ICCF Champions League

FAQ for Season 2 (2004-2007)

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FAQ -- Frequently Asked Questions

ICCF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - Season 2 (previously referred to as "First Season")

ABOUT THE ICCF Champions League (CL)
  1. What is the ICCF Champions League?
  2. Who can enter the tournament?
  3. What if I have never played in ICCF before?
  4. How are the games in the tournament rated?
MANAGING YOUR TEAM
  1. Does every team have to have a name?
  2. Does every team have to have a Team Captain?
  3. Who is the owner of the team and the team name, respectively?
  4. I did not have a team in the qualification cycle - can I nevertheless play?
  5. In which league will our team start, if we have already played in the qualification cycle?
  6. Can the team name be changed at anytime?
  7. Can players be replaced in a team?
  8. Can players transfer from one team to another?
SCORES AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
  1. What method is used to calculate the team performance?
  2. What modus is used for tied teams?
  3. What modus is used in case a place in a higher league becomes vacant due to non-entry of a team?
FINISHING THE QUALIFICATION ROUND / ADJUDICATIONS
  1. What happened with the unfinished games of the CL qualification round?
  2. What happens with the stopped games?
  3. How do I know if any of my games must be adjudicated?
  4. Games of mine have to be adjudicated - what do I have to do?
  5. Who is going to adjudicate the games?
  6. When will the results of any adjudication be known?
  7. Can I appeal against the adjudication result?
REGISTERING FOR 2004-2006 SEASON
  1. When can team entries be sent in?
  2. Our team has played in the qualification phase - do we again have to pay some entry fee?
  3. How can I enter a team?
  4. How much is the entry fee for team entries through a national federation?
  5. How can I enter a team through a national federation?
  6. How much is the entry fee for team entries through the Direct Entry facility?
  7. How can I make a team entry through the Direct Entry facility?
  8. What will the CL structure look like?
  9. What is the Fast Track system?
  10. How will the Fast Track system look like?
  11. What are the teams accepted for the Fast Track system playing for?
  12. Will there be any Webserver play in 2004-2006 season?
  13. When is the start date of the tournament?
  14. What are the Playing Rules for this tournament?
  15. Where can I find further information about the tournament?
  16. Who do I talk with regarding any issues related to CL?

ABOUT THE ICCF Champions League (CL)

  1. What is the ICCF Champions League?
    The ICCF Champions League is a continuous Email Team Tournament of the International Correspondence Chess Federation. It is a championship event played in seasons, comprising several divisions with promotion and relegation. All games played in this tournament will be rated.
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  2. Who can enter the tournament?
    The tournament is open only for teams of 4 players, who do not necessarily have to come from the same country; mixed teams (mixed nationalities and mixed gender) are possible. All players must have a working Email address. A player can play only for one team in a season. The responsibility to find or form a team rests with every player himself.
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  3. What if I have never played in ICCF before?
    The tournament is available for everyone (as long as they are members of a full team). New players will be allocated an ICCF number. Only national federations are members of ICCF; single players can only be members of a national federation, not of ICCF. It is not especially necessary to be a member of a national federation to play in the CL, though this gives a player some financial advantage at the entry fee.
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  4. How are the games in the tournament rated?
    New ICCF players will be allocated a rating, but "temporary" rating will only be used for the calculation of the opponents' new ratings. Only when a player has completed 12 ICCF games, his name will appear with an official rating on the next ICCF rating list (calculated and published twice a year in April and October). If a player has no official ICCF rating at the start of the tournament, his "temporary" rating will be set according to the league where he/she starts:

         CL A = (2400)
         CL B = (2200)
         Fast Track = (2200)
         CL C = (2000)
         CL D = (1800)
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    MANAGING YOUR TEAM

