FIDE NEWS – International Chess Federation

Chess boards from the 46th FIDE Olympiad to find new homes across the world

editor_d — Thu, 21 May 2026 08:17:43 +0000

The boards from the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand will be distributed to national federations after the event, leaving a piece of the world’s biggest chess festival with the global community long after the final round is played.

Every two years, the Chess Olympiad brings together thousands of players from across the globe, competing on the same boards, in the same halls, under the same pressure that defines the sport at its highest level. When the 46th Chess Olympiad concludes in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, the boards played on throughout the event will not disappear into storage. Instead, they will continue their journey in federations and tournaments around the world.

Around 900 DGT boards that will be distributed are not replicas or souvenirs produced for the occasion. They are the very same electronic boards on which the world’s strongest national teams will have competed across eleven rounds of the Open and Women’s sections of the Olympiad. For the federations that receive them, they will remain practical tournament equipment while also carrying the history of the games played on them.

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich welcomed the initiative: “The Chess Olympiad brings together the entire chess world, and these boards will carry that spirit into federations across every continent. These boards symbolize the very spirit of Gens Una Sumus but, no less importantly, will provide an important practical solution for many federations.”

Federations wishing to receive electronic boards from the 46th Chess Olympiad are invited to submit a request by email to gsc@fide.com, indicating the number of boards they would like to receive.

Bharat Singh Chauhan Re-elected as Chairman of Commonwealth Chess Association

editor_d — Mon, 18 May 2026 07:29:45 +0000

Wasakaduwa, Sri Lanka, May 18, 2026 – Continuing his remarkable contribution towards the growth and development of chess over the last five decades, Mr. Bharat Singh Chauhan of India has been re-elected unanimously and unopposed as Chairman of the Commonwealth Chess Association (CCA) for the term 2026–2030.

The elections were held during the Annual General Body Meeting of the Commonwealth Chess Association at Citrus Hotel, Wasakaduwa, Sri Lanka, on Sunday.

Mr. Akhramsyah Muammar Ubaidsh Sanusi of Malaysia was elected unopposed as Deputy Chairman, Mr. G. Luxman Wijesuriya of Sri Lanka as General Secretary, and Mr. Vicky Magu of South Africa as Treasurer. Mr. Hurrynarain Bhowany of Mauritius, Mr. Allan Herbert of Barbados, Mr. Benard Wanjala of Kenya, Mr. Craig Hall of New Zealand and Mr. Crition Tornaritis of Cyprus were also elected unopposed as Executive Members of the Association.

The election process was conducted under the supervision of Hon’ble Santiago Pushpa Kumara Ekaratne, Retired Judge of the High Court, who served as the Returning Officer for the elections.

During the meeting, the Association also resolved to introduce the Commonwealth School Chess Championship, with the inaugural edition scheduled to be held in Malaysia in October 2026.

Mr. Chauhan’s re-election reflects the confidence and trust placed in his visionary leadership and longstanding dedication towards strengthening and promoting chess across the Commonwealth nations. Mr. Luxman Wijesuriya’s re-election as General Secretary is a testament to his exceptional administrative skills and valuable contribution to the smooth functioning and continued progress of the Commonwealth Chess Association.

FIDE EDU announces cooperation with Opening Master x Chesspertise

editor_d — Fri, 15 May 2026 11:05:16 +0000

The FIDE Education Commission is pleased to announce a new cooperation initiative with Opening Master and its advanced chess education platform Chesspertise.

This collaboration represents an important step toward strengthening structured chess education and improving access to modern training tools for chess players, coaches, federations, schools, and newcomers to the game.

FIDE EDU continuously seeks innovative educational solutions that support the development of teachers and students at every level from beginners discovering the beauty of chess to experienced tournament competitors seeking professional preparation.

