World Chess Solving Championship
Encyclopedia
The World Chess Solving Championship (WCSC) is an annual competition in the solving of chess problem
s organised by FIDE via the Permanent Commission of the FIDE for Chess Compositions
(PCCC).
The participants must solve a series of different types of chess problem in a certain length of time. Points are awarded for correct solutions in the least amount of time. The lowest score at the end of the competition is proclaimed the winner.
For players whom have previously established a rating the following formula demonstrates how a new rating is achieved.
KT = Tournament Coefficient (Ranging from 4 to 1 depending on strength of competition)
Chess problem
A chess problem, also called a chess composition, is a puzzle set by somebody using chess pieces on a chess board, that presents the solver with a particular task to be achieved. For instance, a position might be given with the instruction that White is to move first, and checkmate Black in two...
s organised by FIDE via the Permanent Commission of the FIDE for Chess Compositions
Permanent Commission of the FIDE for Chess Compositions
The Permanent Commission of the FIDE for Chess Compositions is the highest body governing the official activities in the chess composition, mandated by FIDE.Currently 39 countries are represented in the PCCC.Main duties of the Commission include:...
(PCCC).
The participants must solve a series of different types of chess problem in a certain length of time. Points are awarded for correct solutions in the least amount of time. The lowest score at the end of the competition is proclaimed the winner.
Format
The Tournament consists of six rounds over two days, with three rounds each day according to the following table:- Round 1 - 3 twomovers 20 minutes solving time
- Round 2 - 3 threemovers 60 minutes solving time
- Round 3 - 3 endgame studiesEndgame studyAn endgame study, or just study, is a composed chess position—that is, one that has been made up rather than one from an actual game—presented as a sort of puzzle, in which the aim of the solver is to find a way for one side to win or draw, as stipulated, against any moves the other side...
100 minutes solving time - Round 4 - 3 helpmateHelpmateA helpmate is a type of chess problem in which both sides cooperate in order to achieve the goal of checkmating Black. In a helpmate in n moves, Black moves first, then White, each side moving n times, to culminate in White's nth move checkmating Black...
s 50 minutes solving time - Round 5 - 3 moremovers 80 minutes solving time
- Round 6 - 3 selfmateSelfmateA selfmate is a chess problem in which white, moving first, must force black to deliver checkmate within a specified number of moves against his will. Selfmates were once known as sui-mates.The problem to the right is a relatively simple example...
s 50 minutes solving time
Sections
- Team Championship - To qualify as an official team world championship, there must be at least seven teams from seven different countries present. This section has grown from nine teams in 1977 to now averaging 20.
- Individual - Likewise, for an official individual world championship to take place, 30 solvers from at least 10 countries must participate. This number too has grown from 18 in 1977 to well over 70 in the past six years (as of 2007).
- Women and Juniors (up to 23 years old) - This event only requires 10 solvers from at least seven countries.
Formulas
For calculating a players rating whom previously did not have a rating, a provisional rating is given. This rating is given at the completion of the player's first tournament where the formula used is as follows:- Provisional Rating = (Average Tournament Player's Rating) x (Player's Result / Average Result At Tournament)
For players whom have previously established a rating the following formula demonstrates how a new rating is achieved.
- New Rating = (Old Rating) + (KT) x (Player's Result - (Average Result x Old Rating / Average Tournament Old Rating))
KT = Tournament Coefficient (Ranging from 4 to 1 depending on strength of competition)
Current Rating List
April 1, 2010 Top 10- GM Piotr MurdziaPiotr MurdziaPiotr Murdzia is a chess International Master from Poland.He was awarded the IM title in 1994. He won tournaments in Świdnica and Legnica making two grandmaster's norms....
(POL) 2838 - GM Evseev Gregory (RUS) 2801
- GM Arno Zude (GER) 2716
- GM John NunnJohn NunnJohn Denis Martin Nunn is one of England's strongest chess players and once belonged to the world's top ten. He is also a three times world champion in chess problem solving, a chess writer and publisher, and a mathematician....
(GBR) 2711 - GM Ram SofferRam SofferRam Soffer is an Israeli chess grandmaster with Elo rating 2475 in 2008.Ram Soffer is also International solving grandmaster since 1998.-External links:...
