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.
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 | Afghan National Chess Federation | 0 | 134 | Afghan Chess Championship |
Albania | 1.5a | Albania Chess Federation[1] | 1 | 249 | Albanian Chess Championship |
Algeria | 4.1 | Fédération Algérienne des échecs[2] | 2 | 2080 | Algerian Chess Championship |
Andorra | 1.10 | Federació d'Escacs Valls d'Andorra[3] | 2 | 114 | Andorran Chess Championship |
Angola | 4.3 | Federação Angolana de Xadrez | 0 | 608 | Angolan Chess Championship |
Antigua and Barbuda | 2.3.5 | Antigua and Barbuda Chess Federation | 0 | 2 | – |
Argentina | 2.5 | Argentine Chess Federation [4] | 23 | 6553 | Argentine Chess Championship |
Armenia | 1.5b | Armenian Chess Federation [5] | 37 | 1348 | Armenian Chess Championship |
Aruba | 2.3.5 | Federashon di Ajedrez di Aruba | 0 | 80 | – |
Australia | 3.6 | Australian Chess Federation [6] | 6 | 3128 | Australian Chess Championship |
Austria | 1.2a | Österreichischer Schachbund [7] | 7 | 5818 | Austrian Chess Championship |
Azerbaijan | 1.8 | Azerbaijan Chess Federation [8] | 24 | 2697 | Azerbaijani Chess Championship |
Bahamas | 2.3.5 | Bahamas Chess Federation [9] | 0 | 92 | Bahamian Chess Championship |
Bahrain | 3.1 | Bahrain Mind Sports Association | 0 | 282 | Bahraini Chess Championship |
Bangladesh | 3.2 | Bangladesh Chess Federation [10] | 5 | 2659 | Bangladeshi Chess Championship |
Barbados | 2.3.5 | Barbados Chess Federation [11] | 0 | 392 | Barbadian Chess Championship |
Belarus | 1.8 | Belarus Chess Federation [12] | 17 | 1717 | Belarusian Chess Championship |
Belgium | 1.1b | FRBE-KBSB-KSB[13] | 4 | 5421 | Belgian Chess Championship |
Bermuda | 2.3.5 | Bermuda Chess Association | 0 | 92 | – |
Bhutan | 3.2 | Bhutan Chess Federation | 0 | 57 | Bhutan National Premier Chess Championship |
Bolivia | 2.4 | Federación Boliviana de Ajedrez [14] | 1 | 1854 | Bolivian Chess Championship |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1.2b | Sahovski Savez Bosne i Hercegovine [15] | 9 | 1626 | Bosnia and Herzegovina Chess Championship |
Botswana | 4.3 | Botswana Chess Federation | 0 | 1442 | Botswana Chess Championship |
Brazil | 2.4 | Confed. Brasileira de Xadrez [16] | 12 | 11,588 | Brazilian Chess Championship |
British Virgin Islands | 2.3.5 | British Virgin Islands Chess Federation | 0 | 9 | – |
Brunei | 3.3 | Brunei Chess Federation [17] | 0 | 197 | Brunei Chess Championship |
Bulgaria | 1.4 | Bulgarian Chess Federation [18] | 36 | 3367 | Bulgarian Chess Championship |
Burkina Faso | 4.4 | Comité National Burkinabé des Échecs | 0 | 34 | Burkinabé Chess Championship |
Burundi | 4.2 | Burundi Chess Federation | 0 | 28 | Burundian Chess Championship |
Cambodia | 3.3 | Cambodian Chess Federation | 0 | 7 | Cambodian Chess Championship |
Cameroon | 4.4 | Cameroon Chess Federation[19] | 0 | 88 | Cameroonian Chess Championship |
Canada | 2.2 | Chess Federation of Canada [20] | 12 | 2791 | Canadian Chess Championship |
Cape Verde | 4.4 | Federação Cabo-verdiana de Xadrez | 0 | 1 | Cape Verdean Chess Championship |
Central African Republic | 4.4 | Chess Federation of Central African Republic | 0 | 76 | Central African Chess Championship |
Chile | 2.5 | Fed. Deportiva Nacional De Ajedrez | 4 | 3607 | Chilean Chess Championship |
China | 3.5 | Chinese Chess Association [21] | 39 | 2065 | Chinese Chess Championship |
Chinese Taipei | 3.3 | Chinese Taipei Chess Association [22] | 0 | 146 | Taiwanese Chess Championship |
