World Federation for Chess CompositionA Chess composition is a puzzle or problem based on the game of Chess. For example, a composition might provide a set configuration of Chess pieces with the challenge of figuring out how Black could guarantee checkmate within three moves. The person who develops the puzzle is called the “composer” and the person who works to solve it, the “solver”. Simple, right? No, not in the world of Chess.

The sport of Chess composition is governed by the World Federation for Chess Composition (WFCC, formerly part of FIDE as the Permanent Commission for Chess Composition), its 10 major committees, and 40 national chapters. WFCC sponsors competitions both for composing and solving. And it runs a rating system and grants titles (so yes, there are 76 Grandmasters for composition and 29 for solving).

Composing competitions include the Olympic Chess Composing Tourney and the FIDE World Cup in Composing. For solving there are the World Chess Solving Championship and the International Solving Contest.