Chesspertise is a next-generation chess training platform built around the renowned Opening Master database, offering access to:

More than 10.4 million over-the-board (OTB) human chess games
More than 2.2 million correspondence chess games
Structured opening preparation
Tactical training modules
Advanced search and filtering tools
Training and coaching environments
Game analysis functions
Performance-oriented study systems
Data-driven chess improvement tools
Integrated educational workflows for instructors and students

The platform aims to address one of the greatest challenges in modern chess education – fragmentation of training resources by integrating learning, preparation, analysis, and coaching into one unified environment.

Chesspertise is currently available on:

Apple Store (iPad and Desktop/macOS versions)
Google Play Store (Android Tablet version)
Microsoft Windows Store (Windows version)

The FIDE Education Commission particularly welcomes the initiative by Opening Master x Chesspertise to support Licensed FIDE School Instructors worldwide.

As part of this cooperation, Opening Master x Chesspertise has generously offered more than 1,000 complimentary lifetime licenses to FIDE EDU title holders, enabling educators to access the platform and integrate it into their teaching activities. All future certified chess instructors will also receive free access to use the platform.

We believe that modern chess education must combine tradition, pedagogy, technology, and structured data analysis and must be affordable to wide public. Tools such as Chesspertise can help federations, schools, academies, and private coaches create measurable and scalable educational programs for the next generation of chess players.

The FIDE Chess in Education Commission looks forward to future collaboration opportunities with Opening Master x Chesspertise, including educational webinars, instructor support initiatives, and potential federation-level partnerships.

We also encourage individual national chess federations to independently evaluate potential cooperation opportunities with Opening Master x Chesspertise on the national level, particularly in the areas of teacher training, coach education, youth development, and digital chess learning infrastructure.

Chess continues to evolve globally, and educational innovation remains one of the key pillars of its future growth.

FIDE Elections 2026 Announced

editor_d — Thu, 14 May 2026 10:59:46 +0000

Dear Candidates,

FIDE is pleased to announce that the FIDE Congress will be held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, between 20 September 2026 and 27 September 2026. The Meeting of the General Assembly will take place on 26-27 September 2026, when the elections will be completed. You are welcome to save the dates in your calendar.

The Elections will take place for the following positions and in accordance with the following timelines in which applications can be submitted:

The positions of President and Deputy President (on a joint ticket) – no later than 26 July 2026, 6.00 PM, CET time inclusive
The position of elected Vice President – no later than 26 August 2026, 6.00 PM, CET time inclusive
The position of Zonal President – no later than 26 August 2026, 6.00 PM, CET time inclusive

FIDE invites all interested persons to submit Candidate Application Forms (attached hereto) to office@fide.com. Please note that electronic signatures or even scanned signatures on a pdf document can be considered valid if there are no doubts about the origin and the attribution of the document.

FIDE also informs that the Candidate Application Forms must be endorsed by letters of support from Member Federations (recommended form attached hereto) under the following rules:

Each candidacy for the Presidential ticket must be endorsed by nominations from at least five (5) Member Federations, among them at least one (1) from each of the four (4) FIDE Continents, but by no more than eight (8) Member Federations in total;
Each candidacy for the position of elected Vice President must be endorsed by nominations from at least three (3) Member Federations;

Please consider that each Member Federation is entitled to endorse only one (1) Presidential ticket, as well as one (1) candidacy for one of the positions listed above.

Please note that the electoral campaigning and promotion of candidatures are allowed only to the extent permitted under the Electoral Rules and during the electoral period. The electoral period starts three (3) months before elections. “Promotion” means any act or action that may enhance the level of awareness of a particular candidature. It includes advertising, campaigns, or any organised or planned action for the election of a candidate. Electoral campaigning shall be understood as any activity undertaken by candidates or those acting or working for them with the aim of canvassing votes.

Please be reminded that the “short statement” provided in Section 2.1 of the CANDIDATE APPLICATION FORM, together with the Candidate’s full name, will be published.

If you have any questions, please email them to the FIDE Office at office@fide.com.

