ICCF 2015-022: Optional Sofia Rule
The English Federation for CC (EFCC)
Optional Sofia Rule
Proposal
To prevent players offering a draw before a specified move number. It is proposed that ICCF make available to TO’s, on the “Create Event” screen, an option to set up the Event with the “Offer Draw” box unavailable for use until a set move number. This move number should be flexible so that TO’s can experiment. No Rule change is proposed, and we are not proposing it is made mandatory.
Rationale
One of the biggest problems facing chess today is the increasing number of draws and Correspondence chess is, in particular, suffering from this malaise. However, this is not helped by the number of players who seem prepared to agree quick draws. For example, playing 20 moves of Opening theory & then agreeing a draw is by no means unusual.
FIDE have addresses this problem with the introduction of the so-called Sofia Rule in some of their tournaments. This Rule prevents a player from offering a draw before a specified move number (usually between move 30 & 40). Of course, draws can still be obtained by other means (threefold repetition, stalemate, tablebase etc) but it does make the players show a bit more fight.
We are not proposing a change of ICCF Rules at this point in time. We would simply like this “option” to be available to Tournament Organisers when setting up tournaments. This could be a very useful tool for a TO arranging an Invitational or Memorial tournament; there is nothing more annoying to a TO than arranging a Title Norm Invitational, where players can play for little or no fee with Title Norm chances, to then see a large proportion of the games agreed drawn very quickly. However, we believe this Rule would also be very useful in Master Norm (MN) & Grandmaster Norm (GMN) tournaments.
Voting Summary
- A vote of Yes will mean this option becomes available.
- A vote of No will mean it is rejected.
- A vote of ABSTAIN is not a vote but means the vote holder has no opinion and does not wish to represent the correspondence chess players of his or her federation in this matter.
Comments by Relevant Committees, Commissions, or ICCF Officers
Eric Ruch (EB)
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Eric Ruch (Rules)
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