  5. Does every team have to have a name?
    Every team must have a name, which should be related to CC or chess in general. The team name might be of any language including numbers, but no signs - except !$%&=?
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  6. Does every team have to have a Team Captain?
    Each team must determine a Team Captain (TC), who can be a member of the team. It is possible for a person to be TC for more than one team. Furthermore a TC could also play for another team where he is not TC, if both teams concerned agree with this. Please be aware of the fact that also the unfortunate case could arise where the teams involved meet each other in the same group (while the organisers try to avoid this).
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  7. Who is the owner of the team and the team name, respectively?
    If the main organizer behind a team in the CL is a chess club (OTB or CC), a magazine or organisation, then this institution owns the team name and has the overall power to decide what happens with the team name and which players are members of the team. If there is no institution behind a team, the Team Captain is the owner of the team name. This also means the Team Captain is the only responsible person for the line-up of a team and he may exclude players and invite new players to the team according to these rules.
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  8. I did not have a team in the qualification cycle - can I nevertheless play?
    New teams can enter the CL at the beginning of any new season. For the season 2004-2006, teams that have not played in the CL before could start either in league D, or in the Fast Track system as explained by these rules (see also FAQ 30 and following). A "new team" is by definition a team:
    • whose name has not previously competed in CL.
    • where at least 2 players have not previously played in ICCF-CL, or where at least 2 players have not played together with the other 2 players in a previous ICCF-CL team.
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  9. In which league will our team start, if we have already played in the qualification cycle?
    Groups for the 1st regular CL season will be created according to team performances in the qualification cycle. Depending on your final team position in the qualification season, your team will start in one of the 4 different leagues (A-D):
    • Place 1 = CL A
    • Place 2 = CL B
    • Place 3 = CL B
    • Place 4 = CL C
    • Place 5 = CL C
    • Place 6 = CL C
    • Place 7 = CL C
    • Place 8 = CL D
    • Place 9 = CL D
    • Place 10 = CL D
    • Place 11 = CL D
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  10. Can the team name be changed at anytime?
    A team is allowed to change its name between separate seasons. The information of the old and the new name must be given at anytime when entering the team.
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  11. Can players be replaced in a team?
    A team is allowed to replace players during and between the seasons. The number of replaced players is limited only to the following rule: If all the 4 players in a team are changed within 2 seasons, then the team will normally be relegated to a lower division. Exceptions of this rule are possible where the tournament organiser sees a clear need for this.
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  12. Can players transfer from one team to another?
    Players can transfer from one team to another only at the beginning of each season during an official transfer period. If all 4 players from a team wish to transfer, that team dissolves automatically. A player does not need the approval of the TC whose team he leaves, but naturally the acceptance of his new team and TC. If a TC transfers, he must pass the captaincy to a remaining player unless the team accepts him to continue acting as their TC.
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    SCORES AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

  13. What method is used to calculate the team performance?
    Placing of each team will be decided by adding full individual results of all 4 boards. The result of a team match is taken into consideration only when breaking ties as explained below.
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  14. What modus is used for tied teams?
    If two teams end up with exactly the same total number of points, then ties are split according to the ICCF tournament rules:
    1. tie breaking on the basis of team results (2 additional points for a won match, 1 additional point for a drawn match),
    2. the results of the tied teams against each other.
    3. better individual result on bd.1 (following bd.2, 3 etc.)
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  15. What modus is used in case a place in a higher league becomes vacant due to non-entry of a team?
    If there's a vacancy at any time in any league (due to non entry of any team in a promotion place, team withdrawal, etc.), those free places will be made available for tied or best scoring next placed teams from any group, according to the following method:
    1. First priority to best scoring tied teams (who are not winners)
    2. Second priority to best scoring next placed teams
    3. Third priority, based on "match points" achieved by equal teams
    4. Drawing of lots
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    FINISHING THE QUALIFICATION ROUND / ADJUDICATIONS

