FIDE

	INTERNATIONAL CHESS FEDERATION FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE DES ÉCHECS - FIDE Recognized by the International Olympic Committee

FIDE Motto: „The moral strength of FIDE is manifested by the discipline of its members”.

Prepared by Andrzej Filipowicz

The International Chess Federation or Fédération Internationale des Échecs (referred to in the ensuing text as FIDE for short), was founded on July 20, 1924 in Paris, after the first Chess Olympiad, called later on unofficial Chess Olympiad.

In the presence of the representatives of over two dozens countries at the event, the representatives from 15 different countries signed a protocol on establishing the International Organization of Chess players: Argentina (R. Grau), Belgium (L. Weltjens), Canada (S.F. Smith), Czechoslovakia (R. Skalicka), Finland (C. Tschepurnoff), France (Pierre Vincent, who made the proposal), Great Britain (F.H. Rowlins), Holland (A. Rueb), Hungary (E. Abonyi), Italy (F. Marusi), Poland (Izaak Towbin from Warsaw), Romania (I. Gudju), Spain (Comte de Penalver), Switzerland (dr Nicollet) and Yugoslavia (I.M. Ovadia).

FIDE is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the supreme body responsible for the game of chess and its Championships.

FIDE has own flag and anthem. FIDE unites national chess federations throughout the world and oversees all International competitions. With 168 member federations, FIDE is among the biggest sport organisations in the world. It rejects discriminatory treatment for national, political, racial, social or religious reasons or on account of gender.

FIDE is concerned exclusively with chess activities. FIDE is democratically established and bases itself on the principles of equal rights of its members. It observes a strict neutrality in the internal affairs of the national chess federations.

Chess is one of the most ancient, intellectual and cultural games. It is a combination of sport, of scientific thinking and of the elements of art.

The official FIDE-languages are Arabic, English, French, German, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. In case of divergence in FIDE documents issued in different languages, in general the English version is the valid one.

The General Assembly, being the highest authority of FIDE, exercises the legislative and - unless otherwise defined below - also the executive power. The General Assembly meets in Olympiad years. It supervises the activities of the Executive Board, the Presidential Board, the President and also the other FIDE officials and organizations. When the General Assembly is not in session its powers are transferred to the Executive Board. The Executive Board (the President, the Honorary President, the Deputy President, the General Secretary, the Treasurer, the Vice Presidents, the Honorary Vice-Presidents, the four Continental Presidents, the Zone Presidents, and four representatives from each of the Continents, and the Auditor) meets at least once a year, as a rule immediately before the General Assembly and once per non Olympiad year.

The following major events are organized by FIDE:

- World Chess Championships
- Women’s World Chess Championships
- World Junior and Girls U-20 Chess Championships
- World Cup (Open)
- Senior World Chess Championship (Open and Women’s Championships)
- Youth World Chess Championships U8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18
- Chess Olympiads (Open and Women’s)
- Youth Chess Olympiads U16
- World Team Chess Championship (Open and Women’s Championships),

Since 1950 year FIDE awards international titles of Grandmaster (GM), International Master (IM), FIDE Master (FM), Woman Grandmaster (WGM), Woman International Master (WIM), Woman FIDE Master (WFM) as well as International Arbiter (IA), FIDE Arbiter (FA), International Organizer (IO), FIDE Instructor and FIDE Trainer.

FIDE registers a few thousands competitions every year and calculates rating for over 110,000 players, based on the rating system prepared by prof. Arpad Elo and introduced in the 1970 year. FIDE prepares a rating list of players six times a year.