PRO Chess League Summer Series: Race Intensifies; Armenia, Sao Paulo In Trouble

PRO Chess League Summer Series action resumes on Saturday as the Armenia Eagles, Moscow Wizards, Mumbai Movers and the Sao Paulo Capybaras each look to take a step closer to the Summer Series Championship this August.

As fans pick which teams to play for in the second week of Group C (July 20, 7 a.m. PDT), these will be the two key questions they have for each matchup:

1. Is "the curse of five" real? The Mumbai Movers opened group play with five points, but both the San Francisco Mechanics and the Barcelona Raptors failed to qualify for the Summer Series Championship, despite tallying five points on the opening weekend. The Movers will take on the Moscow Wizards on Saturday morning in what promises to be a tight match.

2. Are the Armenia Eagles on their way out? After a one-point performance last week, the Eagles desperately need to beat the Capybaras on Saturday. Another lackluster showing from Armenia this week could see the 2018 league champions eliminated in favor of Sao Paulo, the PRO Chess League's newest team.

2019 PRO Chess League Summer Series | Group C Standings

While teams will be counting on their star players, they will also be counting on you, the fans, to help them progress to the Summer Series Championship! To help your favorite teams make the cut, make sure to join their clubs and play in this Saturday's Live Club Matches.

Why Mumbai wins: Replicating GM Farrukh Amonatov's perfect showing might be tough, but GM Diptayan Ghosh is a seasoned PRO Chess League veteran. After drawing Armenia last week, the Movers have gained more than 200 fans this week, and are now poised to take on the Wizards on Saturday. A match win here for Mumbai puts the Indian side one step closer to the Summer Series Championship. Expect fireworks and a close match.

Why Moscow wins: Last week the Wizards dominated the biggest Summer Series matchup ever, beating the Capybaras by 50 points! GM Vlad Dobrov's army is real, and Moscow should expect their fans to support them once again. GM Boris Savchenko returns after a solid performance last week, where he beat both GM Firouzja and GM Andriasian. Another strong showing this weekend puts the Wizards one step closer to the postseason.

Why Armenia wins: After the Eagles notched a one-point week last week, the 2018 PRO Chess League champions need a strong performance this week if they want to avoid elimination. Sao Paulo will likely bring more fans to the match, but Armenia's strongest fans are all dangerous, and could prove to be a threat to the Capybaras. GM Samvel Ter-Sahakyan makes his Summer Series debut, where he'll be counting on his 2018 experience to beat the Brazilian side.

Why Sao Paulo wins: Despite the opening-week loss, General Manager GM Krikor Sevag Mekhitarian has continued to bring in fans to the Brazilian side. The Capybaras now have the biggest club in the PRO Chess League, and with GM Sandro Mareco set to make his debut on Saturday, Sao Paulo will be gunning for an elusive six-point week. This team will need to make up for lost ground on Saturday, but don't be surprised if the Capybaras make a jump in the standings.

Each week Chess.com will reach out to various guests to make their picks for the Summer Series Championship. IM Danny Rensch (@DanielRensch) is this week's featured guest as one of Chess.com's main hosts for the PRO Chess League.

When asked about his picks for the PRO Chess League Summer Series Championship, Rensch said:

The Wizards really shook up my bracket by beating Sao Paulo last week, but I think the Summer Series will be the breakthrough moment Chengdu has been waiting for. Montreal should make a deep run for the title, even besting the Gnomes to get there!

I can't wait to watch the Summer Series Championships play out with the rest of you! 

Danny Rensch's Bracket:

Disagree with Danny's picks? Make your picks in the comments and play in the PRO Chess League Summer Series this Saturday, July 20 at 7 a.m. Pacific. To watch the official coverage, visit Twitch.tv/chess and follow the channel to get notifications for the Summer Series.

Just learning about the PRO Chess League Summer Series? Visit the site and check out the official information article.