Queens, San Francisco Top USCL Standings

With four weeks remaining in the United States Chess League regular season, two teams have taken clear leads in their respective divisions.

The Queens Pioneers flew out of the gate with 5 straight wins before falling to the Carolina Cobras in week six. Still, at 5-1, Queens holds a full point lead over the New Jersey Knockouts at the top of the Eastern Division standings. At the end of the regular season, the top four teams from each division make the players. Carolina and the Boston Blitz round out the top four in the East.

Queens has been led by International Master Alex Lenderman, who has posted an impressive 5-0 start to his season, and currently leads the league MVP race.

Over in the Western Division, the San Francisco Mechanics stand alone at the top with a 4.5-1.5 record. The rest of the division is tightly packed, with six teams fighting for three more playoff spots. The Dallas Destiny and the Seattle Sluggers are in the best positions at 3.5-2.5, but even the 2-4 Tennessee Tempo have to feel like they have a shot at making it to the postseason.

If you'd like to catch the action live, USCL matches are played weekly on the Internet Chess Club, on Monday and Wednesday nights. Or, keep reading this blog to get weekly updates on the race for the playoffs. Who do you think will find their way to the postseason?