Application form for President 2026 (DOCX)

Application form for Deputy President 2026 (DOCX)

Application form for Vice-President 2026 (DOCX)

Application form for Zonal President 2026 (DOCX)

FIDE Elections 2026 Timeline (DOCX)

Fraud alert: Fraudulent payment requests related to FIDE World Youth Chess Championships

editor_d — Wed, 13 May 2026 06:35:03 +0000

Dear National Federations,

We would like to alert you to a serious fraud attempt involving the impersonation of the FIDE Events Commission and/or the Organizing Committee of the FIDE World Youth Chess Championships.

It has come to our attention that fraudulent emails requesting payments have been sent to national federations in connection with the event. Please note that this communication was not sent by the Organizing Committee, nor by any official representative of FIDE.

We would like to emphasize that all official communications regarding registration, accommodation, and payments are handled exclusively through official FIDE and Organizing Committee channels. In particular, all official correspondence from FIDE is sent exclusively from email addresses using the fide.com domain.

We strongly advise all federations to:

Disregard any suspicious payment requests;
Carefully verify the sender’s email address before making any payment;
Contact the Organizing Committee or FIDE directly through official channels if there is any doubt regarding the authenticity of a communication.

Given the seriousness of the matter and the potential risk of financial damage, we kindly ask all federations to remain vigilant and share this information with the relevant persons within their organizations.

Thank you for your attention and cooperation!

ISCF’s “Chess in Education” Grant Program: Application submissions continue

editor_d — Mon, 11 May 2026 15:53:31 +0000

Following the joint announcement by the International School Chess Federation and FIDE declaring 2026 the Year of Chess in Education, ISCF launched the “Chess in Education” Grant Program – a global initiative designed to scale proven educational projects that integrate chess into school systems.

The program builds on a shared vision to bring chess closer to classrooms worldwide and strengthen its role as a tool for developing critical thinking, creativity, and social skills among children.

Supporting what already works

The grant program is specifically designed for projects that have already completed a pilot phase and demonstrated measurable educational impact. Its goal is to expand and strengthen existing “Chess in Education” initiatives, rather than fund new concepts.

By supporting scalable and structured programs, ISCF aims to accelerate the global integration of chess into formal education – one of the key priorities of the Year of Chess in Education 2026.

Who can apply

Applications are open to:

Schools (public and private)
Educational organizations and NGOs
Foundations and social enterprises

Eligible applicants must already be implementing a chess-based educational program in school settings for at least one academic year.

Program structure

The competition will be conducted in two stages:

Stage 1: Open call and initial selection
Stage 2: Detailed project evaluation

At the conclusion of the evaluation process, three projects will be awarded grant funding and recognized at the Grand Final Tournament.

A global initiative

The program is open across all four FIDE continents:

Asia
Americas
Europe
Africa

It complements the broader international calendar of events under the Year of Chess in Education, including the World Schools Team Championship League 2026 and other educational initiatives worldwide.

Key dates

Application Deadline: 23:59 (GMT+5), July 31, 2026

Driving impact through education

Selected projects must demonstrate:

Proven results and measurable outcomes
A structured educational methodology
Readiness for scaling
Real implementation in school environments

Funding is allocated exclusively for scaling existing programs, ensuring long-term and sustainable impact.

Apply now

As part of the global Year of Chess in Education 2026, ISCF invites organizations to expand their impact and become part of a growing international movement.

For inquiries: edu@ischoolchess.com

2026 FIDE EDU Classroom Contest winners announced

editor_d — Mon, 11 May 2026 06:13:50 +0000

By Abel Talamantez, FIDE Senior Lead Instructor (SLI), FIDE EDU Commission

The 2026 FIDE EDU Classroom Contest attracted 120 submissions from 30 different countries!

