FIDE and World Chess Plan Historic Online-to-Over Table Board Rating System
For the first time in chess history, players may soon be able to earn an official FIDE over-the-board rating through online games.
On June 23, 2026, FIDE and World Chess announced a new project called the “First Rating Experiment.” The program aims to allow players to receive their first official FIDE rapid and blitz ratings by playing online chess. Currently, only around 500,000 players worldwide have an official FIDE over-the-board rating.
This new idea could give millions of online players a chance to enter the official chess system. The program is especially important for players who do not have access to rated over-the-board tournaments. It could help talented online players begin a professional chess career.
FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich said the project is designed to grow chess in a responsible and transparent way while protecting the integrity of the rating system. World Chess CEO Ilya Merenzon explained that many players want a FIDE rating but never had the opportunity to earn one. This experiment is designed to change that.
How the System Would Work
The project is still being finalized, but both sides have agreed on the main framework. If approved, the experiment will run for two years on worldchess.com, the official FIDE online platform. The program will include rapid and blitz games under full FIDE supervision.
Players will need to complete a large number of rated online tournament games to qualify. Casual games will not count. After that, all results will go through strict fair-play and anti-cheating checks. If the games pass all reviews, players can receive an official FIDE rating.
Special Rating Formula
A special coefficient system will be used to convert online results into official over-the-board ratings. The goal is to make sure that an online rating reflects the same playing strength as an over-the-board rating.
FIDE specialists will regularly review and update the formula every six months using large player data groups. The proposed maximum rating through this system is currently 1800. Players who want ratings above 1800 will still need to compete in traditional over-the-board tournaments.
Players may also be allowed to convert their online rating to an official OTB rating once every calendar year.
Strong Fair-Play Measures
Fair play is one of the biggest focuses of the project. Every qualifying game will be checked using advanced anti-cheating systems created specifically for this program. Any suspicious results will be reviewed by a dedicated Anti-Cheating Officer. Players will also have access to an official appeals process.
In addition, every player must verify their identity before becoming eligible for rating conversion. The system has already been independently reviewed by outside experts and will continue to undergo further testing and certification.
Community Feedback Invited
FIDE and World Chess are inviting the global chess community to help shape the final rules. Players, coaches, chess federations, and experts can review the technical details and provide feedback before the program officially launches.
The organizations hope to finalize the project and launch it in July 2026 after community discussions are completed. This experiment could become one of the biggest changes in modern chess, connecting online chess and official over-the-board competition like never before.
Photos: FIDE_Chess
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS
