The 100th Anniversary of the Polish Chess Federation Tournament has started

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On 6 February 2025, after applications were closed and verified, the 100 Years of the Polish Chess Federation Tournament was launched. The tournament features an international lineup, as in addition to Polish players, invited international players also participate. Below is a breakdown of the individual sections.

100 lat PZSzach Start End Games TD
100 years Polish Chess Federation – championship section 15.02.2026 30.06.2027 12 IA Millstone, Michael (USA)
100 years Polish Chess Federation – candidates section 15.02.2026 30.06.2027 10 TMC
100 years Polish Chess Federation – reserves section 15.02.2026 30.06.2027 8 TMC
100 lat PZSzach (960)        
100 years Polish Chess Federation (960) – championship section 15.02.2026 30.06.2027 10 TMC
100 years Polish Chess Federation (960) – candidates section 15.02.2026 30.06.2027 8 TMC
100 years Polish Chess Federation (960) – reserves section 15.02.2025 30.06.2027 6 TMC

The competitors also received a message from the ICCF server along with their assigned starting numbers.

The tournament will be conducted under the supervision of the ICCF Tournament Management Committee (TMC). Currently, all complaints submitted by players via the automated system in the game window are automatically resolved by the ICCF server. If necessary, a TMC arbiter may intervene. This option was introduced at the 2023 ICCF Congress.

The championship section of the 100 Years of the Polish Chess Federation tournament is directed by IA Michael Millstone (USA), who is also the Secretary General of the ICCF, which is symbolic in this context, as he has Polish roots.

The tournament is played using the Silli system, with 6 to 12 games depending on the section. Pairings were made randomly, with an effort to ensure as even a geographical distribution as possible and an average pairing rating within the subgroups similar to the tournament average rating.

In the event of a tie, the placing will be determined by:
– Reduced Buchholz 2 (the two opponents with the lowest points are omitted),
– Reduced Buchholz 1 (the opponent with the lowest points is omitted),
– Full Buchholz,
– Level 2 Buchholz (the sum of the opponents’ Buchholz points),
– Number of wins,
– Higher starting rating.

The server cross table may not reflect the actual order (if the latter option is necessary) due to technical limitations of the ICCF server. If all games in the championship sections end in draws, no winner will be determined and no medals will be awarded (applies to both classical and chess 960 events).

The time control is the same in all sections, in both classical chess and 960 chess, and is a Triple Block time control: 500 days (50/50/3) – with no „guaranteed time.” Therefore, players should manage their time wisely, as the time remaining on the clocks and in the reserve immediately after move 50 is the time within which the players must complete the game. There is no time off, as it is included and a player can dispose of the time at their own discretion. However, it should be remembered that the game is automatically recorded as a loss if a player’s time on the clock reaches zero (even if the time bank or increment is > 0). An explanation of the concept of time control can be found in the current ICCF Rules, Appendix 3, The Triple Block Time Control System (in English).

In tournaments, claims based on the 7-piece chess endgame database can be submitted (in the game window, select the „Claim a win” or „Claim a draw” option and then follow the prompts by selecting the appropriate options). In such a situation, the 50-move rule without capturing or moving a pawn does not apply. The ICCF server (as an assistant to the arbiter) automatically reviews any complaints regarding the result upon request.

I strongly encourage all players to follow the rules of fair play. Please note that games must be concluded in a timely manner, without unnecessary delays. Continuing play after reaching a seven-piece position (without filing a claim) or in a completely losing position is considered unsportsmanlike conduct and may result in disciplinary action at the arbiter’s discretion.

The current ICCF Rules apply (valid from 1 January 2026). The official start of the competition is 15 February 2026, and only then can the game begin. The rules of 960 chess (so-called Fischer chess) can be found in the ICCF Laws of Correspondence Chess (from 1 January 2020).

The President of the Polish Chess Federation, Jarosław Jedynak, declared that the federation would fund medals for the winners.

A total of 181 players are participating in the 100 Years of the Polish Chess Federation tournament, including 71 from Poland and 110 invited players from 22 federations.

In the championship group in traditional chess (100 years Polish Chess Federation – championship section) there are 58 players, including GM 5, SIM 18, IM 22. There are 28 entries from Poland and 30 invited from abroad (GER 4, USA 4, ENG 3, CZE 2, ESP 2, IND 2, ITA 2, UKR 2, ARG 1, AUS 1, CAN 1, CUB 1, LUX 1, PHI 1, POR 1, SUI 1, WLS 1). 

The average tournament rating is 2437, which gives the 8th category and the norm for ICCF titles are: GM 6,5-7/12; SIM 6,5; IM 6-6,5.  

The participants are distinguished, almost all the best national players, including:

In the chess 960 championship section (100 years Polish Chess Federation (960) – championship section) there are 27 players, including GM 3, SIM 8, IM 6. There are 11 entries from Poland and 16 invited from abroad (USA 4, GER 4, UKR 2, AUS 1, ESP 1, NED 1, ITA 1, BRA 1, LUX 1). The average tournament rating is 2501, which means that it is one of the strongest chess 960 tournaments in the world. Almost all the top Polish and world players are among the participants.

We would like to thank all participants for joining us in such a special celebration as the 100th anniversary of the Polish Chess Federation and wish you an interesting competition in a sporting atmosphere!

In 2026, the Polish Chess Federation celebrates its centenary. This is a good opportunity to look deeper into the history before the Polish federation was established in Warsaw on 11 April 1926 – see the article. 

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