FIDE Album 2019-2021 is available

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The new FIDE Album 2019-2021 (an official selection of the world’s best and most representative chess compositions) has been published. 832 pages, 1840 diagrams, 298 authors, 1.6 kg. Comments, indexes, registers, statistics in English.
Hard-cover blue clothbound. Price 56 euro. Orders preferably at fidealbum.com  (or by email to peter.gvozdjak@gmail.com). Sample pages available as a PDF file there.

World Solving Cup 2025/2026 – Registrations and new WSC points table

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As of the deadline on 12 August 2025, a record-breaking 21 tournaments have registered for the 2025/2026 season of the World Solving Cup, including the Open Solving of the next ECSC and WCCC.
For the tournament to count for the WSC, the tournament director must send the invitation letter by email to roland.ott@gmx.ch at least two months before the event.

At the Congress in Alba Iulia the Rules of the WSC have been changed with a new Scoring System:

1.    Elimination of the previous imbalance in the distribution of points between categories, which also leads to a reduction of points awarded in the Open Solving of the ECSC and the WCCC.

2.    Increased minimum scoring for the winner of national WSC tournaments to 10 points by reducing the number of WSC Categories from 14 to 10.

The main goal of these changes is to reinforce the original idea of the World Solving Cup, which is for participants to take part in tournaments outside their own country. This is intended to encourage top solvers in particular to participate not only in their national championships and the open Solving of the ECSC and WCCC.

WSC calendar for the season 2025/2026 |  WSC rules as of 2025 

Invitation to the 22nd  ISC

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The International Solving Contest next year will take place on Sunday 25.01.2026. The event is happening simultaneously in all participating countries.
There will be three categories: one for experienced solvers. The second category is intended for weaker, inexperienced solvers. This second category is not open for solvers with a rating (or half-rating or non-active-rating) of more than 2000. The third category is intended for youngsters born after 31.12.2012.

According to the WFCC sanctions only tournaments in category-3 are possible in Russia/Belarus. According to the decision at the WCCC in Jūrmala no cash prizes are permitted in participating countries.

Separate results are recorded for youth, females and seniors. For Categories 1 and 2 the results of solvers will be rated. However for all solvers no norms for titles are possible.

The name of the locally appointed controller must reach the central controller by email not later than 31.12.2025: arvydas.mockus@gmail.com

Announcement of 22nd ISC | Rules of ISC

Thank you for your cooperation,
Arvydas Mockus
Central controller of ISC 2026

Changes in the ISC 2025 Final Results and the Solvers’ Rating List

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Following protests submitted by six countries and the evidence from reports (Points 9.1 to 9.5 in WCCC 2025 Agenda), WFCC Assembly voted to exclude results of the four Category 1 solvers from Sumgait (Azerbaijan). Consequently, the rating lists for April and July 2025 have been slightly changed. Here are the final results of ISC 2025 as approved by the WCCC 2025:

Results Report & Summaries – CAT 1 (180 solvers) – CAT 2 (254 solvers) – CAT 3 (292 solvers)
Problems CAT 1 – CAT 2 – CAT 3 | Solutions CAT 1 – CAT 2 – CAT 3

“We had 46 tournaments in 28 countries and 741 solvers (15 unofficial solvers in cat-3) – 180 solvers in cat-1, 254 solvers in cat-2 and 292 solvers in cat-3. This year’s participation reflects the growing interest and enthusiasm for the sport, and it is heartening to see such a diverse and passionate community of solvers from all around the world. Thank you to all local controllers for their excellent work and good cooperation and congratulations to the winners.
Special thanks to Borislav Gadjanski for his daily updates of the results on the MatPlus-website , as well as to others who supported and helped me during this event.”

Arvydas Mockus, Central Controller of ISC 2025

67th WCCC – Highlights and Decisions

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-> See more about highlights & decisions

31 member countries were present, 9 of them via Zoom connection.

Upcoming events 2026:

22nd International Solving Contest (ISC) at the end of January 2026, the central controller Arvydas Mockus

19th European Chess Solving Championship (ECSC) in Skopje, North Macedonia, 8-10 May 2026

68th World Congress of Chess Composition (WCCC) and 49th World Chess Solving Championship (WCSC) – the deadline for bids was extended till 1st October, the final decisions to be made in WFCC online meeting three weeks later.