https://www.chess.com/article/view/chesscom-pro-chess-league-pcl-preview
California Unicorns
The Unicorns are being managed by ChessDojo operators IMs Kostya Kavutskiy and David Pruess and feature three super grandmasters, GMs Gukesh D, Sam Shankland, Ray Robson, as well as GM Christopher Yoo and WGM Sabina Foisor.
| UNICORNS ROSTER |
| GM Gukesh D |
| GM Sam Shankland |
| GM Ray Robson |
| GM Illya Nyzhnyk |
| GM Dariusz Swiercz |
| GM Georg Meier |
| GM Christopher Woojin Yoo |
| GM Andrew Hong |
| WGM Sabina-Francesca Foisor |
| NM Zoey Tang |
First, thanks for presenting the PCL and for the great commentary. I really do appreciate especially seeing some names that are not so often seen in other tourneys.
I am however writing to express just one slight criticism here. I know, Chess transcends borders and that is fantastic. But it feels like there should be a way that the teams really are more representative of some sort of community.
For example, ok, I don't follow any other pro sports but I happened anyway to catch the [American Football] Super Bowl the other day. "Kansas City Chiefs". Now there's nothing "Kansas City" to it, is there? These are multi-millionaire athletes who no doubt own multiple homes, none of which are very likely to be in Kansas, or Missouri.
So I just this morning hear about the "California Unicorns". Total respect for for the 4 (only 4??) names I see on the roster there. But have any of those people ever even been to California??
I like the "free agent" aspect, and I realize the logistics of trying to round up people from one area must be not trivial. I wonder, though, just taking "California Unicorns" as an immediate example I just happened to learn about, I wonder, California being my home and a pretty big place, if there couldn't actually be some Californians on the team.
OK, I don't know exactly where those people all reside now, but I'm pretty sure all or most have not been much on the California scene.
But do keep up the great coverage, from what I've been able to catch, been fun to see!