Nunspeet 09.03.2024 – World Solving Cup 2023/2024

29th Dutch Open Chess Solving Championship | 7th tournament of World Solving Cup 2023/2024:
Participants: 20 | Winner: Eddy Van Beers (BEL) ahead of Michael Pfannkuche (GER) and Nikos Sidiropoulos (GRE).
Dolf Wissmann (5th and Dutch Champion) ahead of Joost Michielsen (6th) and Hans Uitenbroek (8th-9th).
Average rating of top ten solvers: 2391.19 | WSC category: 6
Top 5 WSC Standings: 1. Eddy Van Beers (BEL) 92 points (+23), 2. Martynas Limontas (LTU) 46 points (unchanged), 3. Vidmantas Satkus (LTU) 39 points (unchanged), 4. David Hodge (GBR) 35 points (+6). 5. Nikos Sidiropoulos (GRE) 32 points (+16).
More details published in Competitions→Solving→World Solving Cup @ Solving Portal


Krakow 24./25.02.2024 – World Solving Cup 2023/2024

47th International Polish Championship 2024 | 6th tournament of World Solving Cup 2023/2024:
Participants: 23 | Winner: Piotr Murdzia (POL – Polish champion!) ahead of Jakub Marciniszyn (POL) and Martynas Limontas (LTU).
Jakub Marciniszyn with 1st GM and 3rd IM norm – the first ever GM norm not achieved at ECSC/WCSC or any of their Open solving tournaments!
Average rating of top ten solvers: 2425.90 | WSC category: 5
Top 5 WSC Standings: 1. Eddy Van Beers (BEL) 69 points (unchanged), 2. Martynas Limontas (LTU) 46 points (+19), 3. Vidmantas Satkus (LTU) 39 points (unchanged), 4. Roland Ott (SUI) 29 points (unchanged), 5. David Hodge (GBR) 29 points (unchanged).
More details published in Competitions→Solving→World Solving Cup @ Solving Portal


OSCY 2024-1 – Winners

Winners across all age groups of the WFCC Online Solving Challenge for Youth 1st round were:

  • Classical: Maksim Kharitonov ahead of Nikita Ushakov, Danila Pavlov and Viktoriya Kharitonova
  • Blitz: Danila Pavlov ahead of Maksim Kharitonov, Daniel Dumitrescu and Grigory Filin

all with 100% scores (Maksim & Danila were the quicker). There were 34 solvers in each discipline.

Age group winners were:

 ClassicalBlitzScores
9-10Luka TyrtyshnikovLuka Tyrtyshnikov12 & 84
11-12Viktoriya KharitonovaTimur Parpiev30 & 96
13-14Maksim KharitonovMaksim Kharitonov30 & 100
15-16Nikita UshakovAnirudh Daga30 & 96
17-18Nikolay ZhuginDaniel Dumitrescu28.7 & 100
19-20Maxim RomanovIlija Serafimovic25 & 97
21-23Danila PavlovDanila Pavlov30 & 100

More details are published in Competitions >> Solving and at http://www.ihandicap.mobi/oscy/

Highlights of Challenge 1 were the success of the Kharitonov family (which featured three 100% scores) and the most welcome presence of World Champion Danila Pavlov who, in the Blitz round, rattled off 20 correct solutions in 7 minutes. Africa were well represented by solvers from Morocco and Nigeria; with Youssef Kozizi achieving a great score in the Blitz and Lovelyn Agbo so determined to complete the Blitz round that she went to the trouble of downloading a replacement browser in place of her mischievous Chrome version.

Technically, nearly everything went according to plan, with almost all obstacles overcome. The Blitz scoring system worked particularly well. The strength of the strongest was much higher than expected (with many at WCSC level), so problems in future challenges could be made a little tougher.

OSCY Challenge 2 will be held on Sunday 10/3/2024 at 12:30 (your Local time).

Brian Cook, OSCY Director


Helsinki 17.02.2024 – World Solving Cup 2023/2024

45th Finnish Chess Solving Championship 2024 | 5th tournament of World Solving Cup 2023/2024:
Participants: 16 | Winner: Jorma Paavilainen (FIN – Finnish champion!) ahead of Kari Karhunen (FIN) and Paavo Tikka (FIN).
Average rating of top ten solvers: 2120.16 | WSC category: 11
Top 5 WSC Standings (unchanged): 1. Eddy Van Beers (BEL) 69 points, 2. Vidmantas Satkus (LTU) 39 points, 3. Roland Ott (SUI) 29 points, 4. David Hodge (GBR) 29 points, 5. Martynas Limontas (LTU) 27 points.
More details published in Competitions→Solving→World Solving Cup @ Solving Portal


