Pedro Federico Hegoburu Hirschi
Personal background
I am 37 years old, born in
I learnt Spanish and Italian in a bilingual Preparatory school. At the age of 11, I entered an English boarding school in
My interests include literature, philosophy, music, sports, and general knowledge. I had my own weekly radio show for 18 months, and was the Editor of a monthly publication dedicated to Progressive and Symphonic Rock. I played rugby for eight years, I follow the football campaigns of my two favourite teams (Estudiantes de
Receiving the IM Title from President BorwellSeixal (POR) 2002
Playing correspondence chess
I learnt to move the chess pieces when I was 10 years old, and during Secondary school I was one of the best chess players – but the level of play was very poor, no-one studied openings or technique and I simply moved the pieces a bit better than the rest!
I began playing Correspondence Chess in February 1991, when I joined CAPA’s Second Category. Like many, due to lack of time to play OTB chess. I soon played in First Category and then jumped to Master class. I have tried to be as active as possible, playing Argentine Cups, many International Friendly Matches and International events (Martínez Acosta Memorial “A”, Ahman Memorial “A”, Gillman Memorial “A”, TCCMB 5 years “A”, ICCF 50 years Officials IM “B”). I also participated in Zonal events and Olympiads (
Receiving the SIM Title from President MrkvickaMumbai (IND) 2004
In ICCF I have played in First Class, Higher Class, and World Cups, and my team has participated in all Champions’ League seasons.
At present I am competing in the Argentine Championship Final 18, where I hope to finish among the top three, and in the friendly match between ICCF Officials and BdF Officials. And in September I will play the new Champions’ League season and participate in the Spanish AEAC 5 years invitational.
Working as a correspondence chess leader
During those 4 years I organised many international tournaments and friendly matches, acting as Tournament Director both nationally and internationally (in the AFROATIN Team Cup; Alfredo Lewkowitz Memorials “A” and “B”; and Bartolomé Marcussi Memorial). For this work I was awarded my International Arbiter title in the 1999 ICCF Congress held in Thun (
I was “de facto” editor of our National CC Magazine, “Ajedrez Postal”, for a couple of years, reaching the highest point with the publication of the famous Sanakoev’s “Lessons for Correspondence Chess players”, and the exclusive first interview since the 1972 World Championship match with GM Bobby Fischer. This interview was later published in the Spanish “Jaque” magazine, and in
In 1996 I was elected member of the New Technologies Working Group (a branch of ICCF’s Development Committee), which was responsible for arranging e-mail and fax play in its structure, until its dissolution in 1998.
In 1997 I attended my first ICCF Congress, which was held in the city of
FIDE GM Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu (ROM)with a copy of "ICCF GOLD"
In 1998 I travelled to
L to R: Martin Christoffel (SUI), Georg Walker (SUI) and meRiga (LAT) 1998
In 1999 I travelled to Thun (
In this year I began a series of on-site Congress reports on the Internet, which were welcome by non-attending CC enthusiasts because they informed about Congress discussions and news even before the Minutes were distributed.
L to R: Pedro, Søren Peschardt (DEN), Alan Rawlings (ENG), Ruth Ann Fay & Max Zavanelli (USA)Thun (SUI) 1999
L to R: World Champion Grigory Sanakoev (RUS), son Kostya & wife, Aurelia & World Champion Vytas Palciauskas (USA), Ruth Ann Fay (USA), Chris Lüers (GER), Pedro, the late Haresh Samtani (IND)Rimini (ITA) 2001
Carlos Flores Gutiérrez (ESP) and PedroRimini (ITA) 2001
ICCF Presidium and CommissionersSeixal (POR) 2002
In January 2003 I also became Acting General Secretary. During that year I worked in two Presidium positions, whilst at the same time participating in all ICCF Commissions and Working Groups, given that the ICCF President and General Secretary were automatically members of all Commissions.
Besides my work on the ICCF Gold book, which has been a high-point in ICCF’s and CC’s history, I was also the man behind the very successful free ICCF Jubilee Opens by e-mail and post, as these were my suggestions to the ICCF Presidium. These two events have attracted more than 2200 and 720 players, respectively.
The ICCF WebserverAt the 2003 Congress in
During 2003 and 2004 we worked hard on one of the three top ICCF projects: the ICCF webserver (the other two huge projects being the ICCF Rating system and ICCF GOLD). This means I was directly involved in two of the three top ICCF projects (the ICCF Rating system was developed by Nol van ‘t Riet in the 1980s).
