On this 100th anniversary of the governing body of chess, we highlight the evolution and lasting influence of this discipline in global culture and sport; consolidating the mission of making chess an educational tool and a cultural bridge between nations.
by Dr. Uvencio Blanco Hernández
Introduction
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) celebrates today (20 July 2024) its 100th anniversary of its founding in Paris in 1924.
At that time, Paris was a vibrant and cosmopolitan city, at the height of the cultural and artistic effervescence of the 1920s, known as the “Roaring Twenties”.
The city, recovering from the ravages of World War I, became an epicentre of art, literature and fashion. Montmartre and Montparnasse were the bohemian quarters where artists such as Picasso, Hemingway and Fitzgerald lived and worked. Cafés and cabarets, such as the famous Moulin Rouge, were meeting places for
intellectuals and creators. The city’s architecture combined the elegance of Haussmannian boulevards with the innovation of Art Deco.
In this atmosphere, the 1924 Olympic Games also brought an air of sporting celebration and modernisation, with the construction of new stadiums and the promotion of international events. Paris was, without doubt, a city in the throes of transformation and bursting with life and creativity.
One hundred years later, these days, the Summer Olympic Games are once again taking place in Paris, the third organised by this beautiful city, after those of 1900 and 1924. The current Games have around 10,500 athletes from more than 200 countries competing in 32 sports, with a total of 329 medal events.
A bit of history
FIDE was established in the framework of the award ceremony of the first (unofficial) Chess Olympiad and coinciding with the Paris Olympic Games on July 20, 1924. The initiative to found it came from Pierre Vincent, secretary general of the French Chess Federation under the motto “Gens una sumus” (“We are one family”);
proposed by the Russian immigrants Vitaly Halberstadt and Viktor Kahn, signatories of the founding act.
Representatives from fourteen countries took part in the founding congress, which was held in the Town Hall of the 9th arrondissement of Paris (6 Rue Drouot). The founding federations were: Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Spain, France, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Switzerland
and Yugoslavia.
The term of office was set at 4 years per term; the first board of directors consisted
of:
President Alexander Rueb Netherlands
Vice President Leonard P. Rees Great Britain
Secretary M. H. Strick van Linschoten Netherlands
Treasurer M. Nicolet Switzerland
These federations came together with the aim of creating an organization that would promote chess and regulate international competitions, thus laying the foundations for the growth and development of chess throughout the world.
Interestingly, future powers such as the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) were not founding members of FIDE. Since its inception, FIDE has been a driving force in popularizing chess worldwide
by becoming the world’s leading chess authority, overseeing competitions and promoting the development of the sport at all levels.
A beginning has been made, the foundations have been laid, and the prospects are fairly good that we shall soon have a working organization whose aim will be, to some extent, to bring order out of chaos and to have a central authority, One of the main aims of which will be to bring together at international congresses lovers of the game from far distant points of the globe. American Chess Bulletin, November 1924.
We can verify that, since its creation, FIDE has organized world championships, fostering legendary figures such as José Raúl Capablanca, Bobby Fischer, Garry Kasparov and Magnus Carlsen. Over the years, FIDE has implemented grading systems and standardized rules, fostering the professionalization of chess and expanding its global reach.
FIDE Presidents
To date, FIDE’s presidency has been held uninterruptedly by eight leaders, with Sweden’s Folke Rogard at the helm for a record 21 years after the Second World War.
# Period Periods Presidents Federation
1 1924-1939 4 Alexander Rueb Netherlands
2 1939-1946 2 Augusto De Muro Argentina
3 1946-1949 1 Alexander Rueb Netherlands
4 1949-1970 5 Folke Rogard Sweden
5 1970-1978 2 Max Euwe Netherlands
6 1978-1982 1 Friorik Olafsson Iceland
7 1982-1995 3 Florencio Campomanes Philippines
8 1995- 2018 5 Kirsan Ilyumzhinov Russia
9 2018-2026 2 Arkady Dvorkovich| Russia
In the attached list, we can see that the Netherlands has exercised eight times. Russia seven, Sweden five, the Philippines three, Argentina two and Iceland one.
Milestones in the history of FIDE
FIDE, as a centenary sports organization, has countless milestones to showcase. Among the most important chess events from the founding of FIDE to the present day, we can cite the following:
1924 Foundation of FIDE in Paris, France.
1927 The first Chess Olympiad is held in London.
1948 FIDE begins organising the World Chess Championship.
Mihail Botvinnik (USSR) becomes the 1st FIDE World Champion and 6th in history.
1950 First Grandmaster titles awarded by FIDE.
1970 Implementation of the Elo rating system by FIDE.
1970 Match USSR vs Rest of the World, Belgrade.
1971 Publication of the first official FIDE rating list.
1972 Match of the century between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spasky.
1975 Karpov becomes world champion by default after Fischer’s resignation.
1984-85 First Karpov-Kasparov match, the longest in history.
1985 Kasparov becomes the youngest world champion in history.
1993 Break-up between Kasparov and FIDE, creation of PCA.
1999 FIDE is recognized by the International Olympic Committee.
2000 Implementation of the knockout system for the FIDE World Championship.
2006 Reunification of the world chess title in match between grandmasters Vladimir Kramnik (Russia) and Vesselin Topalov (Bulgaria); Kramnik wins.
