A Brief History of the NAICCC and NAPZ

Although the International Correspondence Chess Federation (then the IFSB) was founded in 1927, it was not until I attended the Praesidium in Nice, France, in 1974 that any North American had been present at any of their formal meetings. As a result, nobody on this continent really knew the inner workings of the ICCF or had ever lobbied or obtain a proportoinate share of opporunity for our players or responsibility for our officials.

This was surprising inasmuch as Hans Berliner of the USA had won the V World Correspondence Chess Championship - and had to do it the hard way by qualifying through a series of international preliminary events.

During the sixties, Walter Muir had worked hard and tirelessly in the USA to promote international play for US players, but his efforts were almost entirely single-handed and he had no backing or apparently any support from any of the senior CC organizations in that country. It is true that a few other representatives of the USA were involved in ICCF roles and some USA players were participating in ICCF events, but there was no teamwork. The result was a marked lack of success in attracting top USA players - with the exception of Berliner. While CCLA was the official affliate of the USA to ICCF no real effort was being made to promote ICCF play by members of other US CC organizations. Nor was there any link with the efforts of Walter Muir.

In Canada, a similiar situation existed. We had come through a very difficult period after Bernard Freedman retired and were too busy rebuilding our own organization to worry about international affairs. However, we had progressed from the time when a US official was entering a Canadian team in the V Olympiad without even consulting CCCA. Players and officials had begun to participate in ICCF events and committees.

It was time for North America to bolster its involvement in ICCF. Walter Muir and I decided that, first of all, North America should have its own champion seeded into the World Championship Final. Europe already had its champions seeded. Erik Larsson of Sweden, who was ICCF Tournament Director, not only gave us approval, but also suggested the creation of a North American Tournament Bureau with Erik, Walter and myself as its initial members - and this was done.

Walter then drafted the guidelines for a North American Championship. Until both countries had proper qualification tournaments, it was to be an invitational event with USA providing ten players and Canada five. An ICCF master 1/2-norm was to be granted to players scoring 75% of the possible points. The winner would be qualified to enter the World Championship Final and players scoring 60% or more would be entitled to play in the next competition. CCCA duly entered its 5 players and I believe Walter personally invited 10 players from the USA. As I had experience as a Tournament Secretary in ICCF events, as well as in British and Canadian events, I agreed to act as Tournament Secretary for this event.

The 1^stNorth American Invitational Correspondence Chess Championship (NAICCC) commenced in July, 1971, and results were mixed. Bernholz of the USA had to withdraw halfway through the tournament and Pupols of the USA dropped out silently thus defaulting his games. Bob Cross of the USA was the undoubted class of the field and qualified for World Championship Final IX, but he subsequently withdrew from that tournament and therefore the chance for North American participation was lost.

During NAICCC I, Alex Siklos of Canada had qualified the hard way for WCh Final VIII in which he defeated then World Champion Jacob Estrin of the USSR in their individual game.

Also, I had attended the ICCF Congress in Landskrona, Sweden, in 1977 as a representative of both CCCA and CCLA. Ted Bullockus of the USA attended in a spectator role thanks to Walter Muir's arrangements. I believe the attendance convinced ICCF officials that things were indeed changing in North America. CCLA's Dick Vandenberg had drafted plans for a US umbrella organization which was most acceptable to ICCF delegates. Since that time, we have had the greatest help, encouragement and co-operation from ICCF President Hans-Werner von Massow of West Germany ( now deceased; Alan Borwell of Scotland is now ICCF President, RM ). Walter and I therefore had no hesitation in arranging NAICCC II along the same lines as the first.

NAICCC II also had its ups and downs. Soon after its commencement, Dr. Fedor P. Bohatirchuk of Canada had to withdraw because of failing eyesight and two of the front runners from I - Bob Cross and Dick Callaghan of the USA - also withdrew. Two players emerged clear ahead of the field John Kalish of the USA (who was living in Japan) finally edging out Victor Palciauskas of the USA on Sonneborn-Berger, thus qualifying for Wch Final X.

Soon after the conclusion of this event, Ted Bullcockus and I attended the ICCF Praesidium meeting in Munich, West Germany. During the discussions, it became known to us that WCh Final X still had three vacancies. I therefore approached ICCF Qualifications Committee Chairman, Horst Rittner, of East Germany with the suggestion that Victor Palciauskas' performance in NAICCC II merited a place in Wch X. North American fortunes rose when Herr Rittner and ICCF officials subsequently accepted this submission. Victor took full advantage of his opportunity by winning Wch X. USA now has its second CC World Champion and the NATB has justified its existence.

