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FIDE has published a detailed agenda of what will be discussed and deliberated at the congress, as well as no fewer than 63 Annexes. Even for those not inclined to pore over discussions on administrative topics, there are a number of items that are of general interest.
Click here for complete Agenda
At 5.20 in the Agenda, players will find a 20-point list of the major FIDE events, where they will take place, and when. The FIDE World Cup in 2017 and 2019 have already been announced, with the 2017 event to be held in Tbilisi, Georgia on September 1-25, 2017, while the 2019 World Cup will run in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.
The next Olympiads have also been announced, with the 2018 World Chess Olympiad to be held in Batumi, Georgia from September 23 – October 7, 2018, while the 2020 Olympiad is being bid upon by Khanty-Manisiysk, whose proposal is to be submitted and ratified at the congress. For those interested in what this entails, there is a two-page itemized list of the expected expenses, and proposed budget of 4.26 million Euros.
The FIDE Grand Prix series for 2016-2017 is also listed, with four events and four dates, though no venues are as yet announced for any of them. No doubt these will be a prime point of discussion during the Congress since the first event is scheduled for October 12-23, 2016.
One oddity in the list is the Women’s World Championship. It is already known that this has been a difficult event to acquire proper backing, a point World Champion Hou Yifan brought up in her interview recently, but it was still somewhat surprising to see that although the 2016 championship (the tournament itself) still lacks an organizer, and was thus pushed to 2017 while one is sought, the 2018 Women World Championship is already set for Khanty-Mansiysk.
Annex 40 is a final report on the 2016 Candidates Tournament held in Moscow, written by the Chief Arbiter Werner Stubenvoll himself and presented to FIDE. It details the comments on all aspects, from any incidents and actions taken, to food, noise, and more, and possible solutions if needed.
On the titles front, 10-year-old Praggnanandhaa will finally see his IM title ratified as the youngest IM in history. Note that as of today his newest rating on the September 2016 list is an impressive 2442 FIDE. Iranian talents, Firouzja and Gholami will also ratify their IM titles though not before the Baku Olympiad where they will represent Iran as untitled boards.
10-year-old Praggnanandhaa's IM title will be ratified at the FIDE Congress in Baku
Finally, among many points that may interest readers and players is the much debated Annex 44, proposing an amendment to the rules used to determine a World Championship Challenger, allowing a player who can ‘contribute to the prize fund and costs of holding the match’. The wording is presumably meant to suggest the challenger would ensure the costs of the prize fund since as written it could mean just one Euro contributed. The ACP has set up a petition in protest that ends tomorrow.
Another vital point of the Congress regards the FIDE Laws of Chess. Some articles are added, others erased, and yet others are edited or revised. Among the notable changes would be articles regarding cheating and how to handle it, but others include reactions to incidents such as the touch piece rule. Below is a look at some of the changes proposed in the most recent draft (Draft 6) that will be discussed at the FIDE Congress.
The following are the most relevant changes. There are a few more, but they mostly address grammar or wording. In our list you find what has been deleted, what added and what modified.
| Previous version | Revisions |
| 6.7.1 Any player who arrives at the chessboard after the start of the session shall lose the game. Thus the default time is zero minutes. The rules of a competition may specify otherwise. | |
| 7.2 If during a game it is found that the chessboard has been placed contrary to Article 2.1, the game shall continue but the position reached must be transferred to a correctly placed chessboard. | |
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7.3 Where each player has made his first move with the colours opposite to those allocated then the game shall continue, unless the arbiter rules otherwise. |
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7.5.1 An illegal move is completed once the player has pressed his clock. If during a game, and within 10 further moves being completed by both players, it is found that an illegal move has been completed, the position immediately before the irregularity shall be reinstated. If the position immediately before the irregularity cannot be determined, the game shall continue from the last identifiable position prior to the irregularity. Articles 4.3-4.7 apply to the move replacing the illegal move. The game shall then continue from this reinstated position. 7.5.2 If during a game, 10 moves have been completed by both players since the illegal move was completed, the game shall continue. |
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| 7.6.1 If, during a game it is found that any piece has been displaced from its correct square the position before the irregularity shall be reinstated. |
7.6.1 If, during a game and within 10 moves being completed by both players, it is found that any piece has been displaced from its correct square the position before the irregularity shall be reinstated. The game shall then continue from this reinstated position. 7.6.2 If the 10 moves have been exceeded or the position before the irregularity cannot be determined the game shall continue from the last known position. |
| 10.2 The total score of any game can never exceed the maximum score of a normal game. | |
| 11.3.4 Smoking is permitted only in the section of he venue designated by the arbiter. | 11.3.4 Smoking, including e-cigarettes, is permitted only in the section of he venue designated by the arbiter. |
| 11.11 Both players must assist the arbiter in any situation requiring reconstruction of the game including draw claims.
