Geography of chess
Chess is played all over the world. The international governing body of chess is FIDE, established in 1924. Most national chess federations are now members of FIDE; several supranational chess organizations are also affiliated with FIDE.
National level: Current FIDE members[]
The table below lists the member federations of FIDE[1] and their national championship. The number of grandmasters[2] and players registered for each federation in the FIDE database[3] as of September 2016 are also indicated.
Country Zone National federation #GM #FIDE National championship Afghanistan 3.4 0 Albania 1.5a [1] 1 507 Albanian Chess Championship Algeria 4.1 [2] 2 3295 Algerian Chess Championship Andorra 1.10 [3] 2 146 Andorran Chess Championship Angola 4.3 0 995 Antigua and Barbuda 2.3.5 0 – Argentina 2.5 Argentine Chess Federation [4] 23 8982 Argentine Chess Championship Armenia 1.5b Armenian Chess Federation [5] 39 1124 Armenian Chess Championship Aruba 2.3.5 Federashon di Ajedrez di Aruba 0 – Australia 3.6 Australian Chess Federation [6] 8 2001 Australian Chess Championship Austria 1.2a Österreichischer Schachbund [7] 9 3561 Austrian Chess Championship Azerbaijan 1.8 Azerbaijan Chess Federation [8] 23 1701 Azerbaijani Chess Championship Bahamas 2.3.5 Bahamas Chess Federation [9] 0 Bahrain 3.1 Bahrain Mind Sports Association 0 53 Bangladesh 3.2 Bangladesh Chess Federation [10] 5 1322 Bangladeshi Chess Championship Barbados 2.3.5 Barbados Chess Federation [11] 0 138 Barbadian Chess Championship Belarus 1.8 Belarus Chess Federation [12] 16 1048 Belarusian Chess Championship Belgium 1.1b [13] 9 3039 Belgian Chess Championship Bermuda 2.3.5 Bermuda Chess Association [14] 0 68 – Bhutan 3.2 Bhutan Chess Federation 0 Bolivia 2.4 Federación Boliviana de Ajedrez [15] 1 1043 Bolivian Chess Championship Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.2b Sahovski Savez Bosne i Hercegovine [16] 8 875 Bosnia and Herzegovina Chess Championship Botswana 4.3 0 392 Botswana Chess Championship Brazil 2.4 Confed. Brasileira de Xadrez [17] 14 4,943 Brazilian Chess Championship British Virgin Islands 2.3.5 British Virgin Islands Chess Federation 0 – Brunei 3.3 Brunei Chess Federation [18] 0 Bulgaria 1.4 Bulgarian Chess Federation [19] 31 1779 Bulgarian Chess Championship Burkina Faso 4.4 Comité National Burkinabé des Échecs 0 Burundi 4.2 0 Cambodia 3.3 Cambodian Chess Federation 0 Cameroon 4.4 [20] 0 Canada 2.2 Chess Federation of Canada [21] 14 1605 Canadian Chess Championship Cape Verde 4.4 0 Central African Republic 4.4 Chess Federation of Central African Republic 0 Chile 2.5 Fed. Deportiva Nacional De Ajedrez 5 2140 Chilean Chess Championship China 3.5 Chinese Chess Association [22] 43 1445 Chinese Chess Championship Chinese Taipei 3.3 Chinese Taipei Chess Association [23] 0 Colombia 2.3.4 Fed. Colombiana de Ajedrez [24] 7 2559 Colombian Chess Championship Comoros 4.3 0 Republic of the Congo 4.3 0 Costa Rica 2.3.2 Federacion Central de Ajedrez [25] 1 653 Costa Rican Chess Championship Croatia 1.2b Hrvatski šahovski savez [26] 29 3135 Croatian Chess Championship Cuba 2.3.3 Fed. Cubana de Ajedrez 24 2033 Cuban Chess Championship Cyprus 1.10 Cyprus Chess Federation [27] 0 134 Cypriot Chess Championship Czech Republic 1.4 Šachový svaz České republiky [28] 35 7539 Czech Chess Championship