06. Regulations for the Titles of Arbiters

As approved by GA 1982, amended by GA 1984 to 2012.

1.1 The following regulations can only be altered by the General Assembly following recommendation by the Arbiters' Commission.

1.1.1 Changes to the regulations shall only be made every fourth year, commencing from 2004 (unless the Commission agrees urgent action is required).

1.1.2 Any such changes shall take effect from 1 July of the year following the decision by the General Assembly.

1.1.3 The titles for award are International Arbiter (IA) and FIDE Arbiter (FA).

1.1.4 Τhe titles are valid for life from the date awarded or registered.

1.1.5 Τhe judging unit is the FIDE Arbiters' Commission.

1.1.6 The Arbiters' Commission is appointed by the General Assembly for the same period of office as the FIDE President. The Commission shall include a chairman, appointed by the FIDE President, a Secretary, appointed by the Chairman in consultation with the FIDE President and not more than 11 experts, who shall have voting rights in the Commission. No Federation shall have more than one representative in the Commission.

1.1.7 The Presidential Board or Executive Board may confirm the titles under 1.1.3 in clear cases only, after consultation with the Arbiters' Commission chairman.

1.1.8 The Commission usually makes its decisions in the sessions immediately preceding the opening of the General Assembly.

1.1.9 In exceptional circumstances, the Commission may recommend a title by correspondence voting.

2.1.2 An arbiter norm in the highest division of the National Team Championship, whereby the following requirements are met:
1. A minimum of four boards per team;
2. A minimum of 10 teams;
3. At least 60% of the players are FIDE rated.
4. At least 5 rounds.

2.1.3 Applicants for the title of IA/FA must be at least 21 years old.

3. Requirements for the title of FIDE Arbiter (FA).

All of the following:

3.1 Thorough knowledge of the Laws of Chess, the FIDE Regulations for chess competitions, the Swiss Pairing Systems.

3.2 Absolute objectivity, demonstrated at all times during his activity as an arbiter.

3.3 Sufficient knowledge of at least one official FIDE language.

3.4 Skills to operate electronic chess clocks of different types and for different systems.

3.5 Experience as chief or deputy arbiter in at least three (3) FIDE Rated events (these can be either national or international) and attendance of at least one (1) FIDE Arbiters' Seminar and successful passing (at least 80%) an examination test set by the Arbiters' Commission.
FIDE rated event valid for a norm is considered any tournament with minimum 10 players in case that it is played with Round Robin system, with minimum 6 players in case that it is played with Double Round Robin system and with minimum 20 players in case that it is played with Swiss system.

3.6 The title of FIDE Arbiter for each of the IBCA, ICSC, and IPCA shall each be equivalent to one FA norm.

3.7 For a candidate, being a match arbiter in an Olympiad is equivalent to one FA norm. No more than one such norm will be considered for the title.

3.8 Being Chief or Deputy Arbiter in any FIDE rated Rapid and Blitz events, with minimum thirty (30) players and nine (9) rounds, shall be equivalent to one (1) FA norm. No more than one such norm from Rapid or Blitz tournaments will be considered for the title.

3.9 Attendance of one (1) FIDE Arbiters' Seminar and successful passing (at least 80%) an examination test set by the Arbiters' Commission, shall be equivalent to one (1) FA norm. Not more than one (1) such norm will be considered for the title.

3.10 Applicants from federations which are unable to organize any tournaments valid for titles or rating, may be awarded the title on successful passing an examination test (at least 80%) set by the Arbiters` Commission.

4. Requirements for the title of International Arbiter (IA).

All of the following:

4.1 Thorough knowledge of the Laws of Chess, the FIDE Regulations for chess competitions, the Swiss Pairing Systems,
the FIDE Regulations regarding achievement of title norms and the FIDE Rating System.

4.2 Absolute objectivity, demonstrated at all times during his activity as an arbiter.

4.3 Obligatory knowledge of English language, minimum at conversation level; and of chess terms in other official FIDE languages.

4.4 Minimum skills at user level to work on a personal computer. Knowledge of pairing programs endorsed by the FIDE,
Word, Excel and E-mail.

