World Correspondence Chess Championship 2025 Cycle
Saturday, June 21, 2025: Candidates' Tournament – 45th WCCC
WORLD CORRESPONDENCE CHESS
CHAMPIONSHIP 2025 CYCLE
CANDIDATES'
TOURNAMENT – 45th WCCC
Following the ICCF Congress 2011 decisions, all Candidates' Tournament sections of the
World Correspondence Chess Championship shall start on the same day and only
once per year.
The start date
of the Candidates' Tournament of the 45th WCCC is September 20, 2025.
All
entries will be accepted according to ICCF Tournament Rules valid from January
1, 2025, to be received no
later than August 22, 2025.
Candidates'
Tournament sections typically have 13 players, with the TTC possibly extending them to 15 or 17 players if appropriate in special situations.
Players entering
more than one section will be accepted only to fill vacancies.
Typically, no
more than four Candidates' Tournament sections are started each year, with the 1st and
2nd qualifying for a Final. However, additional sections may be started at the
discretion of the TTC. In this situation, the number of qualifiers for the
Final may be reduced from two to one.
If the number of the entries isn't a multiple of 13, 15, or 17, sections will be fulfilled with the players who ask to enter the Candidates' Tournament according to Rule 1.2.1.3.3; if it would again be impossible to fulfill a section, the players who have been entered according to point 1.2.1.3.1. (h) and those who have the lowest ICCF ELO in the rating list 2025/3
won't be admitted to the 2025 Candidates' Tournament.
Entries must
be sent through the "New events "page
of www.iccf.com. The entry fee can be paid via Direct Entry or the player's
National Federation. The qualification right under Tournament Rules 1.2.1.3.1 must be specified for each entry.
Entries of "reserve players "(ICCF Rule
1.2.1.3.3) have to be sent similarly.
If an entry is
not accepted, the entry fee will be refunded.
Players
who obtained their qualification in a WCCC Semi-Final can enter a section of
the Candidates' Tournament free of charge.
The ICCF Executive Board requests all ICCF
Delegates to ensure this important information is available in all
national CC magazines and websites. It is the Delegates' responsibility to
ensure that all their players are aware of this information.
Any questions and/or requests for clarification should be addressed to
the ICCF Title Tournament Commissioner, Gian-Maria Tani, g.m.tani.iccf@gmail.com.
Torino, June 14, 2025
Section
1.2.1.3 of the ICCF Rules - Candidates' Tournament
1. The following will be entitled to enter the WCCC
Candidates' Tournament:
(a) the participants of one of the previous or
running Finals who scored at least 50% of the possible points, if they have not
earned a higher qualification.
(b) the participants in one of the previous or
running Candidates' Tournaments who finished in place 2 (in the exceptional
event of only one qualifying place for the Final being available), 3 or 4 or
scored at least 60% of the possible points but did not qualify for the Final.
(c) the first and second placed players in every
Semi-Final group. (**)
(d) the first and second placed players in the ICCF World Cup Tournament Final. (This does not include the ICCF Veterans World Cup, Chess 960 World Cup, or World Team Cup Tournaments.)
(e) the first and second placed players from the
acknowledged Zonal Championships of Tournament average rating at 2451 or higher and
who scored more than 50% of possible points.
(f) all previous World Correspondence Chess
Champions.
(g) the holders of the Grandmaster Title with at
least 5 Grandmaster norms.
(h) those players with a fixed rating of 2600
(*) and above.
-------
3. Any player with a fixed rating of
2500 or above can ask to enter the WCCC Candidates' Tournament section. The highest rated players will be accepted only to fill a section if the number of entries isn't a multiple of 13, 15, or 17.
(*) ELO
ratings used in these Rules refer to any rating lists first
published during the 12 months preceding the start of the Tournament (ICCF Rule
1.2.1-9).
(**)
Entries under (c) are free of charge and must be sent via NF.