Category: ECSC

ECSC 2026: Internet Composing Tourney

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On the occasion of the 19th European Chess Solving Championship (ECSC), organised by the chess club “Gambit” ASSECO-SEE with the support of the Chess Federation of North Macedonia, in the country’s capital Skopje from 8 to 10 May 2026, an Internet composing tourney was announced for mates in 3 moves (#3) and helpmates in 2.5 or 3 moves (h#2.5 or h#3). The tourney judge Zoran Gavrilovski set the following theme:
Shift of at least 2 white moves and/or 2 black moves, which appear in different stages of at least 2 variations (including a threat) of #3 or 2-n solutions (not twins) of h#2.5 or h#3.
-> Preliminary Award

ECSC 2026: Machine Gun

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09.05.26. One of the side-events during the 19.ECSC was the so called Machine Gun, the competition in quick solving problems in two moves (#2, h#2, S#2). Borislav Gadjanski selected the problems and directed the event that attracted 43 solvers. As in the main solving competitions, it was dominated by Danila Pavlov, with Kacper Piorun and Piotr Murdzia taking the 2nd and 3rd place respectively.

Results | Problems & Solutions

19. ECSC Skopje 2026

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09-10.05.2026, 19th European Chess Solving Championship – FINAL RESULTS:

The 20th Chess Olympiad, held in Skopje in 1972, featured the first Olympic meeting of problemists, including a solving tourney directed by my father Gligor Denkovski. Half a century later, it was an honour for me to take on such a role at another major gathering of chess problemists, held at Hotel Kontinental – one of the few surviving artefacts of Skopje’s history as an Olympic city.
This year’s ECSC was dominated by Danila Pavlov and Ural Khasanov, who finished first and second, respectively, in both the open tourney and the championship. In the open tourney, they were followed by Maksim Kharitonov, while Kacper Piorun took bronze in the championship. In the team contest, Poland delivered a strong performance and finished first, ahead of Lithuania and Ukraine. Khasanov also finished first among juniors, Jorma Paavilainen was the top senior, and junior competitor Ekaterina Shestakova won the unofficial women’s category.
– Ivan Denkovski, 19th ECSC Director

Individual | Team | Seniors | Women | Juniors | Norms and Titles
Problems | Solutions | Problem Difficulty

WFCC Fujairah Grand Prix results: Money Prizes | Points | Standings

10.05.2026. The second day of the 19th European Chess Solving Championship. Rounds 4, 5, 6.

Preliminary results after Round 4: Individual | Team

Preliminary results after Round 5: Individual | Team

Preliminary results after Round 6: Individual | Team

09.05.2026. The first day of the 19th European Chess Solving Championship which is a part of WFCC Fujairah Grand Prix. Rounds 1, 2, 3.

Preliminary results after Round 1: Individual | Team

Preliminary results after Round 2: Individual | Team

Preliminary results after Round 3: Individual | Team

Skopje ECSC 2026: Press Conference

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08.05.2026: The program of the 19th European Chess Solving Championship started with a press conference in the Continental Hotel, the venue of the event. The main ECSC organizer Zoran Stojčevski, the president of Chess Federation of North Macedonia Saša Bogdanović, the WFCC President Marjan Kovačević, and the WFCC 1st Vice-President Abdulla Ali Aal Barket adressed a group of domestic journalists, eager to know many details about the ECSC and the WFCC Fujairah Grand Prix 2025-26.

19th ECSC: official website

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Welcome to the official website of the 19th European Chess Solving Championship!

The Technical Organizer, Chess Club Gambit Asseco SEE, with the support of the Chess Federation of North Macedonia – Commission for Chess Composition, has the honour to invite European national teams and individual solvers to participate in the 19th European Chess Solving Championship (ECSC).

  • The ECSC 2026 will be held from Friday, 8 May, to Sunday, 10 May 2026, at the Hotel Continental, Blvd. Aleksandar Makedonski, 1000 Skopje, North Macedonia.
  • As part of the WFCC Fujairah Grand Prix 2025–26, the Skopje ECSC 2026 will also be open to solvers from all over the world.
  • Entries for the ECSC Internet Tourney 2026 should be sent to zoran.gavrilovski@gmail.com until 30.04.2026.

PDF Announcement | Official website of ECSC 2026 | Contact e-mail: zorans@asee.io

19th European Chess Solving Championship: Invitation

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Invitation to the 19th European Chess Solving Championship

The Technical Organizer, Chess Club Gambit Asseco SEE, with the support of the Chess Federation of North Macedonia – Commission for Chess Composition, has the honour to invite European national teams and individual solvers to participate in the 19th European Chess Solving Championship (ECSC).

The ECSC 2026 will be held from Friday, 8 May, to Sunday, 10 May 2026, at the Hotel Continental, Blvd. Aleksandar Makedonski, 1000 Skopje, North Macedonia.

As part of the WFCC Fujairah Grand Prix 2025–26, the Skopje ECSC 2026 will also be open to solvers from all over the world.

PDF Announcement
You can reach us at: zorans@asee.io

18. ECSC Athens

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13 teams and 77 individuals (3 unofficial without rating calculations) from 17 countries participated in the 18th European Chess Solving Championship in Athens, that was also the 1st leg of the new competition, the WFCC Fujairah Grand Prix 2025-26.

18. ECSC Final Results

  • The three top teams: Poland, Greece 1, Lithuania
  • The three top individuals: Eddy Van Beers, Piotr Murdzia, Martynas Limontas

Athens was the ECSC venue for the third time in the last ten years. Such an experience has contributed to the exceptionally high level of the organization, lead by Nikos and George Mendrinos. The gorgeous palace of the University of Athens offered memorable conditions for the weekend full of solving events.

My work on selecting the ECSC problems started on 9th October 2024, in a perfect coordination with Axel Steinbrink. In January the complete selection was agreed, but on 19th January one of the selected problems appeared in ISC, and had to be replaced. The final standings prove the optimal balance of difficulty: no problem went unsolved, and nobody reached the maximal 90 points. The average number of points (from zero to 81) was 44.3, and the solver in the middle of the standings (38. Audrey Kueh) gained 42.5 points. These numbers are optimal and I’m very pleased about them.

The ECSC results were counted for the 1st leg of the WFCC Fujairah Grand Prix 2025-26. It asked for a more strict anti-cheating measures than before, including the use of metal-detector in two longest rounds, when going to the toilet was allowed. This was achieved with the help of the WFCC Secretary Mohammad Alhallak. Solvers reacted appropriately and no incidents or series remarks were registered.

I would like to stress cooperation with the “best assistant in the world” Axel Steinbrink, the expert No.1 in all solving matters. Without him I wouldn’t fulfill my role on the desired level. I was assisting him on the Open, when Nikos Mendrinos made an excellent selection, and the WFCC Honorary President Harry Fougiaxis was the best helper we could have, during the both competitions. We all enjoyed the perfect technical help from George Mendrinos.

Borislav Gadjanski, 18th ECSC Director