FIDE (Federation Internationale des Echecs) has been functioning as world chess association ever since its foundation on Juli 20, 1924 in Paris. Thus, it is the supreme authority in chess. Founding father of the association is said to be the former president of the French chess federation, Pierre Vincent. Besides France also Argentina, Belgium, England, Italy, former Yugoslav Republic, Canada, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Switzerland, Spain, former Czechoslovakia and Hungary. Germany was not invited back then due to its recent history of World War One.

Official slogan of the FIDE, that defines rules and regulations in chess, awards master titles and is maintaining the ELO ranking list, is „Gens una Sumus“ – We are one family.

Since 1995 the association is headed by the Kalmykian president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov. It has a total of 161 member federations and is recognized also by the IOC as supreme instance of chess sports. Its aim is to propagation and development of chess in all nations of the world as well as the enhancement of the level of chess regarding its sportive, academic and cultural importance.  .

Moreover, it officially organizes the Chess Olympiad since 1927 and the World Championships since 1946.

For more information please visit the FIDE website.