(ISR) 2691 - GM Pauli Perkonoja (FIN) 2681
- GM Boris Tummes (GER) 2665
- GM Noam ElkiesNoam ElkiesNoam David Elkies is an American mathematician and chess master.At age 14, Elkies received a gold medal with a perfect score at the International Mathematical Olympiad, the youngest ever to do so...
(ISR) 2663 - GM Ofer Comay (ISR) 2648
- GM Miodrag Mladenovic (SRB) 2634
Team competition
- 1977 -
- 1978 -
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Individual competition
- 1983 - Roland Baier (Switzerland)
- 1984 - Kari Valtonen (Finland)
- 1985 - Ofer Comay (Israel)
- 1986 - Pauli Perkonoja (Finland)
- 1987 - Michel CaillaudMichel CaillaudMichel Caillaud is a French chess problemist.In 1993 Caillaud gained the title Grandmaster of the FIDE for Chess Compositions. He was with 36 years of age the youngest GM for Chess Compositions. He has 200.92 points in FIDE Albums....
(France) - 1988 - Michael Pfannkuche (Germany)
- 1989 - Georgy Evseev (USSR)
- 1990 - Georgy Evseev (USSR)
- 1991 - Georgy Evseev (USSR)
- 1992 - Pauli Perkonoja (Finland)
- 1993 - Michael Pfannkuche (Germany)
- 1994 - Arno Zude (Germany)
- 1995 - Pauli Perkonoja (Finland)
- 1996 - Noam ElkiesNoam ElkiesNoam David Elkies is an American mathematician and chess master.At age 14, Elkies received a gold medal with a perfect score at the International Mathematical Olympiad, the youngest ever to do so...
(Israel) - 1997 - Jonathan MestelJonathan MestelAndrew Jonathan Mestel is Professor of applied mathematics at Imperial College London who works on magnetohydrodynamics and biological fluid dynamics...
(Great Britain) - 1998 - Georgy Evseev (Russia)
- 1999 - Ofer Comay (Israel)
- 2000 - Michel CaillaudMichel CaillaudMichel Caillaud is a French chess problemist.In 1993 Caillaud gained the title Grandmaster of the FIDE for Chess Compositions. He was with 36 years of age the youngest GM for Chess Compositions. He has 200.92 points in FIDE Albums....
(France) - 2001 - Jorma Paavilainen (Finland)
- 2002 - Piotr MurdziaPiotr MurdziaPiotr Murdzia is a chess International Master from Poland.He was awarded the IM title in 1994. He won tournaments in Świdnica and Legnica making two grandmaster's norms....
(Poland) - 2003 - Andrey Selivanov (Russia)
- 2004 - John NunnJohn NunnJohn Denis Martin Nunn is one of England's strongest chess players and once belonged to the world's top ten. He is also a three times world champion in chess problem solving, a chess writer and publisher, and a mathematician....
(Great Britain) - 2005 - Piotr MurdziaPiotr MurdziaPiotr Murdzia is a chess International Master from Poland.He was awarded the IM title in 1994. He won tournaments in Świdnica and Legnica making two grandmaster's norms....
(Poland) - 2006 - Piotr MurdziaPiotr MurdziaPiotr Murdzia is a chess International Master from Poland.He was awarded the IM title in 1994. He won tournaments in Świdnica and Legnica making two grandmaster's norms....
(Poland) - 2007 - John NunnJohn NunnJohn Denis Martin Nunn is one of England's strongest chess players and once belonged to the world's top ten. He is also a three times world champion in chess problem solving, a chess writer and publisher, and a mathematician....
(Great Britain) - 2008 - Piotr MurdziaPiotr MurdziaPiotr Murdzia is a chess International Master from Poland.He was awarded the IM title in 1994. He won tournaments in Świdnica and Legnica making two grandmaster's norms....
(Poland) - 2009 - Piotr MurdziaPiotr MurdziaPiotr Murdzia is a chess International Master from Poland.He was awarded the IM title in 1994. He won tournaments in Świdnica and Legnica making two grandmaster's norms....
(Poland) - 2010 - John NunnJohn NunnJohn Denis Martin Nunn is one of England's strongest chess players and once belonged to the world's top ten. He is also a three times world champion in chess problem solving, a chess writer and publisher, and a mathematician....
(Great Britain) - 2011 - Kacper Piorun (Poland)