  16. What happened with the unfinished games of the CL qualification round?
    Play in all those games from the qualification groups that affected qualification places for the first regular season were stopped on 1st June 2004. All other games continue normally.
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  17. What happens with the stopped games?
    All stopped games were adjudicated in order to decide the definite team results and qualification places. This will enable us to draw all groups for the next season.
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  18. How do I know if any of my games must be adjudicated?
    ICCF published a list of all those games that had to be adjudicated in due time before the deadline. If any of those games was finished before June 2004, naturally those results were be valid.
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  19. Games of mine have to be adjudicated - what do I have to do?
    Players are asked to submit pertinent analysis for those stopped unfinished games to their TD in accordance with the ICCF Playing rules by email (rules 10 a-e). Deadline for submissions was July 1st, 2004. Absolutely no exception will be accepted beyond this date, as we need to start the next season in a timely manner.
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  20. Who is going to adjudicate the games?
    The names of any adjudicators involved will not be revealed to the players. Adjudicators were experienced ICCF players holding at least the ICCF Senior International Master title and with a fixed rating of at least 2500 on the last ICCF rating list.
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  21. When will the results of any adjudication be known?
    Adjudicators were given one month to come to a decision in all their adjudication cases. Hopefully by August 2004 all results will be known and reported to the players.
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  22. Can I appeal against the adjudication result?
    Any appeal against the adjudicator's decision must be sent to the Tournament Director, through the Team Captain, within 14 days of receiving the notification. For an appeal both players may submit additional analysis. The game(s) in question will then be sent to a different adjudicator whose ruling is final; no further appeal will be accepted from either player.
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    REGISTERING FOR 2004-2006 SEASON

