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MoTS began as a simple idea: a small, warm community where people could play, improve, and enjoy chess together. I never imagined how far this club would go or how much it would grow, but I do know one thing for certain: every step so far has meant something. At first, I noted our small wins in the Club Notes, but eventually I realised what we really needed was a space to tell our story properly. A quiet corner where we could record our tiny steps. The beginnings, the chaos, the early victories, and the joy of building something meaningful together. As I write this first entry, MoTS is just 7 months old, a young, growing community that has already brought me more joy, energy, and inspiration than I ever expected.

New here? Old here? Doesn’t matter. If you can move a pawn, you belong. This is our space to introduce yourself:Tell us your story, your chess journey, goals in life (“don’t blunder my queen” counts too), where you’re from, your hobbies, or anything you'd like others to know. No rules, no pressure, just a warm community of chess enthusiasts who celebrate progress, share laughs, and occasionally sacrifice pieces “for activity.” Jump in whenever you like!

To recognize consistent effort, dedication, and performance, we’re introducing a fair and transparent points-based medal system for all Masters of the Squares members. We will be awarding players with 3 types of medals. STELLAR PERFORMER Awarded to players who actively participate and perform well in any of the tournaments in which our club takes part. OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION  This medal is presented to the top 3 performers every quarter. MVP The MVP Medal is the ultimate recognition of excellence, awarded to the top 3 performers annually for their outstanding performance across matches.

Welcome to Masters of the Squares!This forum has been created with the intention to help both new and existing members navigate everything MoTS offers.Here, you’ll find quick links to: Our club principles, philosophy, structure & offerings Community spaces for discussions, suggestions & introductions Tournaments & ongoing matches Puzzles, opening studies & training material Highlights, awards & performance leaderboards Use this as your starting point to explore MoTS.

Have ideas to make Masters of the Squares even better? This is the place to share them! Whether it's about: Types of matches you'd like to see (e.g., themed, open, rating-based) New forum topics (training, tactics, analysis) Club events or fun side activities Suggestions on managing match frequency or announcements Anything else you'd like to be considered No matter how small, offbeat, or even downright silly your idea might seem - share it anyway! Some of the best ideas start with a spark that didn’t seem serious at first. Your idea might give birth to something brilliant, you never know! Let’s grow this club together - your voice matters.  

Dear All, We’ve officially closed the books on the first quarter of 2026 last month, and the data proves that Masters of the Squares is operating at an incredibly high level. After the breakout success of 2025, Q1 was the real test to see if we could maintain that pace as a larger, more established club. The results speak for themselves. We are winning a level of consistency that is hard to find in online communities. Across 90 club events, we secured 69 wins and only 15 losses. This is a clear indication of the talent and discipline we have across the board. What’s most encouraging is the scale of participation. Having 213 unique players represent the club in just three months shows that our depth is our greatest asset. We managed nearly 2000 matches while keeping our timeout ratio down at 3.18%, proving that our members take their commitments as seriously as their tactics. The Q1 Numbers: Club Events: 90 (69 Wins | 6 Draws | 15 Losses) Total Matches Played: 1948 Total Individual Wins: 1120 Overall Win Rate: 57.5% Win/Loss Point Ratio: 1.59 Timeout Rate: 3.18% Unique Participants: 213

Dear All, March 2026 has been a month of remarkable clinical precision for Masters of the Squares. While February was about growth and momentum, March was about mastery and efficiency. We have moved beyond simply being a "busy" club to becoming a dominant force, proving that our success isn't just a streak or fluke, it is our standard. Our performance metrics this month speak to a level of discipline that is rare in the community. We successfully maintained our elite 70%+ win rate, losing only 4 matches out of 35. Even more impressive is our Win-Loss ratio, which surged to 1.74, and a timeout ratio that has plummeted to a mere 2.01%. These numbers reflect a collective commitment to finishing what we start and winning with authority. Furthermore, our ranks continue to strengthen. We saw 144 unique participants step up to the board this month, an 8.27% increase over our February numbers. This steady influx of active players shows that MoTS is thriving as a hub for those who value competitive integrity.  Here are some key performance metrics: Total Activity: 35 matches played Matches won: 26 (74.3% win rate) Total games: 698 No. of unique participants: 144 Win/Loss point ratio: 1.74 Timeout ratio: Only 2.01% (This does not include timeouts beyond move 20 in an equal or losing position) List of all matches and results:

Dear All, February 2026 was a busy month for Masters of the Squares, and a very successful one too. We didn’t just play more chess; we played better chess. Our focus on high-quality match participation, discipline, and competitive integrity has yielded results that place us in the top tier of active clubs. First of all, we completed over twice the no. of matches than in January. Second, we saw an increase in the no. of participants by 10%, meaning more and more participants are fighting for a united cause. We also managed to exceed our goal of maintaining a 70%+ win rate. By maintaining a high win-loss point ratio (1.40) and a sub-5% timeout ratio, we have established MoTS as a destination for serious, reliable, and competitive players. Here are some key performance metrics: Total Activity: 37 matches played Matches won: 27 (73% win rate) Total games: 744 No. of unique participants: 133 Win/Loss point ratio: 1.40 Timeout ratio: Only 3.61% (This does not include timeouts beyond move 20 in an equal or losing position) List of all matches and results:

Played a game you’re proud of? Or one so bad you can’t help but laugh (or cry) at it? This is the thread for both! Post your: Masterpieces - Tactical wizardry, long-term strategy, epic comebacks, or brilliant moves. Meltdowns - Blunders, mouse slips, and harakiri on the chessboard Let’s learn, laugh, and cringe together.

While our quarterly rewards aren't due until the end of March, the momentum we’ve built in January is too good not to celebrate right now. It has been a month of fierce battles and undeniable victories for Masters of the Squares.

Dear All, I am delighted to share that we had a historic finish to 2025 as November and December 2025 were nothing short of unbelievable for Masters of the Squares. We didn't just play; we dominated. Here is a brief look at the numbers that defined our success over the last two months: Dominance: We completed 59 events and lost only 6 with a win rate of over 80%. Point Efficiency: We are punching well above our weight, winning almost twice the number of points for every single point lost. Volume: Almost 1,300 games were played during this period, and over 39000 moves made overall Win Rate Growth: We won 64.4% of our individual games - a solid improvement over the 62% win rate from the previous two months. Participation: A huge shoutout to the 160 unique participants who contributed to our cause, which is an increase from our last update. The timeout ratio has crept up slightly higher than last time. I am confident that with a little more focus, we will get this back under our target of 5% in the next update. Let’s keep those clocks in check! The recap of team events can be found below.

Greetings! As we step into 2026, it is time to look back at the incredible journey we began on April 25th, 2025. While our "rookie year" still has a few months to go, the calendar year of 2025 was nothing short of legendary. From a brand-new community to a competitive powerhouse, we have proven that we are here to stay! Our collective performance has been staggering. Here are some of the numbers which tells our story: Club Events: 189 Played (140 Wins | 14 Draws | 35 Losses) Total Individual Games: 3000+ played with a 63% Win Rate. Community Growth: We surpassed 360 Members and are still growing strong! Championships: 3 Competitions entered, 3 Medals won! (2 Gold, 1 Silver)

This forum has been created to track the results and performances of multi-club arenas that Masters of the Squares participates in.  Please check out Medals, Rewards, and Recognition for detailed information on awards associated with arena matches.

Hello everyone, As we step into 2026, I thought it would be a nice idea to create a space where we can share our personal goals for the year, whether they’re about chess, health, studies, work, habits, or anything else you’re hoping to improve or explore. There’s no pressure to post anything specific or make grand promises.Just write whatever feels right. Big goals, small goals, fun goals, serious goals - everything is welcome. This is simply a positive corner for reflection and inspiration. Feel free to share your 2026 resolutions below, and let’s all head into the new year with good energy and a sense of direction.Wishing you all a great year ahead! - Animesh

This forum has been created to showcase all medals that Masters of the Squares won during the year 2025

VISION BOARD 2026   This forum outlines Masters of the Squares’s long-term vision for 2026, the strategic plan of action aligned with that vision, and the quarterly roadmap that will guide the club through the year.

Medals

Played a game you’re proud of? Or one so bad you can’t help but laugh (or cry) at it?This is the thread for both! Post your: Masterpieces – Tactical wizardry, long-term strategy, epic comebacks, or brilliant moves. Meltdowns – Blunders, mouse slips, and harakiri on the chessboard Let’s learn, laugh, and cringe together.

