ICCF Diamond Jubilee World Cup 18
in memory of Witold Bielecki

(preliminary stage)

Poland was involved as a tournament organizer in previous three World Cups (3rd, 6th and 7th) which covered 6.222 (sic!) entries. The main effort (as TO and TD) was laid down by our friend Witold Bielecki (1947-2008), who died unexpectedly in 2008. He was chairman of the Polish CC Federation and Polish delegate to ICCF, also cc player and ICCF official, IM since 1996 and IA since 1978, member and chairman of several ICCF working groups and committees/ commissions.

Announcement on the event:

• ICCF webserver
• Facebook
• Polish cc website

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The International Correspondence Chess Federation

in association with the

Polish Chess Federation

Announcement

ICCF World Cup Diamond Jubilee

World Cup 18 Webserver

in memory of Witold Bielecki

1st May 2011:

The International Correspondence Chess Federation is delighted to announce the Correspondence Chess Commission of the Polish Chess Federation as the main organizer of the ICCF World Cup Diamond Jubilee / World Cup 18 Webserver Tournament.

This is the 4th WCup edition where Poland is involved as a tournament organizer. Previous three World Cups (3rd, 6th and 7th) covered 6.222 (sic!) entries and the main effort (as TO and TD) was laid down by our friend Witold Bielecki.

The tournament will be played on the ICCF Webserver and will be organized in three stages. The number of promotions will depend on total entries received, but groups at each stage will be comprised of 13 players (12 games) played by webserver with a rate of play of 10 moves in 50 days. The event will be rated with title norms, which are usually possible at the semifinal and final stages.

Entries

Players may enter in the usual way through their National Federations or, where eligible, via the ICCF Direct Entry system.

Entries via National Federations should contain player’s name, Email address, ICCF ID and current rating and should be forwarded by Email to the Tournament Organizer, Mariusz Wojnar, email: mariusz.wojnar@gmail.com to reach him before 1st September 2011.  It would be appreciated if Federations send entries “as received” and not delay them until closing date.

Allocation of players to the preliminary and semifinal groups will be made as random as possible; however, geographical distribution as well as an achievement of reasonable equality of the average rating, will be taken into account.

Tournament Organization

The tournament will start on 30.10.2011.

Registration will begin 01.05.2011 and will close on 01.09.2011 to allow for pairings.

All preliminary groups will finish on 01.06.2013.

Any unfinished games that will decide promotional positions in the group will be adjudicated. The players involved will send the record of the game (with the required result – win or draw) and an analysis to their TD for adjudication no later than 15.06.2013.

The adjudication will be organized in such a way that all qualified players will be known by 15.07.2013.

The semifinals are expected to start on 30.09.2013 at the latest.

The final is expected to start on 30.09.2015 at the latest.

Prizes

Prize 2000€ for the first 4 players  (1000€; 600€, 300€; 100€), no tie break.

One book prize to all winners of the preliminary groups.

Qualification

The first two players of each preliminary section will qualify for the World Cup semifinal.

Although the number of preliminary groups which each player may enter is unlimited, no player will qualify for more than two semifinal groups or more than one place in the final.

In addition, those players who qualified for World Cup 16 and 17 Finals will also be entitled to play in the semifinal stage of World Cup 18 and the winners of WC 16 and 17 Finals will be eligible to participate in World Cup Final 18.

The following qualifications can be achieved in the final:

• The winner of the Diamond World Cup will qualify for a World Championship final, place 2-4 to World Championship Candidates (tie break applies);
• The winner of the World Cup Final 18 will qualify for the final of the next World Cup Tournament (ICCF Tournament Rules, Article 3.6) and will gain the IM title (ICCF Tournament Rules, Article 8.6.(c));
• All other finalists qualify to World Championship semifinal;
• All participants in the final will qualify for the semifinal of the next World Cup Tournament (ICCF Tournament Rules, Article 3.6);

The Correspondence Chess Commission of the Polish Chess Federation has appointed Mariusz Wojnar as the Central Tournament Leader (CTL)

Member Federations are asked to give the tournament wide publicity to all their players.

We wish all participants many interesting games and new connections with CC friends in other countries, based on the spirit of friendship and the ICCF motto:

AMICI SUMUS