As the start for III drew near, agreement over ICCF representation between he various CC bodies in the USA still had not been reached and the umbrella organization was still a long way away. However, Dick Vandenberg of the CCLA showed much good will in agreeing to nominate only 5 players with Walter Muir nominating the other 5 players from the USA. Goodwill also was prevalent among the players and this tournament was by far the smoothest to organize and run to date. This time is was Canada's turn with Jonathan Berry winning the tournament 1/2 point ahead of Jean Hebert and John Wright coming in third.

In the meantime, ICCF had revised its qualification process for the Wch and had equalized the seeding of the various Continental quailifiers. As a result, North America now had two places granted, but only to the newly created 3/4-Final. Berry and Hebert are currently playing in the WCh 3/4-Final XIII (they have since completed play in these events for some time now, RM )

It is a pleasure that the USA finally set up their umbrella organization with Bob Karch as the General Secretary (now Max Zavanelli is the ICCF-US Secretary, RM ) It was the United States Postal Chess Federation (USPCF: member organizations are: CCLA, APCT (American Postal Chess Tournaments), NOST (Knights of the Square Table) and the USCF, RM) who nominated the ten US players who participated in NAICCC IV. Discussions between Henk Mostert, General Secretary of ICCF( the then General Secretary, RM ), Bob Karch and myself of NATB led to the signing of a proposal for the creation of an Anglo-Pacific Tournament Bureau( now called the North American/Pacific Zone (NAPZ),RM) which will give further opportunities for North American players to compete in international qualification events and gain ICCF IM norms.

The NATB has served, and will contiune to serve, the players of North America who have shown their abilities to the world in all four championships to date.

This ends the original introduction written by John F. Cleeve. I took the liberty of sligthly editing it.

The following was written by J. Ken MacDonald, former President of the CCCA

After John's introduction was written ( sometime in 1983 or 84, RM), the USPCF again ran into difficulties. It was not until Max Zavanelli took charge in 1987 as ICCF-US Secretary that the USPCF became a really cohesive unit. Max has since become very involved in ICCF affairs, currently holding the position of Vice President of the ICCF and sitting on many committees. ( Max's current involvement with the ICCF may have changed, RM, ).

The entry into the 3/4-World Championship Final event by Jon Berry was a success. He qualified for the XIII World Championship Final - In Memoriam Hans-Werner von Massow.

John Wright of Canada won NAICCC IV and used his qualification to enter the XIV 3/4-World Championship Finals.

The NAICCC V was won by Eric Tangborn of the USA who has not used his 3/4-World Championship entry as of this writing, (1993). Second place went to Carl A. Haessler (of the USA) and he is playing in the currrent 3/4-World Championship Final event ( this event has probably concluded by now, RM )

The NIACCC VI was won in runnaway style by Denis Pineault with Stephen Boyd and Alex Ugge (all representing Canada) finishing second and third (on tie-break). Stephen has defered his entry to the 3/4-World Championship Final while Denis and Alex are playing in the current 3/4-World Championship tournaments which began in the late Fall, 1992 ( these tournaments are also probably completed by now, RM )

I will conclude with a final update. ICCF IM Gary Kubach and Allan Savage of the USA tied for first place with a score of 11-3,(Gary Kubach was awarded the title with better S-B points) while Murray Kurtz of Canada took third place by himself with a score of 10-4. All three have qualified for next 3/4 round of the World Championship Finals. Allan Savage also earned the coveted ICCF IM title, which was officially awarded to him at the 1996 ICCF Congress in Germany.

The NAICCC VIII commenced in December 1996. It ended in November 2000, with Jon Edwards of the USA winning with an impressive score of 11½/14. Second place went to Paul Thompson (USA) with 10½/14 and third went to SIM Kevin Embrey (USA) with 10/14. Both Jon Edwards and Paul Thompson earned the ICCF IM for their performances in this event. They were officially awarded their titles at the 2000 ICCF Congress in Daytona, Florida. I was Tournament Secretary this time around.

The NAICCC IX started on 1 May 2000. I am acting as Tournament Director once again.

8th NAICCC Crosstable
9th NAICCC Crosstable