Denmark 1.3 Dansk Skak Union [29] 11 3880 Danish Chess Championship Djibouti 4.2 Djiboutian Chess Federation 0 Dominican Republic 2.3.5 Federación Dominicana de Ajedrez [30] 1 Dominican Chess Championship Ecuador 2.3.5 Fed. Ecuatoriana de Ajedrez [31] 1 1208 Egypt 4.2 Egyptian Chess Federation 5 2026 England 1.1a English Chess Federation [32] 36 3390 British Chess Championship El Salvador 2.3.2 Federación Salvadoreña de Ajedrez [33] 0 294 Salvadoran Chess Championship Eritrea 4.2 Eritrea Chess Federation 0 Estonia 1.7 Eesti Maleliit [34] 6 425 Estonian Chess Championship Ethiopia 4.2 Ethiopian Chess Federation [35] 0 Faroe Islands 1.10 Talvsamband Foroya [36] 1 165 Faroese Chess Championship Fiji 3.6 Fiji Chess Federation [37] 0 43 Finland 1.3 Suomen Keskusshakkiliitto [38] 5 1045 Finnish Chess Championship France 1.1b French Chess Federation [39] 50 22,351 French Chess Championship Gabon 4.4 Fédération Gabonaise des Échecs 0 Gambia 4.4 Gambia Chess Federation 0 Georgia 1.5b Chess Federation of Georgia 31 1163 Georgian Chess Championship Germany 1.2a Deutscher Schachbund [40] 92 25,470 German Chess Championship Ghana 4.4 [41] 0 Greece 1.5a Elliniki Skakistiki Omospondia [42] 13 5497 Greek Chess Championship Guam 3.6 Guam Chess Federation 0 – Guatemala 2.3.2 Fed. Nac. de Ajedrez de Guatemala 0 235 Guatemalan Chess Championship Guernsey 1.10 Guernsey Chess Federation [43] 0 Guyana 2.3.5 Guyana Chess Federation 0 29 Haiti 2.3.5 Haitian Chess Federation 0 Honduras 2.3.2 Federación Nacional de Ajedrez de Honduras [44] 0 Honduran Chess Championship Hong Kong 3.3 Hong Kong Chess Federation 0 258 Hungary 1.4 Magyar Sakkszovetseg [45] 48 6229 Hungarian Chess Championship Iceland 1.3 Skáksamband Íslands [46] 13 600 Icelandic Chess Championship India 3.7 All India Chess Federation [47] Archived 2006-12-30 at the Wayback Machine 52 30,609 Indian Chess Championship Indonesia 3.3 Persatuan Catur Seluruh Indonesia [48] 3 808 Indonesian Chess Championship Iran 3.1 Chess Fed. of Islamic Rep. of Iran [49] 15 9502 Iranian Chess Championship Iraq 3.1 Iraqi Chess Federation 0 679 Ireland 1.1a Irish Chess Union [50] 1 656 Irish Chess Championship Israel 1.2b Israel Chess Federation [51] 42 2321 Israeli Chess Championship Italy 1.1c Federazione Scacchistica Italiana [52] 14 9618 Italian Chess Championship Ivory Coast 4.4 0 Jamaica 2.3.5 Jamaica Chess Federation [53] 0 233 Jamaican Chess Championship Japan 3.3 [54] 0 206 Japanese Chess Championship Jersey 1.10 Jersey Chess Federation [55] 0 Jordan 3.1 Royal Jordanian Chess Federation [56] 0 495 Kazakhstan 3.4 Kazakhstan Chess Federation [57] 14 2162 Kazakhstani Chess Championship Kenya 4.2 [58] 0 Kenyan Chess Championship Kosovo 1.2b Kosovo Chess Federation [59] 0 205 Kosovan Chess Championship Kuwait 3.1 Kuwait Chess Federation 0 Kyrgyzstan 3.4 Chess Federation of the Kyrgyz Republic 0 319 Laos 3.3 Lao Chess Federation 0 Latvia 1.7 Latvijas Šaha Federācija [60] (previously - Latvijas Šaha Savienība)[4]
