What is FIDE?
The '''International Chess Federation or World Chess Federation,''' or<ref>{{Cite web|title=International Chess Federation|url=https://www.fide.com/|access-date=2024-09-26|website=www.fide.com|language=en}}</ref> '''FIDE''' is the world [[chess]] organisation. All national federations are members. It decides matters like World Championships and changes in rules of the game. FIDE was founded on 20 July 1924 in [[Paris]], [[France]]. However, it had little influence until the end of [[World War II]]. The reigning world champion at that time, [[Alexander Alekhine]], did not want to have anything to do with it. He regarded the world title as his personal property. This only changed when he died with the title, in 1946 (no other champion has ever died while holding the title). It was obvious that some method was needed to find a new champion. FIDE stepped in and, with Russian backing, put forward a solution. The strong [[Soviet]] Chess Federation only joined FIDE in 1946. It had a great influence, with resources and many young strong players. == After WW II == In 1948 a tournament was organized to determine which of the world top players was entitled to call himself World Champion. The death of [[Alekhine]] had left a vacuum. Two previous champions, [[Emanuel Lasker]] and [[José Raúl Capablanca]] had died in the late 1930s. It was clear that a new champion would come from the younger players. The six players chosen by FIDE were: * [[Mikhail Botvinnik]], [[Paul Keres]] and [[Vassily Smyslov]] from the [[Union of Soviet Socialist Republics|Soviet Union]]. * [[Samuel Reshevsky]] and [[Reuben Fine]] from the [[United States]]. * [[Max Euwe]] from the [[Netherlands]]. In the end, Reuben Fine dropped out, and the other five contested the event. Mikhail Botvinnik won the tournament and became the new world champion. === FIDE World Champions (1948 - 1993) === * 1948 - 1957 : [[Mikhail Botvinnik]] {{URS}} * 1957 - 1958 : [[Vasily Smyslov]] {{URS}} * 1958 - 1960 : [[Mikhail Botvinnik]] {{URS}} * 1960 - 1961 : [[Mikhail Ta