Live Chess World League: Season 7 First Stage
Live Chess World League 2021-S1 is in progress! At the end of first stage's play, top 4 teams from each division have qualified for Championship pool. Here is a recap of the first stage of this season.
Div.1
In absence of Ukraine, Russia started this season as favourites. But Czech Republic and Bosnia had some other ideas! Playing in the topmost division for the first time, both of them secured their spots in Championship pool ahead of Russia!
Serbia also defeated Russia by 3-0 with 100+ boards in all formats!
Division One | Standings* After Stage 1
| Rk. | Team | SRB | CZE | BIH | PER | RUS | PHI | FRA | KAZ | Points | H2H | SB | Avg% | |
| 1 | Serbia | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 2 | 156.5 | 74% | ||
| 2 | Czech Republic | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 1 | 151 | 67% | ||
| 3 | Bosnia | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2½ | 13.5 | - | 89.75 | 57% | ||
| 4 | Peru | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 52.5 | 49% | ||
| 5 | Russia | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 52.5 | 55% | ||
| 6 | Philippines | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | - | 22 | 33% | ||
| 7 | France | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | - | 13 | 32% | ||
| 8 | Kazakhstan | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1.5 | - | 9.75 | 23% |
*Standings are taken from CHECO, a software developed by Czech Republican director @ivoshm, which provides the adjusted results of the LCWL Divisions in near real time. Great job by @ivoshm 
Div.2
Slovakia is enjoying a comfortable lead as Mexico shocked Uzbekistan in the final round!
Division Two | Standings After Stage 1
| Rk. | Team | SVK | UZB | USA | ARG | ROU | MEX | CAN | TUR | Points | H2H | SB | Avg% | |
| 1 | Slovakia | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | - | 11 | - | 55 | 65% | ||
| 2 | Uzbekistan | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | - | 7 | 2 | 39 | 60% | ||
| 3 | USA | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | 7 | 0 | 33 | 50% | ||
| 4 | Argentina | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | - | 6 | - | 22 | 48% | ||
| 5 | Romania | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | - | 6 | - | 24 | 53% | ||
| 6 | Mexico | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | - | 4 | - | 16 | 47% | ||
| 7 | Canada | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 1 | - | 7 | 26% | ||
| 8 | Turkey | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | - | - | - |
Being champions of Div.3 in the previous season, Turkey earned their promotion spot. But they disappointed us by getting disqualified so early. Uzbeks won't mind it, as there was a double forfeit between Turkey and Uzbekistan earlier in this season!
Div.3
Spain is just dominating this division with 100% win record! They got a good crowd as well. In average, Spain registered 51 players per match which is even better than some Div.1 teams!
Division Three | Standings After Stage 1
| Rk. | Team | ESP | ENG | BAN | BRA | ITA | GAL | CHI | AUS | Points | H2H | SB | Avg% | |
| 1 | Spain | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 14 | - | 82 | 73% | ||
| 2 | England | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | - | 45 | 59% | ||
| 3 | Bangladesh | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 36 | 56% | ||
| 4 | Brazil | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 36 | 57% | ||
| 5 | Italy | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | - | 29 | 56% | ||
| 6 |  |
Galicia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | - | 2 | 37% | |
| 7 | Chile | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | - | 0 | 38% | ||
| 8 | Australia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 17% |
We have seen so many close contests in this division. Our Italian friends might be disappointed as they are marginally out of the Championship pool!
Div.4
Transition zone for the teams! Few teams are struggling with participation rate specially in Rapids.
Division Four | Standings After Stage 1
| Rk. | Team | URU | IND | BLR | BOL | DEN | SLO | COL | CUB | Points | H2H | SB | Avg% | |
| 1 |  |
Uruguay | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | - | 12 | - | 60 | 73% | |
| 2 | India | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | - | 10 | - | 40 | 68% | ||
| 3 | Belarus | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | 6 | 2 | 20 | 49% | ||
| 4 | Bolivia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | - | 6 | 0 | 16 | 53% | ||
| 5 | Denmark | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1½ | 2 | - | 4.5 | - | 11.25 | 37% | ||
| 6 | Slovenia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ½ | 2 | - | 3.5 | - | 8.25 | 35% | ||
| 7 | Colombia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | - | 0 | 30% | ||
| 8 | Cuba | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | - | - | - |
Div.5
Division five is playing single round robin with 12 teams.