I was a very active member of the Webserver Steering Group which made this project real. But the work did not end there, because I continued to work on it as Tournament Organiser and Tournament Director in the majority of the events started between 2004 and 2005. This work involved receiving list of players from the organiser (Tournament Office or National Federation), creating the event in the webserver, and in many cases also acting as TD for the same event.
Besides these events, I have also continued to be an active International Arbiter. I have been TD in postal, e-mail and webserver individual and team events, not only in ICCF (World Correspondence Chess Championships Semifinals and Candidates; Olympiad 15 Final and Olympiad 17 Preliminaries) but also as “invited TD” in some National Federation events and friendly matches organised by Estonia, Chile, and others, and as Team Captain in events where ICCF teams participated (Rochade 5171 team event and ICCF vs. BdF Officials friendly match).
ICCF Executive BoardL to R: Pedro, Chris Lüers (GER), Josef Mrkvicka (CZE), Max Zavanelli (USA), Grayling Hill (USA)
Ostrava (CZE) 2003
Grayling Hill (USA) and PedroOstrava (CZE) 2003
Pedro, Fatima and Søren Peschardt (DEN)Mumbai (IND) 2004
Guillermo Toro Solís (CHI) and PedroMumbai (IND) 2004
Following the resignation of my good friend Chris Lüers as World Tournaments Director in early 2005, I became Acting World Tournaments Director for almost a year. That was the second time when I worked in two Executive Board positions at the same time.
It is worth noticing that from the Executive Board elected in Ostrava 2003 (Mrkvicka, Zavanelli, Lüers, Hill and Hegoburu), I am the only member who has not resigned and who worked non-stop fulfilling the mandatory 4-year term.
In the 2005 Congress held in Villa
The Viceroy Carlos Cranbourne and PedroVilla La Angostura (ARG) 2005
Two of the brightest minds in ICCF (and an guest in between them!)Ragnar Wikman (FIN), Pedro, and Nol van 't Riet (NED)
Villa La Angostura (ARG) 2005
Following the resignation of the Finance Director in 2006, I helped Ruth Ann Fay in some of those tasks. Therefore, with the exception of the Presidency, I have experience in all other Executive Board positions.
In a short period of time (2003-2005), I worked with 4 different ICCF Presidents (Borwell, Mrkvicka, Zavanelli and Samraoui). Also since 2003, I have been an ex-officio member of all ICCF Commissions.
During my tenure as M&SD, ICCF membership has grown by 6 more countries (
For all the above mentioned work, I was awarded the Bertl von Massow medal in Silver (10 years meritorious work) during the 2006 Congress held in
Receiving the Bertl von Massow medal in Silver from President Samraoui, for 10 years meritorious workDresden (GER) 2006
The future
If elected to the new Executive Board, I would be one of the two most experienced members. ICCF needs this kind of continuity.
The 2007 Congress in Spain will be my 11th consecutive Congress, thus making me the Latin American who has most attended ICCF Congresses, all of them in an active capacity.
I haven’t had a proper holiday for the past 10 years: all my holiday periods are made to coincide with ICCF Congresses, so I can attend them, not as a tourist, but as a very active speaker and participant, and I am glad to make this sacrifice. The Congress in Spain will not be an exception.
I would also be the youngest Executive Board member. But in my case, “youth” does not mean inexperienced, lazy, or immature!
ICCF needs young blood and I stand for it. ICCF needs hard-working, committed people; people with diversity of ideas and respect for others’ opinion; people who are ready to do more than their shares’ worth; people who are not afraid to take decisions, even if these decisions are against their best interests but in favour of ICCF’s best interests.
ICCF needs more indians than chieftains, and I will continue to be the hardest working indian.
ICCF needs less chatting and more action. I am here to speak up AND work after discussions are over.
ICCF needs people with their own opinions, and not people who simply copy or mirror the opinions of others.
ICCF also needs more representativity, and I would be one of just two non-European members in the Executive Board (not counting Zonal Directors).
I have no problem in interacting with our customers, the players, and have often engaged in discussions with them (privately or on TCCMB or the ICCF Forum). I am always open to answer their questions and hear their opinions, and later to bring them forward to the appropriate ICCF body.
I let my past and current work speak for me and can only assure ICCF that I will continue to work with the same dedication, passion, celerity and efficiency for many more years.
