FIDE issued a new resolution on November 13. Shorter time controls are now eligible for Classical ratings and title norms. The new regulations take effect immediately.

The 60+30 time control will now be considered a standard Classical time control. No special permission will be required to use it. Tournaments with the 60+30 control will count toward the FIDE Classical rating. Participants in these events will be able to achieve title norms.

The shortened Classical control 45+30 may be used in tournaments eligible for the FIDE Circuit. So called ‘Fast Classic’ may be used at events where no player is rated above 2400.

These time controls have two restrictions to count toward standard ratings and title norms. No more than two rounds may be held per day. And no more than one norm achieved in an event may be counted toward a single title. Total playing time may not exceed 12 hours per day for tournaments aimed only at rating calculation.

FIDE states that these changes are ‘not necessarily permanent’. The Qualification Commission has been tasked with studying the impact of the changes and submitting recommendations.

The goal is to determine the need to establish 45+30 as a permanent standard Classical control. The Commission must also determine the need for restrictions on obtaining titles and norms.

Consultations with national federations will continue. FIDE has distributed a briefing paper and has invited feedback from federations and top players.

An extraordinary General Assembly will be held in December to discuss the new regulations. The FIDE Council will follow with adjustments in case of amendments proposed by federations.

FIDE formally standardized the 90+30 time control across all its major events in the early-to-mid 2000s. The Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot is the first major event featuring the 45+30 time control. The FIDE World Chess Championship still features a 120+0 time control for the first 40 moves and 30+30 for the rest of the game.

Credit: Lennart Ootes / FIDE