How To Qualify For The 2019 PRO Chess League
Could the next PRO Chess League championship team not even exist yet?
The 2018 PCL champions, the Armenia Eagles, qualified their way into the Eastern Division roughly a year ago. The Eagles went on to celebrate PRO Chess League Championship glory, take home the top prize of $20,000 and make history by winning the first-ever chess esports final in San Francisco!
As hype builds for what is sure to be another amazing season—the full, tentative schedule can be seen at the league website—teams have already started forming and signing up for this year's qualifier, which will be held on November 3 on Chess.com.
Qualifier details: 16-32 teams will be awarded spots in the qualifier (exact numbers announced in October), and eight teams will advance from the qualifier through to the PRO Chess League season.
The fist pump that won't soon be forgotten in Armenia. This was the moment that Eagles' hero Zaven Andriasyan knew he had secured the championship (photo by Eric Rosen).
Full details of the qualifier rules can be found at the PRO Chess League website, but here are some tips for a successful PRO Chess League application:
1. Build a team that can win the 2019 PRO Chess League Championship.
As the league grows in popularity, so do the amount of players and managers looking to get involved! Not all teams who register will be permitted to play in the qualifier this year, let alone the league, so if you're putting together a team, make it a strong one that you believe has a real chance to win it all!
Which top players will compete in this year's PRO Chess League?
2. Build a community.
While not every team can be expected to have the cheering section the Montreal Chessbrahs will as they try to qualify their way back into the league on November 3, every team will be asked to grow a fan base via the following suggestions:
- Start a Twitch channel and stream matches.
- Start a fan club and build community year-round on Chess.com.
- Be active on social media and blogging about your team and players.
If it comes down to it, your team's commitment to do these things this month, before the qualifier, may be the reason you get in.
The world championship challenger, Fabiano Caruana, took home the MVP prize for his performance, leading the Saint Louis Arch Bishops to the Semifinals.
3. Be ready to travel.
While the full details have not yet been announced, plans are in the works for Chess.com and Twitch to host another live finals event at a location where the top four teams will compete. The semifinals, finals and a consolation match (3rd vs 4th) are planned for a single-weekend live finals, where fans from all over the world are expected to attend.
Will you make the trip to the live finals in 2019? (photo by Eric Rosen)
The final format of the qualifier will be announced on Monday, October 29, but it's expected that between 16 and 32 teams will be awarded spots in the qualifier, and eight teams will advance in the qualifier through to the PRO Chess League. The qualifier format will be inviting for both players and fans to participate as we welcome potential teams from around the world.
The official account of the Professional Rapid Online (PRO) Chess League. Follow this account for news and updates regarding the PRO Chess League, and all activities and results posted to Chess.com. You can also visit the official website at www.prochessleague.com or follow the PRO Chess League on Twitter, Like us on Facebook and Subscribe to your Twitch and YouTube Channels.
