INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP CHESS: A Complete Record of FIDE Events

The activities of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) started in 1924 at Paris, and since then have been extended regularly. Since the second world war they have increased in such a way that it becomes difficult to keep control of everything. At Paris 1924 a team tournament was held between more than ten countries and at the same time a tournament for the amateur world championship took place. This last-mentioned event was only repeated in 1928 and after the FIDE rightly abandoned this kind of competition, as it became clear that in chess the line between amateur and professional could not be drawn in a fair and proper way. In the years between the two world wars the team tournaments were held at intervals of one or two years, depending upon circumstances, such as the organization of other activities in the chess world. The number of participating teams was gradually growing, and in Buenos Aires, 1939, a record of 27 was reached. After the war FIDE took over the regulation of the individual world championship - the highest honor in chess - and then continually developed new activities. To mention a few: the ladies" world championship, ladies' team world championship, junior world championship, students' team world championship, etc., and the end is still not in sight. A complete documentation of all these events and much much more (273 selected games and positions from all FIDE competitions and details about related fields such as correspondence chess and chess competitions) is found in International Championship Chess. Moreover lists of grandmasters, masters, presidents, vice presidents, etc.