International Correspondence Chess Federation

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The International Correspondence Chess Federation (ICCF) or World Correspondence Chess Federation is the international correspondence chess federation. It is the umbrella organization of the national correspondence chess associations and organizes international correspondence chess tournaments. The largest member association is the German Correspondence Chess Federation (BdF).

structure

Members are exclusively state associations, not individuals. The ICCF is divided into 3 zones:

  • Europe (36 member associations)
  • America and Pacific (15 member associations)
  • Africa and Asia (5 member associations)

history

ICSB - International Correspondence Chess Federation

On August 15, 1928, the ICSB (International Correspondence Chess Federation) was founded. President was Erich Freienhagen from Berlin, and Secretary General Hans-Werner von Massow . When the IFSB was founded, the ICSB lost its importance.

IFSB - International Correspondence Chess Federation

On December 2, 1928, was I nternational F s s chach b and IFSB founded in Berlin. Kurt Laue (Halle), Hans Werner von Massow (Hamburg), Rudolf Dührssen (Berlin) and John W. Keeming (Netherlands) were among the founders. The first national championship, started in 1932, was won by Hans Müller . In 1935 the world chess federation FIDE recognized the IFSB as the leading international correspondence chess association. In the same year the first European correspondence chess Olympiad started. In 1937 the IFSB decided to hold world championships in correspondence chess. This could no longer be implemented before the Second World War.

Because of the war, the work of the IFSB was interrupted in 1939. At that time, 20 national associations belonged to the IFSB.

ICCA - International Correspondence Chess Association

The ICCA (International Correspondence Chess Association) was founded in December 1945 as the successor organization to the IFSB. The main driving force was Erik Larsson. In 1947 the first correspondence chess world championship began.

ICCF - International Correspondence Chess Federation

This resulted in the ICCF in 1951, to which 56 regional associations now belong. The ICCF has been awarding its own titles ( Grand Master and International Master ) since 1959, and since 1987 also Elo numbers . The motto is AMICI SUMUS (we are friends).

Functionaries

Eric Ruch

President

Paul Diaconescu

The Romanian correspondence chess grandmaster Paul Diaconescu (born October 9, 1929, † 1997) was secretary general from 1988 to 1996. Before that he was President of the Romanian Chess Federation. In 1965, FIDE appointed him International Referee. He was also a strong correspondence chess player (participation in three chess Olympiads, 3rd place in the anniversary tournament "20 years of Europe Echecs").

Erik Larsson

The Swede Erik Larsson (born May 20, 1915, † February 14, 2009) was appointed the first tournament director at the IFSB meeting on August 10, 1937 in Stockholm. He held this office until 1987. After the Second World War, he played a major role in the rebuilding of the international correspondence chess business, where his membership of the neutral state of Sweden helped him. For this he was honored with honorary membership of the ICCF in 1957. From 1969 to 1975 he was treasurer of the ICCF, in 1966 he was appointed international arbitrator of the ICCF.

Harald Norell

The Swede Norell (born April 10, 1906, † August 8, 1983 in Malmö) was tournament secretary from 1955 to 1982. In 1966 he became international arbitrator of the ICCF. In 1977 the ICCF made him an honorary member for his services. His more than 20 years of work in the organization of the Swedish Chess Federation was honored with the Gold Colljin Medal .

Alan Francis Stammwitz

Stammwitz (Great Britain) († January 8, 1975 at the age of 69) was Secretary General from 1951 to 1955. From 1965 to 1973 he represented the British Postal Chess Federation (BPCF) at the ICCF. From 1940 to 1945 he worked nationally as secretary of the British Correspondence Chess Association (BCCA) (later a member of the BPCF) and from 1953 to 1965 as secretary of the British Chess Federation (BCF).

Competitions

Using its own language - independent ICCF notation , the ICCF organizes a series of competitions: individual and team competitions, title standard competitions and promotional competitions, from open to class competitions - in the variations e-mail, post and on the ICCF's own servers carried out. From 2011 the ICCF also organizes competitions in Chess960 .

literature

  • Paul Clements: From IFSB to ICCF , Fernschach 1971, issue 12
  • World championship in correspondence chess , correspondence chess 1976, issue 3
  • ICCF conference in Munich , Fernschach 1978, Issue 10, pp. 272-273.
  • Hans-Werner von Massow: 50 Years of World Correspondence Chess , Fernschach 1978, Issue 12, pp. 301-303.
  • ICCF gold: 50th jubilee celebration . ICCF 2002, ISBN 0-9543752-0-3 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ https://www.iccf.com/message?message=463
  2. ↑ On Larsson see Tim Harding: Erik Larsson: A Lifetime in the Service of Correspondence Chess ( Memento from February 25, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) ( PDF ; 451 kB) Article ("The Kibitzer") at ChessCafe.com , March 2009 ( English)