Geography of chess

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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  [Wikidata] [1] 1 507 Albanian Chess Championship
 Algeria 4.1  [Wikidata] [2] 2 3295 Algerian Chess Championship
 Andorra 1.10  [Wikidata] [3] 2 146 Andorran Chess Championship
 Angola 4.3  [Wikidata] 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  [Wikidata] [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  [Wikidata] 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  [Wikidata] 0
 Cambodia 3.3 Cambodian Chess Federation 0
 Cameroon 4.4  [Wikidata] [20] 0
 Canada 2.2 Chess Federation of Canada [21] 14 1605 Canadian Chess Championship
 Cape Verde 4.4  [Wikidata] 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  [Wikidata] 0
 Republic of the Congo 4.3  [Wikidata] 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  [Wikidata] [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  [Wikidata] 0
 Jamaica 2.3.5 Jamaica Chess Federation [53] 0 233 Jamaican Chess Championship
 Japan 3.3  [ja] [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  [Wikidata] [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  [Wikidata] 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  [Wikidata] 0
 Malta 1.10 Il-Federazzjoni Maltija tac-Cess [67] 0 Maltese Chess Championship
 Mauritania 4.1  [Wikidata] [68] 0
 Mauritius 4.3  [Wikidata] [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  [Wikidata] 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  [Wikidata] 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  [Wikidata] [96] 0
 San Marino 1.10 Federazione Sammarinese degli Scacchi [97] 0
 São Tomé and Príncipe 4.4  [Wikidata] 0
 Saudi Arabia 3.1 Saudi Chess Association [98] 0
 Scotland 1.1a Chess Scotland [99] 6 708 Scottish Chess Championship
 Senegal 4.1  [Wikidata] 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  [Wikidata] [111] 0
 Trinidad and Tobago 2.3.5 Trinidad and Tobago Chess Association [112] 0 535 Trinidad and Tobago Chess Championship
 Tunisia 4.1  [Wikidata] [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 Championship
 United 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[]

Countries (zone) Federation Official Website Championships
Europe (1) European Chess Union (ECU) http://www.europechess.org Individual, Youth, Junior,
Senior and Team
America (2) Confederation of Chess for America (CCA) http://www.fideamerica.com Pan American Chess Championship
Asia (3) Asian Chess Federation (ACF) http://www.asianchess.com Asian Chess Championship, Asian Senior Chess Championship
Africa (4) (ACC) http://africa-chess.org African Chess Championship
Arab world Arab Chess Federation (ACF) http://www.arabfide.com Arab Chess Championship
ASEAN http://aseanchess.org/
Commonwealth of Nations (CCA) http://www.commonwealthchess.com Commonwealth Chess Championship
European microstates
Francophone countries (AIDEF) https://web.archive.org/web/20170809133711/http://aidef.ffechecs.org/
Ibero-America (FIBDA) http://www.fibda.com
Mediterranean countries http://www.medchess.org Mediterranean Chess Championship
Nordic countries http://www.sjakk.no/nordisk/ Nordic Chess Championship
Oceania (3.6) (OCC) http://www.oceaniachess.com/ Oceania Chess Championship
South America - - South American Chess Championship

References[]

  1. ^ "Member Federations by Zone". FIDE. Retrieved 2016-09-25.
  2. ^ "Federations Ranking". FIDE. Retrieved 2016-09-25.
  3. ^ "FIDE Advanced players search". FIDE. Retrieved 2016-09-25.
  4. ^ "LATVIJAS ŠAHA FEDERĀCIJA, 50008022351, Previous names". Lursoft. 2020-12-16. Retrieved 2020-12-16.
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