To help celebrate the 2026 FIDE Year of Chess in Education, we invited schools with chess programs from around the world to submit photos of their chess classes to showcase how they use chess as an educational tool and how chess brings communities and cultures together. We wanted to engage schools and bring them into the larger FIDE EDU community, and we hoped it would give us an opportunity to better understand two things: what makes chess programs different across the world and, more importantly, what are the things that make us all alike. The universal language of chess is expressed so beautifully in pictures, and we were excited to capture how different cultures use chess in school to inspire and uplift communities.

The response was amazing! We received 120 submissions from 30 different countries and over 350 photos. Looking at the photos gave us great appreciation for the wonderful teachers, coaches, parents, and children who are part of these programs. The photos told a story. Deciding which photos to choose was a challenge, but we wanted to select those that elicited an emotional response and invited further questions.

In our selection process, we focused on photos that told many stories. We looked for community, culture, learning, and joy, hoping to see special ways in which chess was used to engage kids in fun ways. We selected pictures in which the culture of a region was expressed through chess, much like how the food of a particular region can itself tell a story of the region’s history. We also narrowed our selection process down to schools that were making the most of the resources available, as chess brings inspiration to all, regardless of race or socio-economic status.

Although the contest was originally advertised awarding three winners, the number of submissions and quality and stories behind them led us to expand the contest and include five winners. Here are the five winners of the 2026 FIDE EDU Classroom Contest:

5^th place – Nossa Senhora Aparecida, Nova Prata, Brazil

Who says chess is an indoor sport? At Nossa Senhora Aparecida in Brazil, students take chess outdoors to enjoy learning, playing, and socializing outside in the fresh air. Sometimes a change in environment can make a difference in the learning process, and what better than to enjoy a game of chess on a clear day, outdoors on the green grass. Playing chess outdoors in public areas promotes it as a social activity to people who may not yet play, and inspires curiosity. The photo also shows that chess can be enjoyed in a different setting, engaging various senses and enhancing the learning experience for all.

4^th place – EL Qiyem El Hadaria, Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria

Sportsmanship is at the heart of any competition, and learning to start off a game with respect is an important lesson in life. At EL Qiyem El Hadaria in Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria, this picture tells a story of respectful competition in an outdoor setting. Coach Soumia Oukid says, “We often change the place to study chess to create a different and engaging environment for the students. As for the handshake, in Algeria we usually shake hands before starting a game. For this class, there are about ten girls, but in the whole school there are 325 students. I work with all the students in the school.” This photo captures a simple yet important concept, and it serves as a lesson on how children learn mutual respect and sportsmanship, win or lose, through chess.

3^rd place – Experimental Primary School, Songling Road Branch, Zichuan District, Zibo City, Shandong Province, China

This photo doesn’t show a full class, but rather one student solving a problem. However, it speaks volumes. I love how the learning tools in one photo show the classical way of learning chess, through the demo board and chalkboard, and then the modern tools in the center with the television monitor and online platform, beautifully capturing the evolution of learning. National pride with the flag of China displayed on top creates a beautiful scene.

2^nd place – Addis Ababa No. 2 Government School, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

This photo is a classic school chess photo. The kids are in a classroom playing chess, but the details reveal the depth of chess’s power to connect people. We can see three tables of what looks like competitive games, but one of the tables shows a group of students watching and actively discussing a game with the coach. The tables themselves inspire a lot of curiosity, as the chessboards are embedded into the wood, like chess is part of the learning environment, and all this goes on against the background of a chalkboard with an academic lesson. This photo reveals community, culture, and the uniting social power of chess.

1^st place- Zhanir Khan School Class 1B, Khan Ordasy Village, Kazakhstan

This picture captures everything wonderful about the power of chess to inspire creativity, learning, and fun while bringing kids together. This is from a 1^st grade class where the students are learning the basics of chess through art. Their teacher Alfia Aksenova explains, “During the lesson, we decided to pretend we were “heroes,” chess pieces, and divided up the roles. The parents agreed to sew costumes, and the kids made large chess pieces out of play dough. This made our open lesson even more colorful. The kids were thrilled to be the King and Queen, Knight and Rook. These are our costumes for the open lesson.” The broad creative use of art, chess learning, and parental engagement with the idea to make learning more colorful and bring things to life makes this photo this year’s contest winner!