This forum serves as the central hub for all MoTS tournaments, and competitive events which started in 2025. Here you can track details for each individual tournament. The list of tournaments that MoTS participated in during 2025 is provided below. Clicking on any tournament will take you to its detailed section. ONE WORLD League 1200-1400 Summer Experts 2025 (completed) - 2nd place 1200-1400 Autumn Experts 2025 (completed) - 1st place 1400-1600 Autumn Experts 2025 (completed) - 1st place Newbie Autumn Experts 2025 (ongoing) - 1st place (Assured) Semi-Annual Experts U1300 960 2025/26 (ongoing)  Semi-Annual Experts 1300-1500 2025/26 (ongoing)  Semi-Annual Experts 1500-1700 2025/26 (completed) - 1st place 960 Open 8+ (Rd 2 in progress)  960 U1400 12+ (Rd 2 in progress)  U1800 20 (Rd 2 in progress)  U1600 (Rd 2 in progress)  U1400 15 (Rd 2 in progress)  960 Classic Championship U1500 2025/26 (Rd 1 in progress) 960 Classic Championship Open 2025/26 (Rd 1 in progress) 1600-1800 Winter Candidates 2026 (in progress) Eight4Us Winter Experts 2026 (in progress) TCMAC BATTLE of the LEGIONS Arena 5+ (Rd 4 in progress)  Gladiator U1600 2025/26 (Rd 3 in progress)  Legionario U1400 2025/26 (Rd 3 in progress)  PCL Thematic Endgames Open 2025/26 (Rd 3 in progress)  Thematic Endgames U1400 2025/26 (Rd 3 in progress)  Super Bingo 2025 (ongoing) 

Welcome to Masters of the Squares (MoTS), a community built on steady growth, shared learning, and a genuine love for the game. What began as a small initiative has grown into a structured, competitive, and supportive home for intermediate and advanced players who want to play seriously, improve consistently, and enjoy the journey along the way.Our philosophy is simple: we take chess seriously, without taking the joy out of it. Our Core Principles Competitive Spirit Without Pressure Participation is always encouraged, never forced.But once you join a match, we value commitment and reliability.Winning or losing doesn’t matter, your team counting on you does.Timing out, resigning early, or abandoning games without reason is discouraged, because it affects everyone playing alongside you. Fair Play, Always Cheating is strictly discouraged.We care not only about results, but about authenticity. Improvement should always be honest, and victories should always feel real. Respectful Communication We encourage open discussion, analysis, suggestions, and constructive criticism. Healthy debates are welcome; disrespect, toxicity, or personal attacks are not. The goal is to create a space where everyone feels comfortable contributing and learning. A Community That Learns Together MoTS is a place where players actively share analysis, ideas, and feedback.To support consistent improvement, members also have access to puzzles, lessons, performance highlights, and other training resources that evolve as the club grows. Recognition & Appreciation We take pride in celebrating contribution. Medals, awards, shout-outs, leaderboards, and most importantly, gratitude, are part of how we acknowledge reliability, strong play, and dedication. Each event or tournament comes with its own criteria and style of recognition, which are mentioned in their respective/relevant forums. Our Approach to Team Events Daily Chess Daily chess is the backbone of our club. We create matches across all rating ranges, typically starting from around 1000, so every member has access to meaningful, competitive games. We usually launch one new match per day, across a healthy mix of 1-day, 2-day, and 3-day formats.As the club grows, our goal is to gradually increase match frequency while maintaining balance and quality. Vote Chess (VC) While we don’t actively focus on Vote Chess at the moment, we’re completely open to expanding into it. If a dedicated group of members wishes to lead a VC team, we’ll structure it and participate in competitive VC formats. Arenas & Live matches Arena formats are something we plan to add soon.   Tournaments & Competitive Leagues MoTS is steadily strengthening its competitive footprint. We participate in major community leagues including 1WL, TCMAC, and PCL, and plan to expand into TMCL and KTML next year.Our teams join a wide range of rating-restricted and open events, typically starting from 1000, across both Daily Chess and Daily960 formats.Every tournament is chosen with two goals in mind: Ensuring members get challenging, growth-oriented games Positioning the club to compete strongly and win titles