English Chess Forum

Received the following message today:

"Dear John E.,

Unfortunately, due to a lack of administrational support, the Counties and Districts Correspondence Chess Championship will be discontinued following the completion of the 2024 Season.

This event has run continuously for over one hundred years, since 1922.

Austin Lockwood, ICCF National Delegate for Wales
Phill Beckett, ICCF National Delegate for England
"

Just part of the more general decline of correspondence chess, I fear.

Matt Mackenzie wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 03, 2025 3:12 pm

Just part of the more general decline of correspondence chess, I fear.

In the April 2025 Chess it was reported that the winners of a correspondence tournament were decided by three games where a player overstepped the time limit, all other games being drawn.

Even a few years ago, you still got a few wins/losses amongst all the draws. I'm very much one of those who thinks computers have been beneficial to the game on balance, but it looks like they have finally made what we used to call "postal chess" effectively redundant.

Consider this crosstable https://www.iccf.com/event?id=105117

At present 7 of the 15 players have +0=14-0, and two more are on +0=13-0... We are trying, but it is very difficult. I doubt I'll bother again. Some of the draws are very exciting!

Edit - if you click on the individual results in the crosstable, you can see the games.

I have just posted an exception that tests the rule: https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2025/04/ ... chess.html

Sorry about that, it's not so much the lack of players, there is still a lot of interest in the C&DCCC, but we can't find anyone to organise it this year.

Recently some CC organisers have been unfairly battered by unsubstantiated complaints, rumours, and threats of legal action... not really surprising that nobody wants to put their head over the parapet.

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 03, 2025 4:09 pm

In the April 2025 Chess it was reported that the winners of a correspondence tournament were decided by three games where a player overstepped the time limit, all other games being drawn.

Malcolm returns to this topic in the May 2025 Chess. It appears officials of the Correspondence organisation involved were not happy with the comments which appear to be sugesting a participant had a false identity.

Not the first time that as happened, as anybody who recalls "Leigh Strange" will know.