Welcome to the official IBCA website
FIDE (Federation internationale des échecs) is the supreme body for chess amongst the sighted. Similarly, the International Braille Chess Association (IBCA) is the supreme body of chess for the blind and visually impaired and is in turn affiliated to FIDE.
Rest in peace Dr. Jorgen Magnusson (President IBCA)
Dear IBCA Members,
It is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of our President, Dr. Jorgen Magnusson, who left us after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Dr. Magnusson was not only a devoted leader of the International Braille Chess Association, but also a man of vision, integrity, and deep commitment to the global chess community-especially to players who are blind and visually impaired. His tireless efforts significantly advanced the mission of IBCA and strengthened its presence around the world.
Under his leadership, our organization grew not only in structure, but in spirit. He believed in unity, inclusion, and the transformative power of chess. His legacy will remain with us in every initiative we continue and every player we support.Read More
Online Chess Tournaments for Visually Impaired
Disclaimer : The table below informs about online chess tournaments for visually impaired chess players. They are not run by IBCA, but are important for many of our players.
How Visually Impaired Play Chess ?
The Chess Board of 64 squares has the following modifications:
- All the Black squares are raised about 3-4 mm above the white squares. 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 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.
2023 IBCA European Team Chess Championship Closing Ceremony Highlights, Genova Italy (Copyright (C) Fabio Rosetto)
Poland wins IX IBCA World Team Chess Championship
Top Teams
- Olympiad Champion Russia
- Poland
- Serbia
Top Individual Players
- World Champion Nikac Predrag, Montenegro
- Alexey Smirnov, Russia
- GM Marcin Tazbir, Poland
Top Women Players
- World Champion WIM Lubov Zsiltzova-Lisenko, Ukraine
- FM Teresa Debowska, Poland
- WCM Anna Stolarczyk, Poland
Top Junior Players
- World Champion Adam Czajkowski, Poland
- Soundarya Kuma Pradhan , India
- CM Mirko Eichstadt, Germany
Upcoming Events
- IBCA Extraordinary Congress 2026 (Crete, Greece) : October 15, 2026
- IBCA Asian Individual Chess Championship For The Blind & Visually Impaired – Karachi, Pakistan : 05 November – 15 November 2026
- Pan-American Individual Chess Championship for the Blind and Visually Impaired, IBCA 2026 – São Paulo, Brazil : October 18 – October 23, 2026
- Bidding for IBCA World Individual championship 2027 (Classical & Rapid)
- 25th International Chess Tournament for Blind and Visually Impaired Players in Nis (Serbia) : 3 June – 7 June 2026
- 2026 Classic and Rapid IBCA European Individual Chess Championship 2026 in Rhodes, Greece : 13 October – 23 October 2026 (Classic) & 23 October – 25 October 2026 (Rapid)
- 13th IBCA World Junior and Women Chess Championship 2026 in Creta, Greece : 3 October – 13 October 2026
- German Individual Championship of the DBSB 2026 in Herrenberg Germany : 5 September – 13 September 2026
- The IBCA World Team Chess Championship 2026 in Petrovac, Montenegro : 17 April – 28 April 2026 : Chess Results link – https://chess-results.com/tnr1360328.aspx
- The 1st International Blind & Visually Impaired Chess Tournament in Istanbul, Türkiye
- The 2025 Classic and Rapid IBCA World Individual Chess Championship in Poland
- 17th IBCA Chess Olympiad for the Blind and Visually Impaired (16th June – 26th June 2025) at Serbia.
- IBCA Tournament Calendar 2025 – 2031
News
- IBCA Congress 2026 – Nominations for IBCA President
- IBCA Executive Board Minutes: July 11, 2026
- IBCA Extraordinary Congress 2026 (Crete, Greece) : October 15, 2026
- IBCA Asian Individual Chess Championship For The Blind & Visually Impaired – Karachi, Pakistan : 05 November – 15 November 2026
- Pan-American Individual Chess Championship for the Blind and Visually Impaired, IBCA 2026 – São Paulo, Brazil : October 18 – October 23, 2026
- IBCA Presidential Board Minutes: May 31, 2026
- Bidding for IBCA World Individual championship 2027 (Classical & Rapid)
- 25th International Chess Tournament for Blind and Visually Impaired Players in Nis (Serbia) : 3 June – 7 June 2026
- IBCA Executive Board Minutes: March 7, 2026
- IBCA Presidential Board Minutes: February 1, 2026
- IBCA Executive Board Minutes: December 14, 2025
- IBCA Presidential Board Minutes: November 8, 2025
- 2nd FIDE Chess Olympiad for People with Disabilities: October 19- 26, 2025 Astana, Kazakhstan
- IBCA Executive Board Minutes: September 13, 2025
- The IBCA World Team Chess Championship 2026 in Petrovac, Montenegro : 17 April – 28 April 2026 . Chess Results link – https://chess-results.com/tnr1360328.aspx
Obituaries
Accessible YouTube Channels
Here we send links to YouTube Channels that are accessible, no matter you are sighted or not. We hope that the list of such channels will grow by time.
Member Countries





























































