International Braille Chess Association
 IBCA logo | |
| Abbreviation | IBCA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1958[1] |
| Type | International nongovernmental organization |
| Headquarters | Homberg, Germany[2] |
President | Jörgen Magnusson[2] |
| Affiliations | FIDE, IBSA |
| Website | www |
The International Braille Chess Association (IBCA) is an organisation for blind and vision-impaired (VI) chess players. The IBCA is a International Chess Federation-affiliated chess organisation as well as a part of the International Blind Sports Federation.
The IBCA hosts two major competitions: the Blind Chess Olympiad and the Blind World Chess Championship.
History
The International Braille Chess Association originated informally in 1951 with the organisation (by Reginald Walter Bonham (1906–1984)) of the first international correspondence chess tournament for blind players; the tournament included 20 players representing 10 countries. It first organised an over-the-board tournament in 1958, with representatives from seven countries. IBCA became affiliated with FIDE in 1964.[3]
Today, it has grown to encompass over 75 member nations around the world.[1]
Rule modifications
Although most of the rules in blind chess are consistent with normal chess, there are a few modifications to the equipment to aid blind and VI players:[4][5][6]
Either player may demand the use of two boards, the sighted player using a standard board, the VI player using a board that is specially constructed:
- All the black squares are raised about 3–4 mm above the white squares on the chessboard. By feeling the squares, the player is able to determine whether the square is a black or a white one.
- Each of the squares on the board has a hole in the centre so that the chess pieces can be fixed in these holes.
- Each of the pieces has a downward projection (nail) at the base, which fits into the hole in the squares on the board, thereby fixing the piece securely on the board.
- All the black pieces have a pin fixed on their heads helping the player distinguish between a white and a black piece.
After making every move, each player is required to announce their move aloud to their opponent. Instead of writing the moves on a chess score sheet, the VI player writes the moves in braille or records the moves on a voice recorder.[4]
IBCA Member Countries
| Nr. | Country | National member federation recognised by the IBCA |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina | ACUA (Ajedrecistas Ciegos Unidos de Argentina) |
| 2 | Austria | Österreichischen Blindenschachbund |
| 3 | Azerbaijan | Azerbaijan Braille Chess and Draughts Federation |
| 4 | Bangladesh | Association For Blind Chess (AFBC) |
| 5 | Belarus | National Paralympic Committee of Belarus |
| 6 | Belgium | BSFVG (Belgische Schaak Federatie voor Visueel Gehandicapten) |
| 7 | Bolivia | Federación boliviana de deportes para ciegos (FEBODEC) |
| 8 | Brazil | Federação Brasileira de Xadrez para Deficientes Visuais |
| 9 | Bulgaria | Bulgarian Sports Federation for the Visually Impaired |
| 10 | Canada | Braille Chess Canada / Échecs Braille Canada |
| 11 | Chile | Consorcio ajedrez para ciegos de Chile |
| 12 | Colombia | Federación deportes limitados visuales de Colombia (FEDELIV) |
| 13 | Costa Rica | Asociación Deportiva de Ajedrecistas Especiales (ADAES) |
| 14 | Croatia | Croatian Blind Sport Association |
| 15 | Czech Republic | |
| 16 | Denmark | Danmarks blindeskak skak forenings kontakt |
| 17 | Dominican Republic | |
| 18 | El Salvador | |
| 19 | Ecuador | Federación Ecuatoriana de deportes para personas con discapacidad visual (FEDEDIV) |
| 20 | Finland | |
| 21 | France | AEPA (Association Echiquéenne pour les Aveugles) |
| 22 | Germany | Deutscher Blinden-und Sehbehinderten Schachverband e.V. (DBSB) |
