Geography of chess

Chess, a strategy board game, is played all over the world. The international governing body of chess is FIDE, established in 1924. Most national chess federations are now members of FIDE; several supranational chess organizations are also affiliated with FIDE.

National level: Current FIDE members The table below lists the member federations of FIDE and their national championship. The number of grandmasters and players registered for each federation in the FIDE database, as of January 2024, are also indicated.

{| class="sortable wikitable" ! Country !! Zone !! National federation !! #GM !! #FIDE !! National championship |- | || 3.4 || Afghan National Chess Federation || 0 || 452 || Afghan Chess Championship |- | || 1.5a || || 1 || 972 || Albanian Chess Championship |- | || 4.1 || || 3 || 6,376 || Algerian Chess Championship |- | || 1.10 || || 3 || 175 || Andorran Chess Championship |- | || 4.5 || || 0 || 1,889 || Angolan Chess Championship |- | || 2.3.5 || Antigua and Barbuda Chess Federation || 0 || 52 || – |- | || 2.5 || Argentine Chess Federation|| 23 || 14,121 || Argentine Chess Championship |- | || 1.5b || Armenian Chess Federation|| 40 || 2,356 || Armenian Chess Championship |- | || 2.3.5 || Federashon di Ajedrez di Aruba || 0 || 182 || – |- | || 3.6 || Australian Chess Federation|| 10 || 7,276 || Australian Chess Championship |- | || 1.2a || Österreichischer Schachbund|| 11 || 9,553 || Austrian Chess Championship |- | || 1.8 || Azerbaijan Chess Federation|| 30 || 7,219 || Azerbaijani Chess Championship |- | || 2.3.5 || Bahamas Chess Federation|| 0 || 202 || Bahamian Chess Championship |- | || 3.1 || Bahrain Mind Sports Association || 0 || 791 || Bahraini Chess Championship |- | || 3.2 || Bangladesh Chess Federation|| 5 || 9,637 || Bangladeshi Chess Championship |- | || 2.3.5 || Barbados Chess Federation|| 0 || 688 || Barbadian Chess Championship |- | || 1.8 || Belarus Chess Federation|| 15 || 3,119 || Belarusian Chess Championship |- | || 1.1b || || 9 || 8,893 || Belgian Chess Championship |- | || 2.3.2 || Belize Chess Federation|| 0 || 9 || Belize National Chess Championship |- | || 2.3.5 || Bermuda Chess Association|| 0 || 193 || – |- | || 3.2 || Bhutan Chess Federation || 0 || 133 || Bhutan National Premier Chess Championship |- | || 2.4 || Federación Boliviana de AjedrezFederación Boliviana de Ajedrez|| 1 || 5,454 || Bolivian Chess Championship |- | || 1.2b || Sahovski Savez Bosne i Hercegovine|| 7 || 3,881 || Bosnia and Herzegovina Chess Championship |- | || 4.5 || Botswana Chess Federation || 0 || 2,888 || Botswana Chess Championship |- | || 2.4 || Confed. Brasileira de Xadrez|| 15 || 26,903 || Brazilian Chess Championship |- | || 2.3.5 || British Virgin Islands Chess Federation || 0 || 10 || – |- | || 3.3 || Brunei Chess Federation|| 0 || 366 || Brunei Chess Championship |- | || 1.4 || Bulgarian Chess Federation|| 35 || 6,120 || Bulgarian Chess Championship |- | || 4.2 || Comité National Burkinabé des Échecs || 0 || 46 || Burkinabé Chess Championship |- | || 4.3 || || 0 || 82 || Burundian Chess Championship |- | || 3.3 || Cambodian Chess Federation || 0 || 20 || Cambodian Chess Championship |- | || 4.3 || || 0 || 196 || Cameroonian Chess Championship |- | || 2.2 || Chess Federation of Canada|| 14 || 6,051 || Canadian Chess Championship |- | || 4.2 || || 0 || 270 || Cape Verdean Chess Championship |- | || 2.3.5 || Cayman Islands Chess Federation|| 0 || 68 || - |- | || 4.3 || Chess Federation of Central African Republic || 0 || 100 || Central African Chess Championship |- | || 4.3 || Chad Chess Federation|| 0 || 17 || - |- | || 2.5 || Fed. Deportiva Nacional De Ajedrez || 6 || 7,422 || Chilean Chess Championship |- | || 3.5 || Chinese Chess Association|| 51 || 5,024 || Chinese Chess Championship |- | || 3.3 || Chinese Taipei Chess Association|| 1 || 521 || Taiwanese Chess Championship |- | || 2.3.4 || Fed. Colombiana de Ajedrez|| 11 || 13,176 || Colombian Chess Championship |- | || 4.4 || || 0 || 44 || Comorian Chess Championship |- | || 4.3 || || 0 || 97 || Congolese Chess Championship |- | || 2.3.2 || Federacion Central de Ajedrez|| 1 || 6,264 || Costa Rican Chess Championship |- | || 1.2b || Hrvatski šahovski savez|| 30 || 11,726 || Croatian Chess Championship |- | || 2.3.3 || Fed. Cubana de Ajedrez || 26 || 3,518 || Cuban Chess Championship |- | || 1.10 || Cyprus Chess Federation|| 0 || 1,296 || Cypriot Chess Championship |- | || 1.4 || Šachový svaz České republiky|| 33 || 16,984 || Czech Chess Championship |- | || 1.3 || Dansk Skak Union|| 16 || 8,092 || Danish Chess Championship |- | || 4.4 || Djiboutian Chess Federation || 0 || 130 || Djiboutian Chess Championship |- | || 2.3.5 || Dominica Chess Federation|| 0 || 37 || - |- | || 2.3.5 || Federación Dominicana de Ajedrez|| 1 || 3,470 || Dominican Chess Championship |- | || 2.4 || Ecuadorian Chess Federation|| 1 || 5,560 || Ecuadorian Chess Championship |- | || 4.1 || Egyptian Chess Federation || 6 || 16,217 || Egyptian Chess Championship |- | || 2.3.2 || Federación Salvadoreña de AjedrezFederación Salvadoreña de Ajedrez|| 0 || 1,072 || Salvadoran Chess Championship |- | || 1.1a || English Chess Federation|| 40 || 13,885 || British Chess Championship |- | || 4.3 || National Chess Federation of Equatorial Guinea|| 0 || 65 || - |- | || 4.4 || Eritrea Chess Federation || 0 || 171 || Eritrean Chess Championship |- | || 1.7 || Eesti Maleliit|| 6 || 2,685 || Estonian Chess Championship |- | || 4.5 || Eswatini National Chess Federation || 0 || 288 || Swazi Chess Championship |- | || 4.4 || Ethiopian Chess FederationEthiopian Chess Federation|| 0 || 1,071 || Ethiopian Chess Championship |- | || 1.10 || Talvsamband Føroya|| 1 || 532 || Faroese Chess Championship |- | || 3.6 || Fiji Chess Federation|| 0 || 435 || Fijian Chess Championship |- | || 1.3 || Suomen Keskusshakkiliitto|| 4 || 2,154 || Finnish Chess Championship |- | || 1.1b || French Chess Federation|| 55 || 98,861 || French Chess Championship |- | || 4.3 || Fédération Gabonaise des Échecs || 0 || 123 || Gabonese Chess Championship |- | || 4.2 || Gambia Chess Federation || 0 || 75 || Gambian Chess Championship |- | || 1.5b || Chess Federation of Georgia || 31 || 4,542 || Georgian Chess Championship |- | || 1.2a || Deutscher Schachbund|| 97 || 47,579 || German Chess Championship |- | || 4.2 || || 0 || 358 || Ghanaian Chess Championship |- | || 1.5a || Elliniki Skakistiki Omospondia|| 17 || 28,134 || Greek Chess Championship |- | || 2.3.5 || Grenada Chess Federation|| 0 || 21 || - |- | || 3.6 || Guam Chess Federation || 0 || 432 || – |- | || 2.3.2 || Fed. Nac. de Ajedrez de Guatemala || 0 || 764 || Guatemalan Chess Championship |- | || 1.10 || Guernsey Chess Federation|| 0 || 41 || Guernsey Chess Championship |- | || 2.3.5 || Guyana Chess Federation || 0 || 302 || Guyanese Chess Championship |- | || 2.3.5 || Haitian Chess Federation || 0 || 252 || Haitian Chess Championship |- | || 2.3.2 || Federación Nacional de Ajedrez de Honduras|| 0 || 1,318 || Honduran Chess Championship |- | || 3.3 || Hong Kong Chess Federation || 0 || 1,654 || Hong Kong Chess Championship |- | || 1.4 || Magyar Sakkszövetség|| 52 || 12,532 || Hungarian Chess Championship |- | || 1.3 || Skáksamband Íslands|| 15 || 3,021 || Icelandic Chess Championship |- | || 3.7 || All India Chess Federation|| 92|| 134,560 || Indian Chess Championship |- | || 3.3 || Persatuan Catur Seluruh Indonesia|| 4 || 3,364 || Indonesian Chess Championship |- | || 3.1 || Chess Fed. of Islamic Rep. of Iran|| 15 || 63,462 || Iranian Chess Championship |- | || 3.1 || Iraqi Chess Federation || 0 || 3,705 || Iraqi Chess Championship |- | || 1.1a || Irish Chess Union|| 1 || 2,971 || Irish Chess Championship |- | || 1.2b || Israel Chess Federation|| 49 || 7,538 || Israeli Chess Championship |- | || 1.1c || Federazione Scacchistica Italiana|| 18 || 32,862 || Italian Chess Championship |- | || 4.2 || || 0 || 556 || Ivorian Chess