Upcoming FA Seminars

The 211th Internet-based FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar is going to be organized from 07/11/2025 to 09/11/2025 by the Zimbabwe Chess Federation, under the auspices of FIDE.

The Lecturer will be IA/IO Nsakanya, Chanda (ZAM), FIDE Lecturer, and Assistant Lecturer will IA McFarlane, Alex (SCO), FIDE Lecturer.

The language of the Seminar will be English.

The Seminar will give norms and titles of FIDE Arbiter, according to the Regulations for the titles of Arbiters.

Schedule:

The 207th Internet-based FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar is going to be organized from 14/11/2025 to 16/11/2025 by the Namibia Chess Federation, under the auspices of FIDE.

The Lecturer will be IA/IO Nsakanya, Chanda (ZAM), FIDE Lecturer, and Assistant Lecturer will IA McFarlane, Alex (SCO), FIDE Lecturer.

The language of the Seminar will be English.

The Seminar will give norms and titles of FIDE Arbiter, according to the Regulations for the titles of Arbiters.

Schedule:

The FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar is going to be organized from 21/11/2025 to 23/11/2025 in Kolkata, West Bengal (IND) by the All India Chess Federation, under the auspices of FIDE.

The Lecturer will be IA Rathinam, Anantharam (IND), FIDE Lecturer, and the local Assistant Lecturer will be Shenvi, Nitin (IND).

The language of the Seminar will be English.

The Seminar will give norms and titles of FIDE Arbiter, according to the Regulations for the titles of Arbiters.

Schedule: 

Day 1                 09.30 AM to 06.00 PM = 7½ hours (less lunch time)

09.30 AM            Laws of Chess
12 noon               Systems of Games, Tiebreaks
01.00 PM            Lunch
02.00 PM            Laws of Chess
05.30 PM            Online Regulations

Day 2                 09.30 AM to 06.00 PM = 7½  hours (less lunch time) 

09.30 AM            Laws of Chess
12.00 noon         Rating and Over the Board Titles – 1
01.00 PM            Lunch
02.00 PM            Rating and Over the Board Titles – 2
03.00 PM            Laws of Chess
04.30 PM            FIDE Competition rules and Standards of Chess  Equipment
05.30 PM            Use of Electronic Clocks

Day 3                 09.30 AM to 01.00 PM = 3½  hours

09.30 AM            Swiss system and pairing rules
11.00 AM            Regulations for the Titles of Arbiters
12.00 noon         Anti-cheating guidelines for Arbiters
01.00 PM            Lunch
02.00 PM            Examination

Total time: 18½  hours (excluding examination)

The 212th Internet-based FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar is going to be organised from 21/11/2025 to 23/11/2025 by the Chess Federation of Canada (CFC), under the auspices of FIDE.

The Lecturer will be IA/IO Marghetis, Aris (CAN), FIDE Lecturer.

The language of the Seminar will be English.

The Seminar will give norms and titles of FIDE Arbiter, according to the Regulations for the titles of Arbiters.

Participation fees:

For Canadians: CAD$300 via Canadian “Interac e-transfer”
Other federations: email arismarghetis@rogers.com for payment options

Other information:

Please note all scheduled times are in the “New York” Eastern time zone. We will try to maintain breaks of at least one hour, for family meals, etc. Please ensure properly working video and audio, especially for the exam.

Schedule: 

Friday, November 21^st:

4pm-6pm: The Role of the Arbiter (1.5 hours)
Competition Regulations (0.5 hours)
7pm-9pm: Electronic Chess Equipment (0.5 hours)
Anti-Cheating Regulations (1.5 hours)

Saturday, November 22^nd:

10am-12noon: Laws of Chess – Basic Rules (2 hours)
1pm-3pm: Laws of Chess – Competitive Rules (2 hours)
4pm-6pm: Systems of Games (0.5 hours)
Swiss System – Pairing Regulations (1.5 hours)
7pm-9pm: Swiss System – Pairing Exercises (1.5 hours)
Tie-Break Regulations (0.5 hours)

Sunday, November 23^rd:

10am-12noon: FIDE Rating Regulations (1 hour)
International Title Regulations (1 hour)
1pm-4pm: Regulations for the Titles of Arbiters (1 hour)
Contingency time, Review, Exam Preparation (2 hours)
5pm-9pm: exam [with both video and audio on] (4 hours)

The FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar is going to be organized from 22/11/2025 to 28/11/2025 in Bangkok by the Asian Chess Federation, under the auspices of FIDE.

