PRO Chess League Summer Series: All Four Teams In Contention For Playoff Spot In Group B
All four Group B teams did just enough last week to keep their PRO Chess League Summer Series hopes alive. With the Reykjavik Puffins facing the Baden Baden Snowballs, and the Pittsburgh Pawngrabbers taking on the Barcelona Raptors, expect chaos on Saturday as two teams will clinch their spots into the Summer Series Championship this August.
In a week where every team scored points, the Snowballs jumped the Raptors for the group lead when GM Dmitrij Kollars outmuscled GM Alexander Shabalov last Saturday.
The final week of Group B action sees the Baden Baden Snowballs facing the Reykjavik Puffins (8 a.m. PT), while the Barcelona Raptors will take on the Pittsburgh Pawngrabbers (10:30 a.m. PT) to close the group.
2019 PRO Chess League Summer Series | Group B Standings
| Team | Points | Club | |
| Baden Baden Snowballs | 8 | Fan Club | |
| Barcelona Raptors | 7 | Fan Club | |
| Reykjavik Puffins | 6 | Fan Club | |
| Pittsburgh Pawngrabbers | 3 | Fan Club |
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 Baden Baden wins: The Snowballs have the best chance to qualify for the Summer Series Championship on Saturday, as a win over the Puffins will be enough for Baden Baden to clinch a top-two finish. Not only has the Snowballs fanbase gotten stronger every week, top-board GM Georg Meier will enter the action for the first time this Summer Series. The Snowballs have yet to win a Live Club Match this season, but might receive an extra boost this week as both Barcelona and Pittsburgh will be rooting for the PRO Chess League Finalists.
Why Reykjavik wins: Unbeaten. Reykjavik has struggled in the Knockout Battles so far this season, but General Manager FM Ingvar Johannesson should be content with the vast fan support in the Puffins' wins over Pittsburgh and Barcelona. IM Gudmundur Kjartansson will have his toughest test of the summer against Meier, but the Puffins' fans have consistently out-rated their opponents thus far. For Reykjavik to have a chance at clinching their spot in the Summer Series Championship, a win here is a must.
Why Pittsburgh wins: Pittsburgh was just a half-point away from scoring four points in the standings last week, but with a dramatic draw to Baden Baden, the Pawngrabbers had to settle for two instead. IM Tuan Minh Le will make his debut this Summer Series on Saturday, and his tactical acumen and strength in bullet is exactly what Pittsburgh needs. Pittsburgh might get a boost from Baden Baden fans, but if the Pawngrabbers' highest rated fans return for action this week, they should have solid winning chances. Their Summer Series survival depends on it.
Why Barcelona wins: Barcelona has a chance to earn their spot in the Summer Series Championship before their clash with Pittsburgh even starts if Baden Baden wins and IM Carles Diaz Camallonga wins the Knockout Battles. Currently sitting in second, the Raptors have a bit more room to breathe than the Pawngrabbers - and less stress means better chess. Barcelona's fanbase has been extremely dependable, and should give the Raptors a good chance of winning the group.
Each week, Chess.com will reach out to streamers to make their picks for the Summer Series Championship. "Bikfoot" is this week's featured streamer after participating in Chess.com's Stream Squad Coverage of the Summer Series in the opening week for Group B.
Bikfoot played for both Baden Baden and Reykjavik in the group's opening week, scoring his first point for the Baden Baden Snowballs:
When asked about his picks for the PRO Chess League Summer Series Championship, Bikfoot gave us his insight:
Predicting the brackets of the PCL Summer Series was a lot harder than hosting the PCL Highlights, I can tell you that! I've picked the Montreal Chessbrahs as the PRO Chess League Summer Series winner. Not only do they have a team filled with superstars, they have - without a doubt - the biggest and most loyal fanbase within the online chess community. The final will be GM Eric Hansen vs GM Jon Ludvig Hammer, with one side blasting boiler room music where the other side sips tea with a smirk... can't wait!
Bikfoot's Bracket:
Disagree with Bikfoot's picks? Make your picks in the comments and play in the PRO Chess League Summer Series this Saturday, July 6 at 8 a.m. PDT. 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.
