World Blitz Chess Championship

The World Blitz Chess Championship is the official competition of FIDE, the International Chess Federation, for the world title at this extremely fast pace. Blitz is not a different game with different pieces. It is ordinary chess played with very little total time on each player's clock.

The time control commonly combines a few starting minutes with an increment, a small number of seconds added after every move. The exact time control, number of rounds, pairing system, and any knockout stage are set by the regulations for each edition.

Severe time pressure changes the practical contest. Players must identify workable moves quickly, execute them legally, and monitor the clock. A winning board position may still be lost if its owner runs out of time.

The name should not be confused with any blitz game. Countless games use a blitz time control, but only the FIDE event awards this world title. It is also separate from the World Rapid Chess Championship, which gives players more thinking time.