Congratulations to the contest winners and many thanks to all the schools that submitted photos. We will be publishing more photos and telling the stories of some of the other schools that contributed photos over the coming weeks, and we will soon upload all photos to our FIDE EDU webpage. It was a delight for us to receive so many photos and to get a glimpse into what chess in schools looks like all around the world.

The winners receive:

1^st prize – Social media post by FIDE promoting their school program, free entry for a FIDE School Award application, and one free entry for the Preparation of Teacher’s course, and one free annual subscription to LogiqBoard.

2^nd prize – Social media post by FIDE promoting their school program, free entry on a FIDE School Award application, 50% discount on a Preparation of Teacher’s course, and one free annual subscription to LogiqBoard.

3-5^th prize – Social media post by FIDE promoting their school program, 50% discount on a FIDE School Award application, 25% discount on a Preparation of Teachers course, and one free annual subscription to LogiqBoard.

We are proud to celebrate this year of chess in education and showcase to the world the transformative power of educational chess. Chess can serve as a source of great pride for a school community. Finding creative ways to teach and inspire kids – ways that make learning fun – is a key part of our initiative to grow more school programs. Chess is a universal language, and as we see from the photos, there are so many hopeful and inspiring things about the game that bond us all, while at the same time allow us to celebrate and appreciate the differences in culture, space, and opportunity. Let’s all keep moving forward in promoting this great game in schools and finding new ways to connect school programs to the wider community.

Every lesson counts!

Chess in Schools: Greek Chess Federation’s national initiative

editor_d — Sat, 09 May 2026 10:07:17 +0000

The Greek Chess Federation, under the presidency of Mr. Stathis Efstathopoulos, has achieved something truly transformative in recent years: it has introduced chess into Greek classrooms in an organized and sustainable way. In May 2022, the Ministry of Education approved the teaching of chess within the framework of the Skills Labs, incorporating strategic thinking, concentration, and creativity into everyday school life.

Subsequently, through its School Chess Committee, the Federation submitted three comprehensive educational programs – tailored respectively for Kindergarten, Primary School, and Junior High School – which were officially approved by the Institute of Educational Policy (IEP) of the Ministry of Education. As a result, chess is now being taught in schools. As Mr. Stathis Efstathopoulos, President of the Greek Chess Federation, stated: “From vision to every classroom – we believed in chess education, and we made it a reality.”

To support this growth, the Federation took a decisive next step last year by establishing the Teachers’ Training Committee. Its mission is both clear and far-reaching: to equip educators throughout Greece with the knowledge and tools required to teach chess effectively, not only within the Skills Labs but also in after-school clubs, creating a strong foundation for future generations of students.

Furthermore, during the summer of 2025, the School Chess Committee brought together students from geographically remote communities through a series of online chess events under the project “Inter-Island Chess Actions.” Fourteen schools from eight islands, involving 65 students, participated in lessons, tournaments, and team activities that fostered cooperation, friendship, and fair play. The initiative helped reduce the sense of isolation often experienced in island communities by using chess and technology to connect young people across Greece.

This outreach continues through the new “Chess Bridges” initiative, which aims to include more islands as well as remote mountainous regions of mainland Greece, using chess as a shared language among communities.

At the same time, this year the Strategic Planning Committee was established under the supervision of Mr. Georgios Makropoulos. The Committee has submitted to the Ministry of Sports a comprehensive four-year program for school chess. Beyond the organization of the Student Qualifying Championships in every prefecture and region of the country, the program includes informational presentations in schools, the development of a competition network, collaborations with institutions and organizations, the promotion of school and interschool activities, the use of digital technologies and the internet, as well as the mapping of schools with chess activity.

