The 20th International Solving Contest 2024 brought together 669 solvers from 46 countries. Although located in more than 40 different cities around the world, participants ranging in age from 5 to 84 competed simultaneously with each other while solving the same problems and endgames. 

It was the 20th anniversary of the competition established to promote chess art and unite people from faraway countries. Under the supervision of the World Federation for Chess Composition, the ISC couldn’t have happened without without the unwavering dedication of numerous volunteers, from the main organizing team up to all the local controllers across different cities. 

ISC in Cluj-Napoca, Romania

The project based on dedication of many volunteers

The ISC project was conceived and created by the late Grandmaster of Chess Composition, Uri Avner (1941-2014). Among all the volunteers who have contributed over the last 20 years, Axel Steinbrink from Germany deserved the most recognition for the ISC’s success. Most often, he served as ISC Central controller, involved in the selection of compositions for participants to solve. He communicated with local controllers before and after the competition, checked the solving sheets, compiled final reports, and handled other essential tasks. One of the most challenging responsibilities is supervising thousands of solving sheets in different languages.

When Axel stepped down from these duties last year, a whole new team of volunteers emerged to help the ISC. Arvydas Mockus (pictured below) from Lithuania assumed the most demanding role of ISC Central Controller; Bohumil Moravčik (Slovakia) accepted to be the main selector of compositions, while Luc Palmans and Andy Ooms (Belgium) checked the solving sheets from the 1st and the 2nd Category. 

As in the previous ten editions, Borislav Gadjanski (Serbia) diligently created and administrated the daily presentation of results on the Mat Plus website.

Those are the devotees who deserved the most applause for the ISC 2024. The Solving Contest produced some surprises, the biggest ones sprang by the “old guard”. The 1st category event, designed for the most experienced solvers, ended in victory for former World Champion Andrey Selivanov (56), ahead of the current World Champion Danila Pavlov (22). The 3rd place went to another former World Champion, John Nunn (69), and the 4th went to another senior, Valery Kopyl (67). The 15-year-old prodigy Anna Shukhman proved her dominance among women.

ISC 2024 in  Le Vesinet, France

Category 1 winners

Category 2 (solving rating below 2000) saw another kind of surprizing domination, with female solvers taking 3 out of the top 5 places. The winner is Nadezhda Ilchenko, ahead of Dejan Omorjan and Alexandru-Vasile David, followed by two young girls, Anastasiya Chekina and Viktoriya Merkulova.

Category 2 winners

The 3rd Category was for juniors born in 2011 and younger. Unlike the first two categories, with 12 problems to solve in 4 hours, youngsters had only 6 problems for 2 hours, and the level of difficulty was adjusted to their age. So, it wasn’t unusual to have 11 participants with a maximum of 30 points, and the shortest time for solving (27 minutes) brought victory to Matvey Dubovkin. Yaroslav Kengurov and Taras Rudenko, who shared the 2nd place, spent just three more minutes than the champion. The best girl was Blanka Eysimont.

Category 3 winners

Fujairah – the new home of chess composition

The Solving Contest in Fujairah (UAE), a part of the FIDE 100th anniversary, gathered the strongest ISC field, this time with the six best from the World Chess Solving Championship 2023, including the best female solver, among 114 participants. It was expected, since Fujairah became the new home of chess composition, wholeheartedly supported by H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Hamad Al Sharqi. Later this year, when the luxurious new building of the Fujairah Chess & Culture Club is set to open, it will become the residence of the WFCC main office. 

The solving hall in Fujairah

The fruitful cooperation of chess and chess composition in Fujairah began in 2017, when Dr Abdulla Ali Aal Barket, the current WFCC Vice-President, introduced a “biathlon” competition for domestic players, combining solving and blitz tourneys. That was the 1st Fujairah Endurance Championship, and the 5th edition of it had the 20th ISC as the most important part, with a generous prize fund of USD 35,500. 

In a tough competition for popularity among better-known UAE chess organizers from Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, Fujairah has built its brand with this lucky combination of fight and art, offering a broader program to different types of chess lovers.

