Playoff Season! Who Will Rule?

Hello you beautiful people!

Let's dig into the very first Play-off Season of the Future of Chess that is the PCL.  It's time to put on our chess beanies and dig in!

MAGNUS VS **Cough cough** I mean, GNOMES VS MOVERS:

Norway has gone VERY top heavy for this match-up.  A 2800, two 2600s and a brilliant FM with rating of 1900!  HOW CAN THAT EVEN HAPPEN?  Well, ask Tor   and he might tell you.  My "guess" is that Tor is pretty underrated, and that should lend the Gnomes a hand in getting an early lead.  However, Norway is fielding the same team for 4 consecutive rounds.  Look for the Movers to have a later round push as fresh blood infuses their line-up.  But will that be enough?

CHAMPS VS DRAGONS:

Another match-up between a top heavy team and a slightly more balanced one.  Heavy hitter Hikaru Nakamura will not be playing on Wednesday, but they do have suitable back up in GM Perez.  Will Perez be enough?

Surfers vs Ospreys:

Ostensibly, the Ospreys are evenly matched, rating-wise, with their San Diego counterparts.  However, I think those looks are quite deceiving.  GM Dreev and IM Kiewra are DANGEROUS.  As with the Gnomes, the Ospreys have elected to have their whole line-up go the full distance.  I expect the Surfers to be nursing a slight lead as they go into the final two rounds. However, around that bend is only trouble for the Ospreys.  Look for GM Melik Khachiyan, who was so effective in holding down Weseley's points in the match against the Archbishops, to do some serious damage in the second half.   

Check out my full predictions here!

Norway v Mumbai: 8.5-7.5 Gnomes
Gorky v Riga: 6-10 Magicians

Cannes v London (Lions) 9-7 Blockbusters
Amsterdam v London (Towers 7-9 Towers

Toronto v Miami 6-10 Champs
Montclair v Philly 7-9 Inventors

Dallas v Hackers 7-9 Hackers
San Diego v Rio Grande 10-6 San Diego