Colombia | 2.3.4 | Fed. Colombiana de Ajedrez [23] | 5 | 6919 | Colombian Chess Championship |
Comoros | 4.3 | Comoros Islands Chess Federation | 0 | 17 | Comorian Chess Championship |
Republic of the Congo | 4.3 | Congolese Chess Federation | 0 | 15 | Congolese Chess Championship |
Costa Rica | 2.3.2 | Federacion Central de Ajedrez [24] | 1 | 1252 | Costa Rican Chess Championship |
Croatia | 1.2b | Croatian Chess Federation [25] | 31 | 6656 | Croatian Chess Championship |
Cuba | 2.3.3 | Fed. Cubana de Ajedrez | 20 | 2528 | Cuban Chess Championship |
Cyprus | 1.10 | Cyprus Chess Federation [26] | 0 | 480 | Cypriot Chess Championship |
Czech Republic | 1.4 | Šachový svaz České republiky [27] | 32 | 10,834 | Czech Chess Championship |
Denmark | 1.3 | Dansk Skak Union [28] | 13 | 6056 | Danish Chess Championship |
Djibouti | 4.2 | Djiboutian Chess Federation | 0 | 18 | Djiboutian Chess Championship |
Dominican Republic | 2.3.5 | Federación Dominicana de Ajedrez [29] | 1 | 2055 | Dominican Chess Championship |
Ecuador | 2.3.5 | Fed. Ecuatoriana de Ajedrez [30] | 1 | 3234 | Ecuadorian Chess Championship |
Egypt | 4.2 | Egyptian Chess Federation | 5 | 4562 | Egyptian Chess Championship |
England | 1.1a | English Chess Federation [31] | 35 | 5468 | British Chess Championship |
El Salvador | 2.3.2 | Federación Salvadoreña de Ajedrez [32] | 0 | 724 | Salvadoran Chess Championship |
Eritrea | 4.2 | Eritrea Chess Federation | 0 | 98 | Eritrean Chess Championship |
Estonia | 1.7 | Eesti Maleliit [33] | 5 | 1091 | Estonian Chess Championship |
Ethiopia | 4.2 | Ethiopian Chess Federation [34] | 0 | 273 | Ethiopian Chess Championship |
Faroe Islands | 1.10 | Talvsamband Foroya [35] | 0 | 241 | Faroese Chess Championship |
Fiji | 3.6 | Fiji Chess Federation [36] | 0 | 168 | Fijian Chess Championship |
Finland | 1.3 | Suomen Keskusshakkiliitto [37] | 5 | 1490 | Finnish Chess Championship |
France | 1.1b | French Chess Federation [38] | 49 | 44,612 | French Chess Championship |
Gabon | 4.4 | Fédération Gabonaise des Échecs | 0 | 20 | Gabonese Chess Championship |
Gambia | 4.4 | Gambia Chess Federation | 0 | 37 | Gambian Chess Championship |
Georgia | 1.5b | Chess Federation of Georgia | 28 | 2027 | Georgian Chess Championship |
Germany | 1.2a | Deutscher Schachbund [39] | 91 | 32,347 | German Chess Championship |
Ghana | 4.4 | Ghana Chess Association[40] | 0 | 94 | Ghanaian Chess Championship |
Greece | 1.5a | Elliniki Skakistiki Omospondia [41] | 13 | 16,768 | Greek Chess Championship |
Guam | 3.6 | Guam Chess Federation | 0 | 57 | – |
Guatemala | 2.3.2 | Fed. Nac. de Ajedrez de Guatemala | 0 | 321 | Guatemalan Chess Championship |
Guernsey | 1.10 | Guernsey Chess Federation [42] | 0 | 24 | Guernsey Chess Championship |
Guyana | 2.3.5 | Guyana Chess Federation | 0 | 56 | Guyanese Chess Championship |
Haiti | 2.3.5 | Haitian Chess Federation | 0 | 48 | Haitian Chess Championship |
Honduras | 2.3.2 | Federación Nacional de Ajedrez de Honduras [43] | 0 | 492 | Honduran Chess Championship |
Hong Kong | 3.3 | Hong Kong Chess Federation | 0 | 617 | Hong Kong Chess Championship |
Hungary | 1.4 | Magyar Sakkszovetseg [44] | 54 | 9581 | Hungarian Chess Championship |
Iceland | 1.3 | Skáksamband Íslands [45] | 13 | 1616 | Icelandic Chess Championship |
India | 3.7 | All India Chess Federation [46] | 43 | 58,002 | Indian Chess Championship |
Indonesia | 3.3 | Persatuan Catur Seluruh Indonesia [47] | 6 | 1676 | Indonesian Chess Championship |
