International Braille Chess Association

♟️ About International Braille Chess Association (IBCA)

The International Braille Chess Association (IBCA) is the international governing body for chess for blind and visually impaired players. Founded in 1958 in Germany, IBCA is recognized by FIDE as the international chess federation responsible for this field of competitive chess. The organization promotes accessible chess worldwide and currently brings together approximately 60 member countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. IBCA has exclusive responsibility within its structure for major international championships for blind and visually impaired players. Its program includes the IBCA Chess Olympiad, World Individual Championship, World Team Championship, continental individual and team championships, World Junior Championship, and World Women’s Championship. IBCA also participates within the wider FIDE chess system and works to ensure that visually impaired players can compete under adapted rules and equipment while maintaining the essential competitive structure of standard chess. The organization entered an important leadership transition in 2026 following the death of President Dr. Jörgen Magnusson on April 15, 2026. The current elected leadership includes Piotr Dukaczewski – First Vice President, Nikos Kalesis – Second Vice President, Olivier Deville – Secretary General, and Thorsten Müller – Treasurer. IBCA has scheduled an Extraordinary Congress in Crete on October 15, 2026, while its international tournament program continues without interruption. Nikos Kalesis is also Tournament Director of the 2026 European Individual Championships and is the most relevant operational contact for this event.

📜 International Braille Chess Since 1958

IBCA developed from international chess activity for blind players that began during the early 1950s. Its formal international structure was established in 1958, creating a unified organization for national associations representing blind and visually impaired chess players. Its official statutes define IBCA as the supreme international body for Braille chess and give it responsibility for organizing world, continental, individual, and team championships. Accessible chess uses the normal principles of competitive chess with specific adaptations. Players may use specially designed tactile boards, secured pieces, Braille notation, or voice-recording equipment. Moves can also be announced aloud when required. These adaptations allow blind and visually impaired players to participate in serious international chess on competitive terms while following the relevant FIDE and IBCA regulations.

🌍 World and Continental Championships

IBCA maintains an extensive international championship calendar. The 17th IBCA Chess Olympiad for the Blind and Visually Impaired took place in Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia, in June 2025. Poland won the championship with 15 match points, followed by Venezuela and Spain. Poland continued its success at the IBCA World Team Chess Championship 2026, held in Petrovac, Montenegro, from April 17–28. The Polish team finished undefeated with eight wins and one draw, scoring 17 match points. Ukraine placed second and Serbia third. The 2026 calendar also includes the World Junior and Women Championships in Greece, Pan-American Individual Championship in São Paulo, Asian Individual Championship in Karachi, and numerous international tournaments for blind and visually impaired players.

🏆 European Individual Championships

The IBCA European Individual Championship is one of the organization’s principal continental competitions. The 2026 Classic and Rapid IBCA European Individual Chess Championships will take place at the Royal Belvedere Hotel in Hersonissos, Crete, Greece. Delegations representing IBCA member countries participate through their authorized national organizations. The classical championship consists of nine Swiss-system rounds. Competition games are scheduled from October 14–22, 2026, with the wider championship program running from October 13–23. Players receive two hours plus a 30-second increment per move, a time control specifically used for this IBCA championship. The separate Rapid European Championship follows on October 23–24, with the complete rapid program extending through October 25. It also consists of nine rounds.

♿ Accessible International Competition

IBCA’s work extends beyond tournament organization. Its statutes and commissions address arbiter standards, technology, accessibility, ethics, tournament rules, and international development. The organization works with national blind-sports associations and chess federations to create appropriate tournament conditions. This includes accessible playing equipment, additional time and practical assistance when required, suitable accommodation, transportation arrangements, and procedures for accompanying persons. Only authorized representatives of national organizations affiliated with IBCA may register official delegations for its principal championships. This structure gives players a clear pathway from national competition into European Championships, World Championships, World Team Championships, and the IBCA Chess Olympiad.

🏛️ Leadership and Current Development

At the IBCA Congress in Rzeszów, Poland, on August 23, 2025, Dr. Jörgen Magnusson was elected President. The Congress also elected Piotr Dukaczewski as First Vice President, Nikos Kalesis as Second Vice President, Olivier Deville as Secretary General, and Thorsten Müller as Treasurer. Dr. Magnusson passed away on April 15, 2026 after a long illness. IBCA subsequently began a presidential nomination process and scheduled an Extraordinary Congress for October 15, 2026 in Crete. IBCA continues to operate through its Presidential Board, Executive Board, continental representatives, and specialist commissions. Its current commissions include Arbiter, Technology, Nomination and Electoral, and Ethics bodies. Despite the leadership transition, the organization has maintained a particularly extensive 2026 international calendar, with championships in Montenegro, Greece, Brazil, Pakistan, Germany, and Serbia.

📞 Contact Details

Organizer Country: International Contact Person: Nikos Kalesis – Second Vice President / Tournament Director Email: info@ibca-info.org Email 2: chess.at.holidays@gmail.com Website: https://ibca-info.org/