Division Five | Current Standings
| Rk. | Team | Played | Win | Draw | Loss | Points | H2H | SB | Avg% | |
| 1 | Pakistan | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 5.5 | 1 | 13.5 | 62% | |
| 2 | Singapore | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 5.5 | 0 | 11 | 70% | |
| 3 | Dominican Rep. | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 10.5 | 59% | |
| 4 | Azerbaijan | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 57% | |
| 5 | Venezuela | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 11.5 | 54% | |
| 6 |  |
El Salvador | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 50% |
| 7 |  |
Nicaragua | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 45% |
| 8 | Georgia | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 35% | |
| 9 | Zimbabwe | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 54% | |
| 10 | Hungary | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | - | 3 | 25% | |
| 11 | Israel | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | - | 0 | 19% | |
| 12 |  |
Myanmar | - | - | - | - | 0 | - | - | - |
Myanmar earned their spot in the main event by playing Friendlies league in season 6. Unfortunately they couldn't play any match in this season.
Friendlies League
Joining LCWL for the first time, Belgium and Sri Lanka got impressive starts.
Friendlies League | Current Standings
| Rank | Team | Played | Win | Draw | Loss | 5+ | Points | Reg. Avg. | Qual? | |
| 1 | Belgium | 11 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 18.5 | 14.6 | Q | |
| 2 | Sri Lanka | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 15.5 | 10.5 | Q | |
| 3 | Nigeria | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 6.1 | Q | |
| 4 | China | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 6.6 | Q | |
| 5 | Ireland | 11 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 10.5 | 6.4 | Q | |
| 6 | Norway | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 5.5 | ||
| 7 |  |
Malta | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 7.5 | 6.5 | |
| 8 | Lebanon | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3.5 | 4.8 | ||
| 9 |  |
New Zealand | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8.0 | |
| 10 | Hong Kong | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 2.0 | ||
| 11 | Zambia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3.5 | ||
| 12 |  |
Korea | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
Haiti and Mongolia are yet to play their first match of this season.
U1600 Event
Div.1 is playing a different format which is similar to what was used in Open Div.3 last season.
Group A (Americas): Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, USA.
Group B (Eurasia): Czech Republic, India, Romania, Russia, Serbia.
Meanwhile, Div.2 will play a single round robin. South Africa joined this league after season 3!
Div.2: Bosnia, England, Galicia, Pakistan, South Africa, Venezuela.
Some Interesting Games
Looks like, most of the players are in a hurry even in the Rapids (not just me 
)
How often do you see the lower rated player settling for a draw in a clearly winning position!
Sometimes one needs to give up everything to save the game. Difficult to find in blitz though.
Having so many ongoing live chess leagues (LCPAL, LCEL, Nations League, Clubs League, 2020 Chess etc.), is it time to introduce another category in The Chess.com Immortal Game Contest 
Stats Corner
55 teams played so far in this season.
5373 active players including 163 titled players.
Maximum Boards:
| Div.1 | Div.2 | Div.3 | Div.4 | Div.5 | Friendlies | |
 |
136 | 68 | 52 | 41 | 16 | 10 |
 |
119 | 72 | 51 | 35 | - | - |
 |
118 | - | - | - | - | - |
7 double forfeits! Hopefully we won't see any of them in the 2nd stage.
Key Matches
- Division 1: Czech Republic vs Serbia
- Division 1: Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Russia
- Division 2: Slovakia vs Uzbekistan
- Division 3: England vs Spain
- Division 4: India vs Uruguay
Match timing was the talking point in Div.1 and Div.2. Hopefully we'll have a better 2nd stage 
Thanks all for reading and best wishes for the next stage. Ramadan Mubarak!
