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Struttura

ICCF and its future by Nol van t’Riet

1.  ICCF 1.1 For some centuries there have been cc (distance chess) players all over the world. 1.2 Historically some (most) of them are organized in a national federation. 1.2.1 In some countries there is an independent national cc federation. 1.2.2 In other countries the cc national federation is part of an overall chess federation. 1.2.3 In some countries there is more than one cc federation, which are a member of a national umbrella cc federation.

1.  ICCF 1.3 One national cc federation per country is a member federation of ICCF. 1.3.1 ICCF has been started by those national federation. 1.4 ICCF organizes all kind of international tournaments for the players who are a member of a national ICCF member federation. 1.4.1 Among those international tournaments are the World Championships for countries (Olympiads) and for individual players. 1.4.2 ICCF also approves international invitational cc tournaments organized by national ICCF member federations, in which players can participate who are a member of a national ICCF member federation.

1.  ICCF 1.5 ICCF awards international cc titles. 1.5.1 The titles for the players are based on their performances, which are measured by the use of the ICCF Rating System. 1.6 ICCF is affiliated to the overall world chess organisation FIDE. 1.6.1 FIDE recognises the ICCF World Championships and the ICCF Titles.

2.  ICCF and money 2.1 In the era of postal chess ICCF was the only organisation which was able to organise a wide range of international cc tournaments. 2.2 National ICCF member federations pay a small ICCF memberships fee.      2.2.1 They also pay a rating fee for the rating of their approved international invitational tournaments. 2.3 Players pay an also small entry fee to play in the ICCF tournaments. 2.3.1 Historically this fee was rather small as the players had to spend much more money for their stamps.

2.  ICCF and money 2.4 ICCF is a non-profit organisation. 2.4.1 All fees are used for the establishment and the continuity of the ICCF organisation. 2.4.2 All ICCF officials work on an honorary basis. 2.4.2.1 There has always been a kind of a common sense that no-one was allowed to earn money with international cc. 2.4.2.2 For some decades there has been one exception: the former ICCF President Hans-Werner von Massow, who earned a living as the publisher of Fernschach, the official organ of ICCF. 2.4.3 Only in some international invitational tournaments there is sometimes prize money, which is provided by sponsors.

3.  ICCF nowadays 3.1 Nowadays the internet has changed the way of communication. 3.1.1 Many cc players still play within ICCF, which has accommodated its tournaments from postal via fax to email tournaments. 3.2 On the internet several other organisations have introduced their own tournaments. 3.2.1 At first this were email tournaments, but nowadays there are also web server tournaments.

3.  ICCF nowadays 3.3 Some of these tournaments are free for all, others do have a commercial basis. 3.3.1 Some of these organisations are successful in attracting players. 3.3.2 Some of these players are also members of national ICCF member federations, others are not. 3.4 At first sight some of these organisations look like competitors of ICCF. 3.4.1 Especially when they have a commercial background, and when they call up the member players of ICCF national member federations to give up this membership.

4.  ICCF and its Statutes 4.1 The aims of ICCF are to organize, develop and promote the study and practice of international cc throughout the world. 4.2 Now that the world has been changed by the internet, ICCF must change its foundations. 4.3 Therefore ICCF must recognize all other organizations which organize international cc. 4.3.1 All other organizations do have the right to organize whatever they want. 4.3.2 Let players play in whatever organization and in whatever tournaments they want.

4.  ICCF and its Statutes 4.4 Let ICCF focus on its own main tournaments. 4.4.1 These tournaments are: the cycles of the World Championships and the qualification tournaments for those cycles. 4.4.2 Besides those tournaments ICCF will continue to organize its own tournaments for the member player of the national ICCF member federations, as long as there is sufficient interest for those tournaments. 4.4.3 ICCF should also start its own web server tournaments, provided that the continuity of these tournaments can be paid and can be secured.

4.  ICCF and its Statutes 4.5 ICCF will approve the tournaments of other organisations as long as they are played according to the ICCF Playing Rules and a fee is paid for the rating of the games. 4.5.1 In those tournaments ICCF title norms will also be recognized. 4.5.2 But ICCF titles will only be awarded to those players who are nominated by a national ICCF member federation. 4.5.3 This is rather similar to the FIDE behaviour, where private tournaments (like Corus) are also approved.

5. ICCF and personal membership 5.1 The only problem that has to be solved is that players in an approved private tournament may not be a member of a national ICCF member federation. 5.2 ICCF must accept that those players do exist. 5.3 ICCF can eventually ask a higher rating fee for the games of those players.

5. ICCF and personal membership 5.2 ICCF should open the possibility for this kind of players to become a personal member of ICCF. 5.2.1 In some national FIDE member federations such a kind of personal membership also exists. 5.3 Personal members of ICCF have the same rights and duties as players who are a member of a national ICCF member federation. 5.3.1 Every year the personal members of ICCF appoint one of them as a delegate with voting rights to the ICCF Congress.

6. ICCF and the unity of the international cc world 6.1 This document tries to make an end to the present controversy within the international cc world. 6.2 The consequence is that national ICCF member federations give up the idea of having the complete autonomy over the players of their nationality. 6.2.1 In practice they already don’t have this autonomy any longer, as individual players can go where they want on the internet. 6.2.2 Giving up this autonomy is the only way to survive as a national federation on the long term, as inconsistent as it sounds at first sight. 6.2.3 National federations must focus on national championships and on the benefits for their member players of their ICCF membership.

6. ICCF and the unity of the international cc world 6.3 Another consequence is that the administration management of ICCF must be brought to a higher level. 6.3.1 This refers to the personal membership of ICCF, and to the processing of the results of the games in the ICCF Rating System. 6.3.2 It might be that ICCF fees must be increased in order to have (semi) professional solutions for a number of administrative tasks.

6. ICCF and the unity of the international cc world 6.4 ICCF, its national member federations and its officials must be prepared to deliver these required efforts. 6.4.1 This means that ICCF, its national member federations and its officials must be prepared to see these desired changes as a challenge, and not as a threat 6.5 The challenge is to maintain the unity of the cc players in the world and also to secure that ICCF will be the leading organisation on its main objects: World Championships, Titles and Ratings.