The Internet Chess Club (“ICC”), the world’s premier online subscription chess service, has reached an agreement with Chess Education and Technology (“CET”) to move their Ajedrez21 (Chess21) online chess service onto ICC. Ajedrez21, with more than 50,000 registered members, including about 4,000 paying VIP members, has been the indisputable leader in the Spanish language. ICC is the premier online chess service, with more members, more Grandmasters, more volunteers, and more loyalty from its members than any other classical game service on the Internet.
The Internet Chess Club (“ICC”), the world’s premier online subscription chess service, has reached an agreement with Chess Education and Technology (“CET”) to move their Ajedrez21 (Chess21) online chess service onto ICC. Ajedrez21, with more than 50,000 registered members, including about 4,000 paying VIP members, has been the indisputable leader in the Spanish language.
Under the agreement, while Ajedrez21 members will now look to ICC for their online service, CET will continue to provide them with Spanish-language chess lessons, administrative assistance, and other support.
Chess Education and Technology was founded in 1999 with the aim of linking the concepts that unite chess and education by means of new technologies, that is to say Internet. CET is the main chess company in Spain and Latin America:
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Offers chess lessons to thousands of scholars in Spain with the CET school programs.
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Publishes two high quality chess magazines, “Peón de Rey” (King Pawn) and “Todo Teoría” (All Theory), both highly regarded by readers.
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Through agreements with the Spanish Chess Federation and Fundación Telefónica, offers a free online school chess portal for kids, which we are planning to move to ICC at a later date.
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Since 2003 has managed the Ajedrez21 playing site, a key reference point for the Spanish language chess community on the Internet.
Ajedrez21 members will be able to transfer their current accounts to ICC (details will be found at www.ajedrez21.com) and will receive special gifts for supporting their new service. According to Joel Berez, president of ICC, “Chess21 members will be able to maintain their sense of community through a new Chess21 dedicated channel as well as additional Spanish-language events, content, and support staff. At the same time, they'll join the largest chess club in the world, dedicated to providing the best online experience for chess enthusiasts.”
Adds Ruy Mora, ICC’s Director of International Operations, “ICC has a long tradition of welcoming chess players from throughout the world, offering our software in many languages and supporting major international chess events. For example in Spain, where I am based, we’ve been running an annual online qualifying event for the highly-regarded Dos Hermanas tournament. Now with the addition of Ajedrez21, we’ll be able to offer even more value for all of our Spanish-speaking members.”
Miguel Illescas, Chess Grandmaster and CEO of Chess Education and Technology thinks “Chess21 has made a big step forward. ICC’s facilities will permit us to offer a better service to the Chess21 community; we especially appreciate ICC’s experience in providing learning solutions which will allow us to better serve an increasing number of students through the Internet. We are sure that this is only the beginning of a solid partnership between ICC and CET that will develop at all levels in Spain and Latin America.”
Founded in 1995 as one of the first premium gaming sites on the Internet, today ICC is firmly established as the premier online chess service, with more members, more Grandmasters, more volunteers, and more loyalty from its members than any other classical game service on the Internet. More than 30,000 paying members from all over the world regularly enjoy playing casual or tournament chess games against each other; watching others play, including hundreds of titled chess masters; attending online lectures, classes, and special events; or simply socializing with fellow chess enthusiasts in a club house that’s always open.
