Press release by FIDE
The FIDE Council has approved a pilot project introducing tournaments with shorter time controls that will count toward the standard rating list.
Current requirements
Under existing regulations, the minimum time control for a game to be rated as standard depends on the players’ ratings, assuming the game lasts 60 moves:
- If at least one player is rated 2400 or higher: 120 minutes per player
- If at least one player is rated 1800 or higher: 90 minutes per player
- If both players are rated below 1800: 60 minutes per player
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Pilot events
As part of the pilot project, three tournaments will be played with a time control of 45 minutes plus a 30-second increment per move (starting from move one) and their results will count toward players’ standard ratings:
- Qatar Cup (September 7–13)
- QCA Training Center September Tournament Classical (September 25–27)
- Women’s World Team Championship (November 17–24)
These events will follow standard-rating rules, but with specific conditions:
- No title norms will be awarded.
- Organizers may not schedule more than two rounds per day
Why “Fast Classic”?
The initiative responds to a growing demand from players and organizers to recognize “fast classic”. In modern life, time is increasingly limited, and there is a clear trend toward shorter formats that remain serious and competitive.
The original idea was proposed by Oleg Skvortsov, a chess patron, organizer of the Zurich Chess Challenge 2012-2017, who suggested events with rounds lasting 2 to 3 hours – making it possible to hold two rounds in a single day.
Next steps
FIDE recognizes of the importance of this matter and is approaching it with due responsibility. The pilot events will serve as a real-world test case. After their conclusion, FIDE will conduct a thorough analysis of the outcomes and gather feedback from the participants before making a decision on further implementation.
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