The 9th YCCC 2025 is open to the U23 generation (born 2002 or later), matching the age limit for juniors in the WFCC solving competitions (WCSC, ECSC, ISC). This year YCCC has one section with strict thematic condition (A – #2) and two sections without set themes (B – endgame studies and C – all kinds of compositions except orthodox endgames). Each participant may send one entry per section. Joint works are not accepted.
Overall standings and prizes
According to the overall standings, the five most successful composers from five different countries (the best one from each country) will be rewarded with 500 Euros vouchers for the expenses of taking part in the World Congress of Chess Composition & World Chess Solving Championship 2026, or for the European Chess Solving Championship 2026.
Winton British Chess Solving Championship 2025 | 4th tournament of World Solving Cup 2024/2025: Participants: 28 | Winner: Eddy Van Beers (BEL) ahead of David Hodge (GBR – British Champion!) and Vidmantas Satkus (LTU). Joost Michielsen (NED) 4th Place with first FM norm! Average rating of top ten solvers: 2397.73 | WSC category: 6 Top 5 WSC Standings: 1. Eddy Van Beers (BEL) 46 points (+23), 2. Kacper Piorun (POL) 36 points (unchanged), 3. Kevinas Kuznecovas (LTU) 35 points (unchanged), 4. Roland Baier (SUI) 31 points (unchanged), 5. Martynas Limontas (LTU) 31 points (unchanged). More details published in Competitions→Solving→World Solving Cup & Norms @ Solving Portal
“We had 46 tournaments in 28 countries and 745 solvers (15 unofficial solvers in cat-3) – 184 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.”
Note: The Central Controller did not accept four results of the Category 1. However these results have been accepted by the Solving Committee.
Appeals and protests can be sent until February 24, 2025 to the Central Controller (arvydas.mockus@gmail.com) and to the Solving Commitee (wfcc-solving-committee@googlegroups.com). The final presentation of the 21th ISC results will be published later.
The Official Website of the 18th European Chess Solving Championship is launched!
The ECSC 2025 will be held from Friday, April 25th to Sunday, April 27th in the center of Athens in Greece.
VENUE: The main hall of University of Athens (https://maps.app.goo.gl/qeE2r84YG7ZWpHwS8) Address: Panepistimiou Street 30, right outside the “Panepistimio” metro station.
Barry Peter Barnes (1937-2025) was a tireless promoter of the best in chess composition art for 70 years, since his first published problem in 1954. With his contemporaries Michael Lipton and John Rice, in the late 1950s and early 1960s he revolutionised the British two-mover, moving from the single phase fashion to modern multiphase contents. Their joint book “The Two-Move Chess Problem: Tradition and Development” (1966) was a glorious monument to their revolution, and a brilliant gift for future generations.
Barry’s open mind and readiness for novelties never changed, up to the last problems he composed, and his final award, completed quite recently for The Hopper. Whatever the state of his health or private obligations, he was always there to help chess composers and promote the growth of chess composition.
The late 1960s were full of rewards and new engagements for Barry. In 1966 he was invited by the FIDE PCCC President Comins Mansfield to act as the PCCC Secretary. He was later to fulfil a promise to Mansfield to publish his complete output. Barry became a long-lasting British Delegate, PCCC Vice-President, and an Honorary Member. In 1967, only 30 years old, he earned the titles of lnternational Master of the FIDE for Chess Composition and lnternational Judge of the FIDE for Chess Composition.
Barry made a great contribution to The Problemist, writing numerous articles including a number of amusing Sherlock Holmes stories. He edited the two-move originals from 1964 to 1997, helping generations of newcomers with their early steps in the genre. My time to learn from him started half a century ago, and never ended. His kind postcards and letters definitely shaped my love for the two-mover, and The Problemist became my favourite magazine. Later, aside from the magazines, I started receiving his new books, always with noble contents and gentle inscriptions.
His last publications were his “blue book” and the “red book”. Behind the self-ironical subtitle “BPB – COMPOSER – A SHADOW OF HIS FORMER SELF”, one finds all that made Barry an icon of chess composition throughout his life. These books are full of love for his friends and his family up to his great-grandchildren, with compositions and comments full of subtle humour, kindness and highly independent thinking.
My deepest condolences go to Barry’s dear wife Jean, to his large and so beloved family, and to all British chess problemists. We share the same, irreparable loss. Barry’s endless optimism; his work, problems and books, will live as a sparkling advertisement of how chess composition may be a noble art that shares joy and friendship around the world.
Barry’s publications:
The two move chess problem: Tradition and development (with Michael Lipton and John Rice) 1966
Pick of the best chess problems 1976
Comins Mansfield MBE: Chess problems of a Grandmaster 1976
White to play and mate in two 1991
A.R.Gooderson: An English Progressive 1996
Complete Mansfield (3 volumes) 1996-99
Barnes about chess problems 2001
Conquering Kings 2004
B.P.Barnes Collected chess problems 2018
The BCPS Centenary Review 1918-2018 (with Michael McDowell) 2020
Romanian Chess Federation and ’Mihnea Costachi Chess Academy’ Association have the honor to invite all delegates of the World Federation for Chess Composition (WFCC), national teams and individual solvers, chess composers and all those interested in problem chess, to attend the 67th World Congress of Chess Composition (WCCC) and 48th World Chess Solving Championship (WCSC). Romanian Chess Federation will also celebrate its centennial in 2025. The congress will be held from Saturday, July 5th (arrival) to Saturday, July 12th, 2025 (departure) at ’Cetate Hotel’ *** in Alba Iulia (Romania), with the WCSC on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 8th and 9th. The WCCC 2025 director is IM Mihnea Costachi.
