FIDE

The Federation Internationale des Echecs (or the World Chess Federation) is an organization that connects all chess organizations throughout the world into a single network of 158 national associations and is run by a governing body that regulates chess tournaments. It is generally referred to as FIDE and originated in Paris, France in 1924. The motto of FIDE is Gens una sumus, which translates to “We are one people”.

Chess is a board game that is played between two players with a chess board. The chessboard is square-shaped and contains 64 squares arranged on an 8 by 8 grid. Each player during a chess match starts with sixteen different pieces. Each player has one king and queen, two rooks, knights, and bishops, and eight pawns. Every unique piece on a chess board has unique ways of traveling up and down the chessboard. Both player in a game of chess has the goal of using the pieces to checkmate the opponent’s king. This means that the king is under attack, and there is no possible move that will deem the king safe from the attack. If a king is in check, it means it is being attacked, but there is a move that will keep it safe, either by moving the king or another piece to block the attack.

The FIDE’s main role is to regulate chess tournaments throughout the world. The main chess tournaments that it regulates is the World Chess Championship and the Chess Olympiad. The International Olympic Committee recognizes the FIDE as the supreme organization which is given the sole responsibility to set up chess championships and chess tournaments, both at global and continental levels. Other high-level chess tournaments also follow the guidelines of the FIDE, although they are not official run by them.

The FIDE is also given the task of assigning Elo ratings to chess players, which determine achievements of chess competitors around the world. The FIDE hands out titles after a competitive chess tournament, such as FIDE Master, International Master, International Grandmaster, while also giving out women’s titles equivalent to these. In addition, the FIDE awards Grandmaster titles and Master titles for chess gurus who are able to achieve new heights in problem and studies of chess.

World Chess Championship:
This chess tournament is set up to determine the player who is deemed the World Champion in chess. The tournament is thought to have originated in 1886 when two world class chess players, William Steinitz and Johann Zukertort, played a match with each other. From then on, the World Chess Championship became a staple chess tournament, where players can challenge world champions to be crowned the new champion. From 1948 to 1993 the FIDE regulated the World Chess Championship, until Garry Kasparov broke away from the FIDE. They were reunited however in 2006.

Chess Olympiad:
The chess Olympiad is a chess tournament started in 1924 when the Olympics decided to hold a chess tournament in the Olympic Games. This was a failure, however, because distinguishing between professional and amateur players was not successful. The FIDE began organizing this chess tournament in 1927 as the Chess Olympiad held its first official competition.