The World Non-Professional Chess Championship (WNCC) is a new international championship for players aged 35 and over whose professional activity is not related to chess. Men and women from different professions and countries compete together for a single world title.
The Championship begins with the World Online Qualification, followed by the World Pre-Final, where 64 qualified players compete for eight places in the WNCC World Final in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Founded by Shahin Novrasli, WNCC is built on a simple idea: world-class competition should not be limited to professional chess players. It brings together people for whom chess is a serious lifelong passion and creates a new international stage for the global non-professional chess community.
WNCC is open to men and women aged 35 and over whose primary professional activity is not related to chess. There is no rating requirement — players of different chess levels and professions are welcome.
The defining principle is simple: chess must not be the participant’s primary professional activity. Men and women compete together for a single world championship title.
Participants advancing through the Championship may be required to verify their identity, age and professional status through appropriate employment, professional, educational or business documentation.
Verification is used solely to confirm eligibility for WNCC and will be conducted according to the Championship’s eligibility verification procedure and privacy policy.
The WNCC World Online Qualification is the first competitive stage of the Championship, open to eligible players worldwide.
Participation is limited to 10,000 players worldwide.
Format: Swiss system
Rounds: 9 — one round per day
Time control: 60 minutes per player
Duration: 9 days
Platform: Online
The online qualification will determine the strongest participants and identify the 64 qualified players who will advance to the WNCC World Pre-Final.
Players advancing through the Championship are subject to identity, eligibility and fair-play verification, including the fair-play procedures and tools implemented for the online competition. Participants found not to meet WNCC eligibility or fair-play requirements may be disqualified.
The online structure makes WNCC accessible internationally, allowing participants to begin their journey toward the world title from their own countries.
The WNCC World Pre-Final brings together the 64 players who advance from the World Online Qualification.
Players: 64
Format: Swiss system
Rounds: 9 — one round per day
Time control: 90 minutes per player
Duration: 9 days
Platform: Online
At the conclusion of the nine rounds, the Top 8 players will qualify for the WNCC World Final in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Before their places in the World Final are confirmed, the qualifying players will undergo identity, eligibility and fair-play verification.
The eight confirmed finalists will then travel to Baku to compete live in the Quarterfinals, Semifinals and World Championship Final.
The World Final is played as a knockout championship:
Quarterfinals: 8 → 4 players — 2 classical games per match
Semifinals: 4 → 2 players — 4 classical games per match
World Championship Final: 2 players — 6 classical games
If a match ends in a tie, the winner will be determined through rapid tiebreaks and, if necessary, blitz.
The World Final will include the arrival and accreditation of the finalists, Opening Ceremony, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, World Championship Final, Closing Ceremony and Awards. The detailed schedule will be announced according to venue, broadcasting, player and partner requirements.
Baku was selected as the birthplace of WNCC for Azerbaijan’s strong chess traditions, international accessibility, modern infrastructure and experience in hosting international competitions.
The WNCC entry fee is $100 and provides participation in the World Online Qualification and the opportunity to progress through the Championship toward the World Final in Baku.
Entry fees contribute to the organization and operation of the Championship, including technology, participant verification, fair-play measures, communications and the World Final.
Players who qualify among the Top 8 World Finalists pay no additional entry fee. WNCC will cover their principal expenses associated with participation in Baku, including:
Personal expenses remain the responsibility of the participant.
WNCC is planned to offer a significant prize fund reflecting the international status of the Championship.
Additional championship and special-category awards may also be introduced.
Win your first game at WNCC and receive the official WNCC Participation Diploma, recognizing your participation in the World Non-Professional Chess Championship and your first victory on the road to the World Final.
Every player who earns the WNCC Participation Diploma will also receive complimentary access to all concerts of the Shahin Novrasli Festival during the festival period.
The final prize and award structure may be adjusted based on sponsorship, entry fees, broadcast revenues and institutional partnerships.
Fair play is a fundamental priority of WNCC, particularly during the online stages of the Championship.
WNCC will establish an independent Fair Play Committee responsible for protecting the integrity of the competition.
Fair-play measures may include identity and eligibility verification, online game monitoring, anti-cheating technology, statistical analysis, video verification and specialist review of suspicious games.
Players qualifying for the World Final will undergo full verification before their places are confirmed, with additional on-site security and anti-cheating measures applied in Baku.
Any participant found to have violated WNCC eligibility or fair-play requirements may be disqualified.
The objective is to ensure that every stage of WNCC is conducted with fairness, transparency and credibility, building international trust in the WNCC title.
WNCC is designed as a truly global championship, bringing together non-professional chess players from different countries, cultures and professional backgrounds.
Players from Europe, Asia, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand can begin their journey online, with the strongest eight ultimately meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, for the live World Final.
WNCC will develop a country-representation system, highlighting the international identity of the Championship and allowing audiences to follow players representing nations from around the world.
With its strong chess traditions, international accessibility and modern infrastructure, Baku is the birthplace of WNCC and is intended to become the long-term home of a new international chess tradition.
WNCC is designed to be more than a chess competition — a modern international sporting, digital and cultural event connecting the games and the stories of its participants with audiences around the world.
The WNCC digital experience will include player profiles, live games and standings, streaming and commentary, interviews, tournament reports, social media coverage and an interactive world map of participants.
At the heart of WNCC are the stories behind the players themselves. A surgeon from France may face a software engineer from Japan; an entrepreneur may compete against an architect, scientist, educator or artist.
By combining chess with professional achievement, life experience and international diversity, WNCC aims to reach audiences far beyond the traditional chess community.
WNCC is being developed as an international championship supported by a professional organizational structure, strategic partnerships and clearly defined responsibilities.
The organizational structure includes the WNCC Board, Tournament Committee, Participant Eligibility Committee, Fair Play Committee, Appeals Committee, Event Operations Team, and Marketing & Sponsorship Team, covering strategy, competition management, eligibility, fair play, appeals, event operations and commercial development.
The international reach and professional diversity of WNCC create partnership opportunities for leading organizations across finance, technology, telecommunications, automotive, aviation, hospitality, healthcare, education, insurance, luxury and consumer brands.
Partnership opportunities may include title and official partnerships, broadcast and digital integration, venue branding, social media campaigns, VIP hospitality and corporate chess events.
WNCC also creates opportunities for business networking and international professional connections, bringing together participants, partners and organizations from different countries and industries.
WNCC is envisioned as an annual international championship, beginning with worldwide online qualification and culminating in the World Final in Baku, Azerbaijan.
In future years, WNCC may expand through continental and regional qualifications, national partnerships, additional online events, corporate tournaments and new championship formats.
Baku is intended to remain the long-term home of WNCC, establishing a new international chess tradition in Azerbaijan.
Over time, WNCC aims to evolve from a single championship into a global chess platform and international community, connecting people through chess, professional diversity, life experience and international friendship.
The long-term ambition is to establish a new category in international chess: a serious global competitive platform for adults who have built their careers outside professional chess while continuing to develop their chess skills throughout their lives.