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On the occasion of the 19th European Chess Solving Championship (ECSC), organised by the chess club “Gambit” ASSECO-SEE with the support of the Chess Federation of North Macedonia, in the country’s capital Skopje from 8 to 10 May 2026, an Internet composing tourney was announced for mates in 3 moves (#3) and helpmates in 2.5 or 3 moves (h#2.5 or h#3). The tourney judge Zoran Gavrilovski set the following theme:
Shift of at least 2 white moves and/or 2 black moves, which appear in different stages of at least 2 variations (including a threat) of #3 or 2-n solutions (not twins) of h#2.5 or h#3.
-> Preliminary Award

09.05.26. One of the side-events during the 19.ECSC was the so called Machine Gun, the competition in quick solving problems in two moves (#2, h#2, S#2). Borislav Gadjanski selected the problems and directed the event that attracted 43 solvers. As in the main solving competitions, it was dominated by Danila Pavlov, with Kacper Piorun and Piotr Murdzia taking the 2nd and 3rd place respectively.

Results | Problems & Solutions

09-10.05.2026, 19^th European Chess Solving Championship – FINAL RESULTS:

The 20th Chess Olympiad, held in Skopje in 1972, featured the first Olympic meeting of problemists, including a solving tourney directed by my father Gligor Denkovski. Half a century later, it was an honour for me to take on such a role at another major gathering of chess problemists, held at Hotel Continental – one of the few surviving artefacts of Skopje’s history as an Olympic city.
This year’s ECSC was dominated by Danila Pavlov and Ural Khasanov, who finished first and second, respectively, in both the open tourney and the championship. In the open tourney, they were followed by Maksim Kharitonov, while Kacper Piorun took bronze in the championship. In the team contest, Poland delivered a strong performance and finished first, ahead of Lithuania and Ukraine. Khasanov also finished first among juniors, Jorma Paavilainen was the top senior, and junior competitor Ekaterina Shestakova won the unofficial women’s category.
– Ivan Denkovski, 19th ECSC Director

Individual | Team | Seniors | Women | Juniors | Norms and Titles
Problems | Solutions | Problem Difficulty

WFCC Fujairah Grand Prix results: Money Prizes | Points | Standings

10.05.2026. The second day of the 19^th European Chess Solving Championship. Rounds 4, 5, 6.

Preliminary results after Round 4: Individual | Team

Preliminary results after Round 5: Individual | Team

Preliminary results after Round 6: Individual | Team

09.05.2026. The first day of the 19^th European Chess Solving Championship which is a part of WFCC Fujairah Grand Prix. Rounds 1, 2, 3.

Preliminary results after Round 1: Individual | Team

Preliminary results after Round 2: Individual | Team

Preliminary results after Round 3: Individual | Team

08.05.2026: ECSC Open 2026. Ivan Denkovski selected 12 problems for traditional ECSC Open and directed the competition that attracted 77 participants.

Preliminary RESULTS | Problems | Solutions

09.05.2026. ECSC Open 2026 FINAL RESULTS | NORMS | Problems | Solutions

– Ivan Denkovski, Director of Open Tourney

08.05.2026: The program of the 19^th European Chess Solving Championship started with a press conference in the Continental Hotel, the venue of the event. The main ECSC organizer Zoran Stojčevski, the president of Chess Federation of North Macedonia Saša Bogdanović, the WFCC President Marjan Kovačević, and the WFCC 1st Vice-President Abdulla Ali Aal Barket adressed a group of domestic journalists, eager to know many details about the ECSC and the WFCC Fujairah Grand Prix 2025-26.