Balkan League draws its inspiration from Chess.com's International Multi-Club Arenas, bringing the same level of excitement and competition to the Balkan region. Our aim is to foster a vibrant and competitive chess community within the Balkans, just as Chess.com has done on the international scale.

The central hub for this initiative is the Balkan League club on Chess.com, where events and activities are organized for participants from all countries.

👪 Players

Any member who is part of one of the Balkan League clubs listed below can join the event. Join your country's club and help them rise to the top of the leaderboard!

🔄 Club Representation

If you are an administrator of a club representing any of the Balkan countries listed above and believe that your club is more active and could contribute more points for your country, we invite you to reach out to the @BalkanLeague account.

We are open to discussing the possibility of your club taking on the role of representing your nation in the league.

📅 Schedule

The Balkan League takes place every first Sunday of each month, starting at 18:00 CEST / 19:00 EEST.

Players can join the event one hour before the start time.

🎯 Format 

Our format closely follows the Chess.com model with a few adaptations:

• Duration: 2 hours
• Time Control: 5 min + 5 sec
• Pairings: Players are paired according to their rating but never against someone from their own club.
• Scoring: Players earn points for wins and draws, with bonus points for win streaks. The cumulative points of each club's top 50 scorers count toward the club's overall score.

🏆 Seasons

The first season will consist of 5 rounds, starting in August 2024 and concluding at the end of the year.

Each season afterwards will be structured with 4 rounds, covering a span of 4 months. At the end of each season, scores will be compiled and the results will be posted on the Balkan League's blog.

The club with the highest total points at the end of the season will be crowned the overall winner.

🥇 Medals

The top 3 clubs after the season is over will be free to add medals to their "About Club" description if they wish to showcase their success. Below you can see examples of the medals:

🎁 Prizes

In addition to medals for the top 3 clubs, special prizes will be awarded to the top 3 players from each of the top-performing clubs based on the club rankings at the end of the season. The prizes include Chess.com Diamond Memberships, giving winners access to premium features on the platform:

• First Place Club:
  Top 3 players will each receive 3 months of Diamond Membership
  
  
• Second Place Club:
  Top 3 players will each receive 2 months of Diamond Membership
  
  
• Third Place Club:
  Top 3 players will each receive 1 month of Diamond Membership

Winners will be determined based on their total points contributed to their respective clubs during the season. Membership prizes will be awarded to players regardless of whether they already have an active membership.

Winners will be announced at the end of the season and featured on the Balkan League's blog.

🤔 How To Play

To participate, you must first be a member of one of the Balkan League clubs. Here's how you can join the competition:

• Join one of the Balkan clubs on Chess.com
• On the day of the event, go to Chess.com's Tournaments page within one hour before the start of the arena
• Find the arena you wish to participate in and click "Join"

The Balkan League is more than just a tournament; it's an opportunity to engage with a community of chess enthusiasts across the Balkans, improve your skills, and compete for regional pride.

Join us in this exciting venture and contribute to your club's success!