Fide

FIDE is the international governing body for chess that maintains the official Laws of Chess, operates the global rating system, awards titles such as Grandmaster, and organizes the World Championship cycle and Chess Olympiad.

Category
Rules
Also in
Historical
Difficulty
Intermediate
Also known as
International Chess Federation, Fédération Internationale des Échecs, World Chess Federation, F.I.D.E.
First recorded use
1924

FIDE is the International Chess Federation, the worldwide governing body for chess. It maintains the official Laws of Chess, operates the global rating system, awards titles such as Grandmaster, and organizes the World Championship cycle and Chess Olympiad.

Club players meet FIDE most often through its rating system. A FIDE rating serves as the standard benchmark for comparing strength across countries and is required for entry into most international tournaments. National ratings remain useful for local events, yet FIDE ratings provide the common currency when players travel or seek objective progress tracking.

Official titles such as FIDE Master, International Master, and Grandmaster are earned only by achieving norms in FIDE-rated events. A norm requires a sufficiently high score against a field that meets specific rating and title requirements. No other pathway grants these titles.

FIDE also runs the flagship events that shape the broader calendar. The World Championship cycle determines the champion at the highest level, while the Chess Olympiad brings together national teams every two years. These competitions indirectly influence opportunities available to serious club players through qualification paths and the overall rhythm of the competitive year.

Frequently asked questions

What is FIDE?
FIDE is the International Chess Federation, the worldwide governing body for chess. It maintains the official Laws of Chess, operates the global rating system, and awards titles such as FIDE Master, International Master, and Grandmaster.
Why do club players need a FIDE rating?
A FIDE rating is required for entry into most international tournaments and serves as the standard benchmark for comparing strength across countries.
How does a player earn a FIDE title?
Players earn titles such as FIDE Master, International Master, or Grandmaster only by achieving norms in FIDE-rated events that meet specific rating and title requirements.
What major competitions does FIDE run?
FIDE organizes the World Championship cycle and the Chess Olympiad, which shape the international calendar followed by national federations.
When was FIDE founded?
FIDE was founded in 1924 and has served as the official international governing body for chess ever since.

See also

  • Candidate Master — A Candidate Master is the lowest official FIDE title, awarded automatically to any player who reaches a published FIDE rating of 2200.

Referenced by

  • Action Chess — Action Chess is the informal North American name for rapid chess at the longer end of the scale, most often G/25 or G/30 with or without a small increment, giving enough time for real calculation while still allowing two or three games in an evening.
  • Classical Champion — A classical champion is the player holding the world title won under standard time controls, distinct from rapid or blitz formats.
  • Fide Handbook — The FIDE Handbook is the official rulebook published by the International Chess Federation that sets out the laws of chess along with regulations for titles, events, and fair play.
  • Flag Hanger — A flag hanger is a player who refuses to resign a lost position in a timed game, continuing solely in hopes that the opponent’s flag will fall before checkmate.

Written by Chesswick.

Reviewed by Benjamin Himmel.

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About the reviewer

Benjamin Himmel

Ben's been in love with chess since he was seven years old, when his grandfather taught him the Sicilian Defense on a well-worn board that had traveled through three generations of family game nights.

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