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