FIDE, the World Chess Federation, is the leading the chess organization, responsible for governing chess rules, determining players' rating, crowns chess players as FIDE Masters, International Masters or International Grandmasters, and organizing the national and international chess championships.

Founded in Paris, France in 1924, FIDE is the French acronym of Fédération Internationale des Échecs, international chess federation. Since 1999, FIDE has been recognized as an International Sports Federation by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). FIDE organizes the annual World Chess Championship (including the world championships that name the best chess player among women and under 18 juniors) and the bi-annual Chess Olympiad.

FIDE History

The concept of an international chess federation that set standard rules was brought up before the foundation of FIDE. Yet it wasn't until the 1924 Chess Olympic Games, which were hosted by the French Chess Federation, that the efforts of World Chess Champions such as Capablanca and Alekhine have bore fruits.

FIDE was founded in July 20, 1924 by the participating players of the Paris Olympic Games, whose chief objective was to take over the World Championship. Two decades later this desire was accomplished and 1948 marked a new era in the World Chess Championship history.

FIDE's First World Chess Championship

The 1946 death of the Alexander Alekhine, who had championed the world of chess from 1927 to 1935 and then again from 1937 to 1946, the Soviet Union refusal to join FIDE and the post World War II appendixes, led to a two years gap in the consequence of the World Chess Championship in 1947 and 1948.

The first World Chess Championship managed by FIDE took place in 1948. Up until then, the World Championship consisted of a single match taken by a player and the defending champion. From 1948 and on, the procedure has changed, grew worldwide and consumed a period of 3 years.

FIDE Tournaments

Throughout the 3 years, known as the challenge cycle, the membering countries sent candidates to the Zonal Tournaments, then the highest ranked zonal participants took part in a single Interzonal Tournament, the highest ranked of them moved up to the Candidate Tournament, where they had the chance to compete against former World Championship and candidate runner ups, all according to strict and pedant rules.

Due to the cumbersome of the process, it has changed: the interzonal tournament was split to 2-3 events, and the candidate tournament was conducted in a round robin format. Later on, the entire cycle of qualifiers was replaced by a series of knockout matches.