18th IA Seminar (WOM/ARB) – Report
The 18th Internet Based International Arbiter Certification Seminar was held from 30th August to 9th September 2025. It was organized by the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess and FIDE Arbiters’ Commission, under the auspices of FIDE.
The Lecturers were IA Munoz Solis, Carolina (CRC) and IA Nikolopoulos, Panagiotis (GRE), both FIDE Lecturers.
The Language of the Seminar was English.
The Seminar lasted for four (4) days and included four (4) Sessions, with sixteen (16) hours in total. During the lectures, the following subjects were presented and discussed:
a) The changes of the Laws of Chess (including Rapid, Blitz and Appendices) in 2023 and in 2018, with analyzed study cases.
b) The role and the duties of the Arbiters and the Chief Arbiter in tournaments
c) The System of games and the tie breaks regulations with the recent changes.
d) The Swiss system and the pairing rules, with practical examples
e) The FIDE Rating and over‐the‐board titles with the recent changes, with practical examples.
f) The Fair Play regulations for Arbiters with analyzed study cases
g) The Regulations for the titles of Arbiters.
h) The use of electronic clocks, the electronic boards
i) The basic chess terms in English and different main languages.
In the lectures, all the relevant parts of the FIDE Handbook and material produced by the FIDE Arbiters’ Commission were used. Many examples from real cases were presented during the lectures and the participants were very active, participating in the analysis of the study cases and asking many questions.
Twenty-five (25) FIDE Arbiters from twenty-four (24) National Federations (ARG, BIH, CRC, EGY, EST, GRE, HON, HUN, IND, IRI, KEN, MAR, MAS, NGR, PAN, PHI, SRB, SRI, SVK, TUR, USA, VIE, ZAM and ZIM) participated in the Seminar, attending all sessions of the lectures in all the days.
The following succeeded in the test and they will be awarded a norm for the title of the International Arbiter, after the approval of the next FIDE Council:
| FIDE | Name (as on FIDE Profile) | FED |
|---|---|---|
| 142611 | Bosco, Giuliana | ARG |
| 14403668 | Jacimovic, Sara | BIH |
| 6505694 | Nunez Gonzalez, Joshebeth Elena | CRC |
| 4503082 | Olde, Margareth | EST |
| 4261631 | Haralabidou, Maria | GRE |
| 767310 | Majoros, Rozsa Evelin | HUN |
| 5037522 | Shri Humrudha, J | IND |
| 35071572 | Sudharshana M V | IND |
| 22572902 | Hoseinian, Najmeh Alsadat | IRI |
| 5730015 | Tan, Eng Thong Evelyn | MAS |
| 14954834 | Strelbitska, Oleksandra | SVK |
| 39933520 | Brauner, Sarah | USA |
| 8401225 | Barrientos, Alejandra | HON |
| 10832041 | Sarran Mahonye Otieno | KEN |
| 9007180 | Bamouss, Amina | MAR |
| 10691715 | Naeem, Remonda | EGY |
| 3911853 | Carrillo Marval, Maria Angelica | PAN |
| 5233186 | Olendo, Ma. Hazel | PHI |
| 945315 | Tomin, Ksenija | SRB |
| 29926297 | Surasinghe, Washini Chamithri | SRI |
| 12401676 | Nguyen, Thi Mai Hung | VIE |
| 11012838 | Mushangwe, Mukoti Mercy | ZIM |
| 12535222 | Hemati, Nazi | IRI |
Ivan Syrovy, ARB Chairman
Nebojsa Baralic, ARB Secretary
Alex McFarlane, Leader of the ARB Education Team
