Guide to IECC 12/19/1996 Published by the International Email Chess Club Devoted solely to E-Mail Correspondence Chess *+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+* *+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+* Frequently Asked Questions about IECC The International Email Chess Club [IECC] provides chess players with access to the opportunity to play rated email chess games with people all over the world in a friendly environment. 1. What IECC is all about 2. IECC Staff: who to contact 3. Frequently asked questions 1. About IECC 1.1 Free membership! 1.2 IECC offers many forms of chess competition: * Two-Game matches. * Trios: mini two-game rated match tournaments of 3 players * 8-player Knockout Tournaments in three rating categories * Class Rating Tournaments in 8 categories * Swiss Tournaments -- 4 rounds. * Pyramid challenge ladder * Thematic Match Trios * IECC Chess Academy * IECC Chess Basics program for novices * Fast, easy New Member Program to help those new to chess-via-email. 1.3 Nine rating categories: Category 1 - Senior Master: 2400+ Category 2 - Master: 2200-2399 Category 3 - Expert: 2000-2199 Category 4 - Class A 1800-1999 Category 5 - Class B 1600-1799 Category 6 - Class C 1400-1599 Category 7 - Class D 1200-1399 Category 8 - Class E up to 1199 1.4 If you have previously played chess-via-email with a recognized organization, you can join IECC, subject to the limitation of staff members to handle the workload. Please write to Lisa Powell > First and last name > Internet address <----- if more than one, prioritize! > Country > Estimated rating [see list in 1.3] > If you have previously played with a chess-via-email organization, please submit a copy of the moves record of a game you have played via email. If your moves record does not jibe with IECC specifications, you must join our brief New Member Program. > Do you have access to Usenet's rec.games.chess.play-by-email newsgroup? ----------------------- 2.1 New to email chess? If you don't have a federation or similar rating, you can start at the bottom of the rating class to which you estimate you belong -- as specified in [1.3]. 2.2 Please note that for pairing purposes, you may be paired above or below your category, within a 200 point rating differential. Example: 2050 player may be paired against a 1850 player. The exception regarding rating differential does not apply to conditional ratings [such as 2000/0] which are guesstimates until after the conditionally-rated player has played five rated games. 2.3 The standard IECC pace is that of FIDE correspondence matches: 10 moves in 30 days, although we encourage faster play. 2.4 As soon as a game is completed, send your game result and a copy of the PGN-format moves record to Lisa Powell , and to Ken Field, IECC Archives Bruce Dudley . TD Class Events Michael Thayer . TD Trios/Quads Lisa Powell . TD 2-game matches TD Pyramid Markus Mock TD Knockout events Bill Wall TD Thematics John Fernandez . TD Swiss Events Toshi Takeuchi . TD IECC Chess Academy Heiner Theofel . TD IECC Chess Basics program for novices All rated game reports should adhere to this PGN format: Subject: GAME REPORT [Event "Quad 1"] [Correct Event, please!] [Site "IECC"] [Date "yyyy.mm.dd"] [Date of start of game] [Round "1"] [or number that's applicable] [White "Doe, John"] [Black "Smith, Jim"] [Result "?"] (1-0, 0-1, 1/2) 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 etc. [with result added at end of moves record] Where Date is the starting date of the Event, and Event is the description of the tourney/match. 3. List of who to contact Name Title Email Address ---------------- -------------------- ------------------------- John Galvin President pikejohn@host.warwick.net Lisa Powell CEO drpowell@uoguelph.ca * if you want to join IECC, subject to conditions in paragraph 2.1. * if your email address has changed, or is about to change. * if you can't get through to your opponent. * if you go on vacation, get ill, etc. * if you feel compelled to resign IECC membership for whatever reason. Bill Wall Exec VP wall@txdirect.net Chuck Smith VP csmith@fishnet.net * New Member Program ----------- * if you want to participate in these IECC activities: Trios Michael Thayer mthayer@ix.netcom.com 2-game matches TD Lisa Powell drpowell@uoguelph.ca IECC Pyramid Challenge Ladder TD Lisa Powell drpowell@uoguelph.ca Thematics TD Bill Wall wall@txdirect.net Asst TD Joseph Wenger YOSHELW@worldnet.att.net Class Events TD Bruce Dudley lawr601@relay1.it.net Asst TD Earl Cravens brandy.cravens@svis.org Knockout Tournaments TD Markus Mock mock@pobox.com Asst TD Kyle Evans Asst TD Don Camper Swiss Tournaments John Fernandez IAmSumo@aol.com IECC Chess Academy Toshi Takeuchi takeuchi@cgl.ucsf.edu IECC Chess Basics, program for novices: Heiner Theofel theofel@mpa.uni-stuttgart.de ---------------- -------------------- ---------------------- 4. If you encounter problems in IECC games that you are playing with one or another of your opponents, please send this information to Barry Wright, Senior Arbitrator , copy to Ilya Burlak in this format. Opponent's name and email address. IECC Event: Match, Trio, Swiss tmt section, Pyramid game, etc Nature of complaint -- no reply, overstep of time limit (with # of moves and reflection time.) Date of last move and date of repeat move, including moves record[s] to date. Any other pertinent information to support your claim. Without this information, IECC cannot process your claim for executive action as promptly as it should be processed. 5. IECC Staff John Galvin President Matamoras, PA USA Lisa Powell CEO Guelph, ON CAN Jan Bouma Asst to the CEO Giekerk, NED Bill Wall Exec VP San Antonio, TX USA TD Thematics Barry Wright Senior Arbitrator Toronto, ON CAN Ilya Burlak Arbitrator New York, NY USA Ray Phillips Arbitrator Chuck Smith VP New Member Program Kyle Evans Asst VP New Member Program Austin, TX USA Mike Power VP Communications St. Andrews, NB CAN Robert Buice VP WEB Communications Lexington, KY USA Ken Field VP IECC Archives Newcastle, ON CAN Toshi Takeuchi VP Chess Academy Pasadena, CA USA Heiner Theofel VP Chess Basics Stuttgart, GER John Fernandez TD Swiss Tmts College Park, MD USA Bruce Dudley TD Class Events Milan, Italy Earl Cravens Asst TD Class Events Michael Thayer TD Trios Dallas, TX USA Markus Mock TD Knockout Tmts Seattle, WA USA 6. