International Braille Chess Association


The International Braille Chess Association is an organization for blind and visually impaired chess players. The IBCA is a FIDE-affiliated chess organization as well as a part of the International Blind Sports Federation. The International Braille Chess Association originated informally in 1951 with the organization of the first international correspondence chess tournament for blind players; the tournament included 20 players representing 10 countries. It first organized an over-the-board tournament in 1958, with representatives from seven countries. Today, it has grown to encompass over 75 member nations around the world. The IBCA hosts two major competitions: the Blind Chess Olympiad and the Blind World Chess Championship.
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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 visually impaired players:
  1. Either player may demand the use of two boards, the sighted player using a standard board, the visually impaired player using a board that is specially constructed as follows:
  2. 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.
  3. Each of the squares on the board has a hole in the center so that the chess pieces can be fixed in these holes.
  4. Each of the pieces has a downward projection at the base, which fits into the hole in the squares on the board, thereby fixing the piece securely on the board.
  5. 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 visually impaired player writes the moves in braille or records the moves on a voice recorder.