# 2018 PRO Chess League season

The 2018 PRO Chess League Season was the second season of the PRO Chess League. It began on January 17 and ended on April 8 with the Armenia Eagles defeating the Chengdu Pandas to claim their first title. This season introduced new qualifications to join the league and an all-star game.

## 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 too large and chaotic".In order to determine which teams would return, he used the following:
* 24 teams invited
* 6 teams per Qualifier Tournament
* 2 teams per fan vote

### Qualification tournament

The qualification tournament took place on November 3 with two qualifiers. The event format was a 13 round individual swiss (time control 3+2), with a team's score decided by summing the scores of their four team members. The top three teams from each qualifier automatically qualified, and the fourth to sixth placed teams were placed into a fan vote to decide the final qualifier.
First Qualifier (top 6) :
| Pos | Team |
| 1 | Armenia Eagles |
| 2 | Estonia Horses |
| 3 | Mumbai Movers |
| 4 | Oslo Trolls |
| 5 | Apeldoorn Apes |
| 6 | Rehovot Masters |
Second Qualifier (top 6) :
| Pos | Team |
| 1 | Chengdu Pandas |
| 2 | Seattle Sluggers |
| 3 | Australia Kangaroos |
| 4 | New York Knights |
| 5 | Minnesota Blizzard |
| 6 | San Francisco Mechanics |

## Super Saturday and 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 played one single four-game match against eight other teams. The standings were decided on game points, with the top 6 teams being awarded a match win and teams finishing 7th-10th being awarded a match draw. In addition, the winning team was awarded a $500 bonus.
2/24 Early Super Saturday :
| | Div | Team | Points | Result |
| 1 | A | St. Louis Arch Bishops | 24 | Win |
| 2 | P | Chengdu Pandas | 23 | Win |
| 3 | A | Montclair Sopranos | 21.5 | Win |
| 4 | A | Pittsburgh Pawngrabbers | 19.5 | Win |
| 5 | P | Dallas Destiny | 18.5 | Win |
| 6 | P | Seattle Sluggers | 18 | Win |
| 7 | A | Buenos Aires Krakens | 17 | Draw |
| 8 | E | Armenia Eagles | 16 | Draw |
| 9 | E | Delhi Dynamite | 16 | Draw |
| 10 | C | Ljubljana Turtles | 14 | Draw |
| 11 | C | Reykjavik Puffins | 13.5 | Loss |
| 12 | P | Rio Grande Ospreys | 13.5 | Loss |
| 13 | E | Volga Stormbringers | 13 | Loss |
| 14 | C | Cannes Blockbusters | 12.5 | Loss |
| 15 | E | Mumbai Movers | 11 | Loss |
| 16 | C | Marseille Migraines | 5 | Loss |
2/24 Late Super Saturday :
| | Div | Team | Points | Result |
| 1 | E | Norway Gnomes | 21.5 | Win |
| 2 | P | San Jose Hackers | 20.5 | Win |
| 3 | P | San Diego Surfers | 19.5 | Win |
| 4 | A | Webster Windmills | 19.5 | Win |
| 5 | P | Australia Kangaroos | 19 | Win |
| 6 | E | Estonia Horses | 17.5 | Win |
| 7 | A | Minnesota Blizzard | 17.5 | Draw |
| 8 | A | Miami Champions | 17 | Draw |
| 9 | A | Montreal Chessbrahs | 16 | Draw |
| 10 | E | Riga Magicians | 15 | Draw |
| 11 | C | Amsterdam Mosquitoes | 14 | Loss |
| 12 | C | London Towers | 13 | Loss |
| 13 | E | Oslo Trolls | 13 | Loss |
| 14 | C | London Lions | 12 | Loss |
| 15 | C | Stockholm Snowballs | 11.5 | Loss |
| 16 | P | Las Vegas Desert Rats | 9 | Loss |
2/4 Super Sunday :
| | Div | Team | Points | Result |
| 1 | E | Armenia Eagles | 22 | Win |
| 2 | E | Volga Stormbringers | 21.5 | Win |
| 3 | C | Ljubljana Turtles | 21 | Win |
| 4 | C | Marseille Migraines | 18.5 | Win |
| 5 | C | Stockholm Snowballs | 17.5 | Win |
| 6 | E | Mumbai Movers | 17.5 | Win |
| 7 | E | Norway Gnomes | 17 | Draw |
| 8 | E | Riga Magicians | 16.5 | Draw |
| 9 | E | Delhi Dynamite | 16 | Draw |
| 10 | C | London Lions | 15 | Draw |
| 11 | C | Amsterdam Mosquitoes | 15 | Loss |
| 12 | C | Reykjavik Puffins | 14.5 | Loss |
| 13 | E | Oslo Trolls | 13.5 | Loss |
| 14 | C | London Towers | 12.5 | Loss |
| 15 | C | Cannes Blockbusters | 9 | Loss |
| 16 | E | Estonia Horses | 8.5 | Loss |
2/3 Super Saturday :
| | Div | Team | Points | Result |
| 1 | P | San Jose Hackers | 21.5 | Win |
| 2 | P | Chengdu Pandas | 20 | Win |
| 3 | P | Australia Kangaroos | 19.5 | Win |
| 4 | A | Webster Windmills | 19 | Win |
| 5 | A | Montreal Chessbrahs | 18 | Win |
| 6 | P | Dallas Destiny | 18 | Win |
| 7 | P | Rio Grande Ospreys | 17.5 | Draw |
| 8 | P | San Diego Surfers | 16.5 | Draw |
| 9 | A | Pittsburgh Pawngrabbers | 16 | Draw |
| 10 | A | Saint Louis Arch Bishops | 15.5 | Draw |
| 11 | P | Seattle Sluggers | 15 | Loss |
| 12 | A | Minnesota Blizzard | 14.5 | Loss |
| 13 | A | Montclair Sopranos | 13.5 | Loss |
| 14 | A | Miami Champions | 11 | Loss |
| 15 | P | Las Vegas Desert Rats | 11 | Loss |
| 16 | A | Buenos Aires Krakens | 9.5 | Loss |