11 678 Latvian Chess Championship Lebanon 3.1 Federation Libanaise des Echecs [61] 0 214 Lebanese Chess Championship Lesotho 4.3 Chess Federation of Lesotho 0 Liberia 4.4 Liberia Chess Federation 0 Libya 4.1 General Libyan Chess Federation 0 480 Liechtenstein 1.10 Liechtensteiner Schachverband 0 Lithuania 1.7 Lietuvos šachmatų federacija [62] 6 1022 Lithuanian Chess Championship Luxembourg 1.10 Federation Luxembourgeoise des Echecs [63] 0 290 Luxembourg Chess Championship Macau 3.3 Grupo de Xadrez de Macau 0 – North Macedonia 1.2b Chess Federation of Macedonia [64] 9 573 Macedonian Chess Championship Madagascar 4.3 0 248 Malagasy Chess Championship Malawi 4.3 Chess Association of Malawi [65] Archived 2019-10-11 at the Wayback Machine 0 177 Malaysia 3.3 Malaysian Chess Federation [66] 0 1573 Malaysian Chess Championship Maldives 3.2 Maldives Chess Federation 0 Mali 4.1 0 Malta 1.10 Il-Federazzjoni Maltija tac-Cess [67] 0 Maltese Chess Championship Mauritania 4.1 [68] 0 Mauritius 4.3 [69] 0 Mexico 2.3.1 Fed. Nac. de Ajedrez de Mexico AC [70] 3 1818 Mexican Chess Championship Moldova 1.8 Federația de Șah a Republicii Moldova [71] 7 618 Moldovan Chess Championship Monaco 1.10 3 69 Mongolia 3.3 Mongolian Chess Federation [72] 4 530 Mongolian Chess Championship Montenegro 1.5a Montenegro Chess Federation [73] 6 404 Montenegrin Chess Championship Morocco 4.1 Fed. Royale Marocaine des Echecs [74] 1 344 Moroccan Chess Championship Mozambique 4.3 0 Myanmar 3.3 Myanmar Chess Federation [75] 0 Myanmar Chess Championship Namibia 4.3 Namibia Chess Federation [76] 0 61 Nauru 3.6 Nauru Chess Federation 0 Nepal 3.2 [77] 0 Nepalese Chess Championship Netherlands 1.1b Koninklijke Nederlandse Schaakbond [78] 35 4128 Dutch Chess Championship Netherlands Antilles 2.3.5 Curaçao Chess Federation 0 New Zealand 3.6 New Zealand Chess Federation [79] 1 446 New Zealand Chess Championship Nicaragua 2.3.2 Federacion Nicaragüense de Ajedrez [80] Archived 2019-10-09 at the Wayback Machine 0 361 Nicaraguan Chess Championship Nigeria 4.4 Nigeria Chess Federation [81] 0 307 Norway 1.3 Norges Sjakkforbund [82] 16 3025 Norwegian Chess Championship Oman 3.1 Oman Chess Committee [83] 0 Pakistan 3.2 Chess Federation of Pakistan [84] 0 120 Pakistani Chess Championship Palau 3.6 Palau Chess Federation [85] 0 Palestine 3.1 Palestine Chess Federation 0 183 Panama 2.3.2 Fed. de Ajedrez de Panama [86] 0 246 Panamanian Chess Championship Papua New Guinea 3.6 Papua New Guinea Chess Federation 0 10 Paraguay 2.5 Federacion Paraguaya de Ajedrez [87] 4 1089 Paraguayan Chess Championship Peru 2.4 Federacion Peruana de Ajedrez [88] 8 6201 Peruvian Chess Championship Philippines 3.3 National Chess Federation of the Philippines [89] 14 2619 Philippine Chess Championship Poland 1.4 Polish Chess Federation [90] 41 18,252 Polish Chess Championship Portugal 1.1c Federação Portuguesa de Xadrez [91] 3 5320 Portuguese Chess Championship Puerto Rico 2.3.5 Fed. de Ajedrez de Puerto Rico [92] 0 670 Qatar 3.1 Qatar Chess Association [93] 3 123 Romania 1.4 Federatia Romana de Sah [94] 21 6592 Romanian Chess Championship Russia 1.6 Russian Chess Federation [95] 234 59,294 Russian Chess Championship Rwanda 4.2 [96] 0 San Marino 1.10 Federazione Sammarinese degli Scacchi [97] 0 São Tomé and Príncipe 4.4 0 Saudi Arabia 3.1 Saudi Chess Association [98] 0 Scotland 1.1a Chess Scotland [99] 6 708 Scottish Chess Championship Senegal 4.1 0 Serbia 1.5a Chess Federation of Serbia [100] 55 7732 Serbian Chess Championship Seychelles 4.2 Seychelles Chess Federation 0 Seychelles Chess Championship Sierra Leone 4.4 Sierra Leone Chess Federation 0 Singapore 3.3 Singapore Chess Federation [101] 3 2377 