I suggest that all cc players read the following "open letter" from Steve Ryan very carefully and consider adding their support (and signature) to this concept of cooperation among the various cc organizations. Different organizations should promote correspondence chess to a greater extent and promote their own organizations to a lesser extent. Basically, we should all work for the same goal, the improvement of our wonderful art/sport/science of correspondence chess. This doesn't mean an organization shouldn't work to strengthen itself, but that all organizations should have as their ultimate goal to strengthen world-wide correspondence chess for everyone. The highest ideal should be to work for the common good, not to compete with other organizations.

Thanks to Steve Ryan for taking this initiative.

-- J. Franklin Campbell

Introduction

This letter has gone out to several chess-related web sites/publications to gather support for the ideas it contains. If you agree with the principles outlined, please see below on how to add your name. If we manage to collect "enough" signatures we will pass this message to as many cc organizations as we can find for their consideration. We ask you to sign as PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS and to not list any titles, ratings or cc affiliations.

Statement of Principles

To encourage the development of correspondence chess (cc) for the enjoyment of people world-wide, we as players agree to the following principles:

1. That support for the idea of correspondence chess shall have the highest priority and that support for any individual cc organization shall have lesser priority.
2. That all cc organizations should work together in a free and open manner to achieve the above goal.
3. That cc organizations offer to the public a wide variety of cc games, matches, tournaments and events.
4. That any individual cc organization acknowledge the benefits other cc organizations may offer a player that they do not offer themselves.
5. That, by suitable means, all cc organizations make known to all players the potential benefits other organizations may offer without prejudice or influence of any kind. We base the above principles on the idea that any particular cc organization should put the development of cc in general ahead of its own development.

Discussion

No one cc organization can offer "all things to all people". Nevertheless, we can come as close as humanly possible by a greater degree of cooperation among the wide assortment of cc groups that currently exist. We should encourage the participation of all types of players from the seriously competitive to the casual. Different cc organizations have different strengths and weaknesses but refusal to acknowledge this fact serves no useful purpose. Rather than lose a potential cc player to the game entirely by infighting and rivalry, we must make known to him/her the choices he/she has in selecting an organization. Players may, of course, choose membership in more than one organization, a practice we should encourage. Doing so will allow a deeper exploration of what each organization has to offer and, consequently, permit each player to select the organization that suits him/her best. In such a manner we hope that correspondence chess will receive an enhanced degree of participation and public support.

First Step

As an IMMEDIATE PRACTICAL STEP TO BEGIN THIS INITIATIVE we suggest that all clubs at least consider posting links on their web pages to other cc clubs so new players will have the greatest range of choice at the start of their cc careers.

To Add Your Signature

Please contact Steve Ryan (ryansc@granite.mb.ca) and indicate your willingness to have your signature added.

Signatories:

• Steve Ryan
• J. Franklin Campbell