| 23 | Greece | Hellenic Sport Federation for persons with disabilities |
| 24 | Guatemala | Comité pro ciegos y sordos de Guatemala |
| 25 | Honduras | Federación Nacional de deportes para ciegos de Honduras (FENADECI) |
| 26 | Hungary | FODISZ |
| 27 | Iceland | |
| 28 | India | All India Chess Federation for the Blind |
| 29 | Indonesia | National Paralympic Committee (NPC) Indonesia |
| 30 | Iran | I.R. Iran Sports Federation for the Blind and Visually Impaired |
| 31 | Ireland | Braille Chess Association of Ireland |
| 32 | Israel | Israeli Chess Association for the Blind & Visually Handicapped |
| 33 | Italy | ASCId (Associazione Scacchisti Ciechi Italiani dilettantistica) |
| 34 | Kazakhstan | Kazakhstan Chess Federation of Athletes with Disabilities |
| 35 | Kenya | Chess Kenya Federation |
| 36 | Kosovo | ër të Verbër e Kosovës |
| 37 | Kyrgyz Republic | Kyrgyz Republic Public Association “Chess and Draughts union of the Kyrgyz Republic among disabled people” |
| 38 | Latvia | |
| 39 | Lithuania | Lietuvos aklųjų sporto federacijos |
| 40 | North Macedonia | National Union of the Blind of North Macedonie |
| 41 | Mexico | Asociación Mexicana de Deportes Adaptados Para Ciegos y Débiles Visuales A.C. |
| 42 | Moldova | Moldova Blind Sport Federation |
| 43 | Mongolia | |
| 44 | Montenegro | Union of the Blind of Montenegro |
| 45 | Netherlands | NSVG (Nederlandse schaakvereniging voor visueel gehndicapte) |
| 46 | Nicaragua | Asociación Nicaragüense de Deportes para Ciegos (ANDECI) |
| 47 | Norway | |
| 48 | Pakistan | Pakistan Blind Sports Federation |
| 49 | Panama | Asociación nacional de deportes para ciegos de Panamá (ANADEPC) |
| 50 | Paraguay | |
| 51 | Peru | |
| 52 | Philippines | Philippines Para Chess Association |
| 53 | Poland | CROSS |
| 54 | Portugal | Liga Portuguesa de Desporto para Surdos |
| 55 | Puerto Rico | Federación puertorriqueño de deportistas ciegos |
| 56 | Romania | Romanian Association of the Blind |
| 57 | Russia | All-Russian Society of the Blind |
| 58 | Serbia | National sports organisation of blind and visually impaired |
| 59 | Slovakia | Slovenská asociácia zrakovo postihnutých športovcov |
| 60 | Slovenia | National Paralympic Committee of Slovenia |
| 61 | South Africa | South African Braille Chess Association |
| 62 | Spain | Federación Española de Deportes para Ciegos (FEDC) |
| 63 | Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka Council for the Blind |
| 64 | Sweden | The Swedish chessfederation for visually impaired |
| 65 | Switzerland | |
| 66 | Thailand | Thailand Boardgame Club for the Blind |
| 67 | Turkey | Turkish Blind Sports Federation |
| 68 | Turkmenistan | Chess Center for the Blind of Turkmenistan |
| 69 | Ukraine | Sports Federation of the Blind of Ukraine |
| 70 | United Kingdom | Braille Chess Association of the United Kingdom |
| 71 | United States of America | USBCA |
| 72 | Uzbekistan | Uzbekistan Blind sport federation |
| 73 | Venezuela | Federación Polideportiva de ciegos de Venezuela (FEPOCIVE) |
| 74 | Vietnam | Vietnam Chess Federation |
| 75 | Zimbabwe | Zimbabwe Braille Chess Association |
References
- 1 2 "Die Geschichte der International Braille Chess Association (IBCA)". Archived from the original on 19 September 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
- 1 2 International Braille Chess Association at FIDE.com
- ↑ BrailleChess.org Hall of Fame: Reginald Bonham Archived 25 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- 1 2 Rules of Chess Archived 6 May 2021 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 12 September 2018
- ↑ How Visually Impaired Play Chess Archived 10 January 2021 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 24 January 2020
- ↑ Chess – Eyeway.org Archived 9 July 2017 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 9 September 2014
