Match Witold’s Friends – Rest of the World was initiated on 08.02.2012 at 261 boards: server part at 252 boards and postal part at 9 boards. Official start date is 01.03.2012. Please read an introductory letter below.
=======
06.02.2012
Friendly Match Witold’s Friends – Rest of the World
Start date: 01.03.2012
Dear Chessfriends,
Welcome to the Match Witold’s Friends – Rest of the World!
The Polish Correspondence Chess Federation, with support of ICCF, is the organizer of the friendly match Witold’s Friends – Rest of the World, in tribute to Witold Bielecki (1947-2008) – former president of the Polish Correspondence Chess Federation and Polish delegate to ICCF.
This match is organized in a standard format with one opponent for each player and two games to play (one game with white and one game with black) and will be played on the ICCF webserver with a rate of play of 10 moves in 50 days (with duplication after 20 days) or by post with a rate of play of 10 moves in 30 days (with duplication after 20 days). The event will be rated.
For news on the match please look at a special webpage (http://kszgk.com/bielecki/?page_id=36).
All ICCF Rules, valid for this friendly match as well, are placed at http://kszgk.com/bielecki/?page_id=342.
After verification, there are 523 qualified entries from 511 players from 54 countries, including 93 entries from titled players (15xGM, 43xSIM, 33xIM, 1xLGM, 1xILM), with the highest rating 2579. World Champion Dr. Fritz Baumbach has favoured us as well, in addition twice: by server and by post!
Those countries with 20 or more entries are: Poland 65, Spain 36, Germany 35, USA 34, Brazil 32, Czech Republic 32, Russia 26, England 24, Romania 20.
Please receive my heartiest congratulations for your so broad participation in that event!
One entry was removed to have even number of players. Players were distributed to 252 server boards and 9 postal boards.
Division for two teams Witold’s Friends and Rest of the World is very conventional and artificial. It is rather one team of friends who want to honour the memory of Witold Bielecki. That is why I am Team Captain for both teams and TD at the same time. In more complicated cases I hope to receive support from two international arbiters – Józef Lubas from Poland and Michael Millstone from USA.
Several players are new for ICCF and are playing for the first time. Please be patient and give them necessary attention.
Please remember the ICCF motto ‘Amici sumus!’, meaning ‘We are friends!’. When all participants keep this in mind, we are sure you will enjoy your games. Good luck!
Amici sumus
Mariusz Wojnar
Match Organizer
=======