More specifically, the responsibilities of the Strategic Planning Committee include the systematic collection and evaluation of data from schools, cooperation with local unions and chess clubs for the organization of qualifying tournaments, and the development of partnerships with the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece and the Union of Regions of Greece, so that municipalities and regional authorities can actively support chess in their areas and facilitate student participation in the final phase of the championships. Within the same framework are included the search for sponsors to secure the necessary chess equipment, the creation of promotional videos and informational brochures aimed at students, parents, and educators, as well as the development of a digital platform for school chess.

This platform will host a competition calendar, an interactive map of active chess clubs and schools, an archive of articles, and extensive photographic material. The year 2026 marks the foundational starting point of this long-term strategic plan and, with participation reaching the impressive number of 10,000 students, this vision began its path toward implementation through the Greek National Student Chess Championships, held on May 2nd and 3rd in Thessaloniki. Organized by the Greek Chess Federation, in cooperation with the Thessaloniki–Chalkidiki Chess Clubs Association, the Ministry of the Interior (Macedonia–Thrace Sector), the Municipality of Thessaloniki, and HELEXPO, the championships evolved into one of the largest school chess events ever held in Greece.

Hosted at the historic Thessaloniki International Fair, home of the 1984 and 1988 Chess Olympiads, the event welcomed around 1,600 students from 74 schools, alongside more than 3,000 parents and guests. Team championships were held on Saturday, followed by individual events on Sunday with 1,223 participants. Beyond the boards, families enjoyed activities including face painting, children’s workshops, blindfold chess demonstrations, robotics showcases, and exhibition games against the AI-powered SenseRobot.

The closing ceremony brought together leading figures from Greek and international chess, including FIDE Vice President Georgios Makropoulos, President of the Greek Chess Federation Stathis Efstathopoulos, and Secretary General of the European Chess Union Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou, alongside government officials and institutional representatives, including the Minister for Macedonia and Thrace, Konstantinos Gioulekas. A special highlight was the presence of Dana Reizniece, Deputy Chair of the FIDE Management Board, who participated in the award ceremonies and honored distinguished individuals for their contribution to chess, including Pavlos Anastasiadis, First Vice President of the Greek Chess Federation (1984–1988), who played a decisive role in securing and organizing the two Chess Olympiads held in Thessaloniki in 1984 and 1988, and who has supported chess whenever needed for more than 40 years.

In addition, FIDE honored for their contribution to school chess Vera Avramidou, Chair of the School Chess Committee, and Stathis Theofylaktidis, President of the Teachers’ Training Committee.

“Chess has the unique ability to bring together education, culture, and community,” said Makropoulos. “What we are seeing in Greece today is not simply the growth of a sport, but the creation of opportunities for young people to learn, connect, and develop important life skills through chess.”

The Greek Chess Federation is guided by an ambitious vision: to give every student in Greece the opportunity to learn and benefit from chess. Supporting this vision is a dedicated leadership team working in close collaboration under the presidency of Prof. Stathis Efstathopoulos. Key contributors include FIDE Vice President Georgios Makropoulos, who leads the Strategic Planning Committee; Vera Avramidou, head of the School Chess Committee; and Vice President Stathis Theofylaktides, leader of the Teachers’ Training Committee. Through sustained effort, strategic planning, and a deep commitment to education, they continue to redefine the role of chess in Greek society — not merely as a competitive activity, but as a powerful instrument for learning, social connection, and inspiration.

FIDE President targets regional growth during Baku Open visit

editor_d — Thu, 07 May 2026 11:22:56 +0000

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich attended the closing ceremony of the 2026 Baku Open. He met with regional officials and federation leaders to discuss the growth of the game in the South Caucasus

The Baku Open – which established itself as one of the premier chess events in the Caucuses region – attracted nearly 900 players from 13 federations. The top Grandmaster tournament was won by GM Movahed Sina from Iran.

FIDE President Dvorkovich held talks with presidents of chess federations of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Spain, and Türkiye. He also met with European Chess Union President Zurab Azmaiparashvili and Secretary General of the FIDE Management Board, Łukasz Turlej. The meetings focused on upcoming international events and existing projects aimed at the promotion of chess in the region and globally.

