Following the decision of the ICCF Congress 2009 in Leeds, all Preliminary Sections of the 34th World Correspondence Chess Championship shall start on the same day and only once per year.

All entries will be accepted according with ICCF Tournament Rules valid as from 1.1.2010.

to be received not later than 31 January 2010.

The start date is 10 March  2010

Preliminaries normally have 13 players with the possibility for the Title Tournaments Commissioner to extend them to 15 or 17 players if appropriate in special situations.

If the number of the entries won’t be a multiple of 13, the players who have been entered according to point 1.1.1.k  and who have the lowest ICCF ELO rating won’t be admitted to the Preliminaries.

Players entering more than one section will be accepted only to fill vacancies. If you have a qualification and wish to enter please bear in mind the new deadline and contact Andrew Dearnley, BFCC Int. Secretary or enter via ICCF direct entry stating your qualification.

Russia is orgainising an ICCF rated webserver 'open to all' tournament in memory of Aleksandr Lazarevich Al'pert (1948-2009) who was the Vice- President of the RCCA.

Preliminary sections will have between 7 and 11 players and there is an entry fee of £7. No further fees are payable should you progress to the Semi final or final. A player can enter more than one section but only have 2 SF qualifications and 1 final place. Time limit is 50 days for 10 moves. The tournament is aimed to start on 29th January 2010, which was Mr Al'pert's birthday. Please send entries, with a cheque payable to 'BFCC' to; Andrew Dearnley, 17 Smithy Hill, Upper Denby, Huddersfield, HD8 8UH before 14th December 2009. Winners of preliminary/Semi final stages will receive a chess book and there are medals for the top 3 places in the final.  A website is available for the tournament at www.memorial-alpert.narod.ru.

68th European individual Championship semi final

Players meeting the criterea set out below to play in this event can enter now and send a cheque for £32 payable to BFCC to;

Andrew Dearnley, 17 Smithy Hill, Upper Denby, Huddersfield, HD8 8UH.Alternatively, you can pay online at BFCC's website and put  '68th European Indiv' in the description field. Please still advise Andrew by letter or email before 19th November 2009 to ensure you are entered.

BFCC also has ONE NOMINATION for this event. If you do not qualify, but wish to be considered, please contact Andrew before 12th November 2009. Should there be several applicants, then the BFCC selection committee will decide which player shall receive this place.

The following players are entitled to entry the 68^th E.I.C. Semifinals:

a)      a player who has won a EU/M/GT group (15 players) or a EU/M group (11 players);

b)      a player who within 10 years has twice achieved 2^nd place in EU/M/GT groups (15 players) or in EU/M groups (11 players);

c)      a player who within 10 years has achieved one 2^nd place in a EU/M/GT group (15 players) or in a EU/M group (11 players) and additional one 1^st place in an “old” EU/M group (7 players);

d)     a player who within 10 years has won two “old” EU/M groups (7 players);

e)      a player who scored at least 60 % of the possible points in 63^rd or 64^th or 65^th or 66^th or 67^th E.I.C. Semifinals but did not qualify for the final;

f)       a player who scored at least 30 % of the possible points in 63^rd or 64^th E.I.C. Final but did not qualify for the World Championship final or the European Championship final;

g)      the holders of the ICCF GM title if they are member of a European Federation;

h)      the holders of the ICCF SIM title if they are member of a European Federation.

A qualification accordingly points 3a to 3d is valid until 10 years after the moment the qualification was achieved.

A qualification accordingly points 3a to 3f may be used only once.

Each Semifinal will have 13 players.  If the number of the entries are not a multiple of 13, the players who have been entered accordingly point 3g and who have the lower ICCF ELO rating will not be admitted to the Semifinal.

The winner and the runner-up of each Semifinal will have the right to participate to a Final of the E.I.C.

The Semifinals will start on 30.12.2009.