Press Release – Join the ACP now!
What is the ACP?
ACP stands for “Association of Chess Professionals”. The Association’s purpose is:
1. to protect the rights of chess professionals – first and foremost those of professional chess players;
2. to promote best practice among its members and the chess community as a whole by liaising with all major chess institutions;
3. to promote chess worldwide, in particular through the organization of chess tournaments and other chess events.
Today the ACP is home to roughly 300 chess professionals from 50 countries – and the number is ever increasing. The world’s top players and the most renowned journalists, tournament organizers and the most respected arbiters have joined the ACP in order to make the professional chess world a better place.
Today, you can join this community.
Why should I become a member of the ACP?
1. Members who are also chess players are automatically enrolled in the ACP Tour. The ACP Tour is a tournament circuit organized by the ACP, which regroups the most important tournaments in the world during a one-year chess season. Players taking part in these events gain points according to a ranking system devised by the ACP. Once the season is over, the best players are qualified for a final event, called the ACP Masters. The winner of the ACP Masters will be declared ACP Champion. You can find more details about the ACP Tour on: www.chess-players.org
2. The ACP is preparing numerous tournaments (including ACP internet events), where only ACP members will be able to take part. Negotiations are currently ongoing with the Azerbaijani, Georgian, Israeli, Turkish and Ukrainian Chess Federations for staging ACP events as well as with three of world’s top-100 companies for securing continuous funding to the ACP for expanding its activities.
3. The ACP offers help with visa and other legal issues to its members.
4. Our members may also get discounts on selected tournaments. Currently the ACP has started talks with the organizers in order to obtain special conditions for the ACP members at the forthcoming Individual European Chess Championships in Plovdiv (March 19 – April 1, 2012).
5. All ACP members can participate in various ACP polls on key topics of the chess life. Poll results are then made public, possibly with an accompanying Position Paper, thus influencing the policymakers at the highest levels.
6. The ACP acts as a mediator between players and organizers and proved successful in reducing conflicts.
7. The ACP is very active in discussing regulations with FIDE and continental organizations, and its success in this field is to the benefit of the chess community as a whole.
8. Together we can achieve more!
Who can become a member?
Membership of the ACP is open to chess players having the FIDE title of International Master (IM, WIM) or International Grandmaster (GM, WGM).
Also other chess persons, such as trainers, arbiters, organizers, teachers, journalists and presidents of chess clubs can apply for membership. All have to prove that chess constitutes an important part of their professional activity and their admission is subject to the prior approval of the Board, which shall not be unreasonably withheld.
How can I become a member?
The ACP Membership is completely free if you join before March 31, 2012. To register simply go to: http://www.chess-players.org/eng/member/register.html and fill in the application form.
January 8, 2012
The ACP Board
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