The FIDE Council has issued a Resolution allowing shorter time controls to be eligible for standard ratings and title norms. While the new regulations take effect immediately, the discussion is not over yet. National federations will review the changes ahead of an extraordinary General Assembly in December, where further amendments may be proposed.
Time controls of 60 and 45 minutes per player have grown significantly in popularity in recent years. One of the early pioneers of faster classical formats at the elite level was organiser Oleg Skvortsov, whose Zurich Chess Challenge events helped popularise 40-minute games among top players in the mid-2010s.
In response to growing demand from the chess community, in autumn of 2025 FIDE launched a pilot project to count these shorter time controls for classic rating. Discussions on recognising them for rating and norm purposes continued throughout 2025 and 2026. Following extensive feedback from players, organisers, partners, leading grandmasters, and discussion during the 2026 General Assembly, FIDE decided to update its regulations to better reflect the evolving needs of the chess world.
Going forward, 60’+30” will be considered a standard time control. It will not require special approval, will be eligible for standard rating, and may be used for title norms.
The shorter 45’+30” time control may now also be used in tournaments that are eligible for the FIDE Circuit, as well as in events where no player rated above 2400 participates.
However, for these time controls to count towards standard ratings and title norms, two major restrictions apply:
- No more than two rounds may be held per day. However, if a tournament is rated only for rating purposes and no norms or titles can be earned, the rule is more flexible: the total playing time may not exceed 12 hours per day. As a result, such tournaments may hold more than two rounds per day.
- No more than one norm achieved in such events may be counted towards a single title.
These restrictions are not necessarily permanent. The Qualification Commission has been tasked with studying the impact of the changes and submitting recommendations on whether the 45’+30” format should become a permanent standard time control and whether tournaments played with 45’+30” and 60’+30” should count towards titles and norms without restrictions.
Although the Resolution is already in effect, consultations with national federations will continue. FIDE has distributed a briefing paper outlining the background, timeline and rationale behind the changes and has invited feedback from federations and leading players.
An extraordinary General Assembly will be held in December to discuss the new regulations. Should federations propose amendments, the FIDE Council will follow with adjustments.
“The world is changing rapidly, and chess is evolving with it. FIDE must adapt accordingly. These new regulations introduce changes long requested by players and organisers,” said FIDE President Timur Turlov.
“At the same time, we have a responsibility to preserve the prestige of chess titles and ensure a smooth transition without creating unnecessary burdens for players, which is why certain restrictions remain in place. National federations will have the opportunity to discuss these changes in December, and if further adjustments are needed, we are ready to make them.”
The full text of the Resolution is available HERE.