FIDE: International Chess Federation

FIDE

Definition

FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs, or International Chess Federation) is the worldwide governing body of chess. Founded in 1924 in Paris, FIDE regulates international chess competition, awards official titles such as grandmaster and FIDE Master, publishes the official international Elo rating lists, and sanctions the World Championship cycle that determines the official World Champion.

Founding and Historical Development

FIDE was established on July 20, 1924, during the Paris Olympic Games, by representatives from several national chess federations who wanted a single body to coordinate international events. Its early motto, “Gens una sumus” (“We are one people”), underlines the idea of a unified global chess community.

• 1924: FIDE is founded in Paris.
• 1948: FIDE organizes the first official World Championship tournament after the death of Alexander Alekhine, ending the era of privately arranged World Championship matches.
• 1950s–1970s: FIDE establishes formal international titles (IM, GM) and adopts the Elo rating system.
• 1993–2006: A split occurs between the “classical” World Championship and the FIDE World Championship, eventually reunified under FIDE in 2006.
• 21st century: FIDE expands into rapid, blitz, online formats, and women’s and youth events on a large scale.

Organizational Structure

FIDE is composed of national chess federations (e.g., US Chess, English Chess Federation, All India Chess Federation), each representing a country or territory. These federations are voting members of the FIDE General Assembly, which is the highest decision-making body.

• President and Presidential Board: The President leads FIDE and is supported by a Council/Presidential Board handling strategic and executive decisions.
• Continental Associations: Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas each have continental federations under the FIDE umbrella.
• Commissions: Specialized commissions deal with rules, arbiters, trainers, women’s chess, youth chess, online chess, fair play, ratings, and more.
• Affiliated Organizations: Some chess-related bodies (such as correspondence or school chess organizations) are affiliated with FIDE.

FIDE and World Championships

One of FIDE’s core responsibilities is organizing the official World Championship cycle, which determines the title of World Champion. Over time, this cycle has evolved significantly.

• World Championship Match: A match between the reigning champion and a challenger decided through the Candidates Tournament or matches.
• Candidates Tournament: A double round-robin or match series to select the challenger, usually involving 8 top players by rating and qualification events.
• World Cup: A large knockout event that serves as a qualifier to the Candidates and as a major FIDE title event in its own right.
• Women’s World Championship: A parallel cycle for the Women’s World Champion, which has alternated between match and knockout formats.
• Youth and Senior World Championships: Age-grouped events (e.g., U8, U10, U12, up to U18, plus seniors) held under FIDE’s auspices.
• Rapid and Blitz World Championships: Official yearly titles for faster time controls, reflecting the growth of Rapid and Blitz chess.

FIDE Rating System

FIDE maintains the global standard rating system for over-the-board chess, based on the Elo rating method. Nearly every serious competitive player has or seeks a FIDE rating, which is published monthly.

• Standard (Classical) Rating: Covers games with longer time controls, traditionally 90 minutes or more per player.
• Rapid and Blitz Ratings: Separate rating lists for quicker formats, each with its own regulations and K-factors.
• Title and Event Requirements: Certain Norms, performance ratings, and rating thresholds are defined by FIDE for awarding titles (e.g., 2500 standard rating at some point is necessary for the GM title).
• Global Publication: FIDE’s rating lists allow players worldwide to compare strength and qualify for events based on rating thresholds.

Players and federations often monitor trends over time with their FIDE ratings in different time controls, such as or .

FIDE Titles

FIDE grants life-long titles based on performance criteria, norms, and rating thresholds. These titles are recognized worldwide and are a central part of a player’s chess identity.

• General over-the-board titles:
  • Grandmaster (GM): The highest commonly awarded title, below World Champion. Requires three GM norms and a 2500+ FIDE rating at some point.
  • International Master (IM): Requires IM norms and a rating of 2400+.
  • FIDE Master (FM): Typically awarded for achieving a 2300+ rating.
  • Candidate Master (CM): Usually needs a 2200+ rating.
• Women’s titles:
  • Woman Grandmaster (WGM)
  • Woman International Master (WIM)
  • Woman FIDE Master (WFM)
  • Woman Candidate Master (WCM)
• Other title systems: FIDE also awards titles for Arbiters, trainers, and organizers (e.g., International Arbiter, FIDE Trainer).

Rules and Laws of Chess

FIDE maintains and periodically updates the official “Laws of Chess,” the rulebook governing over-the-board play in rated events. These laws define:

• How the pieces move and capture.
• Regulations for touch-move rule and illegal moves.
• Procedures for draw claims (e.g., threefold repetition, fifty-move rule).
• Requirements for chess equipment, the chess clock, and scoresheets.
• Tournament behavior, penalties, and arbiter powers.

