Welsh Correspondence Chess Federation

Austin Lockwood  Friday, March 7, 2025

Congratulations to Josh for earning their first IM norm in the British Championship 2023/25.

Josh also looks like having an excellent chance of eventually winning the British CC title!

Austin Lockwood  Wednesday, March 5, 2025

Wales will enter a team for the Second World Team Cup:

https://www.iccf.com/message?message=1732

The team will consist of twenty players, the matches are similar to friendly matches, so you would only play two games.

All players will be considered for selection, regardless of rating, however priority for places in the team will be given to WCCF Premium members.  If you wish to participate, please contact our team captain, Paul Scott on [email protected]

Austin Lockwood  Wednesday, March 5, 2025

Wales will enter two teams to this team event for players rated under 2,300 - further details are here:

https://www.iccf.com/message?message=1737

Each team will consist of six players (so twelve in total).  If your rating is under 2300 and you wish to represent Wales in this event, please contact Paul Scott, our team captain, on [email protected]

Priority for places in the team will be given to WCCF Premium members.

Austin Lockwood  Thursday, February 27, 2025

Congratulations to Marc for earning a second IM and a second SIM norm in ICCF Olympiad 23 Preliminaries - Section 3 Board 4!

Unfortunately these second norms were earned over only nine games, so he is still one game (and one norm) short of both titles... hopefully these will come soon!

Austin Lockwood  Saturday, February 15, 2025

The Cuban Correspondence Chess Federation has very kindly offered four free places to Welsh players to this open event.

The four places will be offered to WCCF Premium Members, on a strictly "first come, first served" basis.  If you would like to take up one of these four free places, please contact Austin Lockwood on [email protected]

Austin Lockwood  Saturday, February 15, 2025

A challenge by the Welsh Correspondence Chess Federation to the Filipino CC Federation has been accepted, we are hoping to play them over 25 boards at all rating levels.  Welsh players of all strengths, including novices and players new to CC, are invited to participate in the match and represent Wales - we will try to match you up with an opponent of similar strength.

You will be allocated two games against the same opponent, the time control will be ten moves in fifty days, with the clocks starting on 1st April 2025.

If you are interested in representing Wales in this match, please contact the WCCF Friendly Team Captain, Paul Scott at [email protected]

Entry to this event will be free of charge.

Paul Scott,

WCCF Friendly Team Captain

Austin Lockwood  Thursday, January 9, 2025

Players may now enter the Preliminaries of the 49th World Correspondence Chess Championship starting on March 20th 2025; the closing date for entries is February 9th 2025.

To qualify, you must meet one of the following criteria:

1. the participants in one of the previous or running Candidates' Tournaments who have scored at least 40% of the possible points if they have not earned a higher qualification.
2. the participants in one of the previous or running Semi-Finals who scored at least 50% of the possible points, if they have not earned a higher qualification.
3. participants in one of the previous or running Preliminary sections who finished in place 3 or 4 or scored at least 60% of possible points but did not qualify for a WCCC Semi-Final.
4. winners of ICCF World Tournaments - Master class.
5. the participants in one of the previous or running ICCF World Cup Finals who scored at least 50% of the possible points. (This does not include the ICCF Veterans World Cup, Chess 960 World Cup, or World Team Cup Tournaments.)
6. the participants in one of the previous or running acknowledged Zonal Championships of tournament average rating at 2451 or higher who scored at least 50% of the possible points.
7. participants in acknowledged Zonal Championships of tournament average rating at 2450 or below who finished in place 3 or 4 or scored at least 60% of possible points.
8. those players, who are entered through their own national organisation and at the time of nomination have ratings less than 2400 (fixed or unfixed).
9. the holders of the International Master Title with a rating above 2300. (*)
10. the holders of the Senior International Master Title with a rating above 2250. (*)
11. the holders of the Grandmaster Title.
12. any player with a rating of 2500 and above.

(*) Ratings used in these rules refer to any of those rating lists published in the preceding 12-months

The following Welsh players have prior qualifications:

In addition to the above three players, and players who qualify on titles and rating, WCCF are entitled to nominate up to three players rated under 2,400.  If you are a Premium Member and wish to be considered for one of those nominations, please contact me at [email protected]

Any other player with a rating under 2,400 may request an entry, the highest-rated players will be accepted only to fill a section if the number of entries won’t be a multiple or 13, 15, or 17.

You can enter via the ICCF website (New Events>WCCC49PR), please contact Russell for the current fees and payment arrangement if you wish to enter via WCCF, or simply enter directly though the ICCF Direct Entry system.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Austin Lockwood  Monday, January 6, 2025

Congratulations to Marc for scoring his first IM and SIM norms in WCCC48SF 4!

Austin Lockwood  Tuesday, December 24, 2024

Congratulations Philip!... norms earned in Rudolf Kolesnikov Team Tournament SF1 and WCCF 14th Invitational - a nice early Christmas present!

Austin Lockwood  Thursday, December 19, 2024

A reminder that Premium Membership for 2025 is currently open for all Welsh flagged players.

As a Premium Member you would be making a valuable contribution to the work of WCCF, and have a voice in our management.  Premium Members have priority for selection and nominations for invitationals.

To subscribe, log onto the website (using your ICCF ID and password); dropdown the menu where your name appears in the top right hand corner, and select "My Membership" - you should be able to use PayPal from there and your membership status should update within a few minutes.

Thanks!