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The World Chess Solving Championship – Solving Chess Problems

The World Chess Solving Championship is one of the most challenging chess tournaments in existence today, and in terms of a world chess championship is unparallel in determining the leading thinkers in chess. Held every 2 years, the World Chess Solving Championship is organized by the Permanent Commission of the FIDE for Chess Compositions (PCCC), and is open to national players and individuals from across the globe who compete in several different styles of chess problem in order to verify an overall victor.

The World Chess Solving Championship Format

There are 6 different types of chess problem that are included in this world chess championship:

  • Two Mover: The Two Mover problem is where the participant is shown a board on which he is white and is to move first. He has to figure out how to check-mate the black in 2 moves.
  • Three Mover: The Three Mover is as the Two Mover except that the player has 3 moves to check-mate the black in.
  • Endgame Studies: Endgame Studies require the competitor to determine a play for white which will result in a draw or win.
  • Helpmates: Helpmates problems sees black move first to help white check the black king in a certain number of moves.
  • Mover Movers: More Movers problems require white to put black into check-mate with in x number of moves when x is always greater than 3.
  • Self Mate: A Self Mate problem requires white to move first and to force himself into check within a specified number of moves.

Points are allocated to the world chess championship competitors who provide the correct solution according to the time it took them to figure it out.

The format of the World Chess Solving Championship is thus. There are six rounds spread over the two days of the tournament equally. Each round has three of each type of problem; the first day starts with Two Movers with 20 minutes solving time, then Three Movers with 60 minutes of solving time, and finally Endgame Studies with 100 minutes of solving time. Day 2 starts with Helpmates with 50 minutes of solving time, then More Movers with 80 minutes of solving time, and finally round 6 is Self Mates with 50 minutes of solving time – the one with the least amount of points at the end of the tournament is the winner.

Sections, Entry, and Chess World Championship Status

The World Chess Solving Championship is divided into 3 sections: Team, individual, and Women and Youth. In order for the World Chess Solving Championship to be recognized as a chess world championship it must fulfill certain quotas of entry into each field. For the team tournament, at least 7 teams from as many different countries must be represented. For the individual world chess championship status, 30 people from at least 10 countries must enter. And for the Women and Youth section, 10 entrants from a minimum of 7 countries must enter. The numbers of entrants far exceed these quotas in all areas.




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