USCL 2013
Another year brings another season of the United States Chess League. Per usual, a star-studded cast full of America's strongest competition make up the entire playing field. Of course, with this talented a pool, we're immediately treated to some instant classics. Enjoy one of our favorite tournaments from start to finish in 2013's USCL!
Not what you were looking for? Back to the video guide.
USCL Week 1 Day 1! The season kickoff show! The USCL begins anew with its ninths. Everyone is on equal footing, and IM John Bartholomew and Brother Josh are here to get you going. They cover all the tactics and blunders of the opening four matches.
USCL Week 1 Day 2! The rest of the USCL teams play their opening matches in the ninth season of action. This time Bartholomew and Josh are joined live by special guests IM Danny Rensch and Klein, reporting live from the Manhattan Applesauce's home field in New York City. Interviews include team captain Shaun Smith and TD Anna Ginzburg!
USCL Week 2 Day 1! FM Mike Klein and IM Greg Shahade both make their Chess.com USCL broadcasting debut. You'll hear their prognostications and see at the end who was right. You'll also get a second chance for Greg's famous trivia (though no prizes for the re-air). See which teams came out on top to open week two!
USCL Week 2 Day 2! The second part of week-two USCL action once again has the tandem of Josh and Bartholomew. The entire Western Conference battles each other. At the end of the day, several teams move to 2-0 while others remain winless.
USCL Week3 Day 1! The twin IMs—Shahade and Victor Shen—commentate on USCL week-three action, where some teams try to continue to stay perfect (like San Francisco, Dallas and Miami), while others just try to earn their first win (like Carolina, Seattle and Arizona). Who will prevail: the front-runners or the underdogs?
USCL Week 3 Day 2! The second part of week-two action brings back the team of Bartholomew and Josh! Questions are posed. Can New York continue to lead the Atlantic? Can Manhattan rebound from a subpar week-two effort? Can Boston regain form after losing their longtime number-one player in the offseason? Watch and find out!
USCL Week 4 Day 1! Four hours of USCL coverage with Shahade and Klein? Yes, please! Some exciting inter-conference matches opened week four, including the repeat of last year's USCL Finals: the Sluggers versus the Inventors. You'll also be treated to the winning game of the week: FM Tom Bartell's checkmating attack on GM Emil Anka.
USCL Week 4 Day 2! Here's he second half of week-four matches with Bartholomew and Shahade. Both undefeated teams—the Miami Sharks and Dallas Destiny—try to continue their perfect seasons, while the St. Louis Archbishops and Carolina Cobras try to get back into the playoff mix in the Southern Division.
USCL Week 5 Day 1! Enjoy GM Alex Yermolinsky's USCL game of the week videos? Maybe you coo for his deep voice and witty stories? Either way, if you missed his first USCL broadcast, you've got it here, all 5+ hours worth! He is joined by Klein as they go through the opening day of week 5 in the USCL, including a dramatic finish to a queen v rook ending!
USCL Week 5 Day 2! Week 5 in the USCL continues with the twins! OK, so Shahade and Bartholomew aren't related, but they make such a good double-IM tandem. Watch and see who makes their move at the halfway point in the season.
USCL Week 6 Day 1! Here's week 6 in the USCL, hosted by the regular Tuesday commentators Klein and Yermolinsky. Among this week's exciting games, you'll see the blistering attack of GM Tamaz Gelashvili, who easily won game of the week for his knight sacrifice that blew open IM Marc Esserman's center.
USCL Week 6 Day 2! The Wednesday commentators, Shahade and Bartholomew, are back with the second day of week-six action in the USCL. Two other gems from the Black pieces occurred—IM Larry Remlinger's sparking exchange sacrifice for long-term compensation and IM Vitaly Neimer's counterblow to open up the dark squares. Both were nominated for game of the week.
USCL Week 7 Day 1! The Russians are coming! Actually, the Russians are leaving! Watch Yermolinsky's final broadcast of the regular season. After week seven, he heads back out on the tournament trail, perhaps trying to get his 56th and 57th grandmaster norms?! He is joined by Klein as they showcase the Northeast versus Pacific Divisions.
USCL Week 7 Day 2! Day two of the USCL's week seven. Barholomew and Shahade are back to show off the Atlantic versus South divisions. At day's end, some teams are on the verge of clinching a playoff birth, while others are completely knocked out. One team earns its first shutout in a seven-year history!
USCL Week 8 Day 1! Two huge reasons existed for watching the opening matches of week eight. The USCL entered its three-week divisional round-robin to close the season. Also, the introduction of Chess.com's newest commentator and America's first-ever female grandmaster, Irina Krush. Is she as good at broadcasting as she is at playing chess? A resounding yes!
USCL Week 8 Day 2! Shahade is worried about keeping up with Krush's commentating skills, but Bartholomew gets their confidence back. Today it is the Western Conference in action. When the week ends, several teams have earned playoff births, while others have become even more desperate.
USCL Week 9 Day 1! Klein and Krush are back for a second week; this time they showcase the Western Conference. It would prove to be a pivotal week as the remaining playoff spots were filled by the end of the night. Which teams secured their spots and which were left on the sidelines? Watch and see who advances in 2013!
USCL Week 9 Day 2! Shahade and Bartholomew discuss the pivotal week nine of the USCL. In the Eastern Conference, the biggest match of the season pits New York and New Jersey. They go into the week tied for second, and the winner of the match will have an overwhelming edge to make the playoffs. Will GM Joel Benjamin be able to convert against SM Matt Herman? Watch the dramatic ending!
USCL Week 10 Day 1! Yermolinsky and Klein close out the USCL regular season by focusing on the Eastern Conference teams. One playoff spot in the Atlantic remained up for grabs, while in both divisions another big question remained. Who would get first place and therefore obtain draw odds in the opening round of the playoffs?
USCL Week 10 Day 2! In the final broadcast of the year for Shahade and Bartholomew, they cover the Western Conference end of the regular season. Who would win the South? GM Conrad Holt furiously tries to find a breakthrough against GM Julio Becerra. After 96 moves, could he do it? There is much less drama in the Pacific Division, as L.A. rested their top players, knowing both they and the Mechanics have punched their tickets.
USCL Western Quarterfinals The opening round of the USCL playoffs continue with hosts Klein and Yermolinsky. Four Western Conference teams advanced, with Dallas and Miami battling in the south and San Francisco and Los Angeles renewing their rivalry out west. Who will advance to the semis? Watch and find out!
USCL Eastern Quarterfinals Klein and Finegold open the playoffs of the ninth season of the United States Chess League by discussing the two Eastern Conference matchups. Crosstown-rivals Manhattan and New York face each other for the third time. Will the absence of the Applesauce's leading player hurt the divisional winners? New England takes on first-time playoff-team, Connecticut. How will the Dreadnoughts fare in their inaugural post season?
2013 USCL Semifinals! Who else would you rather spend a solid block of four hours with? Rensch makes his 2013 USCL debut and is joined by Finegold as they give their usual witty commentary and hilarious banter to cover the semifinals. Could Miami take their season-best regular season record into the finals? Which teenager would come through in New York vs New England? Watch and find out!
2013 US Chess League Final! The first full season of the United States Chess League on Chess.com concludes with the New York Knights taking on the Miami Sharks! The Knights were looking for their third title, while Miami sought its first title in four championship matches. League heavyweights like Becerra and Gelashvili played a Sicilian Dragon while the Knights continued to rely on their youngsters on the lower boards. Watch and see who was crowned the 2013 USCL champions!