2007 First World 960 Chess Championship (Fischer Random) recognized by FIDE.
2013 Magnus Carlsen becomes world champion.
2018 Implementation of the VAR system in top-level tournaments.
2020 Rise of online chess due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021 Chess is included in the first ever e-sports Olympiad.
2024 FIDE centenary celebration with global events and a Guinness World Record attempt
These milestonesreflect the evolution of organized chess, changes in world championships, the introduction of new technologies and the global growth of the game under FIDE’s supervision.
FIDE between marches and counter-marches
As we have already stated, FIDE has undergone a significant evolution from its founding in 1924 to the present day. As an organization made up of men and interests, FIDE has had its ups and downs; its ups and downs, such as the accession to control of the World Championship (finally achieved 24 years after its foundation), the organization of some Olympiads and important events in questionable locations, the negotiations over the Fischer-Karpov match in 1975, the schism with the Grandmasters Association in 1993, the suspension of the Karpov-Kasparov match in 1985, the scandal of the Krammik-Topalov match in 2006, the departure of Ilyumhinov from the presidency in 2018, among others. However, it has managed to overcome the impact of these. Some important elements of it, associated with the milestones described above, are the following:
Growth
Founded with the support of 14 countries in 1924, FIDE has grown to include 190 national federations. Chess is universally distributed and is played by more than 600 million people.
Organizational structure
FIDE has established standing commissions (Rules, Arbiters, Rating, Trainers, etc.) and an Executive Committee for its management.
Organization of events
In 1927, FIDE organised the first Chess Olympiad in London, marking the beginning of major international competitions.
Supervision of the World Championship
In 1948, FIDE began to supervise the World Chess Championship, centralizing control over the most prestigious title.
Titles and ratings
In 1950, FIDE began awarding international titles such as Grandmaster. In 1971, it published the first official rating list, implementing the Elo system.
Olympic recognition
In 1999, FIDE was recognised by the International Olympic Committee, increasing the prestige of chess as a sport.
Expansion of competitions: FIDE has expanded its range of events, including rapid and blitz championships, tournaments for the disabled, veterans and children.
Technological adaptation
FIDE has incorporated modern technologies such as the VAR system into high-level tournaments and has promoted online chess, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Funding
FIDE has developed a self-financing system based on federation, player, tournament, title and rating fees, as well as seeking sponsors.
Currently, FIDE’s official headquarters is located in Lausanne, Switzerland and is affiliated with the International Mental Sports Association (IMSA).
The celebration
The FIDE centenary celebration includes special events and tributes to chess grandmasters and contributors. These events aim not only to applaud FIDE’s centenary, but also to promote chess globally and recall the most important milestones in the organization’s history.
To celebrate this milestone, FIDE has organized a series of events throughout the year, including:
Chess festivals, tournaments organized all over the world under the #FIDE100 umbrella.
Exhibitions of historical archives, chess memorabilia around the world.
Publication of the FIDE Golden Book, documented by Willy Iclicki, chairman of the FIDE History Committee.
An international art competition to create posters that inspire communities to join in the celebration of chess.
A social media campaign covering significant events in FIDE’s history, from 1924 to the present day.
The creation of an online chess museum with rare photographs, unique publications about FIDE and posters of past events.
Today, 20 July, International Chess Day proposed by the United Nations (UN), FIDE will attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the most games played in one day; aiming to reach over 1 million games played in person and over 15 million online.
The celebrations will culminate tonight with a special gala in Paris itself. Also in the framework of the Budapest Olympiad, on 19 September FIDE will bring together leading figures from the world of chess, including prominent players, leaders and historical personalities of FIDE. The gala includes commemorative speeches, presentations on the history of FIDE, and special awards.
This 100th anniversary highlights the evolution and enduring influence of chess in world culture and sport, cementing FIDE’s mission to make chess an educational tool and a cultural bridge between nations.
Conclusions
– In the 100 years of its existence, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) has had a significant impact on the popularity of chess by playing a crucial role in its worldwide development and promotion.
– Since its founding in 1924, FIDE has worked to organise and regulate chess competitions, set standards and award international titles, such as Grandmaster, which has contributed to the professionalisation and prestige of
the sport.
– One of FIDE’s most notable achievements has been the organisation of major events such as the World Chess Championship Cycle and the Chess Olympiads, which have attracted players from all over the world and increased the visibility of chess in the international sphere.
– FIDE has promoted chess in several categories, including tournaments for the disabled, veterans and children, which has helped expand its reach and accessibility.
Chess has experienced a resurgence in popularity, especially in the e-sports Community. Broadcasts of chess games on different platforms have reached unprecedented levels of viewership, and chess has been included in events such as the first eSports Olympiad and the European Games in Krakow. This combination of traditional chess and e-sports has made the game more accessible and attractive to new generations of players.
– FIDE has also worked to have chess officially recognised as an Olympic discipline by the International Olympic Committee, which could further increase its prestige and popularity.
– FIDE has implemented modern technologies, such as the VAR system, to improve fairness and transparency in competitions.
– FIDE has been instrumental in the promotion and development of chess, helping it to become a global sport with an ever-growing community of players and an increasing presence in the traditional and e-sports arena.
Sources
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La antorcha de la FIDE llega a Colombia para celebrar el ajedrez
Imagen 1 por Uvencio Blanco Hernández.-
Imagen 2 Copia del Acta fundacional FIDE cortesía del MF Sergio Ernesto Negri.