Harrow on the Hill (London) 17.02.2024 – World Solving Cup 2023/2024

Winton British Chess Solving Championship 2024 | 4th tournament of World Solving Cup 2023/2024:
Participants: 31 | Winner: Eddy Van Beers (BEL) ahead of Vidmantas Satkus (LTU) and Abdelaziz Onkoud (FRA – 3rd IM norm).
British Champion, again David Hodge (4th Place) before Jonathan Mestel (5th Place).
Average rating of top ten solvers: 2447.89 | WSC category: 5
Top 5 WSC Standings: 1. Eddy Van Beers (BEL) 69 points (+27), 2. Vidmantas Satkus (LTU) 39 points (+23), 3. Roland Ott (SUI) 29 points (+10), 4. David Hodge (GBR) 29 points (+16), 5. Martynas Limontas (LTU) 27 points (+4).
More details published in Competitions→Solving→World Solving Cup @ Solving Portal


ISC 2024 – FINAL results

20th International Solving Contest (ISC) 21th January 2024

We had 41 tournaments in 26 countries and 669 solvers from 46 countries (24 unofficial solvers in cat-3) – 171 solvers in cat-1, 236 solvers in cat-2 and 262 solvers in cat-3. Thanks 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, to Luc Palmans who checked  Cat1, to Andy Ooms who checked  Cat2, Bohumil Moravčik who helped a lot with the selection of the problems.

Arvydas Mockus, Central Controller of ISC 2024.

Problems CAT1 – CAT2 – CAT3 | Solutions CAT1 – CAT2 – CAT3 | Results CAT1CAT2CAT3

PRESENTATION of ISC results


The 20 years of ISC (2005-2024)

The idea to organize the International Solving Contest, simultaneously in many countries, came from Uri Avner in the year 2003. After a period of preparation the 1st ISC was held in January 2005. The winner was Roland Baier (SUI) and Ward Stoffelen was the Central controller. With 27 tournaments in 23 countries and 262 solvers it was already the greatest solving tournament in history.

After the success of the first edition, it was decided that the next tournament in 2006 should be rated, and that a second category for less experienced solvers should be included. In the following years ISC became a standard in the second half of January and the number of participants grew until more than 400.

In 2015 a third category for kids under the age of 13 was established. The record number of participants was reached in 2020, with 885 solvers in 31 countries. Later on, the regularity of ISC wasn’t interrupted even during the Covid crisis. The ISC became an opportunity for many solvers around the world to compete and get initial ratings. Also, nearly all top solvers have been using this tournament to test their skills. The record holder is Piotr Murdzia (POL) with six wins in the 1st Category competition.

Axel Steinbrink,
Central controller of 14 ISC tournaments


New Closing Date for ECSC Registration

The new closing date for the 17. ECSC (https://www.ecsc2024.de) to be held at Hagen, Germany at April 19-21, 2024 is

March 15, 2024.

Entry fee is 60 EUR for registration and payment received until March 15, 75 EUR later (limited availability). For registration the Open Solving tourney only the fee is 20 EUR.

One more change: The Open solving on Friday (April 19) will start two hours later, at 17:00 and run until 20:30. This seems to be more convenient for solvers travelling on Friday.

Details can be found at the invitation and the registration pages.

Official website | Invitation in PDF | Please REGISTER by March 15, 2024


Happy Chess Composition Day, with the 1st OSCY launch!

Since 2007, our community has been marking January 4th as the International Day of Chess Composition, inspired by an article from 155 years ago, where chess composition was declared a kind of art. Today we are doing it in the contemporary spirit, launching the 1st WFCC Online Solving Challenge for Youth (OSCY).

The 1st OSCY unites efforts of very different generations. You may see here the OSCY video promotion made by the young Anirudh Daga, who also contributed to some elements of design.

And here is the Press Release text by our senior member Brian Cook, the heart and soul of the whole project:

As the WFCC announce their new bi-monthly Online Solving Challenge for Youth (OSCY), never has there been a better time for young chess players from 5 to 21 years old to test their skills at chess problem solving. It isn’t unusual to find that those who have taken the plunge converting their modest FIDE ratings into much higher solver ratings, earning norms and titles in the process. Free of the need for detailed knowledge of openings and strategy, their exceptional tactical skills have flourished with astonishing results. Rather than solving/composing a fast evolving web of typical threats & traps set by/for their opponents, solvers are generally confronted with a few won positions (often composed by GMs of Chess Composition) of greater complexity and/or featuring an unusual concept. Greatest of the many success stories in this regard are GMs of Solving:

Danila Pavlov – 21 year-old 3 x World Champion and No.1 (rated 2820 for solving, 2361 by FIDE), Ural Khasanov – 17 year-old World No.5 (solving at around 1000 rating points higher than he plays), not to mention 14 year old Anna Shukhman, World No.1 for women.

Full OSCY details are provided at the tournament website along with  much of what needs to be known by beginners PLUS World Champion coaching and, except for <€10 for coaching, it’s all FREE. See the WFCC Announcement.

