New Year Message
Wednesday, December 31, 2014: From the ICCF President
International Correspondence Chess Federation
Eric Ruch
ICCF President
To all Correspondence Chess Friends,
As 2014 ends, I would like to extend my warmest wishes to you and all those dear to you for a very healthy, happy, and successful New Year. I also wish to extend my sincere thanks to all officials and delegates for their devoted work on behalf of ICCF during the last year.
In 2014, we have further consolidated our Organisation with an extended offer of tournaments, the further development of the server and on-going agreements with our main sponsors. We also took major steps forward on the road to modern correspondence chess with the first introduction of automated ruling by the server.
In 2014, more than 2100 payers have used the Direct Entry program, an increase of 20% with respect to last year and 2014 will be another record year for ICCF.
In 2015, we will continue to develop ICCF in three main directions. The introduction of the Laws of Correspondence Chess will further strength the leading role of ICCF in the field of correspondence chess. The further modernization of the rules, taking advantage of the advanced technology of the server, will help us to increase the services to the players. The work and the role of the Tournament Directors have only slightly evolved since their inceptions during the postal area of correspondence chess, and it is now time to redefine their roles and duties aiming at improving the services to the players.
While relying on our 60+ years of history, ICCF has to look forward and continuously improve its structure, rules, and offers, and our challenge is to increase the number of players who are very satisfied by our Federation.
I look forward to meeting you in Cardiff in August for the 2015 ICCF Congress.
In closing, let me once again extend to you my best wishes for the New Year. I hope that 2015 will bring satisfaction in all your endeavors, personal, professional, and chess!
Amici Sumus,
Eric Ruch
President