In Major League Baseball, the National League Championship Series (NLCS) determines who wins the National League pennant and advances to baseball's championship, the World Series. It began in 1969, when the National League was reorganized into two division, East and West. The winners of each division played each other in a best-of-five series to determine who would advanced to the World Series. In 1985, the format changed to best-of-seven.
In 1981, a divisional series was held due to split-season caused by strike action.
In 1994, the league was restructured into three divisions, with the three division winners and a wild-card team advancing to a best-of-five playoff round, the National League Division Series (NLDS). The winners of that round then advance to the best-of-seven NLCS. This is the system currently in use.
A Most Valuable Player (MVP) award is given to the outstanding player in each series. No MVP award is given for Division Series play.