View source for Fiji Chess Federation

{{Short description|Governing body of chess in Fiji}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2022}}
The '''Fiji Chess Federation''' coordinates chess tournaments in [[Fiji]] and is affiliated to [[FIDE]] (World Chess Federation).
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==History==
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Chess has been played in Fiji for a long time, but it was the 1972 World Championship, between [[Bobby Fischer]] and [[Boris Spasky]], that provided the impetus for chess competitions in the country with the formation  of the Suva Chess Club. Other chess clubs soon sprang up, like the Fiji School of Medicine Chess Club and the [[University of the South Pacific]] Chess Club. In 1979 it was decided to form the '''Fiji Chess Federation''', to enable participation in international tournaments and to get international support and recognition. The founding members included [[Som Prakash]] and [[Nazim Khan]].

The Fiji Chess Federation obtained sponsorship for regular tournaments and players were given chess rating. In 1986 the Federation sent its first team to the 27th Chess Olympiad in [[Dubai]] with help from the organising committee of the olympiad, and one of its members, Jasvinder Singh, obtaining international rating.

The [[1987 Fijian coups d'état|military coup]] of 1987 put restrictions on chess games on Sundays and by the end of the year the president and treasurer had resigned due to work commitments. The leadership of the Federation passed onto Surjeet Singh who reorganised it with the establishment of a number of new chess clubs. These included the [[Lautoka]] Chess Club and [[Nausori]] Chess Club. 

The Federation organised fund raising activities to send a team to the 28th Chess Olympiad in 1988 in [[Thessaloniki]], [[Greece]]. It was captained by Surjeet Singh.

Singh resigned as president in 1989. [[Dr. Virgilio De Asa|Virgilio De Asa]] was elected President from 1990 - 1994, and was succeeded by professor [[Prof David Jenkins|David Jenkins]] of the [[University of the South Pacific]].De Asa was re-elected in 1996 and continued until his retirement in 2014.

==Recent events==
[[Image:Asheesh Gautam - Mallorca Chess Olympiad 2004.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Asheesh Gautam at Mallorca Chess Olympiad, 2004]]
In 2006, the Fiji Chess Team  took part in its 7th Olympiad, the [[37th Chess Olympiad]] in [[Turin]], [[Italy]]. [[Calvin Prasad]], a former national champion, obtained international rating<ref>{{cite news|title = Chess Player card|url=http://www.fide.com/ratings/card.phtml?event=11400072}}</ref>
and earned a Candidate Masters title. Fiji Chess Federation General Secretary [[Dr. Jashint Maharaj]] was awarded his FIDE Arbiter's title in 2009<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ratings.fide.com/title_applications.phtml?details=1&id=11400226&title=FA&pb=24 |title=80th FIDE Congress 2009, 11-18 October 2009, Halkidiki, GRE.}}</ref> [[Kieran Lyons]], who played on board one for the Fiji Women's team at the [[36th Chess Olympiad]] in [[Spain]], was awarded the Women's FIDE Master title in January 2005.<ref>{{cite news|title=Prasad is Fiji's first CM |url=http://www.fijichess.com/default2.asp?active_page_id=113 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927184622/http://www.fijichess.com/default2.asp?active_page_id=113 |archivedate=September 27, 2007 }}</ref>

2006 - 2014 have seen a series of high-profile awards being issued to players of the Fiji Chess Federation.

Fiji Chess was also part of 2016 42nd Chess Olympiad in Baku. Open team members Calvin Prasad, Manoj Kumar, Taione Sikivou, Noel Adricula and Goru Arvind. Women's Team members Gloria Sukhu, [[Hilda Vukikomoala]], Cydel Terubea, Tanvi Radha Prasad and Sugandha Goswami. 

FCF faced some problems post 42nd Chess Olympiad which saw a change in executives and a new first female President. (https://islandsbusiness.com/news-break/court-unveils-fiji-chess-scandal/). Because of this not many local events were organised and Fiji did not participate in 43rd Chess Olympiad. 

Team Fiji was one of the 153 teams from all over the globe which participated in the FIDE Online Olympiad 2021 tournament.Fiji’s Online Chess Team got their second all-time World Chess Olympiad hat-trick, registering wins against Seychelles 6 – 0, Laos 6 – 0 and Brunei Darussalam 4.5 – 1.5. Fiji also drew with Nepal 3 – 3 ending their particip[ation in the Olympiad.

== Past Presidents ==
* CM Calvin Prasad (2014 - 2018)
* Dr. Virgilio De Asa (1996 - 2014)
* Dr. David Jenkins (1995)
* Dr. Virgilio De Asa (1990 - 1994)
* Mr. Surjeet Singh (1987 - 1989)
* Dr. Champak Rathod (1979 - 1987)

==References==
{{reflist}}
*

{{Sports governing bodies in Fiji}}
{{National members of the World Chess Federation}}

[[Category:National members of the Asian Chess Federation]]
[[Category:Chess in Fiji]]
[[Category:Sports governing bodies in Fiji|Chess]]
[[Category:1979 establishments in Fiji]]
[[Category:Sports organizations established in 1979]]
[[Category:Chess organizations]]
[[Category:1979 in chess]]