NEW DELHI: The chess world is witnessing a significant shake-up as FIDE formally accredited a brand-new World Championship format titled “Complete Chess World Championship Tour”, to be organised by Norway Chess.The concept is to search out the “Complete Chess Participant”, somebody who can carry out throughout all of the “rated” codecs.The Tour will mix Quick Classical (45 minutes + 30-second increment), Speedy, and Blitz, with every season consisting of 4 occasions and a minimal annual prize pool of USD 2.7 million.A pilot occasion is deliberate for autumn 2026, adopted by a full championship season in 2027. Nonetheless, following the announcement, a number of questions have been raised not solely by followers but additionally by gamers.TimesofIndia.com spoke to Norway Chess CEO Kjell Madland and COO Benedicte Westre Skog to decode the small print, from the format and enterprise mannequin to the questions surrounding ladies's illustration, the absence of freestyle chess, and the way forward for the unique Norway Chess.What makes it “Complete Chess”“This can be a completely new idea,” Madland, who can also be the match director of Norway Chess, says. “It can embody all rated codecs, and that's why we name it the Complete Chess World Championship Tour. We'll have 4 tournaments annually, and we wish to do that in another way from different championship methods.”Norway Chess has lengthy been seen as a pioneer in match innovation.Through the years, it launched time management experiments, the Armageddon tiebreak, and even the “confession sales space” for participant interviews.“Norway Chess is thought all around the world,” says Madland. “Followers have been asking us to broaden, possibly to host occasions in different international locations. So we began considering, how can we take what we do nicely and make it larger? That's how this concept took form.”What occurs to the outdated Norway Chess?
(L to R) COO of Norway Chess Complete Chess World Championship Tour Benedicte Westre Skog, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, and CEO of Norway Chess Complete Chess World Championship Kjell Madland. (FIDE)
Because the announcement, many have questioned if this new championship will exchange the standard Norway Chess match that has been held yearly in Stavanger.“In 2026, we are going to maintain Norway Chess simply as we now have in earlier years, with one match for males and one for girls, each providing equal prize cash. That is scheduled for Might and June subsequent yr,” Madland confirms.“For 2027 and past, we might want to fastidiously contemplate the worldwide calendar and the supply of prime gamers. We love Norway Chess, and whether it is attainable, we hope to proceed it, however we can not affirm the small print for 2027 but. It's nonetheless in a growing stage.”How will the qualification for the Complete Chess Tour work?Every occasion will function 24 gamers. Madland explains that the qualification is not going to be restricted to the top-ranked gamers.“There will likely be other ways for the 24 gamers to qualify,” he confirms. “Some spots will likely be by ranking, possibly 10, 15, or 16 gamers, and naturally, the winners of the Speedy and Blitz tournaments will qualify. Additionally, possibly via the FIDE circuit system or different tournaments. Will probably be attainable for gamers to qualify.”Along with performance-based qualification, the organisers are dedicated to regional illustration, which suggests at the least two gamers from the host nation will likely be included in every occasion.“We'll at all times have at the least two gamers from the nation the place we're taking part in. So it's attainable for native gamers to be a part of it,” the CEO provides.How will the match format look?
FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich and CEO of Norway Chess Complete Chess World Championship Kjell Madland.
The match format will start with group levels, adopted by knockout rounds.“There will likely be a type of a gaggle stage first in each location,” Madland describes. “We could have seeding pots. We could have gamers from 1 to 4 in ranking in seeding Pot 1, 5 to eight in seeding Pot 2, and so forth. The draw will occur the day in the beginning begins, so the power of every group is prone to be the identical.“Each participant will play the identical variety of video games. In case you are primary in each group, you'll play in opposition to primary within the different teams. Quantity two will play quantity two, three will play three, and so forth.”“There may also be the likelihood for brand new gamers to return in from location to location. Some gamers will exit after one location, and new gamers can be a part of,” he reveals.“And the draw ceremony earlier than the match will make it enjoyable to comply with. Followers will see who performs whom, and that builds pleasure even earlier than the primary sport is performed.”The place does the enterprise facet of issues stand as of now?Making a four-event international championship requires deep pockets and long-term planning. COO Skog admits the monetary scale is important.“When it comes to income, after all, having 4 tournaments with excessive prize cash means the price of doing that is going to be very excessive,” she says.“We have to search for companions, many various kinds of companions. Initially, we're actively looking for buyers proper now for a comparatively quick time period. Then going ahead, it is going to be sponsors, hopefully media companions, and in addition host cities that may contribute to creating this occur.”No ladies's version, for nowOne main speaking level has been the absence of a separate ladies's championship on this deliberate Complete Chess Tour.Norway Chess has beforehand been celebrated for providing equal prize cash to women and men, making this choice stunning to some.“We've got mentioned quite a bit about how we must always embody ladies on this as a result of it is necessary for us to do good issues for girls in chess. So sure, within the first place, if there are ladies who can qualify for this new problem, after all that's attainable,” Madland clarifies.“However we are going to proceed to have a robust ladies's match like we now have in Norway Chess, and we could have that subsequent yr as nicely. That may proceed. Later, we are going to see whether it is attainable to have the identical system for girls.“In fact, that's one thing we wish to do, however for now, initially, we have to do that with what we now have determined now, and never the identical system for girls on this Complete Chess World Championship.”Why freestyle chess isn't a part of itWith Magnus Carlsen's current success in selling Freestyle Chess (Chess960 or Fischer Random) and the inclusion of prime Grandmasters in it, followers naturally anticipated it to be included in a tour claiming to crown the “Complete” participant.Madland clears that up rapidly.“We at all times wish to have rated codecs in our tournaments,” he says. “Freestyle chess shouldn't be rated, and it already has its personal tour. We expect there may be room for each, however this championship focuses on rated codecs.”Skog provides, “Freestyle is a distinct occasion altogether. What we're constructing is about testing gamers throughout the codecs which can be a part of the official ecosystem.”