The Lecturer will be IA Abdulrahim, Mahdi (UAE), FIDE Lecturer, and the Assistant Lecturer will be IA/IO Abundo, Casto (PHI), FIDE Lecturer.

The language of the Seminar will be English.

The Seminar will give norms and titles of FIDE Arbiter, according to the Regulations for the titles of Arbiters.

Schedule: 

(Bangkok time GMT +7)
Laptops required for exam

14:00-19:00 Saturday, 22 November 2025
14:00 Introduction, Laws of Chess, Rapid and Blitz (Chapter 2 p. 5 of FIDE Arbiters’ Manual)

14:00-19:00 Monday, 24 November 2025
15:00 Types of Tournaments (Chapter 4: p. 105)
16:00 General Regulations for Competitions (p 189), Berger and Varma table (p. 198)
17:00 Tie Break Systems (p. 202)
18:00 Swiss system and pairing rules. (Chapter 5, p. 112), Accelerated System (p. 146)

14:00-19:00 Thursday, 27 November 2025
15:00 FIDE Rating Regulations (Chapter 6, p. 148), Rapid and Blitz Rating
16:00 International Title Regulations (Chapter 7, p. 159)
17:00 Regulations for the Titles of Arbiters (Chapter 10, p. 217), Classification of Arbiters (p. 235)
18:00 Fair Play Guidelines for Arbiters (Anti Cheating) Chapter 3, p. 59)

14:00-19:00 Friday, 28 November 2025
14:00 Q&A
15:00 Exam (sample questions p 283)

The 208th Internet-based FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar is going to be organized from 07/08/2025 to 11/08/2025 by the Asian Chess Federation, under the auspices of FIDE.

The Lecturer will be IA/IO Pahlevanzadeh, Mehrdad (IRI), FIDE Lecturer, and Local Assistant Lecturer will be IA Hashemi, Amir Erfan (IRI).

The language of the Seminar will be English with translation into Persian.

The Seminar will give norms and titles of FIDE Arbiter, according to the Regulations for the titles of Arbiters.

SCHEDULE

The 201st Internet-based FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar is going to be organized from 05/12/2025 to 07/12/2025 by the Panamanian Chess Federation, under the auspices of FIDE.

The Lecturer will be IA/IO Hermida, Marcelo Mariano (ARG), FIDE Lecturer, and the Local Assistant Arbiter will be IA Rondon Chacon, Yolys Desiree (PAN).

The language of the Seminar will be Spanish.

The Seminar will give norms and titles of FIDE Arbiter, according to the Regulations for the titles of Arbiters.

Schedule:

Friday, December 05:
17:00 – 21:00: Laws of Chess

Saturday, December 06:
9:00 – 10:00: Laws of Chess
10:00 – 13:00: Swiss System and Pairings rules
13:00 – 13:30: Use of electronic clocks

15:00 – 18:00: System of games and tie breaks
18:00 – 20:00: Fair Play guidelines for Arbiters
20:00 – 21:00: Terms in English

Sunday, December 07:
09:00 –10:30: Regulations for the titles of Arbiters
10:30 – 12.00: Players’ titles regulations
12:00 – 13:30: Ratings regulations

16:00 – 20:00 Examination test

The 204th Internet-based FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar is going to be organized from 12/12/2025 to 14/12/2025 by the French Chess Federation – FFE, under the auspices of FIDE.

The Lecturer will be IA Escafre, Stephane (FRA), FIDE Lecturer.

The language of the Seminar will be French.

The Seminar will give norms and titles of FIDE Arbiter, according to the Regulations for the titles of Arbiters.

The 206th Internet-based FIDE Arbiters’ Seminar is going to be organized from 19/12/2025 to 12/12/2025 by the Namibia Chess Federation, under the auspices of FIDE.

The Lecturer will be IA McFarlane, Alex (SCO), FIDE Lecturer, and Assistant Lecturer will IA/IO Nsakanya, Chanda (ZAM), FIDE Lecturer.

The language of the Seminar will be English.

The Seminar will give norms and titles of FIDE Arbiter, according to the Regulations for the titles of Arbiters.

Schedule: