A chess variants organization?

I was wondering what your opinion would be of having an organization that ranked players who played chess variants in general. I am not speaking of a chess variant, but all of them. I see three possible divisions: chess variants for 3 or more people, chess variants with regular chess equipment, and chess variants with other equipment.

Maybe you could post a message up on your web site surveying people's opinions on this and it could serve to get such an organization started.

In a later email, Richard wrote:

My idea is to have an organization that not only supports chess variants, but also has a ranking system for players who play chess variants and ranks them. My grand idea is to treat rank the playing of all or all of one type of chess variants in one category. This is to be a measure of a person's ability to adapt to new rules when they play chess.

If I were to be asked to divide up the rankings, I would have 3(4?) classes or categories a person could be ranked in: Chess variants using regular chess equipment, chess variants using addition or different chess equipment (such as you 37(?) square board), and chess for more than 2 people (of course, depending how you cluster this, you could have 3 or 4 categories).

In addition, the organization would determine which variants are sancationed for tournament play (yes, there would be tournaments that are used for ranking players).

In an email to Richard, I wrote about a possible name, and he answered: As for the name, since you are in Europe, I think the word "World" would be appropriate. "Chess variants" would also need to be in the name also. Now, as for the last part, I was leaning toward the word Federation, because it signifies a formal organization. The words Club or Society doesn't give the feel formal. Because of this, I was thinking of the name: "World Chess Variants Federation (WCVF)would structure and purpose of the organization and let its members pick out a name. I am curious, don't most chess organizations use federation in their name?

Well, to sum up the objective, the organization would sanction tournament play and rank players. It would provide information and support for variants and determine which variants would be sanctioned for tournament play. In addition, it would serve the purpose of promoting chess variants as a valid form of chess. A side feature is that it could also help out those who are selling chess variants commercially.