Iran | 3.1 | Chess Fed. of Islamic Rep. of Iran [48] | 9 | 20,462 | Iranian Chess Championship |
Iraq | 3.1 | Iraqi Chess Federation | 0 | 1286 | Iraqi Chess Championship |
Ireland | 1.1a | Irish Chess Union [49] | 1 | 1123 | Irish Chess Championship |
Israel | 1.2b | Israel Chess Federation [50] | 41 | 3477 | Israeli Chess Championship |
Italy | 1.1c | Federazione Scacchistica Italiana [51] | 11 | 15,493 | Italian Chess Championship |
Ivory Coast | 4.4 | Fédération Ivoirienne des Échecs | 0 | 38 | Ivorian Chess Championship |
Jamaica | 2.3.5 | Jamaica Chess Federation [52] | 0 | 310 | Jamaican Chess Championship |
Japan | 3.3 | Japan Chess Association [53] | 0 | 260 | Japanese Chess Championship |
Jersey | 1.10 | Jersey Chess Federation [54] | 0 | 196 | Jersey Chess Championship |
Jordan | 3.1 | Royal Jordanian Chess Federation [55] | 0 | 1058 | Jordanian Chess Championship |
Kazakhstan | 3.4 | Kazakhstan Chess Federation [56] | 15 | 2652 | Kazakhstani Chess Championship |
Kenya | 4.2 | Chess Kenya | 0 | 929 | Kenyan Chess Championship |
Kosovo | 1.2b | Kosovo Chess Federation [57] | 0 | 256 | Kosovan Chess Championship |
Kuwait | 3.1 | Kuwait Chess Federation | 0 | 218 | Kuwaiti Chess Championship |
Kyrgyzstan | 3.4 | Chess Federation of the Kyrgyz Republic | 1 | 340 | Kyrgyzstani Chess Championship |
Laos | 3.3 | Lao Chess Federation | 0 | 60 | Laotian Chess Championship |
Latvia | 1.7 | Latvijas Saha Savieniba [58] | 11 | 1498 | Latvian Chess Championship |
Lebanon | 3.1 | Federation Libanaise des Echecs [59] | 0 | 699 | Lebanese Chess Championship |
Lesotho | 4.3 | Chess Federation of Lesotho | 0 | 91 | Lesotho Chess Championship |
Liberia | 4.4 | Liberia Chess Federation | 0 | 34 | Liberian Chess Championship |
Libya | 4.1 | General Libyan Chess Federation | 0 | 813 | Libyan Chess Championship |
Liechtenstein | 1.10 | Liechtensteiner Schachverband | 0 | 23 | Liechtenstein Chess Championship |
Lithuania | 1.7 | Lietuvos Sachmatu Federacija [60] | 8 | 2907 | Lithuanian Chess Championship |
Luxembourg | 1.10 | Federation Luxembourgeoise des Echecs [61] | 0 | 519 | Luxembourg Chess Championship |
Macau | 3.3 | Grupo de Xadrez de Macau | 0 | 73 | – |
North Macedonia | 1.2b | Chess Federation of FYROM [62] | 9 | 573 | Macedonian Chess Championship |
Madagascar | 4.3 | Madagascar Chess Federation | 0 | 262 | Malagasy Chess Championship |
Malawi | 4.3 | Chess Association of Malawi [63] | 0 | 400 | Malawian Chess Championship |
Malaysia | 3.3 | Malaysian Chess Federation [64] | 0 | 3163 | Malaysian Chess Championship |
Maldives | 3.2 | Maldives Chess Federation | 0 | 92 | Maldivian Chess Championship |
Mali | 4.1 | Federation Malienne du Jeu D'Echecs | 0 | 23 | Malian Chess Championship |
Malta | 1.10 | Il-Federazzjoni Maltija tac-Cess [65] | 0 | 236 | Maltese Chess Championship |
Mauritania | 4.1 | Mauritanian Chess Federation[66] | 0 | 181 | Mauritanian Chess Championship |
Mauritius | 4.3 | Mauritius Chess Federation[67] | 0 | 37 | Mauritian Chess Championship |
Mexico | 2.3.1 | Fed. Nac. de Ajedrez de Mexico AC [68] | 5 | 3479 | Mexican Chess Championship |
Moldova | 1.8 | Federația de Șah a Republicii Moldova [69] | 6 | 802 | Moldovan Chess Championship |
Monaco | 1.10 | Monaco Chess Federation | 4 | 98 | Monaco Chess Championship |
Mongolia | 3.3 | Mongolian Chess Federation [70] | 4 | 726 | Mongolian Chess Championship |
Montenegro | 1.5a | Montenegro Chess Federation [71] | 6 | 756 | Montenegrin Chess Championship |