4.5 Skills to operate electronic chess clocks of different types and for different systems.

4.6 Experience as chief or deputy arbiter in at least four FIDE rated events such as the following:
a. The final of the National Individual (adult) Championship (maximum two norms).
b. All official FIDE tournaments and matches.
c. International tournaments where FIDE title norms for players are possible.
d. International FIDE rated chess events with at least 100 players, at least 30% FIDE rated players, and at least 7 rounds (maximum one norm) .
e. All official World and Continental Rapid and Blitz Championships for Adult and juniors (maximum one (1) norm).

4.7 The title of the International Arbiter for each of the IBCA, ICSC, IPCA shall each be equivalent to one IA norm.

4.8 Being a match arbiter in an Olympiad is equivalent to one IA norm. No more than one such norm will be considered
for the title.

4.9 The title of International Arbiter can be awarded only to applicants who have already been awarded the title of FIDE Arbiter.

4.10 All the norms for the IA title must be different from the norms already used for the FA title and must have been achieved after the FA title have been awarded.

4.11 At least two (2) of the submitted norms shall be signed by different Chief Arbiters.

5. Application Procedure

5.1 Application forms for the titles listed in 1.1.3 are annexed hereto. They are:
Tournament Report Form with cross-table and decisions on appeals - IT3 (one for each norm)
Arbiter Norm Report Form - IA1 or FA1 (one for each norm)
Arbiter Title Application Form - IA2 or FA2

5.2 The norm reports supporting a title application must be for at least two different formats of tournament, according to 2.1.1, or at least one international rated event according to 4.6d, and achieved in events with starting dates that fall within a six-year period. The application must be submitted not later than the second FIDE Congress after the date of the latest event listed. Norms from Seminars are valid for a period of four (4) years.

5.3 Applications must be submitted to the FIDE Secretariat by the federation of the applicant. The national federation
is responsible for the fee.

5.4 All title applications together with full details must be posted on the FIDE website for a minimum of 60 days prior to finalisation. This is in order for any objections to be lodged.

6.1       A titled active Arbiter (International Arbiter or FIDE Arbiter) and a National Arbiter working in a FIDE rated tournament shall be charged with a “licence fee”.
6.2.1    The licence will be valid for life, on the condition the arbiter remains an active arbiter, and will be in effect from the day after FIDE has received the fee.
6.2.2    The licence fee for National Arbiters is valid for life.
6.2.3    If a National Arbiter is awarded the title of “FIDE Arbiter” the licence fee for this title has to be paid to FIDE.
6.2.4    If an arbiter upgrades his/her category only the difference between the category fee has to be paid to FIDE.
6.2.5    If a “FIDE Arbiter” achieves the title of “International Arbiter”, the fee for the new title has to be paid to FIDE.
6.3       The licence fee will be:

6.4       Failure to pay the licence fee will lead to exclusion from the FIDE Arbiters’ list.
6.5       The Arbiters’ licence will come into effect from 01. 01. 2013.
6.6       From 01. 01. 2013 all arbiters of FIDE rated tournaments shall be licensed.
6.7.1    An arbiter who has become inactive (see annex 2, articles 1.3 and 1.4) is considered not to be licensed anymore and will be transferred to the list of inactive arbiters.
6.7.2     In order to be active again the inactive arbiter has to pay for a new licence, according to 6.3
6.8       If the article 6.6 is not fulfilled, the tournaments shall not be rated.
6.9     From 01. 01. 2013 the licence fee will be charged together with the application fee for all new awarded arbiter titles.

1. Tournament report form IT3.
2. International Arbiter norm report form IA1.
3. Application for award of the title of International Arbiter IA2.
4. FIDE Arbiter norm report form FA1.
5. Application for award of the title of FIDE Arbiter FA2.

8.

Annex 1: Regulations for the training of the chess arbiters.
Annex 1a: Regulations for the Organization Internet Based FIDE Arbitrs' Seminars.
Annex 1b: List of Lecturers for the FIDE Arbiters Seminars.

9.

Annex 2: Regulations for the classification of the arbiters.
Annex 2a: A' Category Arbiters.
Annex 2b: B' Category Arbiters.
Annex 2c: C' Category Arbiters.
Annex 2d: D' Category Arbiters.
Annex 2e: National Arbiters.
Annex 2f: Inactive Arbiters.