1924: FIDE
FIDE - the Fédération internationale des échecs - is the main global chess organization that ties together all of the national chess federations (such as the USCF - United States Chess Federation). The motto "Gens una sumus" (We are one people) reflects its mission to unite people through chess. FIDE's main responsibilities are to hand out official titles such as "Grandmaster" (which it started doing in 1950), organize the international Chess Olympiad between countries, and handle the World Chess Championship matches. FIDE and its current president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov are not without their critics, however, prompting several attempts at break-away governing organizations. Garry Kasparov is making a run at becoming FIDE president in 2014.
