Echesspedia

The International Braille Chess Association (IBCA) is the apex body of chess for the blind and is in turn affiliated to FIDE. The main purpose of IBCA is to promote chess for the visually challenged across the globe.
From 12 to 16 of April in 1958 the representatives of Blind chess organizations from England, Sweden, Denmark, France, East Germany gathered together for the first time in West Germany& Austria. The aim of this meeting was to find means and methods for spreading chess (activating, popularization) among the blind and even to witness possible success in it. It was widely spread already that International Blind Foreign Units tried to popularize chess among the blind and confirm it in International Chess Unit.

Today about 71 Blind Chess Organizations from different countries are members of the IBCA. Those 7 founders could hardly imagine this. In 1958- the first Congress was followed by chess tournament which included 12 players representing 7 countries. Of course it wasn’t yet the World Team Championships which usually are bound with Chess Olympiads.

Since then a lot has been changed. Those days there are more than 30 teams and accompanying persons, congressmen, Presidential Board, chairmen of tournaments, assistants and interpreters totalize a number close to 300 persons.

Today the blind players could make chess their game (not fast may be) like other handicapped people could find their position in human society. The searching for their own position in society was developed by Louis Braille (1809-1852). He lost his sight when he was 3 and tried to find since then some helping means for blind people. He was sure that blind people could be involved into the life of society and also go for sports.

Chess is the right choice for blinds: the sport where a blind person can compete with the sport-partner who has sight. It was just the question of time for Blind chess players to organize chess clubs or chess groups and as a result to create chess schools for blind.

Since 1973 IBCA is the member of FIDE and so since 1994 an IBCA’ s team has participated in the Chess Olympiads. It best achievement was 52^nd in 1998.