Bedrich Formánek (6.6.1933 – 19.11.2023)

Bedrich Formánek passed away on November 19, 2023, at the age of 90. A long-time the President of the Slovak Chess Composition Organization (SOKŠ) and later its Honorary President, a former President of the Permanent Commission for Chess Composition (PCCC) and then the Honorary President of the World Federation for Chess Composition (WFCC), member of the SOKŠ Hall of Fame, chess composer, judge, lecturer, organizer, author of several books on chess composition and its tireless promoter, author of 7,475 chess composition columns in newspapers, chess godfather of many Slovak chess composers, but above all a great person and a good friend.
We will certainly return to his work, life and compositions for a very long time.

Bedrich, rest in peace.

Executive Board of the Slovak Chess Composition Organization


Jurmala will host 66th WCCC and 47th WCSC (27.07 – 03.08.2024)

WFCC online Meeting, 8th November 2023

30 Member Countries took part in the WFCC online Meeting that was mostly devoted to discussion about the future WFCC events and the host of the 66th WCCC and 47th WCSC 2024.

At the beginning, the FIDE Album Committee spokesman Harry Fougiaxis announced the new title-holders in chess composition:

  • Grandmaster: Steffen Slumstrup Nielsen (DEN)
  • International Master: Karen Sumbatyan (RUS)
  • FIDE Masters: Sergiy Didukh (UKR), Daniel Keith (FRA), Jan Sprenger (GER), Aleksandr Stavrietsky (RUS)

Congratulations!!

These norms were fulfilled according to the results of the Section D (endgames) of the FIDE Album 2019-2021, published on 4th November.

→read more: WSC rules and discussion by country…

This long-lasting session was interrupted after speeches of some other delegates, to execute secret voting while all participants were still present. Out of 30 delegates in the Zoom Meeting 21 gave vote to Jurmala, four to Rhodes and three to Rio de Janeiro. One delegate didn’t vote and one was abstained. After adding two more votes sent by email, Jurmala convincingly won straight majority with 23 votes from 32 delegates.

With such a wide support, we will be preparing for a memorable Congress in Latvia, from 27th July to 3rd August 2024!

After the voting some delegates had to leave, while others continued the review by countries.

→read more: discussion by country…

This Zoom Meeting was excellently organized by the secretary Mohammad Alhallak. He also replaced the UAE delegate Abdulla Ali Aal Barket in presenting optimistic plans about development of solving in the UAE, in neighboring countries and in the whole Asia.

Marjan Kovačević, WFCC president


FIDE Album 2019-21 Section D results

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

A reasonably high number of 1015 studies (not counting 13 duplicates) were received. 873 compositions scored at least 4,5 points (86% of the total entries, a very good percentage). 179 studies out of them scored at least 8 points, which represents a good ratio of 20,5% selected compositions. It is a great pity that we present the results with such delay: one of the appointed judges failed repeatedly to meet the schedule requirements, so at the end of September it was decided that another judge should complete the rest of the work (1/3 of the entries). Our compliments to the substitute judge: he managed to finish his part in slightly less than a month!

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

We shall update and issue the overall list of the title points in the coming days.

Update (6.11.2023): A few hours after the results were announced, the director realised that he had accidentally misplaced the PDF file submitted by a composer. The judges reviewed these 8 studies swiftly: 2 of them (joint compositions) are selected in the album! Numbers in the above post and in the page of the results have been properly updated.

Harry Fougiaxis, FIDE Album Committee spokesman


Geel 28.10.2023 – World Solving Cup 2023/2024

28th Open Belgian Solving Championship 2023 | 3rd tournament of World Solving Cup 2023/2024:
Participants: 14 | Winner: Eddy Van Beers (BEL – Belgian Champion) ahead of Roland Ott (SUI) and Nikos Sidiropoulos (GRE).
Average rating of top ten solvers: 2357.56 | WSC category: 6
Top 5 WSC Standings: 1. Eddy Van Beers (BEL) 42 points (+23), 2. Martynas Limontas (LTU) 23 points (unchanged), 3. Roland Ott (SUI) 19 points (+19), 4. Nikos Sidiropoulos (GRE) 16 points (+16), 5. Vidmantas Satkus (LTU) 16 points (unchanged).
More details published in Competitions→Solving→World Solving Cup @ Solving Portal


Invitation to the 20th  ISC

The International Solving Contest next year will take place on Sunday 21.01.2024. 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 31.12.2010.

The name of the locally appointed controller must reach the central controllers by email not later than 31.12.2023arvydas.mockus@gmail.compalmans.luc@skynet.be

Announcement of 20th ISC | Rules of ISC

Arvydas Mockus, 20th ISC Controller


Bern 14.10.2023 – World Solving Cup 2023/2024

38th Open Swiss Solving Championship 2023 | 2nd tournament of World Solving Cup 2023/2024:
Participants: 16 | Winner: Martynas Limontas (LTU) ahead of Eddy Van Beers (BEL) and Vidmantas Satkus (LTU).
Klaus Köchli (SUI) Swiss Champion on the 6th Place
Average rating of top ten solvers: 2368.03 | WSC category: 6
Top 5 WSC Standings: 1. Martynas Limontas (LTU) 23 points, 2. Eddy Van Beers (BEL) 19 points, 3. Vidmantas Satkus (LTU) 16 points, 4. Ronald Schäfer (GER) 13 points, 5. Arno Zude (GER) 10 points.
More details published in Competitions→Solving→World Solving Cup @ Solving Portal


65th WCCC – Highlights and Decisions

31 member countries were present, 4 of them via Zoom connection. Armenia was welcomed as the 44th member country of the Federation.

Upcoming events 2024:

20th International Solving Contest (ISC) on 21 January 2024, central organizers Luc Palmans and Arvydas Mockus.

17th European Chess Solving Championship (ECSC) iHagen, Germany 19-21 April 2024.

66th World Congress of Chess Composition (WCCC) and 47th World Chess Solving Championship (WCSC): the deadline for bids extended till October 15, decision postponed for the WFCC online Meeting.


Athens 1.10.2023 – World Solving Cup 2023/2024

21st Greek Chess Solving Championship 2023 | 1st tournament of World Solving Cup 2023/2024:
Participants: 10 | Winner: Nikos Mendrinos (GRE – Greek champion!) ahead of Panagiotis Konidaris (GRE) and Panagiotis Masouros (GRE).
Average rating of top ten solvers: 1894.99 | WSC category: 14
Standings: 1. Nikos Mendrinos (GRE) 2 points, 2. Panagiotis Konidaris (GRE) 1 point.
More details published in Competitions→Solving→World Solving Cup @ Solving Portal


Solvers’ ratings October 1st 2023

Solvers’ ratings as of October 1st 2023 produced by the Solving Tournament Manager are published on the WFCC Solving Portal.
Only 4 tournaments of the 3rd quarter 2023 are included: 5th Ukrainian Cup 2023, 31st Czech Chess Solving Championship 2023, Open Solving Tournament of WCCC 2023, 46th World Chess Solving Championship 2023.
Ranking of the top ten solvers: Ural Khasanov (FID) moved up 4 places from 9th to 5th place and Aleksey Popov moved up 7 places from 15th to 8th place!
Largest five gains: women junior Anna Shukhman, FID (+123), junior Nikita Ushakov, FID (+111.34), women junior Daria Dvoeglazova, ISR (+85.84), junior Egor Sokolov, FID (+77.62), Kacper Piorun, POL (+70.78).