Morocco | 4.1 | Fed. Royale Marocaine des Echecs [72] | 1 | 1214 | Moroccan Chess Championship |
Mozambique | 4.3 | Mozambique Chess Federation | 0 | 61 | Mozambican Chess Championship |
Myanmar | 3.3 | Myanmar Chess Federation [73] | 1 | 659 | Myanmar Chess Championship |
Namibia | 4.3 | Namibia Chess Federation [74] | 0 | 109 | Namibian Chess Championship |
Nauru | 3.6 | Nauru Chess Federation | 0 | 3 | Nauruan Chess Championship |
Nepal | 3.2 | Nepal Chess Association [75] | 0 | 1613 | Nepalese Chess Championship |
Netherlands | 1.1b | Koninklijke Nederlandse Schaakbond [76] | 35 | 5753 | Dutch Chess Championship |
Netherlands Antilles | 2.3.5 | Curaçao Chess Federation | 0 | 138 | Netherlands Antilles Chess Championship |
New Zealand | 3.6 | New Zealand Chess Federation [77] | 1 | 743 | New Zealand Chess Championship |
Nicaragua | 2.3.2 | Federacion Nicaragüense de Ajedrez [78] | 0 | 655 | Nicaraguan Chess Championship |
Nigeria | 4.4 | Nigeria Chess Federation [79] | 0 | 791 | Nigerian Chess Championship |
Norway | 1.3 | Norges Sjakkforbund [80] | 13 | 3863 | Norwegian Chess Championship |
Oman | 3.1 | Oman Chess Committee [81] | 0 | 439 | Omani Chess Championship |
Pakistan | 3.2 | Chess Federation of Pakistan [82] | 0 | 304 | Pakistani Chess Championship |
Palau | 3.6 | Palau Chess Federation [83] | 0 | 152 | Palauan Chess Championship |
Palestine | 3.1 | Palestine Chess Federation | 0 | 526 | Palestinian Chess Championship |
Panama | 2.3.2 | Fed. de Ajedrez de Panama [84] | 0 | 427 | Panamanian Chess Championship |
Papua New Guinea | 3.6 | Papua New Guinea Chess Federation | 0 | 17 | Papua New Guinean Chess Championship |
Paraguay | 2.5 | Federacion Paraguaya de Ajedrez [85] | 4 | 680 | Paraguayan Chess Championship |
Peru | 2.4 | Federacion Peruana de Ajedrez [86] | 6 | 3964 | Peruvian Chess Championship |
Philippines | 3.3 | National Chess Federation of the Philippines [87] | 14 | 2619 | Philippine Chess Championship |
Poland | 1.4 | Polish Chess Federation [88] | 41 | 18,252 | Polish Chess Championship |
Portugal | 1.1c | Federação Portuguesa de Xadrez [89] | 3 | 5320 | Portuguese Chess Championship |
Puerto Rico | 2.3.5 | Fed. de Ajedrez de Puerto Rico [90] | 0 | 670 | Puerto Rican Chess Championship |
Qatar | 3.1 | Qatar Chess Association [91] | 3 | 123 | Qatari Chess Championship |
Romania | 1.4 | Federatia Romana de Sah [92] | 21 | 6592 | Romanian Chess Championship |
Russia | 1.6 | Russian Chess Federation [93] | 234 | 59,294 | Russian Chess Championship |
Rwanda | 4.2 | Rwanda Chess Federation[94] | 0 | 79 | Rwandan Chess Championship |
San Marino | 1.10 | Federazione Sammarinese degli Scacchi [95] | 0 | 15 | Sammarinese Chess Championship |
São Tomé and Príncipe | 4.4 | Sao Tome and Principe Chess Federation | 0 | 18 | São Tomé and Príncipe Chess Championship |
Saudi Arabia | 3.1 | Saudi Chess Association [96] | 0 | 993 | Saudi Arabian Chess Championship |
Scotland | 1.1a | Chess Scotland [97] | 6 | 708 | Scottish Chess Championship |
Senegal | 4.1 | Senegalese Chess Federation | 0 | 21 | Senegalese Chess Championship |
Serbia | 1.5a | Chess Federation of Serbia [98] | 55 | 7732 | Serbian Chess Championship |
Seychelles | 4.2 | Seychelles Chess Federation | 0 | 50 | Seychelles Chess Championship |
Sierra Leone | 4.4 | Sierra Leone Chess Federation | 0 | 14 | Sierra Leonean Chess Championship |
Singapore | 3.3 | Singapore Chess Federation [99] | 3 | 2377 | Singaporean Chess Championship |
