International Arbiter is a title awarded by the world governing body of chess, FIDE, to individuals deemed capable of acting as arbiter in important events (the arbiters are responsible for ensuring the rules and laws of chess are adhered to). The title was established in 1951. Listen to this article · (info) This audio file was created from the revision dated 2005-09-05, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. ... The Fédération Internationale des Échecs or World Chess Federation is an international organization that connects the various national chess federations around the world. ...

Requirements for the title to be awarded are detailed in section B.01.2.1 of the FIDE Handbook. As well as thorough knowledge of the laws of chess and a proved impartiality, they include the ability to speak a FIDE-approved language and previous experience as arbiter in important tournaments.

Some individuals have had careers as strong players and later become International Arbiters. Notable examples include:

• Albéric O'Kelly de Galway, Grandmaster who was third correspondence chess world champion before becoming an International Arbiter in 1962 and acting as Chief Arbiter at the 1966 and 1969 over-the-board World Championship matches;
• Lothar Schmidt, Grandmaster who finished joint second with the then world chess champion Tigran Petrosian at Bamberg 1968 and was also a strong correspondence player before becoming an International Arbiter in 1975 and acting as Chief Arbiter in the 1972, 1978 and 1986 World Championship matches.
• Gideon Ståhlberg, Grandmaster who was Sweden's top player for many years and refereed several of Mikhail Botvinnik's world championship matches.

The five original grandmasters of chess, from left to right: Lasker (seated), Alekhine, Capablanca, Marshall, Tarrasch (seated) The title International Grandmaster is awarded to world-class chess masters by the world chess organization FIDE. Apart from World Champion, Grandmaster is the highest title a chess player can attain. ... Correspondence chess is chess played by some sort of long-distance correspondence, usually through a Correspondence Chess Server or e-mail or the postal system. ... The World Chess Championship is played to determine the World Champion in the board game chess. ... The five original grandmasters of chess, from left to right: Lasker (seated), Alekhine, Capablanca, Marshall, Tarrasch (seated) The title International Grandmaster is awarded to world-class chess masters by the world chess organization FIDE. Apart from World Champion, Grandmaster is the highest title a chess player can attain. ... The 1984 World Chess Championship was between Anatoly Karpov (left) and Garry Kasparov (right). ... Tigran Petrosian Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian (June 17, 1929 – August 13, 1984) is a former world chess champion. ... The five original grandmasters of chess, from left to right: Lasker (seated), Alekhine, Capablanca, Marshall, Tarrasch (seated) The title International Grandmaster is awarded to world-class chess masters by the world chess organization FIDE. Apart from World Champion, Grandmaster is the highest title a chess player can attain. ... Mikhail Moiseevich Botvinnik (Михаи́л Моисе́евич Ботви́нник) (August 17, 1911 - May 5, 1995) was a Russian International Grandmaster and long-time World Champion of chess. ...

External links

• Requirements for the title of International Arbiter