As Online and @Home solving has become more popular (at both grass-roots and elite levels), a smooth pathway is emerging from informal to the many rated/physical tournaments at which titles are earned. So, please give OSCY a try and avoid missing out on what may be your personal chess paradise.

NOTES:

  1. Unusual pieces such as ‘nightriders’, ‘grasshoppers’, etc are not indulged in OSCY. They remain strictly for the ‘fairies’
  2. For anyone pressed for time – the home of our QuickStart Guide

Solvers’ ratings January 1st 2024

Solvers’ ratings as of January 1st 2024 produced by the Solving Tournament Manager are published on the WFCC Solving Portal.
8 tournaments of the 4th quarter 2023 are included: 21st Greek Chess Solving Championship 2023, 32nd Kedainiai Cup 2023, 38th Open Swiss Solving Championship 2023, 4th Branko Babic Memorial 2023, 28th Belgian Solving Championship 2023, 32nd Henk Hagedoorn Memorial 2023, Solving Championship of Romania 2023, 8th Greek Chess Solving Cup 2023.
Ranking of the top ten solvers (unchanged): 1. Danila Pavlov (FID) 2820.30, 2. Georgy Evseev (FID) 2747.29, 3. Kacper Piorun (POL) 2715.44, 4. Piotr Murdzia (POL) 2678.75, 5. Ural Khasanov (FID) 2649.49, 6. John Nunn (GBR) 2629.68, 7. Eddy Van Beers (BEL) 2616.38, 8. Aleksey Popov (FID) 2575.00, 9. Kevinas Kuznecovas (LTU) 2574.54, 10. Marko Filipović (CRO) 2564.95.
Largest five gains: junior Alexandru Mihalcescu, ROU (+29.23), Wouter van Rijn, NED (+21.86), junior Ioannis Kollias, GRE (+13.70), Martynas Limontas, LTU (+12.42), Jakub Marciniszyn, POL (+12.34).


Happy New Year 2024!

The winners of the WFCC Christmas Gallery Contest 2023

M. Witztum & E. Navon
1. Place CGC 2023/A (133 points)

Živan Šušulić
2. Place CGC 2023-A (125 points)

Andrey Frolkin
3. Place CGC 2023-A
(113 points)


Udo Degener
1. Place CGC 2023-B (114 points)

Jorma Paavilainen
2. Place CGC 2023-B (104.5 points)

Alexey Gasparyan
3. Place CGC 2023-B (103.5 points)


Zlatko Mihajloski
1. Place CGC 2023-C (124 points)

Janos Koczian
2. Place CGC 2023-C (121 points)

Henry Tanner
3. Place CGC 2023-C (116 points)


Happy New Year 2024 to all friends of chess composition!

There will be many challenges for chess composers, and some of those you may find in the online WFCC Composing Calendar, established at the beginning of this month. It is still in the process of completing, and you can contribute to it by sending links to the announcements and awards to the given address.

The last tournament of 2023 was the friendly WFCC Christmas Gallery Contest, announced on 09.12. In less than 2 weeks it attracted 34 authors from 17 countries, with 43 compositions. They were all published in our Christmas post, and the solutions with comments followed there on 27.12.

Till 29.12 we got 37 awards in Sections: A (14 awards), B (9), and C (14). The suggested system of collective judging worked well thanks to CGC director Kenneth Solja, WFCC webmaster Julia Vysotska and the next 23 judges from 15 countries:

Hauke Reddmann (Section A), Vlaicu Crisan (A&C), Ralf Kraetschmer (C), Andrey Frolkin (B&C), Udo Degener (A), Kenneth Solja (A), Mario Parrinello (B&C), Srećko Radović (B&C), Wilfried Neef (A&C), Mikhail Shalashov (B&C), Aleksandr Feoktistov (A&C), Bela Majoros (B&C), Nikola Petković (A), Janos Csak (C), Živan Šušulić (B), Alexey Gasparyan (A&C), Piotr Gorski (A, B & C), Zlatko Mihajloski (A), Jorma Paavilainen (A&C), Henry Tanner (A&B), Menachem Witztum (C), Brennan Price (A), and Viktoras Paliulionis (A&B).

Altogether, the CGC 2023 engaged 36 contributors (composers + judges) from 19 countries, and inspired 43 Christmas compositions. We hope you will like the winners of all 3 sections published here, as well as many of the remaining entries in the Final placements (PDF).

As Solving Tournaments Calendar shows, there will be a lot of fun and challenge on the table already in January, starting from the 1st WFCC Online Solving Challenge for Youth (14.01). A week later (21.01), the 20th International Solving Contest will unite participants from many countries around the world. February will bring the first 2024 competitions of the World Solving Cup 2023-24, simultaneously in Helsinki and London (17.02). The highlights of the solving year will be 17th ECSC in Hagen (19-21.04) and during 66th WCCC in Jurmala (27.07-03.08), including the 47th WCSC.

Have a fruitful, joyful and peaceful 2024! – Marjan Kovačević, WFCC President