Slovakia | 1.4 | Slovensky Sachovy Zvaz [100] | 10 | 6192 | Slovak Chess Championship |
Slovenia | 1.2a | Sahovska Zveza Slovenije [101] | 12 | 4143 | Slovenian Chess Championship |
Solomon Islands | 3.6 | Solomon Islands Chess Federation | 0 | 35 | Solomon Island Chess Championship |
Somalia | 4.2 | Somali Chess Federation | 0 | 43 | Somali Chess Championship |
South Africa | 4.3 | Chess South Africa [102] | 1 | 2478 | South African Chess Championship |
South Korea | 3.3 | Korea Chess Federation | 1 | 752 | South Korean Chess Championship |
South Sudan | 4.2 | South Sudan Chess Federation | 0 | 74 | South Sudanese Chess Championship |
Spain | 1.1c | Federacion Espanola de Ajedrez [103] | 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 | 312 | Sudanese Chess Championship |
Suriname | 2.3.5 | De Surinaamse Schaakbond [104] | 0 | 355 | Surinamese Chess Championship |
Eswatini | 4.3 | Swaziland National Chess Federation | 0 | 63 | Swazi Chess Championship |
Sweden | 1.3 | Sveriges Schackförbund [105] | 21 | 4561 | Swedish Chess Championship |
Switzerland | 1.2a | Schweizerischer Schachbund [106] | 8 | 3685 | Swiss Chess Championship |
Syria | 3.1 | Syrian Arab Chess Federation | 0 | 801 | Syrian Chess Championship |
Tajikistan | 3.4 | Federazijai Shakhmati Tajikistan | 1 | 166 | Tajikistani Chess Championship |
Tanzania | 4.2 | Tanzania Chess Association | 0 | 76 | Tanzanian Chess Championship |
Thailand | 3.3 | Thailand Chess Association [107] | 0 | 704 | Thai Chess Championship |
Timor-Leste | 3.3 | Federação Xadrez de Timor-Leste | 0 | 58 | Timorese Chess Championship |
Togo | 4.4 | Togolese Chess Federation[108] | 0 | 95 | Togolese Chess Championship |
Trinidad and Tobago | 2.3.5 | Trinidad and Tobago Chess Association [109] | 0 | 535 | Trinidad and Tobago Chess Championship |
Tunisia | 4.1 | Tunisian Chess Federation[110] | 2 | 941 | Tunisian Chess Championship |
Turkey | 1.5a | Turkish Chess Federation [111] | 10 | 24,200 | Turkish Chess Championship |
Turkmenistan | 3.4 | Turkmenistan Chess Federation | 5 | 410 | Turkmen Chess Championship |
Uganda | 4.2 | Uganda Chess Federation [112] | 0 | 369 | Ugandan Chess Championship |
Ukraine | 1.9 | Ukrainian Chess Federation [113] | 87 | 8713 | Ukrainian Chess Championship |
United Arab Emirates | 3.1 | UAE Chess Federation [114] | 2 | 1949 | Emirati Chess Championship |
United States | 2.1 | United States Chess Federation [115] | 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 [116] | 0 | 50 | – |
Uruguay | 2.5 | Federación Uruguaya de Ajedrez [117] | 1 | 952 | Uruguayan Chess Championship |
Uzbekistan | 3.4 | Chess Federation of Uzbekistan [118] | 12 | 1073 | Uzbekistani Chess Championship |
Venezuela | 2.3.5 | Fed. Venezolana de Ajedrez [119] | 1 | 4700 | Venezuelan Chess Championship |
Vietnam | 3.3 | Vietnam Chess Federation [120] | 9 | 1855 | Vietnamese Chess Championship |
Wales | 1.1a | Welsh Chess Union [121] | 1 | 475 | Welsh Chess Championship |
Yemen | 3.1 | Yemen Chess Association | 0 | 280 | Yemeni Chess Championship |
Zambia | 4.3 | Chess Federation of Zambia | 1 | 893 | Zambian Chess Championship |
Zimbabwe | 4.3 | Zimbabwe Chess Federation [122] | 0 | 433 | Zimbabwean Chess Championship |
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 [123] | Belizean Chess Championship |
Czechoslovakia | Czechoslovak Chess Championship | |
Soviet Union | USSR Chess Federation | USSR Chess Championship |
Yugoslavia | Yugoslav Chess Championship |