Competition

Competitions will take place in venues carefully selected to provide the best possible conditions for athletes and spectators alike. Each site reflects the host country’s commitment to university sport, offering high-quality facilities in a setting designed for international events.

Competition format

I. Basic Competition Information

Organizer: International University Sports Federation (FISU)
Event Frequency: Biennial
2026 Event Information: The 2026 edition will be hosted in Dongchangfu District, Liaocheng City, Shandong Province, China. It will feature two official events—Chess and Bridge—and is expected to attract more than 200 university students from around the world. The event aims to promote international exchange and collaboration in university-level mind sports.

II. Rules of Delegations

1. Participating Units

Delegations shall be organized on a national/regional basis and selected or recommended by the respective university sports associations or education authorities.

Referring to the composition of the Chinese delegation at the 2024 World University Mind Sports Championship in Uganda and the 2025 Summer World University Games, each country/region may enter multiple teams according to the event. For the Bridge Team event, each team typically consists of 4 players.

2. Eligibility

Athletes must be full-time university students (undergraduate or graduate), who were born between 01. 01. 2001 and 31. 12. 2008 (subject to the official regulations of the event).

Athletes must pass the qualification review conducted by the relevant national/regional university sports organization and provide proof of enrollment and identification.

III. Format of Chess

1. Categories

Men’s Individual: Individual scoring system, using either Swiss or round-robin format (determined by the number of entries), with final rankings based on total points.

Women’s Individual: Separate category, following the same format as the men’s category to ensure fair competition by gender.

2. Competition Rules

The competition follows the latest FIDE rules. Each game has a time control of 90 minutes plus 30 seconds per move. Players exceeding the time limit lose the game.
Individual events typically consist of 7–9 rounds, with final rankings determined by total points, direct encounters, and opponents’ scores.

IV. Bridge Competition Format

1. Categories

Pairs (Open): Open to all genders. Participants may form partnerships freely, including cross-country/regional pairings. The competition uses Mitchell or Howell rotation formats, with rankings determined by Match Points (MP) or International Match Points (IMP).

Teams (Four Players): Each team consists of four players (with an optional substitute). Competitions use double round-robin or knockout formats, divided into first and second halves, with the outcome determined by cumulative IMP scores.

2. Competition Rules

The competition follows the standard regulations of the World Bridge Federation (WBF). For team events, each board is limited to 8 minutes; for pairs events, each board is limited to 5 minutes per table.

Team events are divided into preliminary and final stages. The preliminary stage uses the Swiss system, with the top 8 teams advancing to the knockout stage. The pairs event is conducted entirely as a points-based competition, with final rankings determined by total points.

V. General Rules and Awards

1. Scoring and Ranking

The top 8 finishers in each event will be awarded medals and certificates. Team total scores are calculated by summing points according to individual event rankings (e.g., 1st place = 9 points, 2nd place = 7 points, etc.).

Results from cross-country/regional bridge pairings count only toward individual rankings and are not included in the delegation’s total team score.

2. Special Notes

If fewer than 8 participants register in a category, categories may be merged (e.g., mixed-gender competitions), while final rankings will still be calculated separately.

Venues

Location?

Location: 1st Floor, Jin Yuyan, Arcadia International Hot Spring Hotel, Liaocheng
Area: 350㎡
Capacity: 260 persons

Phoenix Hall

Location: 2nd Floor, Jin Yuyan, Arcadia International Hot Spring Hotel, Liaocheng
Area: 500㎡
Capacity: 400 persons

Competition schedule

Technical equipment

Chess

Bridge

Trainings

It will be arranged separately according to the needs of the representative teams.