap for teams (previously, the average rating of your team had to be <2500 )
- two free agents instead of one
- the number of teams reduced from 32 to 24
- no relegation
The reactions to the new format were mixed, but there was no going back (you can read the Croatia Bulldogs’s manager’s own opinion about it in the post about the history of the team). After the qualifying event was held (which was – as most of you probably know by now – won in a surprising and dramatic fashion by Croatia Bulldogs), all 24 teams were known and the season started on 6th January 2022.
After a long and gruelling battle over the group stage and the knockout stage, the team Armenia Eagles repeated the success from 2018 by beating the mighty Saint Louis Arch Bishops in the finals and becoming the 2020 Pro Chess League Champions.
Alas, this success would soon turn into a big nightmare as just a couple of days after the finals Chesscom would announce that the Armenia Eagles are forfeited from the Pro Chess League due to the Fair Play Violations and that Saint Louis Arch Bishops would be declared champions after all.
This incident left a sour aftertaste in the minds of participants, viewers and organizers and is probably one of the reasons why Pro Chess League wouldn’t return until 2023.
Pro Chess League Season hiatus and 2023 return
After the unfortunate conclusion to the 2020 season, Pro Chess League would go on a hiatus that would last until 2023, when the league’s return was announced. Despite the long pause, the league wouldn’t undergo any significant changes. However, certain deviations from the previous seasons when it comes to the format, organization of the league, and team roosters were implemented. Some of the most important changes to the 2023 Pro Chess League are as follows:
- The total number of teams was once again reduced from 24 to 16
- The teams were no longer divided into groups, but would rather battle for the spot in the playoffs in the semi-knock-out format over the course of 5 weeks
- The rating cap was reinstated, with the allowed team average for the round standing at 2550
- For the first time, teams were mandated to have at least two female players and one junior player on the rooster
A total of 15 teams – including Croatia Bulldogs – were directly invited, while the 16th team will qualify via the Pro Chess League Qualifier that will be held on the 1st of February and which will mark the official beginning of the 2023 Pro Chess League Season!
2005
The foundation of the US Chess League
International Master Greg Shahade, recognizing the growing potential of online chess, founds the US Chess League.
2017
Inaugural season of the Pro Chess League
US Chess League becomes Pro Chess League. Saint Louis Arch Bishops win the inaugural season of the Pro Chess League.
2018
2nd season of the Pro Chess League
After the inaugural season, the league took a step further and organized the Final Four in the live venue in San Francisco. Armenia Eagles topped Ljubljana Turtles, Chengdu Pandas and the defending champions Saint Louis Arch Bishops to become the League Champions.
2019
3rd season of the Pro Chess League
For the first time in history, the League extended its duration with the special Summer Series edition. As for the regular part, Saint Loius Archbishops once again proved to be too strong and won their 2nd title.
2020
Change of format of the Pro Chess League
The League reduces the number of teams and makes them country based instead of city-based. Zagreb Bulldogs change their name to Croatia Bulldogs and join the league by winning the qualifier.
2020
Pro Chess League Season and Cheating Scandal
After beating the Saint Louis Arch Bishops in the final of the 2020 Pro Chess League, Armenia Eagles were declared the winners only to be forfeited from the League a few days later due to the violation of the Fair Play.
2023
Pro Chess League Returns
After 3 years of absence, The Pro Chess League returns, once again featuring a slightly new format! The Season starts with the Pro Chess League qualifier in the first week of February.
LINKS AND REFERENCES:
Us Chess League Wikipedia Page
Us Chess League Becomes Pro Chess League
Pro Chess League Wikipedia Page
Pro Chess League Official Website
Pro Chess League 2017 Standings
Saint Louis Arch Bishops Win The Inaugural Pro Chess League Title
Pro Chess League 2018 Standings
Pro Chess League 2019 Official Information