GM Eltaj Safarli won the Blitz tournament in the rating category above 2000

The Fujairah Blitz tourney 2024 had a strong field, too, with 312 participants split into three categories. Out of sixteen GMs in the highest category, twelve were in a close race for high prizes. In the end, Eltaj Safarli (2653) came out on top with 7.5/9 games and a better tiebreak over the 1st seed Raunak Sadhwani (2667). Farukh Amonatov was alone in the 3rd place on 6.5 points, and six other GMs – Erdogdu, Guseinov, Bologan, Naiditsch, Tukhaev and Iordachescu – finished a half point behind him. Rowelin Acedo won the B category (rating below 2000), and Ramtin Kakavand confirmed his status as the main favourite among juniors born in 2011 and younger. 

The vibrant chess activity attracted honourable guests to Fujairah. The closing ceremony was attended by Sheikh Khalid bin Humaid Al Qasimi, the President of the Arab Chess Federation, and a special guest, FIDE Executive Director Victor Bologan, who was rewarded by Sheikh Saif bin Hamad bin Saif Al Sharqi, Chairman of the Fujairah Free Zone Authority.

FIDE Executive Director Victor Bologan was a guest of honour

Victor Bologan had a lot on his plate in Fujairah. FIDE Executive Director successfully played the blitz tourney, visited the club construction site, planned to host several hundreds of players, and discussed future cooperation with the WFCC president Marjan Kovačević. The first planned step is to organize FIDE-solving events. The positive effects of chess composition on the overall chess community are visible. What follows is finding the right organizing models in the context of the FIDE events.

Text: Marjan Kovačević, WFCC President

Photos: WFCC & Fujairah Chess & Culture Club

Official website: WFCC – World Federation for Chess Composition

The 20th International Solving Contest (ISC) will take place on January 21st starting at 11:00 AM CET. This one-day event will feature participants simultaneously solving the same set of chess problems in over 50 locations worldwide. The tournament will be held in three categories:

Category I – Main, open to everyone (but dedicated to experienced solvers)

Category II – For players with U2000 rating or without a rating (in solving!)

Category III – U13 Youth category (born after December 31, 2010)

Categories I and II consist of two rounds, while Category III comprises a single round. Each round lasts for two hours. 

Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, stands out as one of the most prestigious ISC locations, having previously hosted the World Chess Solving Championship in 2022. The lineup there includes top finishers from the 2023 World Chess Solving Championship, including Danila Pavlov, the world’s best solver for three consecutive years.

The participation of former solving world champions Kacper Piorun and Piotr Murdzia from Poland will further intensify the competition for the title.

Over-the-board (OTB) chess grandmasters are adding to the competitive landscape, with names like Raunak Sadhwani, the ninth-youngest GM in chess history, and Arkady Naiditsch, a former elite chess professional ranked within the top 20 in the FIDE rating list in 2013.

The complete starting list is available here. 

You can see three checkmates in two moves from each category from the previous year’s competition below. Good luck with the challenge!

1.

White to play and mate in 2 moves (cat.I)

2.

White to play and mate in 2 moves (cat.II)

3.

White to play and mate in 2 moves (cat.III)

Important links:

General information about ISC and rules: wfcc.ch/invitation-20th-isc/

Fujairah location starting list : chess-results.com/tnr863164.aspx?lan=3

Solutions:

1. Pavel Murashev, Moscow championship 2013: 1.Rc4! (2.Re4#) 1…Kd5 2.Rc5#; 1…Nf6/Nf2 2.Nb7#

2. Pavel Murashev, Schweizerische Schachzeitung, 2015: 1.Qc1! (2.Ne3#) 1…Kxd5 2.Nb4#; 1…Bxd5 2.Ne5#; 1…Nxc5+ 2.Rxc5#

3. Poul Hage, Magasinet, 1941: 1.Bh8! – zugzwang

Written by: GM Kacper Piorun

Photos from the previous ISC competitions: solving in Fujairah (Photo Fujairah CCC) and Bangalore (Photo Shankar Ram)

Official website: WFCC – World Federation for Chess Composition

The International Chess Federation (FIDE), together with the Asian Chess Federation and Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination, with the support of the International Olympic Committee, FIDE Planning and Development Commission, and FIDE Social Commission, hold the first offline Asian Educational Seminar “Chess for children with ASD. Learn & Teach”. The event took place at the Al Ain Convention Center, UAE, from December 18 to 19.

