Lichess declares international entry paths to the FIDE World Fischer Random Finals, with anybody eligible for entry, totally without cost

The 2022 version of the FIDE World Fischer Random Championship will happen this October in Reykjavik, Iceland. Three years in the past, Wesley So beat Magnus Carlsen to develop into the primary ever official Fischer Random World Champion; each gamers might be competing once more for the crown this autumn, alongside six different contenders…and one in all them could possibly be you! 

Starting this Friday (19 August), Lichess and its co-organisers Charlotte Chess Center, the North American Corporate Chess League, and Offerspill Sjakklubb are internet hosting two official qualifier occasions, with the winner of every incomes an invite to Reykjavik. Anyone can enter. All it’s essential do is win!

Format

The qualifiers will observe the multi-stage format outlined within the graphic under:

Stage 1 (19 August – 4 September) includes two phases. First, a number of open-entry 3+2 arenas might be held over the following two weeks. These are the place anybody – titled or untitled, rated or unrated, skilled or novice – can begin their journey to Reykjavik. The high 50 finishers in every enviornment will qualify for the second section: a single 3+2 enviornment per qualifier, from which 500 gamers will advance to the following stage, per qualifier.

Stage 2 (10-11 September) can even comprise two phases. First, the gamers might be divided into teams to play an 11-round, 5+2, Swiss match. The high 18 finishers in every group will be a part of one another and 10 wildcard gamers – be careful for some huge names! – to play a 9-round, 10+2, Swiss, from which the highest 15 will advance to the ultimate stage.

In the ultimate stage (17-25 September), the gamers will duel one another in knockout matches to find out who might be invited to play within the over-the-board finals in Reykjavik (and a share of the $400,000 prize fund). Those who progress to this stage can even obtain a share of a $2,500 prize fund, per qualifier.

The full qualifier rules could be discovered right here. You should conform to adjust to them to take part, so please take the time to overview them (and observe particularly the necessities for identification verification and truthful play). Entry right into a qualifier assumes you might have learn them and agreed with them.

Chess.com can even be internet hosting two qualifiers, solely for titled gamers on the finish of August. Bear in thoughts that our match rules have some variations to theirs, so should you compete in each you’ll want to learn each units of rules with care.

Although it’s not required for participation within the qualifiers, those that need the newest official match updates ought to be a part of FIDE’s official crew web page on Lichess.

Arena Calendar

The full occasion calendar is on FIDE’s official crew web page on Lichess. Some of the following few days’ occasions are listed under:

nineteenth August 1600 – 1800 UTC: https://lichess.org/match/2uxfAuV1
nineteenth August 1900 – 2100 UTC: https://lichess.org/match/qF84vQWm

twentieth August 0100 – 0300 UTC: https://lichess.org/match/bneCBdZ9
twentieth August 0500 – 0700 UTC: https://lichess.org/match/6nTKRwoN
twentieth August 1600 – 1800 UTC: https://lichess.org/match/6DfPQlEe
twentieth August 1900 – 2100 UTC: https://lichess.org/match/xcIBrZbv

twenty first August 0100 – 0300 UTC: https://lichess.org/match/SiuqPsSi
twenty first August 0500 – 0700 UTC: https://lichess.org/match/hRWyCvd9
twenty first August 1600 – 1800 UTC: https://lichess.org/match/Wz9ObpES
twenty first August 1900 – 2100 UTC: https://lichess.org/match/BA0Byus4

twenty second August 0100 – 0300 UTC: https://lichess.org/match/GNQyCg0J
twenty second August 0500 – 0700 UTC: https://lichess.org/match/76brxWWC
twenty second August 1600 – 1800 UTC: https://lichess.org/match/aslHRVp0
twenty second August 1900 – 2100 UTC: https://lichess.org/match/YGPCw4xa

What is Fischer Random Chess?

Developed and refined by the eleventh World Champion GM Bobby Fischer, Fischer Random – aka Chess960 (as on Lichess) or shuffle chess (initially) – is the one chess variant recognised and ruled by FIDE. It follows the identical guidelines and has the identical items as customary chess, besides the beginning positions of the backrank items for each colors are symmetrically randomised.

An instance Chess960 beginning place
Just a few commonalities with customary chess are retained, such because the requirement for each side to have reverse color bishops and the appropriate to fort on both aspect of the board. As a outcome, there are 960 distinctive and legitimate beginning positions for a Chess960 recreation. 

Thus opening principle, pc evaluation and memorisation play a far much less necessary function in Chess960 in comparison with customary chess, and Chess960 video games are sometimes good assessments of chess instinct and creativity. 

Many Chess960 tournaments have been held the world over, however the first FIDE-recognised World Championship for the variant solely occurred three years in the past. Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, Ian Nepomniachtchi and Wesley So all performed – with Wesley So defeating all opposition to develop into the primary (and reigning) Fischer Random World Champion. 

For extra data on Chess960, try the assets compiled by the official Lichess Chess960 crew to assist gamers enhance their expertise. As you’d anticipate, they’re free to entry, so there’s actually no excuse not to take part! 

About our co-organisers

These qualifiers wouldn’t be potential with out the help and experience supplied by our co-organisers, all of whom share with us a philosophy of creating chess accessible, inclusive, and accessible to all.

Charlotte Chess Center / charlottechesscenter.org

Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, with roots courting again to 2007, Charlotte Chess Center goals to supply chess fans a spot to play the sport (casually and in tournaments), develop chess friendships, and develop the chess group – each domestically and globally. In current years, CCC has gone from energy to energy. With years of expertise, the CCC has expanded to a employees of greater than 20 chess professionals, and now runs huge faculty enrichment programmes, academy lessons, and in addition the most important OTB tournaments within the Southeast U.S.. With a wealth of expertise organising on-line and OTB championship tournaments, the Center is dedicated to the success of the Lichess CCC & NACCL FIDE World Fischer Random Qualifiers. 

Contact: occasions@charlottechesscenter.org

North American Corporate Chess League / nacorporatechess.com

Founded in 2020, the North American Corporate Chess League is a web-based leisure chess league for corporations headquartered within the USA, Canada, and Mexico. It is the most important company chess league on the earth, with over 40 groups and 450 gamers competing every season. An inclusive and fascinating on-line chess league, the NACCL options pleasant competitors and crew constructing amongst professionals from dozens of industries throughout the continent.

Contact: information@nacorporatechess.com

Offerspill Sjakklubb / offerspill.com

A non-profit, Offerspill Sjakklubb (Offerspill interprets as “sacrificial play”) was based in 2019 by World Champion Magnus Carlsen, who nonetheless chairs the membership. Norway’s largest chess membership by membership, Offerspill goals to make chess a low threshold exercise, accessible to all –  particularly web gamers – whereas additionally encouraging the event of proficient gamers and permitting them to pursue their chess desires. Offerspill affords numerous coaching camps, academic supplies, tournaments and different content material to each its members and the broader chess group, usually that includes among the world’s greatest gamers. Offerspill additionally affords its members the possibility to play in a web-based league to win prizes and digital awards.

Contact: offerspill@gmail.com