International Judge of Chess Compositions is a title award by FIDE via the

World Federation for Chess Composition The World Federation for Chess Composition (WFCC) is the highest body governing the official activities in the chess composition. It was known as the Permanent Commission of the FIDE for Chess Compositions (PCCC) from its inception in 1956 until Oct ...

(WFCC; until 2010 ''Permanent Commission of the FIDE for Chess Compositions'', PCCC) to individuals who have judged several

chess problem A chess problem, also called a chess composition, is a puzzle set by the composer using chess pieces on a chess board, which presents the solver with a particular task. For instance, a position may be given with the instruction that White is to ...

or study tournaments and who are considered capable of judging such awards at the highest level. The title was first awarded in 1956. In the past, a number of famous over-the-board players have also been International Judges, including Mikhail Botvinnik,

Vasily Smyslov Vasily Vasilyevich Smyslov ( rus, Васи́лий Васи́льевич Смысло́в, Vasíliy Vasíl'yevich Smyslóv; 24 March 1921 – 27 March 2010) was a Soviet and Russian chess grandmaster, who was World Chess Champion from 1957 t ...

David Bronstein David Ionovich Bronstein (russian: Дави́д Ио́нович Бронште́йн; February 19, 1924 – December 5, 2006) was a Soviet and Ukrainian chess player. Awarded the title of International Grandmaster by FIDE in 1950, he narro ...

Paul Keres Paul Keres (; 7 January 1916 – 5 June 1975) was an Estonian chess grandmaster and chess writer. He was among the world's top players from the mid-1930s to the mid-1960s, and narrowly missed a chance at a World Chess Championship match on five ...

Yuri Averbakh Yuri Lvovich Averbakh (russian: Ю́рий Льво́вич Аверба́х; 8 February 1922 – 7 May 2022) was a Russian chess grandmaster and author. He was chairman of the USSR Chess Federation from 1973 to 1978. He was the first centenari ...

and

Wolfgang Unzicker Wolfgang Unzicker (26 June 1925 – 20 April 2006) was one of the strongest German chess Grandmasters from 1945 to about 1970. He decided against making chess his profession, choosing law instead. Unzicker was at times the world's strongest amat ...

, though in modern times the title is generally held by individuals largely unknown outside the world of problems. Many notable problem and study composers are also International Judges, including Genrikh Kasparyan.

External links

PCCC Statutes
- Annex III lays out requirements for the title
List of FIDE International JudgesHandbook of Chess Composition
{{chess-tournament-stub Chess problems * Chess titles 1956 in chess Awards established in 1956