Championship |- | || 2.3.5 || Jamaica Chess Federation|| 0 || 1,073 || Jamaican Chess Championship |- | || 3.3 || || 0 || 609 || Japanese Chess Championship |- | || 1.10 || Jersey Chess Federation|| 0 || 223 || Jersey Chess Championship |- | || 3.1 || Royal Jordanian Chess FederationRoyal Jordanian Chess Federation|| 1 || 2,908 || Jordanian Chess Championship |- | || 3.4 || Kazakhstan Chess Federation|| 18 || 13,681 || Kazakhstani Chess Championship |- | || 4.4 || Kenyan Chess/|| 0 || 4,797 || Kenyan Chess Championship |- | || 1.2b || Kosovo Chess Federation|| 0 || 875 || Kosovan Chess Championship |- | || 3.1 || Kuwait Chess Federation || 0 || 834 || Kuwaiti Chess Championship |- | || 3.4 || Chess Federation of the Kyrgyz Republic || 0 || 4,782 || Kyrgyzstani Chess Championship |- | || 3.3 || Lao Chess Federation || 0 || 202 || Laotian Chess Championship |- | || 1.7 || Latvian Chess Federation | 10 || 4,537 || Latvian Chess Championship |- | || 3.1 || Federation Libanaise des Echecs|| 0 || 2,480 || Lebanese Chess Championship |- | || 4.5 || Chess Federation of Lesotho || 0 || 434 || Lesotho Chess Championship |- | || 4.2 || Liberia Chess Federation || 0 || 328 || Liberian Chess Championship |- | || 4.1 || General Libyan Chess Federation || 0 || 1,881 || Libyan Chess Championship |- | || 1.10 || Liechtensteiner Schachverband || 0 || 45 || Liechtenstein Chess Championship |- | || 1.7 || Lietuvos šachmatų federacija|| 11 || 6,341 || Lithuanian Chess Championship |- | || 1.10 || Federation Luxembourgeoise des Echecs|| 0 || 875 || Luxembourg Chess Championship |- | || 3.3 || Grupo de Xadrez de Macau || 0 || 86 || – |- | || 4.4 || || 0 || 953 || Malagasy Chess Championship |- | || 4.5 || Chess Association of Malawi || 0 || 1,009 || Malawian Chess Championship |- | || 3.3 || Malaysian Chess FederationMalaysian Chess Federation|| 1 || 15,533 || Malaysian Chess Championship |- | || 3.2 || Maldives Chess Federation || 0 || 573 || Maldivian Chess Championship |- | || 4.2 || || 0 || 135 || Malian Chess Championship |- | || 1.10 || Il-Federazzjoni Maltija tac-Cess|| 0 || 142 || Maltese Chess Championship |- | || 4.1 || || 0 || 839 || Mauritanian Chess Championship |- | || 4.4 || Mauritius Chess Federation|| 0 || 69 || Mauritian Chess Championship |- | || 2.3.1 || Fed. Nac. de Ajedrez de Mexico AC|| 5 || 14,128 || Mexican Chess Championship |- | || 1.8 || Federația de Șah a Republicii Moldova|| 7 || 1,524 || Moldovan Chess Championship |- | || 1.10 || || 3 || 303 || Monaco Chess Championship |- | || 3.3 || Mongolian Chess Federation|| 8 || 2,663 || Mongolian Chess Championship |- | || 1.5a || Montenegro Chess Federation|| 11 || 1,377 || Montenegrin Chess Championship |- | || 4.1 || Fed. Royale Marocaine des Echecs|| 1 || 4,879 || Moroccan Chess Championship |- | || 4.5 || || 0 || 634 || Mozambican Chess Championship |- | || 3.3 || Myanmar Chess Federation|| 0 || 2,354 || Myanmar Chess Championship |- | || 4.5 || Namibia Chess Federation|| 0 || 1,206 || Namibian Chess Championship |- | || 3.6 || Nauru Chess Federation || 0 || 69 || Nauruan Chess Championship |- | || 3.2 || Nepal Chess Association|| 0 || 4,986 || Nepalese Chess Championship |- | || 1.1b || Royal Dutch Chess Federation|| 43 || 10,479 || Dutch Chess Championship |- | || 2.3.5 || Curaçao Chess Federation || 0 || 276 || Netherlands Antilles Chess Championship |- | || 3.6 || New Zealand Chess Federation|| 1 || 2,547 || New Zealand Chess Championship |- | || 2.3.2 || Federacion Nicaragüense de Ajedrez || 0 || 1,255 || Nicaraguan Chess Championship |- | || 4.2 || Niger Chess Federation|| 0 || 69 || - |- | || 4.2 || Nigeria Chess Federation|| 0 || 3,878 || Nigerian Chess Championship |- | || 1.2b || Chess Federation of MacedoniaChess Federation of Macedonia|| 10 || 1,749 || Macedonian Chess Championship |- | || 1.3 || Norges Sjakkforbund|| 18 || 8,552 || Norwegian Chess Championship |- | || 3.1 || Oman Chess Committee|| 0 || 2,595 || Omani Chess Championship |-