ICCF Tournaments

General Information

SCCA Participation in ICCF

The SCCA enters teams in ICCF team events, and individual SCCA members are also eligible to play in ICCF individual events. ICCF events are structured to encourage entry from all standards of players. There is a wide variety of team and individual events, organised broadly by geography and mode of play.

ICCF Geography

The central ICCF tournament office organises events on a world basis (e.g. the individual World Championship, Olympiads and Champions League for teams). The ICCF world is subdivided into 4 zones (Scotland is in the European zone), each of which organises regional events (e.g. individual and team championships). National federations may also volunteer to organise events involving several countries (e.g. cup competitions, local area [c.f. North Sea Team Tournament], thematic and invitational events).

ICCF Modes of Play

ICCF has its roots in postal play, but has embraced new technology like fax, email and webserver as these have become available. Because of larger numbers, entire events still tend to be organised by a single mode of play.

ICCF Grades and Titles

ICCF operates a central grading system which awards provisional grades to players after 12 games, and full grades after 30. IM, SIM and GM titles (and female equivalents) are awarded each year on the basis of achieving norms in events categorised by grading strength. A number of ICCF events are designed for players to achieve norms, and other events have grading guidelines to match playing strengths as far as possible.

ICCF Grading Guidelines

Class	Grade
Open (O) Class	under 1900
Higher (H) Class	1900-2100
Master (M) Class	over 2100
Master Norm	over 2300
GM Norm	over 2450

ICCF Entry Guidelines

Players can enter some individual events directly without being members of a national federation, though it is usually much cheaper to join your local CC association first. Entry to Higher and Master classes is by promotion from a lower class or on production of evidence of CC playing strength - the SCCA International Secretary can advise further.

Class groups are organised on a 7 or 11 player basis, and movement between postal and email classes is allowed at any level once promotion is gained. Master and GM Norm groups are 13-player.

ICCF team events are also held on a World, European (and other zones) and Email basis. National organisations field representatives according to the strength of the event, with the Olympiads being the strongest. Numbers of boards in a team varies from 4 to 12 usually, though friendly internationals may be played over many tens of boards.

The ICCF website is worth a browse to study the wide range of events available.

How to Enter

For full details of all current events, entry fees and general information about ICCF, please get in touch with:

Gordon Anderson
SCCA International Secretary
Rowan Trees
63 Wellin Lane
Edwalton
Nottingham
NG12 4AH

t: +44 (0) 115 923 1021

e: International Secretary