These Laws are binding for all official FIDE events and serve as the reference for most national tournaments, even below international level.

FIDE and Arbiters, Organizers, and Commissions

FIDE certifies and regulates the professionals who run tournaments and uphold fair play.

• Arbiters: FIDE grants titles such as FIDE Arbiter and International Arbiter to individuals qualified to supervise tournaments, rule on disputes, and enforce regulations.
• Trainers: Certification programs for FIDE Trainers, FIDE Instructors, and higher levels help standardize coaching qualifications.
• Organizers: FIDE-approved organizers run norm events, world championships, and other official competitions.
• Key commissions:
  • Rules Commission: Drafts and maintains the Laws of Chess.
  • Arbiters Commission: Handles education and certification of arbiters.
  • Trainers Commission: Oversees training titles and seminars.
  • Fair Play (Anti-Cheating) Commission: Works on detecting and preventing cheating, especially in the age of Engines and Computer chess.

FIDE Elo and Tournament Norms

To earn titles like GM and IM, players must achieve performance standards called norms in FIDE-rated tournaments. FIDE defines strict criteria for these events:

• Minimum number of rounds: Typically at least 9 rounds for most norm events.
• Opponents’ ratings and titles: A certain portion of opponents must be titled and from different national federations.
• Performance rating: Players must achieve a performance above a specific rating threshold.
• FIDE-rated: All games must be standard FIDE-rated games; event organizers must report results correctly.

FIDE’s rating and norms framework ensures that titles are earned under consistent, internationally recognized conditions.

Official FIDE Events and Olympiad

Beyond World Championships, FIDE organizes or sanctions a wide range of international competitions:

• Chess Olympiad: A flagship team event held every two years, where national teams from all around the world compete. There are Open and Women’s sections, with boards usually arranged from top board (strongest player) downward.
• Continental Championships: European, Asian, African, and American championships that serve as both prestigious titles and qualifiers for higher events.
• World Junior and Youth Championships: Title events for younger players, often where future stars first appear on the international stage.
• Online and Hybrid Events: In recent years, FIDE has integrated online platforms into official events with specific regulations about anti-cheating, camera setups, and hybrid (online plus physical) formats.

FIDE and Fair Play

As technology has made Cheaters using Chess engines a serious concern, FIDE has developed extensive fair play regulations:

• Anti-cheating guidelines for arbiters, including monitoring behavior, moves, and statistical patterns.
• Cooperation with platforms and organizers to detect irregular play.
• Fair Play panels and sanctions for proven violations, which can include title revocation, bans from events, and rating annulments.
• Procedures for appeals and disciplinary hearings under FIDE’s Ethics and Disciplinary Commission.

FIDE and Chess Variants, Online Chess, and Modern Trends

While FIDE’s core jurisdiction is classical chess, it has taken positions on or shown interest in related forms:

• Rapid and Blitz: Fully incorporated with separate ratings, titles (World Rapid and Blitz Champions), and regulations.
• Online Chess: FIDE cooperates with online platforms for official events and rating experiments, especially after the growth of online competition.
• Variants: Most variants such as chess960, Atomic chess, or Antichess are not governed directly by FIDE, but some events and discussions involve how variants relate to classical chess and to FIDE’s mission.

Notable Facts and Anecdotes

• FIDE’s founding motto, “Gens una sumus,” is still widely quoted in speeches and event broadcasts to emphasize the unifying role of chess.
• In 1948, FIDE’s World Championship tournament (The Hague/Moscow) crowned Mikhail Botvinnik as champion, marking the end of privately negotiated championship matches and the start of a formal cycle.
• During the late 20th century, FIDE had to navigate the professionalization of chess, appearance of powerful engines like Deep Blue, and debates over match length, time controls, and prize funds.
• There was a long-running split between “classical” and FIDE World Champions (e.g., Garry Kasparov outside FIDE vs. FIDE champions) until reunification in 2006, when a single undisputed champion once again played under FIDE auspices.
• FIDE’s influence extends into education: many national school chess programs and teacher trainings follow guidelines influenced or supported by FIDE commissions for chess in education.

Example: FIDE-Rated Game Snapshot

Below is a minimal example of an over-the-board FIDE-rated game fragment, illustrating how moves are recorded and later submitted for rating:

This is a typical start of the Ruy Lopez, a mainstay of top-level FIDE events for over a century.