Chess composition is getting its moment with young players. FIDE and the World Federation for Chess Composition are launching the 2nd World Youth Chess Solving Championship on June 16, 2026, in Montesilvano, Italy.
The event slots neatly between rounds 1 and 2 of the World Youth Chess Championship, running the same age brackets: under 14, under 16, and under 18. Both Open and Girls divisions will compete, with female players free to enter the Open section if they choose.
Each category faces eight problems of increasing difficulty. Solvers tackle three two-move puzzles to warm up, then two three-move problems, and finally one four-move composition. This structure tests pattern recognition and calculation across multiple depths. Young solvers who can crack a four-move problem under time pressure have serious tactical foundations.
Registration is open now. This matters because solving tournaments develop a different skill than over-the-board play. You learn to see combinations without the fog of practical chess, without opponent move orders to confuse you. Kasparov and Karpov both trained regularly with puzzles. For ambitious juniors stacking their resume before the main WYCC event, adding a solving championship medal alongside an OTB result looks sharp.
The timing works well too. Solving suits younger players who haven't yet developed the stamina for long tournament rounds. It's becoming a real pathway to the top.