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS [FAQ] 6.1 What is the origin of IECC? 6.2 What is the purpose of the IECC? 6.3 What are the goals of IECC? 6.4 What relation does IECC have with IECG? 6.5 What relation does IECC have with ICS? 6.6 Does IECC have any interaction with FIDE, ICCF, or with national chess federations such as USCF or CFC? 6.7 What algorithms are used to determine player ratings? 6.8 What is a good number of games to start? 6.9 Do I have to read my email and respond on weekends? 6.10 Will I be penalized if I am confronted with other commitments. job-change/a-big-project/an-exam/ a-week's-vacation/family-crisis? 6.11 How do I solve the problem of an opponent who won't move? 6.12 How do I and my opponent resolve typographical errors? (touch-move?) 6.1 What is the origin of IECC? Early in 1995, several chess players in IECG -- which Lisa Powell started at the beginning of 1994 -- asked her to start a new, smaller, more intimate organization with a different format than IECG. Lisa placed a notice in what was then Usenet's rec.games.chess newsgroup. The idea proved popular, as indicated by the rapid growth of IECG, and by her new organization: IECC. 6.2 What is the purpose of the IECC? * To continue to provide chess players throughout the world with the opportunity to compete and meet new chess friends in the context of an organization that does not require fees for membership and the rating of games. Players are required to have their own access to Internet, or the ability to use the reliable Internet address of a relative or friend. * To provide a wide variety of activities for the enjoyment of chess. 6.3 What are the goals of IECC? * To gain further recognition in the world's chess community so that all members can enjoy that measure of status of belonging to an international chess-by-email organization which is large enough to provide interesting chess competition, and small enough to cater to the needs of the membership. * To provide new and interesting forms of chess competition, such as IECC'c Thematics competition. 6.4 What relationship does IECC have with IECG. None officially. At this moment of writing, IECG members have reorganized. 6.5 What relation does IECC have with ICS or other services for on-line chess? None, though many IECC players do play blitz chess via such services. 6.6 Does IECC have any interaction with FIDE, ICCF, or with national chess federations such as USCF or CFC? None. 6.7 What algorithms are used to determine player ratings? * Formulas are similar to those used by USCF and CFC. Please note: National ratings with appropriate conversions can apply. Subject to correction/revision, the following adjustments are believed to be appropriate. Quebec [FQE] : Add 100 points England : Multiply 3-digit rating by 8; add 700 Netherlands : Add 150 points Norway : Add 180 points Sweden : Add 200 points ELO : Add 100 points FIDE : Add 50 points DWZ (Deutsche Wertungszahl) = 2840 - 8 [or 7.5] * INGO For strong players ELO = DWZ Further information about the equivalencies of other rating systems of other national federations welcomed!! * IECC ratings are updated quickly. Also, rating changes are published more often -- and more quickly -- in rec.games.chess.play-by-email than is possible in federation publications. 6.8 New players frequently ask: "What is a good number of games to start?" Difficult to answer without knowing the player's available hobby time, other commitments, and threshold of stress. Start with just a few games, and discuss the specifics of your situation with Lisa Powell 6.9 Do I have to read my email and respond on weekends? No, you just have to keep the standard pace: 10 moves in 30 days. 6.10 Am I going to get flagged if I am confronted with other commitments / job change/ a rush project / an-exam / a-week's-vacation / a family-crisis? You will not get flagged IF repeat IF you advise your opponent and Lisa Powell, requesting an adjournment, with a copy of that message sent to the TD and to President John Galvin. In short, adjournments are permissible -- but only IF the above persons are notified, and the notification confirmed. 6.11 How do I keep the game(s) going if my opponent won't move? Notify Senior Arbitrator Barry Wright and Arbitrator Ilya Burlak with full details: a. Opponents name and email address. b. Match, Trio, Swiss, tmt section #, Pyramid game, etc c. Nature of complaint -- no reply, overstep of time limit (with # of moves and reflection time.) d. Date of last move and date of repeat move, including moves record[s] to date. e. Any other pertinent information to support your claim. Without this information, IECC cannot process your claim as promptly as it should be processed. 6.12 How do I and my opponent resolve typographical errors? (touch-move?) The IECC Guidelines state: "6. If your opponent makes an ambiguous move, ask your opponent to clarify. For example, if your opponent writes Nd2 -- and either Nbd2 or Nfd2 can be made, your opponent must specify either Nbd2 or Nfd2. "7. Rules 7-9 are binding, unless both players agree to disregard the applicable rule at the time of incidence, with a copy of that agreement submitted to the Arbitrator and to the TD. "8. Any valid move dispatched, including any conditional move(s), is binding. "9. If an illegal or ambiguous move is sent as part of conditional moves, then the position reverts to the game's moves immediately preceding the illegal or ambiguous move(s), and the piece that was incorrectly/illegally moved must be correctly/legally moved. However, there is no penalty for the illegal move. "10. If in the course of a game it is proved that an illegal move has been made and not retracted, the position existing immediately before the illegal move was made shall be reinstated and the game shall be continued from that position. If the position cannot be reinstated, the game shall be annulled and either restarted or cancelled with the consent of the President and TD of that event."