Happy International Chess Day!

The United Nations picked July 20 to to mark the date of the International Chess Federation’s establishment in 1924, and to promote chess. This is also our day, let’s celebrate it with some delightful chess compositions on our boards!

Many of you across the world will celebrate International Chess Day with various activities and happenings all about our beloved game. On this day, we want to reinforce the tradition started in previous years: we ask members of the chess community to teach someone how to play chess. The more, the merrier! Be it your neighbour, niece, colleague or grandfather, let’s make the chess family grow. Don’t forget to share your experience on social media using the hashtag #Internationalchessday. Let’s make our celebrations really big and prove that chess is the most played game in the world!


FIDE Album 2019-21 Section A results

The results of the FIDE Album 2019-21 section A are ready!

1029 twomovers scored at least 4,5 points (out of the totally submitted 1250 entries), a very good percentage of 82,3%. Out of this lot, 233 compositions are selected with 8+ points (including 41 qualifying from WCCI), a reasonable percentage of 22,6%.

Many thanks to the director and the judges for their hard and efficient work!

Harry Fougiaxis, FIDE Album Committee spokesman


FIDE Album 2019-21 Section F results

The results of the FIDE Album 2019-21 section F are ready!

962 selfmates scored at least 4,5 points (out of the totally submitted 994 entries), a pleasantly very high percentage of 96,8%. Out of this lot, 270 compositions are selected with 8+ points (including 65 qualifying from WCCI), a high percentage of 28,1%. The recent development and quality increase of selfmates is evident: 55 more compositions are selected compared to the previous album.

Many thanks to the director and the judges for their hard and efficient work!

Harry Fougiaxis, FIDE Album Committee spokesman


11th FIDE World Cup in Composing 2023 – Preliminary results – H

FIDE-logo

The preliminary results in section H – Retros (PDF) are already published and can be found above the Announcement, in the Preliminary Results section. Preliminary results are published without names. Names will appear in the final results. Claims of defects and anticipations can be sent to the Director during one month after the publication of the preliminary results (until 08.08.2023).


Solvers’ ratings July 1st 2023

Solvers’ ratings as of July 1st 2023 produced by the Solving Tournament Manager are published on the WFCC Solving Portal.
14 tournaments of the 2nd quarter 2023 are included: 49th Latvian Chess Solving Championship 2023, Open Solving Championship of Serbia 2023, 37th Ukrainian Championship 2023, Open Solving Tournament Lithuania 2023, 44th Lithuanian Championship 2023, 31st Chess Solving Championship of Slovakia 2023, Winton British Chess Solving Championship 2023, 44th French Chess Solving Championship 2023, Open Solving Tournament of ECSC 2023, 16th European Chess Solving Championship 2023, 45th German Solving Championship 2023, 42nd Azerbaijan Chess Solving Championship 2023, 8th Israel Open Solving Championship 2023, 8th Israel Open Solving Championship 2023 – Category 2.
Ranking of the top ten solvers: Eddy Van Beers overtook John Nunn from the 7th to the 6th place and Kevinas Kuznecovas gained 50 places to the 10th place.
Largest five gains: junior Kevinas Kuznecovas, LTU (+216.88), women junior Kamila Hryshchenko, GBR (+166.96), Arvydas Mockus, LTU (+131.61), junior Taras Rudenko, UKR (+107.86), women junior Daria Dvoeglazova, ISR (+86.01).


World Solving Cup 2022/2023 – Ra’anana 25.6.2023

8th Israel Open Solving Championship 2023 | 15th tournament of World Solving Cup 2022/2023:
Participants: 17 | Winner: Danila Pavlov (FID – also winner of the multiple locations tournament) ahead of Ofer Comay (ISR – Israel Champion) and Igor Yarmonov (UKR)
Average rating of top ten solvers: 2261.58 | WSC category: 8
Top 5 World Solving Cup: 1. Kevinas Kuznecovas (LTU) 90 points (unchanged), 2. Martynas Limontas (LTU) 71 points (unchanged), 3. Piotr Murdzia (POL) 64 points (unchanged), 4. Eddy Van Beers (BEL) 50 points (unchanged), 5. Danila Pavlov (FID) 47 points (+16 points).
More details published in Competitions→Solving→World Solving Cup @ Solving Portal


Note: The rating list as of 1st July 2023 is not yet ready to be published because results of the local tournaments outside of Israel are not yet confirmed.
But results of the Israel tournament which is part of the WSC are final and might only have a slight change of the Performance Rating based on changes of the overall tournament.


World Solving Cup 2022/2023 – Sumgait 24./25.6.2023

42nd Azerbaijan Chess Solving Championship 2023 | 14th tournament of World Solving Cup 2022/2023:
Participants: 33 | Winner: Araz Almammadov (AZE – (Azerbaijan Champion for the 16th time!) ahead of junior solvers Iaroslav Tarasenko (FID) and Maksim Kharitonov (FID)
Average rating of top ten solvers: 1951.16 | WSC category: 14
Top 5 World Solving Cup (unchanged: 1. Kevinas Kuznecovas (LTU) 90 points, 2. Martynas Limontas (LTU) 71 points, 3. Piotr Murdzia (POL) 64 points, 4. Eddy Van Beers (BEL) 50 points, 5. Jonathan Mestel (GBR) 46 points.
More details published in Competitions→Solving→World Solving Cup @ Solving Portal


FIDE Album 2019-21 Section H results

The results of the FIDE Album 2019-21 section H are ready!

352 retros/proofgames scored at least 4,5 points (out of the totally submitted 375 entries), a pleasantly very high percentage of 93,8%. Out of this lot, 77 compositions are selected with 8+ points (including 24 qualifying from WCCI), a reasonable percentage of 21,9%.

Many thanks to the director and the judges for their hard and efficient work!

Update 28.06.2023: A version of a cooked length-record PG by the late Unto Heinonen was added.

Harry Fougiaxis, FIDE Album Committee spokesman


FIDE Album 2019-21 Section B results

The results of the FIDE Album 2019-21 section B are ready!

797 threemovers scored at least 4,5 points (out of the totally submitted 950 entries), a very good percentage of 83,9%. Out of this lot, 169 compositions are selected with 8+ points (including 65 qualifying from WCCI), a reasonable percentage of 21,2%.

Many thanks to the director and the judges for their hard and efficient work!

Harry Fougiaxis, FIDE Album Committee spokesman


World Solving Cup 2022/2023 – Gera 17./18.6.2023

45th German Solving Championship 2023 | 13th tournament of World Solving Cup 2022/2023:
Participants: 21 | Winner: Ulrich Voigt (GER – German Champion and 3rd IM norm!) ahead of Boris Tummes (GER) and Arno Zude (GER)
Average rating of top ten solvers: 2385.61 | WSC category: 6
Top 5 World Solving Cup: 1. Kevinas Kuznecovas (LTU) 90 points (unchanged), 2. Martynas Limontas (LTU) 71 points (+10), 3. Piotr Murdzia (POL) 64 points (unchanged), 4. Eddy Van Beers (BEL) 50 points (unchanged), 5. Jonathan Mestel (GBR) 46 points (unchanged).

More details published in Competitions→Solving→
World Solving Cup @ Solving Portal