ICCF Belarus

ICCF Belarus belongs to the ICCF national member federations.

History

The first mention of Correspondence Chess in Belarus was the publication of the game between the towns of Vitebsk and Tver (Russia) in the Russian "Chess Messenger" of 1914, which finished in a draw.

During the 1920s and 1930s the newspaper "Star" organized some tournaments and national masters V. Silich and A. Manevich played successfully in USSR competitions.

The Correspondence Chess Commission was founded in 1959 and organized under the initiative of well-known master Alexey Sokolsky, the first Correspondence Chess championship of the Belorusian SSR (1961–1965). For the next "Soviet" period (1961–1991) Belarusian players took part in individual and team competitions of the USSR, sometimes in international tournaments including World Cups, semi-finals of World Chess Championship and Master class tournaments.

The principal achievements were the 2-5 place of Jakov I. Kamenetsky in the 7th European Championship (1974), the first place of Anatoly P. Voitsekh in the 11th Championship of the USSR (1975), the 4th place of the Belarusian team in the 4th USSR Team Championship (after Russia, Moscow and Leningrad, in 1977) and the first place of Dmitry V. Lybin in the 7th (and last) Championship of the USSR Central Chess Club (1991–1993). Jakov Kamenetsky and A. Belousenko were successful as commission leaders and organizers of teams and competitions.

After some inactive "post soviet" years, Vitaly E. Kornilovich (winner of the last Belorusian SSR Championship) headed the commission in 1995.

On this same year BCCC affiliated to ICCF as an effective member, acting intensively despite some difficult circumstances.

During 1995-1999 three Belarusian Championships took place, the teams began friendly matches with Germany, Argentina, Uruguay, England and France. The national team took part in its first Olympiad Preliminary (XIII).

Titled players

Grandmaster

International Master

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