The Board: The European Chess Union Board is elected for a four-year term. Its members for the 2022-2026 term are the following: Zurab Azmaiparashvili - President, Dana Reizniece-Ozola - Deputy President, Gunnar Bjornsson - Vice-President, Malcolm Pein - Vice-President, Alojzije Jankovic - Vice-President, Eva Repková - Vice-President, Jean-Michel Rapaire - Vice-President, Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou - Secretary General, Ion-Serban Dobronauteanu – Treasurer, Vanja Draskovic - Honorary Vice-President, Johann Poecksteiner - Honorary Vice-President.

The ECU headquarters are in Hünenberg, Switzerland, with a membership 55 national federations. Here is the ECU home page.

Regulations

1. Prospectus

1.1. The ETC Council & Advisers, by taking into account previous decisions of the ECU Board and various proposals in recent years, finalised the ECU - ETC Regulations.

1.2. These Regulations shall apply to the ECU Coaches/Trainers’ System and ETC Seminars. 

1.3. All previous decisions on these matters will have no validity and are replaced by the present Regulations, which will be effective from 01.01.2024.

1.4. ETC Council Meetings will be (mainly) held online on Zoom platform, unless otherwise decided by the ECU President/Board.

2. Coaches’ Titles

2.1. ECU & ETC recognise and award the following titles (in descending order of expertise):

2.1.1. ECU Senior Coach (ESC - 2200+). Title is achieved by decision of the ETC Council.

2.1.2. ECU Expert Coach (EEC - 1700-2200). Title is achieved by Seminar participation.

2.1.3. ECU Junior Coach (EJC - 1200-1700), Title is achieved by Seminar participation.

2.1.4. ECU Novice Coach (ENC - 1200-), Title is achieved by Seminar participation.

3. Procedures - Financial

3.1. After successful graduation from the seminar, each participant will receive a participation certificate signed by the Lecturer(s)/Seminar Leader(s).

3.2. After the detailed report submission by the Lecturer(s)/Seminar Leader(s) to ETC, the latter will submit the title applications /proposals/awards to the ECU Board for approval.

3.3. Following approval, the Coach will receive the official diploma & badge in digital form (with face-photo) from ECU, if the following conditions are fulfilled:

3.4. Requirements (Qualification) for each title as described above.

3.5. Diploma for successful participation at the ECU Coach Seminar (except for ESC).

3.6. Payments of ECU fees (participation and titles), are according to the following table:

3.8. The ECU  fee for  a participant  to an ETC seminar is 100 euros and it must be paid to the ECU or the affiliated co-organiser of the Seminar. 

3.9. The affiliated co-organiser will be invoiced by ECU for the total amount of the participants’ fees. It must be noted that the seminar fee, under certain and strict circumstances, could vary from 0 to 100 euros.

3.10. It is allowed for a participant to pay his Title Fee in advance to ECU directly. In this case he/she must inform ECU in writing of this action. In the case that his/her title fails to be approved by ECU, the Title Fee is not refundable.

3.11. Approved titles by the ECU Board will be invoiced directly to the Coaches. 

3.12. A National Federation reserves the right to appeal on the awarded title to the ETC by thirty (30) calendar days after the approval of the title. 

3.13. English is the official language between ETC, National Federations and Coaches.

3.14. If required by a National Federation or a Coach, GM title holders, do not need to attend a seminar, but would be given the ECU ESC title together with all the ETC literature, if requirements are met. 

3.15. All Applications for the ESC title which will be received by 30.06.2024 (and approved) will be entitled to a 50% discount on the ESC Title Fee.

3.16. GMs are excluded of title fee payment.

4. ETC Seminars

4.1. Order of Procedures

4.1.1. Application of the co-organising body(s) to ETC (if any).

4.1.2. Approval by ETC and the National Federation.

4.1.3. Approval of Lecturer(s)/Seminar Leader(s), program and lectures.

4.1.4. Announcement on ECU and ETC web-
sites by completing the obligatory draft forms.

4.1.5. Results submission by the Lecturer(s) to ETC for approval.

4.1.6. ETC’s submission of the proposed awards to the ECU Board and payments to ECU.

4.1.7. The ETC titled Coaches will receive various teaching materials for free, up to their first two calendar years after achieving their titles.

4.1.8. ETC will annually offer, upon request, to ESC/ECC/EJC/ENC, a well-structured lecturing updated program, consisting of ten (10) lectures for a pre-announced fee. Lectures will be delivered in digital format.

4.2. Lecturers - Seminar Leaders

4.2.1. All ETC seminars are conducted by Lecturer(s)/Seminar Leader(s) (ESC title holders). Lecturer(s)/Seminar Leader(s) are highly skilled professionals, each with many years of experience in the chess training field. The Lectures should combine the expertise of a professional Coach, expert practitioner and ETC seminar experience, offering proven teaching and facilitation skills that will ensure an active and participatory learning experience.

4.2.2. All Lecturers/Seminar Leaders are appointed by the ETC once per year (December) and an application is needed in order to add a new ESC to the list. Any Lecturer is obliged to have successfully served at least in 1-2 past seminars as Assistant Lecturer, gaining teaching & logistic experience.

4.2.3. In each 30-hour seminar, a minimum of two Lecturers /Seminar Leaders will be in charge. Exceptions are allowed if approved beforehand by ETC. For a 15-hour seminar one Lecturer is allowed.

4.2.4. Assistants (other titled Coaches, psychologists, sports physicians etc) are allowed after approval.

4.2.5. The Syllabus Guidelines will be practised in ETC seminars. A pdf copy will be given to all participants:

4.2.5.1. ECU Coach Seminar: Syllabus Volume 3 - Advanced - Rating 1700-2200.

4.2.5.2. ECU Junior Coach Seminar: Syllabus Volume 2 - Intermediate - Rating 1200-1700.

4.2.5.3. ECU Novice Coach Seminar: Sylla-
bus Volume 1 - Beginners - Rating 1000-1200.

4.2.6. A recommended estimated cost for Lecturer(s)’ fees for ETC seminars is 150 euros per hour. That amount doesn’t include travel expenses and board & lodging. Various other expenses (auditorium, bulletin, coffee-breaks costs) will be the responsibility of the co-organiser.

4.2.7. A co-organiser is granted the right to invoice each participant a ‘participation fee’ up to 450 euros. Any such ‘participation fee’ is deemed to include the ECU fee of 100 euros.

4.2.8. In each seminar program (prospectus) the following must be analysed:

4.2.8.1. Dates.
4.2.8.2. Location.
4.2.8.3. Titles’ analysis.
4.2.8.4. Order of events and course plan.
4.2.8.5. Various costs and payments.
4.2.8.6. Lecturers.
4.2.8.7. Various other information.

4.2.9. All participants must complete their personal Info-Card and return it in electronical form to the Lecturer(s).

4.2.10. Any seminar participant is obliged to fully accept the present Regulations with his/her written participation. Appeals against the Lecturer’s decision are allowed within 30 days. The decisions of ETC will be final. 

4.2.11. In case of a seminar cancellation on the co-organiser’s responsibility, the total agreed amount must be paid to the Lecturer(s) by the co-organiser. In case of an argument, ETC reserves the right to investigate each case separately and advise ECU.

4.2.12. In case of a seminar cancellation on the Lecturer(s) responsibility, the organiser is entitled to ask for compensation from the Lecturer(s). In case of an argument, ETC reserves the right to investigate each case separately and advise ECU.

4.2.13. In case of any dispute, the decision of the ECU - ETC will be considered final, with immediate effect.

Effective 01.01.2024