IBCA, BCA, USBCA: the organisations that keep chess for the blind alive
The IBCA (International Braille Chess Association) is the international body for chess for blind and visually impaired players and is affiliated to FIDE. According to its website it brings together around 60 countries. The Braille Chess Association (BCA, United Kingdom) dates from 1932 and the USBCA (United States) from 1967. In France, the AEPA has been running chess for visually impaired players since 1957.
The IBCA, worldwide
The IBCA presents itself on its website as the supreme body for chess for blind and visually impaired players, affiliated to FIDE. It claims around 60 member countries. Its founding date varies by source: it informally emerged in 1951 with the first international correspondence tournament for blind players, organised by the Englishman Reginald Walter Bonham; the year 1958, when it held its first over-the-board tournament, is the date given for its formation by Wikipedia and by FIDE. Wikipedia dates its affiliation to FIDE to 1964. It is also linked to the IBSA, the International Blind Sports Federation.
Its main competitions are the team Olympiad and the world championships (individual, women's, juniors, team). The Olympiad was held in Rhodes in October 2021 (16th edition) and in Serbia from 16 to 26 June 2025 (17th edition), according to the IBCA and FIDE websites.
The national organisations
| Organisation | Country | Founded | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| IBCA | International | Informal in 1951, formal in 1958 according to sources | Worldwide body affiliated to FIDE |
| Braille Chess Association (BCA) | United Kingdom | 1932 (according to its website) | National association of visually impaired chess players, open to blind and visually impaired people |
| US Braille Chess Association (USBCA) | United States | 1967 (according to its president, Chess Life, 2014) | National association, correspondence and over-the-board play |
| AEPA | France | 1957 | Promotes chess among visually impaired people; French championship with the FFE |
In France: AEPA, FFE and the French championship
The Association échiquéenne pour les aveugles (AEPA), or Chess Association for the Blind, is a French association founded in 1957 to promote chess among visually impaired people. It has organised tournaments since 1972 in Paris, and the French Championship for the Blind since 1985. It has taken part in IBCA competitions for many years. The 2026 Championnat de France d’échecs pour aveugles et malvoyants (French Chess Championship for the Blind and Visually Impaired) was held from 14 to 17 May 2026 in Saint-Jean-de-Braye (Loiret), organised by the Loiret departmental chess committee at the request of the FFE and the AEPA.
FIDE and players with disabilities
FIDE publishes a supplement to its regulations for disabled players (section E.02 of its handbook) and has a commission dedicated to players with disabilities. Three international bodies are traditionally invited to the chess Olympiad: the IBCA (blind players), the IPCA (physical disability) and the ICCD (deaf players), all affiliated to FIDE. In 2020 FIDE itself organised an online Olympiad for disabled players. See the page on Paralympic and disability sport chess competitions.
Finding a club near you
To play regularly, a local club is often the best way in. Le Palais des Échecs maintains a directory of chess clubs in France; it does not specify whether each club can welcome a blind player, so making contact in advance is essential, describing the equipment needed (tactile chessboard, move announcements). Also read the page on famous blind chess players.
Frequently asked questions
What is the IBCA?
The International Braille Chess Association describes itself as the supreme body for chess for blind and visually impaired players, affiliated to FIDE. Its website states around 60 member countries in Europe, Africa, the Americas and Asia, and notes that it is registered in France as a non-profit organisation under the 1901 Law of Associations.
Since when has the IBCA existed?
Sources differ. The IBCA informally emerged in 1951 with a correspondence tournament organised by R. W. Bonham, while FIDE and Wikipedia give 1958 as the year of its formation. Its affiliation to FIDE is dated 1964.
Which body represents France in the IBCA?
The IBCA website lists France among its member countries, but on the pages consulted it does not name the affiliated French body. We therefore do not designate any as such. The AEPA, a French association founded in 1957, has taken part in IBCA competitions for many years and organises the French championship for blind players together with the FFE.