The Finnish Correspondence Chess Federation (FCCF; ) is a member of the International Correspondence Chess Federation (ICCF) in Europe. History Overview The first known correspondence chess game in Finland started on 1 March 1889. Helsinki Chess Club organised a match between Messers Backmansson and Öhquist. The opening was English opening and it ended already in 11 moves into a win of Öhquist. The first team-game played by cards started on 16 October 1890 between Helsinki Chess-Club and Tarto in Estonia. Correspondence chess, as it is known today, started on 2 December 1928 when Der Internationaler Fernschachbund (IFSB), the predecessor of ICCF, was founded in Berlin. The first Finnish person in the organization of IFSB's was A. Hinds, who was elected as an adjudicator in 1935. The first Finnish participant in the championship tournaments of IFSB was Fritz R. Soininen in 1937. The story of IFSB's organization as a representative of all correspondence chess players was ended by the Second World War in 1939. After the war the International Correspondence Chess Association (ICCA) was founded and B. H. Wood from Britain was chosen as the president. The years after the war were chaotic including mail deliveries and after some years a new organization called the International Correspondence Chess Federation (ICCF) was founded. The first president of ICCF was J. L. Ormond from Switzerland. The first Finnish person in the administration of ICCF was Per-Erik Ekblom. He was elected as an auditor at the Krems Congress in 1967. Since then the longest Finnish career in the ICCF executive board was made by Ragnar Wikman. The Finnish Central Chess Federation was a member of the International Correspondence Chess Federation. Authorized by it the leader of the correspondence chess section acted as the representative of ICCF in Finland. The first unofficial correspondence championship tournament in Finland was played during the war 1944–1946. The winner of the championship was Eino Heilimo. In the 1950s it was decided to found a federation that specialized in correspondence chess in Finland. The first organization was founded on 6 January 1955 based on the ideas of government counselor Paavo Lihtonen. Eino Heilimo from Iisalmi was elected as the first chairman. However, the foundation fell through internal disagreements. The present Finnish Correspondence Chess Federation (FCCF) was founded in 1961. Eino Heilimo was also the first chairman of the new federation. The chairmen of the Federation on following: 1) Eino Heilimo