The Online Chess Olympiad will take place until August 30 ©FIDE

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has said teams from 163 countries are participating in the first Online Chess Olympiad.

The online event began on July 24 and will run until August 30.

FIDE has described the competition as its biggest online tournament yet.

The event was scheduled in response to the postponement of its traditional Chess Olympiad, which had been due to take place in Moscow and Khanty-Mansiysk in August.

FIDE took the decision to reschedule the event to 2021 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Each team in the online chess event features six players in a mixed team format, with a minimum of three female players and two junior players.

The competition features rapid chess, played over 15 minutes and with a five-second increment per move.

The event will consist of two stages, featuring divisions and playoffs, from a round of 16 to the final.

FIDE has partnered with Gazprom, Ugra, and Chess.com to hold the event.

The governing body said the event shows the continued adaptation and thriving of chess during the coronavirus crisis, despite major events such as the Candidates Tournament and the World Championship match being impacted.