What are Arena Tournaments?

Arena Tournaments are continuous-play formats where players are paired instantly after each game. The goal is to play and win as many games as possible within the 3-hour window. Players can join or leave at any time and do not need to face every other participant.

What is the Tower and Blitz to the Top Series powered by Algorand?

The Tower is a gamified system that turns your chess journey into a rewarding adventure. Every game, point, and title helps you rise through 30 levels, unlocking Chess Coins, PRO subscriptions, and exclusive prizes. All progress is securely recorded on the Algorand blockchain, keeping your achievements safe and future-proof. Find out more here: Link

Blitz to the Top Series powered by Algorand is a dynamic set of three fast-paced blitz arena tournaments held in August, where every win helps you climb higher in the Tower.

How do I participate?

Participation is free — just register and play.

How do I win?

To win prizes in the series, you need to earn the most Progress Points (PP) by the end of all three tournaments. The more active and successful you are, the better your chances.

Earn Progress Points by:

Drawing a game → +1 PP
Winning a game → +2 PP
Playing 10 games in one tournament → +5 PP. PP is awarded only for the first 10 games.

Track your progress in the Tower, watch your rivals climb, and race past them to reach the top. At the end of the series, the players with the most total PP will win the main prizes.

What is the Prize Fund?

Awarded to the top 8 players across the 3-tournament series:

1st place: 2,000 ALGO
2nd place: 1,500 ALGO
3rd place: 750 ALGO
4th place: 500 ALGO
5th place: 250 ALGO
6th–8th places: World Chess Academy set

Is the Tournament rated?

This tournament is World Chess-rated and won't affect your FOA rating.

How is Algorand Blockchain integrated?

To ensure permanence and portability, World Chess records all player progression data on the Algorand blockchain, the official blockchain partner of World Chess. This allows Progress Points (PP) and player achievement data to be securely stored and connected to Algorand-compatible wallets. Algorand’s blockchain infrastructure opens up the possibility of third-party integrations, verified progress history, and ownership of in-game accomplishments — all while maintaining a seamless user experience. More info here: Link

How are Scores calculated?

Please note that traditional tournament points do not count towards the leaderboard. Instead, only Progress Points earned through The Tower gamification system are taken into account.

How is the Winner decided?

The player(s) with the most Progress Points at the end of the three-tournament series will be declared the winner(s).

In case of a tie in Progress Points, tournament performance will be used as the tiebreaker. The distribution of the prizes will take place within one month after the final tournament and after the Fair Play check.

How is Fair Play ensured?

Each tournament is monitored by an arbiter and anti-cheat module. Violation of World Chess' Fair Play policy will result in elimination and cancellation of results.

How does the Pairing work?

At the beginning of the tournament, players are paired based on their rating.

As soon as you finish a game, press "go to the next opponent" button or return to the tournament lobby: you will then be paired with a player close to your ranking. This ensures minimum wait time, however you may not face all other players in the tournament.

Play fast and return to the lobby to play more games and win more points.

How does it end?

The tournament has a countdown clock. When it reaches zero, the tournament rankings are frozen, and the winner is announced. Games in progress must be finished, however they don't count for the tournament.