  23. When can team entries be sent in?
    Team entries to the 1st season of the Champions League can be sent to the ICCF in the time period of: 30/07/2004 - 30/09/2004 (extended from the original end date of 15/09/2004).
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  24. Our team has played in the qualification phase - do we again have to pay some entry fee?
    The team entry fee is per season/phase and therefore has to be paid again for every new season of the ICCF CL.
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  25. How can I enter a team?
    ICCF offers 2 different ways of entering a team:
    1. Team entries via a national federation
    2. Team entries via the Direct Entry facility
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  26. How much is the entry fee for team entries through a national federation?
    The ICCF fee is 40 Swiss Francs per each team. The national federation might charge some small extra processing fee.
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  27. How can I enter a team through a national federation?
    In order to enter it through a national federation you have to send the information about your team to the national federation. If your entry is accepted by the national federation, then it must be forwarded to the ICCF by your federation. Of course, team entries sent via one federation may consist of players from different countries. A National Federation can also accept entries of teams in which there are only players from other countries/federations. It is up to a national federation to accept entries from a team or not. You will find information on how to contact your national federation on the ICCF website at www.iccf.com The responsibility for payment of the team entry fee will belong to the Team Captain and should be paid in full to the federation submitting the entry. It is not possible to split the payment of the entry fee. The national Email Contact person shall forward team entries to the Non-Title Tournament Commissioner, filling out the following form (Click Here to open a new browser window with this form):
    +-------------------------------------------------+
    | ICCF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ENTRY FORM - 1st season   |
    +-------------------------------------------------+
    |                                                 |
    | TEAM NAME: ?                                    | 
    |                                                 |
    | TEAM NAME IN QUALIFICATION CYCLE: ?             | 
    |                                                 |
    | SPECIFY "NEW" or "OLD" TEAM: ?                  |
    | | | (IF "OLD" THEN LIST QUALIFICATION GROUP): ? | | | | PLAY ALL GAMES ON ICCF WEBSERVER?: YES / NO | | | | PLAYER BOARD 1 | | NAME : ? | | SURNAME : ? | | COUNTRY : ? | | ICCF NUMBER : ? | | EMAIL ADDRESS: ? | +-------------------------------------------------+ | PLAYER BOARD 2 | | NAME : ? | | SURNAME : ? | | COUNTRY : ? | | ICCF NUMBER : ? | | EMAIL ADDRESS: ? | +-------------------------------------------------+ | PLAYER BOARD 3 | | NAME : ? | | SURNAME : ? | | COUNTRY : ? | | ICCF NUMBER : ? | | EMAIL ADDRESS: ? | +-------------------------------------------------+ | PLAYER BOARD 4 | | NAME : ? | | SURNAME : ? | | COUNTRY : ? | | ICCF NUMBER : ? | | EMAIL ADDRESS: ? | +-------------------------------------------------+ | TEAM CAPTAIN | | NAME : ? | | SURNAME : ? | | COUNTRY : ? | | ICCF NUMBER : ? | | EMAIL ADDRESS: ? | +-------------------------------------------------+
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  28. How much is the entry fee for team entries through the Direct Entry facility?
    ICCF will charge USD 60 (equivalent 80 Swiss Francs) as the team entry fee for a team entering through the direct entry facility. The person submitting the entry (team captain, at least a team member) is responsible for the payment of the total entry fee.
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  29. How can I make a team entry through the Direct Entry facility?
    A team can be entered by completing the online direct entry form located at www.iccf.com This form is not permanently available on the website, but only during a period of time long enough before the start of another season. Payment is made by credit card.
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  30. What will the CL structure look like?
    All arrangements concerning the number of divisions, number of teams per group and number of promoted/demoted teams will depend on the number of starting teams each year and the qualified teams. The final composition of each league division will be worked out when the number of teams is clear, but will be as close as possible to the scheme in the respective previous season. For 2004-2006 season only there will be a Fast Track system available (see FAQ 31 and following).
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  31. What is the Fast Track system?
    The Fast Track system is open for any returning team (regardless of the league they qualified for) or new team (see also FAQ 8) who wishes to enter here. No more Fast Track system will be available beyond 2004-2006 season. The maximum number of Fast Track teams accepted for the 2004-2006 season is 44. If there are more than 44 team requests, only the teams with the highest average ratings will be included in the Fast Track. The rest of the teams will be included as follows:
    • returning teams will play in the leagues they qualified for.
    • new teams will play in League D.
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  32. How will the Fast Track system look like?
    The FT teams will be divided into groups consisting of no more than 11 teams. The final number of teams in each group will depend on the number of entries received (no greater than 44).
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  33. What are the teams accepted for the Fast Track system playing for?
    Teams in the FT-groups play for the following qualifications:
    • 1st place will qualify for league B - there will be 5 groups in league B in 2006-2008 season
    • Places 2-4 will qualify for league C - there will be 10 groups in league C in 2006-2008 season
    • Places 5-11 will go directly in league D
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  34. Will there be any Webserver play in 2004-2006 season?
    Most groups in 2004-2006 will be played by email, but ICCF will accommodate a small number of sections in the ICCF webserver ICCF WEBCHESS. If your team answered YES to the question regarding webserver play in the CL Entry Form, your team will be considered to play all CL games on the webserver and might be lucky enough to occupy one of those few spots.
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  35. When is the start date of the tournament?
    The 1st regular season of the ICCF Champions League will start on 01/11/2004.
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  36. What are the Playing Rules for this tournament?
    The used playing rules are the ICCF Playing Rules for Email Team Tournaments. Sections that are played on the ICCF Webserver will use the ICCF Playing Rules for Webserver Team Tournaments.
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  37. Where can I find further information about the tournament?
    The webpages of the ICCF Champions League will give you a good impression of the tournament. Next to regularly updated crosstables you will find several extra features and an improved design. A number of teams are very enthusiastic for this exciting event and have created their own team logos and team websites that are listed at: http://tables.iccf.com/email/ChLeague/links.htm
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  38. Who do I talk with regarding any issues related to CL?
    Contact can be made only via your team captain. He should consult the CL webpages for the name of the CL Support Team person in charge with that department and write him. All inquiries will be followed up promptly. General suggestions should be sent to any administrator listed.
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FAQ last revised on July 24th, 2004 by Pedro Hegoburu, Grayling Hill and Valer Eugen Demian


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