FIDE launches pilot project to test “Fast Classic” for standard rating

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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 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

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 2–3 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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