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A Memorial Chess Solving Cup for Dr S. Manikumar, Problemist Extraordinaire

by Satanick Mukhuty - 15/06/2026

Mark your calendars for the afternoon of 27 June as the Dr S. Manikumar Memorial Chess Solving Cup comes to venues across Mumbai and the Delhi NCR, bringing solvers together to celebrate the legacy of a remarkable problemist whose life was tragically cut short last year at the age of 45. The event is sponsored by the World Federation for Chess Composition (WFCC) and is being organised jointly by ChessBase India, Phoenix Marketcity Mumbai, and the Chess Coffee Connect community in the Delhi NCR. Read on for the venues, timings, and registration details for all participating centres.

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Dr Solaiappan Manikumar was an exceptional neonatologist, devoting himself to the care of the sickest and most vulnerable infants, often from the poorest of families. At the same time, he was a gifted chess composer, one of no more than a handful of Indians whose problems appeared regularly in leading chess composition magazines. In August last year, a tragic road accident brought an untimely end to a life devoted to healing and creativity. He was only 45.

Dr S. Manikumar (1980 - 2025)

For those of us who knew him and appreciated his significant contribution to chess composition, preserving and celebrating his legacy became a natural responsibility. To that end, we are organising the Dr S. Manikumar Memorial Chess Solving Cup on 27 June across Mumbai and the Delhi NCR.

Event Format

The contest will consist of a single three-hour round and a single open section, with no separate categories based on age. All solvers will attempt the same set of problems under identical conditions.

Competitors will be given 180 minutes (three hours) to solve a selection of twelve compositions:

  • 2 two-movers (#2)

  • 2 three-movers (#3)

  • 2 moremovers (#n)

  • 2 studies (+ or =)

  • 2 helpmates (h#)

  • 2 selfmates (s#)

To ensure that newcomers can take part meaningfully, around half of the problems will be relatively accessible.

Each correct and complete solution will earn 5 points, making the maximum possible score 60 points.

Prizes

The championship is divided into four venue clusters — one in Mumbai and three in the Delhi NCR. Each cluster will have its own prize fund of ₹10,000, distributed as follows:

  • 1st Place – ₹3,500

  • 2nd Place – ₹2,500

  • 3rd Place – ₹1,800

  • 4th Place – ₹1,200

  • 5th Place – ₹1,000

There is one catch, however: participants must score at least 15 points (25%) to be eligible for the prizes listed above. Since this amounts to just three correct and complete solutions, the qualifying mark should be well within reach for most participants.

In addition to the prizes listed above, all winners will receive e-certificates signed by Marjan Kovačević, President of the WFCC.

Venues & Timings

The competition will be held across all venues on the afternoon of 27 June, between 11 am and 4 pm. Although the duration of the event will be the same at every venue, the starting times will vary slightly. Participants are therefore requested to take careful note of the timings listed below.

Mumbai

  • Venue: Phoenix ChessBase India Club, Atrium 5, Lower Ground Floor, Phoenix Marketcity Mall, Mumbai

  • Timing: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Delhi NCR Cluster 1 – Gurgaon (Standalone Prize Fund)

  • Venue: Cut Coffee Paste, Golf Course Road

  • Timing: 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Delhi NCR Cluster 2 - South Delhi + West Delhi (Combined Prize Fund)

  • South Delhi Venue: Shell Beacon Patio Cafe, Hauz Khas Village

  • Timing: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

  • West Delhi Venue: House of Espresso, Shivaji Marg, Moti Nagar

  • Timing: 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Delhi NCR Cluster 3 - Noida + Greater Noida (Combined Prize Fund)

  • Noida Venue: Binge Central, Sector 62

  • Timing: 12:30 PM – 3:30 PM

  • Greater Noida Venue: Road House Cafe & Bar

  • Timing: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Registration Forms

Registration is being handled through two separate Google Forms — one for Mumbai and another for the Delhi NCR. The entry fee for the solving competition is ₹199 in Mumbai. In the Delhi NCR, a separate fee structure applies, with entry fees starting at ₹299 and including participation in an accompanying rapid chess event.

To register for the event, please use the appropriate form below:

General Instructions

  • Please reach the venue at least 10 minutes before the start of the event and confirm your attendance.

  • Remember to carry a pen.

  • Write your answers only on the designated answer sheet, and make sure to fill in your details (name, date of birth, etc.) in the space provided on it.

  • You may take the sheet containing the diagrams home afterwards.

  • Please do not use any unfair means during the event. Discussion with other participants, as well as the use of phones or other electronic devices, is strictly prohibited and may result in disqualification.

Technical Instructions

  • In all positions, except the helpmate, White makes the first move. Hence, “#n” means White to play and mate in n, “+” denotes White to play and win, and “=” denotes White to play and draw.

  • All diagrams will be displayed from White’s perspective, with a1 located at the bottom-left corner.

  • To earn full marks (5 points) for a mate-in-2 (#2), you only need to provide the correct key move, which is the first move of the solution.

  • For three- and more-movers, you must provide the key and all variations of full length up to White’s penultimate move. Black’s last move and White’s mating move need not be written.

  • For studies, give all moves up to an obvious win or draw.

  • In a helpmate in n moves (h#n), Black plays first and both sides cooperate to get the black king mated in the stipulated number of moves. A helpmate may have multiple solutions or multiple parts, also known as twins. When this occurs, it will be clearly indicated in the question. To score full marks, you must provide all solutions or solve all parts, as required.

  • In a selfmate (s#), White makes the first move, and the goal is to compel Black to mate the white king in the stipulated number of moves. Unlike in a helpmate, where Black cooperates with White, in a selfmate Black does not comply willingly and is instead forced to deliver mate. To score full marks, write the key move and all full-length variations up to White’s final move.

Results

The results table and the names of the prize winners will be emailed to all participants by 30 June. The prizes will be disbursed online.

Pre-Contest Awareness Session

As part of the build-up to the competition, we have arranged two complimentary online technical sessions on 22 June and 24 June, both commencing at 8:00 pm IST. Participants who enrol on or before 22 June, 3:00 pm IST, will receive the Google Meet links for both sessions and are welcome to attend either or both.

In addition, on 28 June, we will conduct a post-event analysis session in which all twelve positions from the competition will be explained and discussed. This session will also begin at 8:00 pm IST.

These sessions will be led by Satanick Mukhuty, Chess Composition Editor of ChessBase India and director of the event.

In the meantime, if you would like to prepare, the following links may prove helpful!

Useful Links

  1. WFCC Solving Portal

  2. An Article on Helpmates by Peter Wong

  3. An Article on Selfmates by Peter Wong

  4. A playlist of videos on helpmates by Anirudh Daga

Contact

For technical queries regarding the competition, you may reach out to Satanick on WhatsApp: +917908245176

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