## Standings

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.
Eastern Division :
| | Teams | Wins | Loss | Game Points |
| 1 | Armenia Eagles | 6.5 | 2.5 | 98 |
| 2 | Delhi Dynamite | 5.5 | 3.5 | 95 |
| 3 | Mumbai Movers | 5.5 | 3.5 | 85 |
| 4 | Estonia Horses | 5 | 4 | 88 |
| 5 | Norway Gnomes | 4 | 5 | 92 |
| 6 | Volga Stormbringers | 4 | 5 | 88 |
| 7 | Riga Magicians | 3.5 | 5.5 | 81 |
| 8 | Oslo Trolls | 2 | 7 | 75.5 |
Central Division :
| | Teams | Wins | Loss | Game Points |
| 1 | Stockholm Snowballs | 6.5 | 2.5 | 90.5 |
| 2 | Marseille Migraines | 6.5 | 2.5 | 87 |
| 3 | Cannes Blockbusters | 5 | 4 | 78.5 |
| 4 | Ljubljana Turtles | 4.5 | 4.5 | 89.5 |
| 5 | Amsterdam Mosquitoes | 3 | 6 | 90 |
| 6 | London Lions | 4 | 6 | 79.5 |
| 7 | Reykjavik Puffins | 2.5 | 6.5 | 78.5 |
| 8 | London Towers | 1 | 8 | 71.5 |
Atlantic Division :
| | Teams | Wins | Loss | Game Points |
| 1 | Webster Windmills | 7.5 | 1.5 | 99.5 |
| 2 | Pittsburgh Pawngrabbers | 7 | 2 | 98 |
| 3 | St. Louis Arch Bishops | 5.5 | 3.5 | 101 |
| 4 | Minnesota Blizzard | 5.5 | 3.5 | 92 |
| 5 | Montclair Sopranos | 4 | 5 | 85.5 |
| 6 | Miami Champions | 3 | 6 | 83 |
| 7 | Montreal ChessBrahs | 2.5 | 6.5 | 83 |
| 8 | Buenos Aires Krakens | 2 | 7 | 73.5 |
Pacific Division :
| | Teams | Wins | Loss | Game Points |
| 1 | San Diego Surfers | 7.5 | 1.5 | 99 |
| 2 | Chengdu Pandas | 6.5 | 2.5 | 104 |
| 3 | Dallas Destiny | 6.5 | 2.5 | 100 |
| 4 | Australia Kangaroos | 5 | 4 | 94.5 |
| 5 | San Jose Hackers | 4.5 | 4.5 | 97.5 |
| 6 | Seattle Sluggers | 4.5 | 4.5 | 86 |
| 7 | Rio Grande Ospreys | 3.5 | 5.5 | 84.5 |
| 8 | Las Vegas Desert Rats | 1 | 8 | 60.5 |