11.12 Checking of three times repetition or 50 moves is a duty of a players, under supervising of arbiter. |
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| A.4.2 |
A.4.2 An illegal move is completed once the player has pressed his clock. If the arbiter observes an illegal move has been completed, he shall declare the game lost by the player, provided the opponent has not made his next move. |
1. Audited accounts.
2. Commented accounts.
3. Fees paid to PB members in 2015.
4. Report of the Permanent Fund Administrator Mr. L. Brunner.
5. Verification Commission’s report.
6. Application of South Sudan Chess Federation.
7. Application of Eritrea Chess Federation.
8. Application of Kosovo Chess Federation.
9. Letter from Chess Federation of Serbia in respect of the application.
10. Application of Liberia Chess Federation.
11. Application of Nauru Chess Federation.
12. Application of Cabo-Verde Chess Federation.
13. Report and proposals of the International Chess Association of French-speakers.
14. Clarification regarding ASEAN Chess Confederation issue.
15. Petition to reinstate titles, norms and ratings for ASEAN players.
16. Proposed jurisdiction clause as drafted by the FIDE lawyers.
17. Proposed amendment regarding elected commissions.
18. Proposed amendment to current Article 10 of Chapter 03.
19. Proposed change in the Electoral Regulations.
20. Summaries of the over-the-board titles.
21. Arbiters’ Commission’s Agenda and Appendices for the meeting in Baku.
22. Minutes of the Councillors’ meeting in Madrid.
23. Summaries of the Arbiters’ titles.
24. Trainers’ Commission’s report.
25. Trainers’ titles.
26. Technical Commission’s Agenda for the meeting in Baku.
27. Minutes of the Councillors’ meeting in Warsaw.
28. Proposed requirements on treatment of schools tournaments.
29. Proposed change of subtitle for Chapter 02 (Chess equipment, tournament venue for FIDE Tournaments, rate of play and tie-break regulations).
30. Proposal of Constitutional Commission to introduce several changes in Chapter 0.2 Non-Elected Commissions of the FIDE Handbook.
31. Systems of Pairings and Programs Commission’s Agenda for the meeting in Baku.
32. Dutch System to be presented in Baku.
33. Chess in Schools Commission’s report.
34. Minutes of the CIS Councillors’ meeting.
35. Chess in Schools Commission’s proposals.
36. Minutes of the DIS Councillors’ meeting in Tallinn.
37. Medical Commission’s Agenda for the meeting in Baku.
38. Events Commission’s Agenda for the meeting in Baku.
39. Summary of IO titles.
40. Candidates Tournament Chief Arbiter’s report.
41. Regulations for the 2016-2017 FIDE World Chess Grand-Prix series.
42. Bid from Khanty-Mansiysk for World Chess Olympiad 2020.
43. Proposal of the Austrian Chess Federation to create an Olympiad for rapid and blitz or a Team World Rapid and Blitz Championship.
44. Proposal of the Russian Chess Federation for a challenge of World Champions, men and women.
45. Bid from the Turkish Chess Federation for World Junior and Girls U-20 Championship 2018.
46. Bid from the Greek Chess Federation for World Youth Championships U-14, U-16, U-18 2018.
47. Bid from the Spanish Chess Federation for World Cadet Championship U-8, U-10, U-12 2018.
48. Bid from the Turkish Chess Federation for World Cadet Championship U-8, U-10, U-12 2018.
49. Evaluation table and inspections reports.
50. Bid from the Slovenian Chess Federation for World Senior Championship 2018.
51. Bid from the Italian Chess Federation for World Senior Championship 2018.
52. Bid from the Romanian Chess Federation for World Senior Championship 2018.
53. Evaluation table of the above bids and inspection reports.
54. Bid from the German Chess Federation for World Team Championship 50+, 65+ 2018.
55. Bid from the Italian Chess Federation for World Amateur Championship 2018.
56. Bid from the Romanian Chess Federation for World Amateur Championship 2018.
57. Bid from the Greek Chess Federation for World Amateur Championship 2018.
58. Report of Continental President for Europe.
59. Letter from ECU President and 14 Exhibits (in electronic form).
60. Report of Continental President for Americas.
61. Proposal of Zone change for the Ecuador Chess Federation from 2.3 to 2.4.
62. Letter from Mr. Ncube to Chess Kenya.
63. Proposal of Mr. I. Lobortas regarding Caissa and FIDE Grand Prix.
The Jamaican Chess Federation submitted a motion to impeach FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, but it was not placed on the Agenda as it missed the June deadline.
