WFCC Presidium has the pleasure of presenting an important project to popularize chess composition and assure better conditions for our most important solving competitions.
Upon a personal initiative of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, our UAE members, WFCC Vice-President Abdulla Ali Aal Barket, and WFCC Secretary Mohammad Alhallak, have realized the project of the WFCC Fujairah Grand Prix cycle 2025-26, the first cycle of what is planned to be a traditional competition.
See the detailed WFCC Fujairah Grand Prix Regulations
The Grand Prix 2025-26 consists of (at least) four qualifying solving competitions, leading to the final competition in Fujairah, at the end of 2026. →read more (show/hide)…
The qualifying stages may be any strong solving competitions, but the highest points in qualifications and the highest prizes will be earned in two strongest competitions: WCSC & ECSC.
The organizers of WCSC & ECSC 2025 have confirmed they would join the Grand Prix cycle, so the results from these two competitions will complete qualifications in 2025. If the 2026 hosts of ECSC or WCSC decide not to be a part of the Grand Prix cycle, the results of two other 2026 solving events will be counted instead of the results of ECSC/WCSC. Thus, the 2025-26 cycle may consist of 4, 5 or 6 qualifying stages.
Each ECSC leg will have a budget of 12,000 €, including 2,000 € allocated to the host for covering the expenses of judges, solving halls, etc. The remaining 10,000 € will be distributed to the winners in general standings; to the most successful women, seniors, domestic participants and juniors in different age categories (U23, U18 & U14), as well as to the best participants in different rating categories. The highest individual prize is 1,000 € – for the individual ECSC winner.
The budget for the WCSC leg is 15,000 €, including 3,000 € allocated to the organizing expenses. The fund for solvers of 12,000 € will be distributed to proportionally increased prizes for the same categories of solvers as in the ECSC leg. The highest prize is 1,250 €, for the individual WCSC winner.
In the Fujairah Final, the prize fund will be 27,000 € for solvers, and 3,000 € for composers. The problems and endgames to be solved in the Final will be originals, each composed by a different author. The Top Ten solvers in the final standings will vote for the best problem/endgame in each of the six rounds.
The part of the Grand Prix budget allocated to organizing costs should allow better overall conditions and a dignified status of judges and competitors (adequate solving hall, coffee breaks, appropriate closing ceremony with cups and medals, etc). With the lack of human resources we’ve been facing (including organizers and judges), and with a constant rise of prices, the budget for organizing costs comes as a very valuable support to the WFCC.
The Grand Prix budget isn’t related to the WFCC budget. The competitions using the Grand Prix budget are obliged to promote the official logo of the Grand Prix in official presentations, such as websites, banners and rolls up:
WFCC Presidium welcomes this generous initiative of the UAE members to assure continuation of our most important competitions and to lift them to a higher level. We trust the WFCC Fujairah Grand Prix 2025-26 will be a great success and the beginning of a long lasting tradition.
Merry Christmas to all lovers of chess composition!