The FIDE President also met with Azerbaijan’s Minister of Sport, Farid Gayibov, and the deputy minister of science and education to discuss the greater integration of chess into society and education.

In his remarks, Farid Gayibov emphasized Azerbaijan’s rich chess traditions and noted the contribution of the Azerbaijan Chess Federation to the development of the sport. The minister also stated that the support for sport provided by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev helps ensure that international competitions are held at a high level.

“Azerbaijan has long supported chess through state programs, hosting major events such as the 2016 Olympiad or World Cups. The country remains a vital hub for our sport,” Dvorkovich said.

“Their state support serves as a model for the region. We are working closely with them as well as with regional chess federations to ensure this momentum leads to new projects across the South Caucasus,” he added.

The 2026 edition of Baku Open, the event held since 2023, took place at the Baku Crystal Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan, from April 28 to May 6 and boasted a $50,000 prize fund.

FIDE Council issues reminder on pre-election conduct

editor_d — Tue, 05 May 2026 17:00:49 +0000

The FIDE Council has issued a formal reminder regarding electoral regulations ahead of the 2026 General Assembly, which will take place at the end of September.

FIDE reminds all federations, officials, and potential candidates that the FIDE elections are set for 26 and 27 September 2026. According to FIDE rules, the official electoral period starts three months before the elections, which in this case would be 26 June 2026.

Candidates are reminded that they should not campaign or promote their candidacy before the official start of the electoral period. The Council notes that, according to the Electoral Rules, election campaigning is only allowed during the electoral period:

Electoral Rules Art. 7 Electoral campaign: 7.1 Electoral campaigning and promotion of candidatures are allowed only to the extent permitted under the Electoral Rules and during the electoral period. The electoral period starts three (3) months before elections. Promotion means any act or action that may enhance the level of awareness of a particular candidature. It includes advertising, campaigns or any organised or planned action for the election of a candidate. Electoral campaigning shall be understood as any activity undertaken by candidates or those acting or working for them with the aim of canvassing votes.

The Council also highlighted rules regarding undue advantage, such as providing money, services, gifts, jobs, debt forgiveness, tickets, hospitality, or similar.

Article 9 clearly outlines sanctioned behaviours:

9.1 Offering, either directly or through an accomplice, any undue advantage to a Member Federation, which is any ascertainable enhancement in the beneficiary’s situation, legal or economical, is a prohibited practice. An undue advantage shall mean anything of more than nominal value in any form, including in particular but not limited to a payment, a benefit in kind, money, property, a service, a loan, forbearance or forgiveness of indebtedness, promise of future, employment or promotion, a favour, gratuity, honoraria, tickets or passes to an entertainment, social or sporting event, without consideration of equal or greater value in return. Advantages are not undue if they are of minor value in conformity with social customs. Thus, the following are excluded from the definition of undue advantage: complimentary attendance, including food and beverage, at charitable or campaign events, complimentary attendance, food and beverage offered by the sponsor of a widely attended event, awards, plaques, and other ceremonial items customarily presented in recognition of service in chess or within FIDE, promotional items having no substantial resale value, gifts from a family or household member, food and/or beverage of limited value, chess materials distributed freely to all Member Federations and to the members of their delegations.

Article 9.9 notes that Candidates should refrain from campaigning before the official electoral period starts, in full respect of the Electoral Rules. Certain customary items of nominal value, such as limited hospitality or low-value promotional materials, may be permissible under the Electoral Rules.

FIDE Electoral Rules and the FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Code provide for substantial penalties for violations of the aforementioned rules.

FIDE will monitor compliance with these regulations under the Ethics and Disciplinary Code. Violations may result in immediate proceedings before the FIDE Ethics and Electoral Commissions.

The Council noted that these rules are in place to ensure a fair and transparent election process for all member federations.