 | This article needs to be updated. (February 2023) |
| Most recent season or competition: 2023 | |
| Formerly | United States Chess League |
|---|---|
| Sport | Chess |
| First season | 2017 |
| Commissioner | Greg Shahade |
| No. of teams | 32 |
| Country | International |
| Most recent champion(s) | Gotham Knights (1st title) |
| Most titles | St. Louis Arch Bishops (2 titles) |
| TV partner(s) | Twitch |
| Related competitions | Speed Chess Championship |
| Official website | www |
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]
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]
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Pro Chess League". QuantumGambitz. January 2, 2017. Retrieved February 14, 2017.
- ^ "An Update About The Pro Chess League". Chess.com. 19 January 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.