Twenty-one chess teachers and coaches from 14 countries (Bangladesh, Vietnam, Azerbaijan, UAE, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Philippines, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and others) explored the ways of teaching chess to children with autism spectrum disorder, studied a unique training program developed in 2021 and got practical advice on how to work with kids with ASD.

The following prominent figures participated in the seminar:

• Hisham al Taher, General Secretary of the Asian Chess Federation
• Abdulla Ismail Alkamali, Executive Director of Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination (UAE)
• Dana Reizniece-Ozola, Project Supervisor, Deputy Chair of the FIDE Management Board
• Anastasia Sorokina, Leader of the project, FIDE WOM Chair, Chairperson of Asian Chess Federation Social Commission

Speakers at the seminar:

• Ala Mishchanka – Special needs educational assistant, more than 17 years of experience (Canada);
• Natalia Popova – WIM, FIDE Trainer, leader of the two-year-long project teaching chess to children with autistic spectrum disorder (FIDE);
• Melodi Dincel – MD, child and adolescent psychiatry specialist at Istanbul University, Infinite Chess project partner (Turkey)
• Viesturs Kapce – FIDE Instructor, chess coach, Infinite Chess project partner (Latvia)

All participants were honoured to visit the Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination in Al Ain and exchange teaching experiences with local experts. We thank Abdulla Ismail Alkamali for the hospitality and inspiring tour he provided personally for all the participants and the project team.

On December 19, FIDE, the Asian Chess Federation and Zayed Higher organization signed a Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding, a significant step forward to the further cooperation and expansion of partnership within the Infinite Chess project.

“Infinite Chess is our project where we use the game to improve socio-emotional wellbeing of children with autistic spectrum disorder. With this agreement we aim to provide new opportunities, empower and change lives of children with special abilities here in the region,” said Dana Reizniece-Ozola, Project Supervisor and Deputy Chair of the FIDE Management Board.

Presentations (pdf):

Chess for Children with Autism and Spectrum Disorder by Natalia Popova – Part 1

Chess for Children with Autism and Spectrum Disorder by Natalia Popova – Part 2

Classroom Organization by Natalia Popova

FIDE Infinite Chess Project by Ala Mischanka – Day 1

FIDE Infinite Chess Project by Ala Mischanka – Day 2

Infinite Chess – Turkey by Melodi Dincel

Infinite Chess – Latvia Experience by Viesturs Kapce

Photo:  adnec.ae/

Abu Dhabi has been selected as the host city for the 47th Chess Olympiad in 2028, triumphing over Genoa with a vote of 96 to 60 during the FIDE Council meeting on December 17th

The bid to secure the rights to host the FIDE Chess Olympiad 2028, FIDE Chess Olympiad for People with Disabilities 2028, and FIDE Congress 2028 was a joint effort by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and the UAE Chess Federation. The proposed venue for these events is the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), the largest of its kind in the Middle East.

Before the vote, FIDE conducted visits to both Abu Dhabi and Genoa to inspect the proposed venues and facilities. Official meetings were held with local and government authorities in both cities and with potential organizers.

In Abu Dhabi, meetings were conducted with prominent figures, including His Excellency Aref Al Awani, the General Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, the President of the Asian Chess Federation, H.E. Tarim Matar Muhammad Tarim, the President of the UAE Chess Federation, and Hussein Abdullah Al-Khoury, the President of the Abu Dhabi Chess Club.

FIDE’s inspection concluded that “Abu Dhabi presented a compelling bidding proposal, supported by the findings of the inspection visit on December 6th and 7th, 2023. The city boasts a robust transportation and accommodation infrastructure, a venue meeting top international standards, and experienced organizers capable of hosting world-class events not only in chess but in various other sports and spheres.”

This marks the second time that the UAE will host a chess Olympiad, following the event held in Dubai in 1986.

Abu Dhabi and the UAE have recently demonstrated a strong commitment to organizing numerous chess events. In 2023 alone, the country hosted the inaugural Global Chess League, the 29th Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival, and the Asia Chess Amateur Championship. The city is set to host the Asian Youth Chess Championship next year.