Malcolm Pein

Early Life & the Game That Changed Everything

Malcolm Pein discovered chess at school in the 1970s and never looked back. The game consumed him — its depth, its community, its capacity to unite people across every imaginable background. He became a competitive player, earning national recognition, but it was always the world around the board that fascinated him most.

After studying at university, Malcolm made an unusual choice: instead of pursuing a conventional career, he devoted himself to chess. Not just playing it — building it. Growing it. Finding ways to put it in front of people who had never encountered it before.

Building Chess in Schools

In 2005, Malcolm founded Chess in Schools and Communities (CSC), a registered charity that has since become one of the most significant grassroots chess organisations in the world. The mission was simple: get chess into every school that would have it, and train the teachers to deliver it properly.

CSC has now reached over half a million children across the UK. Research has consistently shown that chess develops concentration, problem-solving, and resilience in young learners — results Malcolm has championed publicly for two decades.

"When a child learns chess, they learn that every action has consequences — and that patience and creativity are always rewarded. That's not just chess. That's life."

The London Chess Classic

In 2009, Malcolm founded the London Chess Classic, bringing together the world's elite players in a premier annual event that combined world-class chess with genuine public access. The tournament became famous for its innovative format, strong prize funds, and a "Kids' Zone" that let young players meet their chess heroes face-to-face.

At its height, the Classic was part of the Grand Chess Tour — a global circuit of elite events — and regularly featured Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, and other top-10 players in a London venue packed with thousands of spectators.

Chess in the Media

For over 30 years, Malcolm has written about chess for The Daily Telegraph, making him one of the longest-serving chess journalists in the British press. He has appeared on BBC Radio and television, hosted live broadcasts of major tournaments, and consistently made the case for chess as a genuinely mainstream spectator sport.

When the pandemic and the Netflix series The Queen's Gambit created an unprecedented global surge in chess interest in 2020, Malcolm was one of the first major figures to argue that FIDE had to seize the moment — and that it largely failed to do so. That frustration became one of the seeds of this campaign.

Why Run for FIDE President?

Malcolm has worked with FIDE structures throughout his career, and he has seen both what they can achieve and where they fall short. He has watched with increasing concern as FIDE has struggled with transparency, failed to capitalise on chess's explosive growth in popularity, and left many national federations — particularly in Africa and the developing world — without meaningful support.

"I'm not running because I have a grievance," he says. "I'm running because I can see exactly what needs to change, I know how to change it, and I genuinely believe chess can be the world's most beloved sport if we get this right."

"Chess is the greatest game humanity has ever devised. It deserves the greatest organisation in sport. We're not there yet — but we can be."