Singaporean Chess Championship Slovakia 1.4 Slovensky Sachovy Zvaz [102] 10 6192 Slovak Chess Championship Slovenia 1.2a Sahovska Zveza Slovenije [103] 12 4143 Slovenian Chess Championship Solomon Islands 3.6 Solomon Islands Chess Federation 0 Somalia 4.2 Somali Chess Federation 0 South Africa 4.3 Chess South Africa [104] 1 2478 South African Chess Championship South Korea 3.3 Korea Chess Federation [105] 1 752 South Korean Chess Championship South Sudan 4.2 South Sudan Chess Federation 0 Spain 1.1c Federacion Espanola de Ajedrez [106] 47 39,632 Spanish Chess Championship Sri Lanka 3.2 Chess Federation of Sri Lanka 0 8993 Sri Lankan Chess Championship Sudan 4.2 Sudan Chess Federation 0 Suriname 2.3.5 De Surinaamse Schaakbond [107] 0 355 Surinamese Chess Championship Eswatini 4.3 Eswatini National Chess Federation 0 Sweden 1.3 Sveriges Schackförbund [108] 21 4561 Swedish Chess Championship Switzerland 1.2a Schweizerischer Schachbund [109] 8 3685 Swiss Chess Championship Syria 3.1 Syrian Arab Chess Federation 0 801 Tajikistan 3.4 Federazijai Shakhmati Tajikistan 1 166 Tanzania 4.2 Tanzania Chess Association 0 Thailand 3.3 Thailand Chess Association [110] 0 704 Timor-Leste 3.3 Federação Xadrez de Timor-Leste 0 Togo 4.4 [111] 0 Trinidad and Tobago 2.3.5 Trinidad and Tobago Chess Association [112] 0 535 Trinidad and Tobago Chess Championship Tunisia 4.1 [113] Archived 2019-06-08 at the Wayback Machine 2 941 Turkey 1.5a Turkish Chess Federation [114] 10 24,200 Turkish Chess Championship Turkmenistan 3.4 Turkmenistan Chess Federation 5 410 Uganda 4.2 Uganda Chess Federation [115] Archived 2019-09-10 at the Wayback Machine 0 369 Ukraine 1.9 Ukrainian Chess Federation [116] 87 8713 Ukrainian Chess Championship United Arab Emirates 3.1 UAE Chess Federation [117] 2 1949 Emirati Chess Championship United States 2.1 United States Chess Federation [118] 90 13,579 U.S. Chess Championship
U.S. Women's Chess ChampionshipUnited States Virgin Islands 2.3.5 US Virgin Islands Chess Federation [119] 0 – Uruguay 2.5 Federación Uruguaya de Ajedrez [120] 1 952 Uruguayan Chess Championship Uzbekistan 3.4 Chess Federation of Uzbekistan [121] 12 1073 Uzbekistani Chess Championship Venezuela 2.3.5 Fed. Venezolana de Ajedrez [122] 1 4700 Venezuelan Chess Championship Vietnam 3.3 Vietnam Chess Federation [123] 9 1855 Vietnamese Chess Championship Wales 1.1a Welsh Chess Union [124] 1 475 Welsh Chess Championship Yemen 3.1 Yemen Chess Association 0 280 Zambia 4.3 Chess Federation of Zambia 1 893 Zambian Chess Championship Zimbabwe 4.3 Zimbabwe Chess Federation [125] 0 433
Former FIDE members[]
The list below includes nations that no longer exist as well as national federations that are currently not members of FIDE.
Country National federation National championship Belize Belize Chess Federation [126] Czechoslovakia Czechoslovak Chess Championship Soviet Union USSR Chess Federation USSR Chess Championship Yugoslavia Yugoslav Chess Championship
Supranational level[]
References[]
- ^ "Member Federations by Zone". FIDE. Retrieved 2016-09-25.
- ^ "Federations Ranking". FIDE. Retrieved 2016-09-25.
- ^ "FIDE Advanced players search". FIDE. Retrieved 2016-09-25.
- ^ "LATVIJAS ŠAHA FEDERĀCIJA, 50008022351, Previous names". Lursoft. 2020-12-16. Retrieved 2020-12-16.
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