How It Works

The Total Chess World Championship Tour is designed to crown the player who best masters three chess disciplines — Fast Classic, Rapid, and Blitz — combined.

Each season features a global series of tournaments with 24 elite players per tournament at location 1, 2 and 3, competing across various cities. Only the four best advance to the fourth and final tournament to determine one ultimate titleholder: the FIDE World Combined Champion.

Watch our short animation video that explains the structure of the Total Chess World Championship Tour:

Below, you can read more about the format, qualification process, and titles & honors that define this world championship. The exact scoring system is still under development, and we plan to announce it in Q1 2026.

At a Glance

• World first: A single, FIDE-recognized World Championship that unifies Fast Classic, Rapid, and Blitz into one complete test.
• Global field:24 elite players per tournament at location 1, 2 and 3, competing across various cities. Only the four best advance to the fourth and final tournament.
• Milestone year: 2027 marks the official launch of Total Chess World Championship Tour.

Qualification to enter the tour

To ensure a competitive and representative field, FIDE and Total Chess have established a set of qualification pathways. These criteria balance results from existing FIDE championships, global rating performance, and places earned through the FIDE Circuit.

Read more about qualification

Competition Format

• Three disciplines, one title: Performance in Fast Classic, Rapid, and Blitz is aggregated to determine advancement and final standings.
• Progressive elimination: Players compete through staged events across multiple locations. Cumulative results decide who moves on.
• Armageddon: Armageddon will be used for play-offs and will not be rated.

Titles & Honors

• Golden Knights: Awarded to location winners.
• Golden Rook:Awarded to the player with the highest tour points.
• Golden King: Awarded to the ultimate victor of the Total Chess World Championship.
• Pathway: The event includes Candidates qualification

Want to know more about how the Total Chess World Championship Tour works?

We’ve gathered the most common questions and answers — in one place.

Questions & Answers