The British Isles Coordinating Committee

Meeting in Edinburgh July 21, 2003

At noon on Monday 21st July prior to the opening ceremony a meeting was held between the following representatives of The British Isles Coordinating Committee.

BCF Gerry Walsh

Chess Scotland John Glendinning

Irish Chess Union Proxy to Gerry Walsh

Jersey Chess Federation Proxy to Gerry Walsh

Ulster Chess Association Tom Clarke

Welsh Chess Union Peter Purland

In attendance Neil Graham

David Welch

The meeting had been convened following an exchange of e mails between the members above and also The Guernsey Chess Federation. The outcome of the discussion was a new agreement to recognise as British Champions the winners of the respective British Championships held at the annual congress organised by the BCF.

The Guernsey Chess Federation advised that they did not wish to be a signatory to the agreement.

Clause two of the agreement is a revision to the qualifications for entry to the Championship sections of the Annual Congress. This is in line with the changes which I highlighted to Council by e-mail to allow for comment or objection before the BICC meeting.

A full copy of the agreement together with some explanatory notes are appended herewith,

John Glendinning

President, Chess Scotland

---

THIS AGREEMENT is made the 21st day of JULY 2003

BETWEEN

(1) BRITISH CHESS FEDERATION of The Watch Oak, Chain Lane, Battle, East Sussex TN33 0YD England ("BCF")

(2) CHESS SCOTLAND of 15 Hope Street, Glasgow G2 6AQ Scotland ("CS")

(3) WELSH CHESS UNION of 135 Swansea Road, Llangyfelach, Swansea SA5 7HX Wales ("WCU")

(4) IRISH CHESS UNION of 66 Kincora Grove, Clontarf, Dublin 3, Ireland ("ICU")

(5) ULSTER CHESS UNION of 50 Abbey Mount, Bangor, County Down BT20 4DB Northern Ireland ("UCU")

(6) JERSEY CHESS FEDERATION of La Quatrieme, L'Etacq, St. Ouen, Jersey JE3 2FG Channel Islands ("JCF")

NOW IT IS HEREBY AGREED as follows:

1. CS, WCU, ICU, UCU, and JCF shall recognise as British Champions the winners of the respective British Championships held at the annual congresses organised by BCF ("the Annual Congresses")

2. With effect from the 2004 British Championships only players who fulfil one of the following qualifications shall have the right of entry to the Championship sections of the Annual Congresses:

British Citizenship, or

British Overseas Territories Citizenship, or

(c) Citizenship of Ireland, or

(d) not less than three years continuous ordinary residence in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ending on the 30th June in the calendar year of the Championship in question, or

(e) not less than three years continuous ordinary residence in Ireland ending on the 30th June in the calendar year of the Championship in question, or

(f) not less than three years continuous ordinary residence in the Channel Islands ending on the 30th June in the calendar year of the Championship in question, or

(g) not less than three years continuous ordinary residence in the Isle of Man ending on the 30th June in the calendar year of the Championship in question

3. Subject to clause 2 above, all players having a FIDE Rating of not less than 2360 (or its equivalent in any Grading or Rating List published by a Chess Federation or Body which is a party to this Agreement) published in any List between 1st September in the calendar year preceding and 30th June in the year of the British Championship in question shall have the automatic right of entry to that British Championship subject only to paying the requisite entry fee

4. Subject to clause 2 above, in addition to players automatically qualified pursuant to clause 3 above the following players shall also have an automatic right to enter the British Championship subject only to paying the requisite entry fee:

3 players nominated by CS

2 players nominated by WCU

2 players nominated by ICU

2 players nominated by UCU

1 player nominated by JCF

5. Any places granted by clause 4 above not taken up by the closing date of 30th June for entry to the British Championship for the year in question may be offered by BCF to players on the BCF Reserve List

6. BCF and WCU hereby agree that BCF shall continue as heretofore to exercise jurisdiction over the area covered by the former counties of Denbigh and Flint

7. This Agreement may be terminated at any time on two years prior written notice given by any one party to all the other parties

8. This Agreement shall be governed by English Law

AS WITNESS whereof the hands of the duly authorised representatives of the parties the day and year first before written

SIGNED by

On behalf of BCF GERRY WALSH

SIGNED by

On behalf of CS JOHN GLENDINNING

SIGNED by

On behalf of WCU PETER PURLAND

SIGNED by

On behalf of ICU PROXY TO GERRY WALSH

SIGNED by

On behalf of UCU TOM CLARKE

SIGNED by

On behalf of JCF PROXY TO GERRY WALSH

---

NOTES (not part of document)

1 The drafting of 2 reflects the provisions of the British Nationality Act 1981 and British Overseas Territories Act 2002 which replaced Citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies with (i) British Citizenship (ii) British Overseas Territories Citizenship and (iii) British Overseas Citizenship. British Citizenship includes the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Under Section 3 of the British Overseas Territories Act 2002 Act certain British Overseas Territories Citizens became British Citizens in any event.

The British Overseas Territories are:

Anguilla

Bermuda*

British Antarctic Territory

British Indian Ocean Territory

British Virgin Islands*

Cayman Islands

Falkland Islands

Gibraltar

Montserrat

Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie & Oeno Island

St Helena and its Dependencies (Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha)

South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands

The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri & Dhekelia in Cyprus

The Turks & Caicos Islands

* Existing FIDE Members.

 

2 The 3 year periods in 2(d), (e) & (f) closely follow the calculations of 3 years in the FIDE Regulations. 30th June is the official closing date for entries.

3 3 reflects the fact that more frequent publication of Rating Lists is occurring and it seems desirable to permit any such list to be used. The same principle is adopted by FIDE for title purposes.

4 The following clause in the previous Agreement has been omitted and replaced with equivalent Irish and Channel islands qualifications:

2(e) "not less than three years registration with or membership of a Chess Federation or Body which is a party to this Agreement ending on the 30th June in the calendar year of the Championship in question above coupled with a declared intention to be available for selection to play for that Federation or Body."

5 Guernsey Chess Federation has declined to be a party to this Agreement and also declined to be a party to the previous 2001 Agreement. The only effect is that a previously available nominated place in the British Championship is not available to them. Otherwise the rights of Guernsey players are preserved by 2(a) and 2(f).