## Playoffs

After the regular season, the top four teams from each division qualified 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.
| Division Semifinals March 13 | Division Semifinals March 13 | Division Semifinals March 13 | Division Championship March 21 | Division Championship March 21 | Division Championship March 21 | Semifinals April 7 San Francisco | Semifinals April 7 San Francisco | Semifinals April 7 San Francisco | | PCL Championship April 8 San Francisco | PCL Championship April 8 San Francisco | PCL Championship April 8 San Francisco |
| E1 | Armenia Eagles | 10.5 | | | | | | | | | | |
| E4 | Estonia Horses | 5.5 | | | | | | | | | | |
| E4 | Estonia Horses | 5.5 | E1 | Armenia Eagles | 8* | | | | | | | |
| Eastern | Eastern | Eastern | E1 | Armenia Eagles | 8* | | | | | | | |
| Eastern | Eastern | Eastern | E3 | Mumbai Movers | 8 | | | | | | | |
| E2 | Delhi Dynamite | 7.5 | E3 | Mumbai Movers | 8 | | | | | | | |
| E3 | Mumbai Movers | 8.5 | | | | | | | | | | |
| E3 | Mumbai Movers | 8.5 | | | | E1 | Armenia Eagles | 8.5 | | | | |
| | | | | | | A3 | St. Louis Arch Bishops | 7.5 | | | | |
| A1 | Webster Windmills | 7.5 | | | | | | | A3 | St. Louis Arch Bishops | 7.5 | | | | |
| A4 | Minnesota Blizzard | 8.5 | | | | | | | | | | |
| A4 | Minnesota Blizzard | 8.5 | A4 | Minnesota Blizzard | 6 | | | | | | | |
| Atlantic | Atlantic | Atlantic | A4 | Minnesota Blizzard | 6 | | | | | | | |
| Atlantic | Atlantic | Atlantic | A3 | St. Louis Arch Bishops | 10 | | | | | | | |
| A2 | Pittsburgh Pawngrabbers | 6 | A3 | St. Louis Arch Bishops | 10 | | | | | | | |
| A3 | St. Louis Arch Bishops | 10 | | | | | | | | | | |
| A3 | St. Louis Arch Bishops | 10 | | | | | | | | E1 | Armenia Eagles | 12*** |
| | | | | | | | | | | P2 | Chengdu Pandas | 11 |
| P1 | San Diego Surfers | 5.5 | | | | | | | | | | | P2 | Chengdu Pandas | 11 |
| P4 | Australia Kangaroos | 10.5 | | | | | | |
| P4 | Australia Kangaroos | 10.5 | P4 | Australia Kangaroos | 7 | | | |
| Pacific | Pacific | Pacific | P4 | Australia Kangaroos | 7 | | | |
| Pacific | Pacific | Pacific | P2 | Chengdu Pandas | 9 | | | |
| P2 | Chengdu Pandas | 8* | P2 | Chengdu Pandas | 9 | | | |
| P3 | Dallas Destiny | 8 | | | | | | |
| P3 | Dallas Destiny | 8 | | | | P2 | Chengdu Pandas | 9.5 |
| | | | | | | C4 | Ljubljana Turtles | 6.5 |
| C1 | Stockholm Snowballs | 7.5 | | | | C4 | Ljubljana Turtles | 6.5 | | Third place match | Third place match | Third place match |
| C4 | Ljubljana Turtles | 8.5 | | | | | | |
| C4 | Ljubljana Turtles | 8.5 | C4 | Ljubljana Turtles | 9.5 | | | | | A3 | St. Louis Arch Bishops | 9.5 |
| Central | Central | Central | C4 | Ljubljana Turtles | 9.5 | | | | | A3 | St. Louis Arch Bishops | 9.5 |
| Central | Central | Central | C2 | Marseille Migraines | 6.5 | | | | | C4 | Ljubljana Turtles | 6.5 |
| C2 | Marseille Migraines | 9 | C2 | Marseille Migraines | 6.5 | | | | | C4 | Ljubljana Turtles | 6.5 |
| C3 | Cannes Blockbusters | 7 | | | | | | |
* *Advanced due to higher seed
* ***Triple overtime victory

## Awards

All Stars :
| Division | Player | Team |
| Eastern | Magnus Carlsen | Norway Gnomes |
| Eastern | Hrant Melkumyan | Armenia Eagles |
| Eastern | Zaven Anderiasyan | Armenia Eagles |
| Eastern | Viswanathan Anand | Mumbai Movers |
| Central | Maxime Vachier-Lagrave | Marseille Migraines |
| Central | Georg Meier | Stockholm Snowballs |
| Central | Luka Lenic | Ljubljana Turtles |
| Central | Gawain Jones | London Towers |
| Atlantic | Fabiano Caruana | St. Louis Arch Bishops |
| Atlantic | Aleksandr Shimanov | Webster Windmills |
| Atlantic | Awonder Liang | Pittsburgh Pawngrabbers |
| Atlantic | Andrew Tang | Minnesota Blizzard |
| Pacific | Hikaru Nakamura | Seattle Slggers |
| Pacific | Yu Yangyi | Chengdu Pandas |
| Pacific | Alexey Dreev | San Diego Surfers |
| Pacific | Anton Smirnov | Australia Kangaroos |
Individual Performances :
| Award | Player | Team |
| MVP | Fabiano Caruana | St. Louis Arch Bishops |
| MVP | Magnus Carlsen | Norway Gnomes |
| MVP | Hikaru Nakamura | Seattle Sluggers |
| Best Female | Ju Wenjun | Chengdu Pandas |
| U2600 | Zaven Andriasyan | Armenia Eagles |
| U2500 | Andrew Tang | Minnesota Blizzard |
| U2400 | Brandon Clarke | Australia Kangaroos |
| U2300 | Artak Manukyan | Armenia Eagles |
| U2200 | Sander Kukk | Estonia Horses |

## All-Star Game

The 2018 All-Star Game was on September 8 with stage 1 and on September 9 for stage 2. The following event format was used.
* 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 number of points in stage 1 (Time control = 3|0)
| First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Final | Final | Final |
| | | | | | | 1 | Pacific Division | 4 |
| | | | 2 | Atlantic Division | 4 | 2 | Atlantic Division | 3 |
| 3 | Central Division | 2 | 4 | Eastern Division | 2 | | | |
| 4 | Eastern Division | 4 | | | | | | |