Dear Participants in the 1st WebServer USCCC:

Welcome to the United States Correspondence Chess Championship! 

The Postal USCCC's are a bi-annual event. After Email tournaments started, we held Email tournaments in the alternate year. The USCCC is recognized by all major U. S. Chess organizations and all other countries as our national correspondence chess championship.

This event was advertised as the 3rd Email USCCC. We have now renamed it to reflect that fact that it will be played on the new ICCF WebChess Server. This transmission method is far superior to email, and it is easier than email. We're certain that its features will add to your enjoyment of your games.

If you have questions about the server, your TD, Ralph Marconi, IA, tester team member, Franklin Campbell, and I can all help you. I have been playing in an Introduction to the WebServer event for National Delegates.  I lost my first game rather quickly. I am dead lost in my other 2 games, but I have managed to hang on to move 20. I now have 98 days left in one game. I can see the reason for the complaints that stem from the 10/60 time control about players dragging out lost games. Therefore, we will play this tournament at a control of 10/40.

All players have met the 2000 minimum rating at either the club of ICCF level.  ICCF ratings and an explanation of the ratings system are available for download on line at www.iccf.com. Although this is a "National Federation" event, all games will be rated by ICCF.  ICCF ratings are "Published" or "Unfixed" after 12 games and "Fixed" after 30 games. 

USCF rates USCCC games between its members. Both players must agree to this and exchange USCF numbers preferably in advance to avoid later arguments. For a game to be rated, one of the players must promptly report the result to the USCF Postal Chess Secretary.  You must provide your USCF numbers with the report. Likewise, CCLA will rate games between its members.

The section groups have been sent to your Tournament Director. You should be receiving notice from the server that your games are ready to begin. There are 6 groups of 7; 4 will have live coverage per the server rules. 

Please review the server rules, there are some differences from the other sets of rules. For example, the server sends a 14 day reminder to the player who is on the move. You do not send repeats. 

You should put Mr. Marconi's email on a piece of paper in a safe place. If you have computer problems or other problems, you are expected to notify him as soon as possible. ICCF revised the Withdrawal Rules last fall, please review them. 

In exception to the ICCF rules, Max Zavanelli will handle Appeals and Adjudications. And, to quote from prior championship starting materials: "All appeals end here. Frivolous appeals and silly disputes are likely to receive a draconian response. You are expected to conduct your games with good sportsmanship. That does not mean you should ever allow a player to take a move back. This is the United States Championship, not tiddlywinks."

(I don't think the server is programed to allow take backs anyway!)

You may wish to exchange emails with your opponents, otherwise you can only write them when you make a move and put the message in the space provided on the game page.

We are the US contact for "Chess Mail," the chess magazine edited by Tim Harding. If you are not a subscriber and would like to receive a sample, please let me know, or go to www.chessmail.com

Franklin Campbell has provided some tips for new server users which I have edited and added some of my own:

1. You will receive a "starter" or "one-use" password in an email that also has your ICCF number. The first thing you will do is to change this password to your own alpha numeric password.

2. Each time you login in the future you will use your ID# and password.  You can have your computer remember the login information if your computer allows the use of "cookies".  The server checks and pulls out the login information if it finds a "cookie." (My AOL security level set too high for this.)

3. If you wish to see screen shots (including of the diagram page) go to the following web page for a few samples:
http://www.jfcampbell.us/iccf-screenshots/iccf.htm
Note that there are a number of display options that would allow you to modify the appearance of these pages.  E.g., the diagram size chosen is the second smallest.  There are several larger sizes available as well.

4. Click on "Games list" on the left side to get started.

5. Once you've decided on your move, you must both "submit" and "commit." I recommend going back to the "Games list" to make sure that it shows you are "waiting" for a move rather than it still being "your turn."

6. Run your pointer over the Header Row, those Headers are all good dropdowns.

7. Set up folders for each game and wait to file the email in the folder until you have made your move.

If you want to return to post in your next tournament, I have thousands of scoresheets and postcards for sale....  Email is dead!

The first place winner in each section advances to the Finals. In case of a tie, SB tiebreaks are used, if 2 players have the same SB score, the results in their game will be looked at next. Players who have worse tiebreaks are considered as replacement players and may still advance to the Finals if positions are unfilled.

The winner of the Final Round will receive a Trophy and one of the US nominations to the ICCF World Championship Semi-Final Round.

Good luck and Good Chess!
Ruth Ann Fay for 
Max Zavanelli
General Secretary
United States Championship