FICS has been shut down after its security was compromised. The timing is especially unfortunate because a new edition of TeamLeague was scheduled to start soon. Once service is restored, we will post an update on the status of T55.

So that is whats going on with the server an why i can not connect. Good to know that FICS will be back (hopefully)

There is also some discussion over at http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/140/chess-other-board-games/fics-hostile-takeover-1353292/.

FICS Head-Admin account got hacked - and was used for around 1.5 hours.
You can imagine what power the abuser got and what mess he could have created...
Luckily, my skilled collegues managed to shutdown FICS; also noone can connect right now.
While using Chessty´s account, all regular admins got banned.
wmahan got banned too - after I have informed him per email and he was trying to contact another online available admin, whose account got hacked as well.
I will post here again as soon as I can find out more.
Please accept my apologies; FICS Staff is doing everything possible to bring the server back.
In the meantime, continue planning teams and wait for the new TL edition to start.
Regards,
--Jenny / Funkmaus(*)

:'( Bad news to hear. I thought I was banned that I couldn't log in. It's just shocking that the server was hacked!
Best wishes on fixing the problem. (Now that the TL edition is delayed I'll have more time to prepare my play to beat my opps ;)

The TL start will be delayed indefinitely, pending the return of FICS (obviously).

In case the disruption meant that some captains were unable to submit their teams, we will also be extending the deadline for submissions, though we cannot give a date for this or for the start of TL until we know more.

A number of teams are still pending approval, so don't worry if you don't see your team up on the page yet. Nothing went wrong with the TL site, so any submission that was made will have been received.

info from ficsgames.org:

"A temporary copy of FICS is available at fics2.freechess.org port 23."

It works for me; just that it feels like Ghost town:


> in 101
Channel 101: chaostheory(*)(SR)(TM) LightKnight(*)(SR)(TM) pchesso
3 players are in channel 101.

> in 1
Channel 1 "Help": Boodroe chaostheory(*)(SR)(TM) czytron
LightKnight(*)(SR)(TM) Ludens(*) mattuc(*)(SR)
6 players are in channel 1.

> g
There are no games in progress.

> who
2432E.Ludens(*) 1250 :mattuc(*)(SR)
1500E pchesso 1220 :chaostheory(*)(SR)(TM)
1429 .czytron 725P:Boodroe
1352E.LightKnight(*)(SR)(TM) ---- .stayalive(C)

8 players displayed (of 8). (*) indicates system administrator.

A couple of things:

TeamLeague will not be played on the backup server that some have heard about; we will wait for the main server to return. The backup server may not have the bandwidth to handle a lot of users, and admins plan to erase everything that happens there (including FICS messages sent on the backup server).

Someone informed me that a FICS admin has posted the following on Facebook: "We don't have an expected date for the return of the real FICS, but most likely it won't be before Friday, July 26, 2013. Note also that the FICS email systems (support, abuse, etc.) will not be working until FICS resumes normal operation."

You can connect to: fics2.freechess.org port 23. Use your handle and FICS-password. This server has all your rating data, your private lists (such as notify, censor, channels etc).
It can be used to play and chat - but please read:

news 1506
1506 (Fri, Jul 19) FICS was compromised.

The FICS Chess Server was compromised on July 18, 2013, and it had to be shut down. Until it can be repaired, this temporary copy of FICS will be available for use. Please keep in mind that no activity (games, ratings, messages, etc.) from this temporary server will be transferred back to the real FICS, once it has been brought back online. We don't have an expected date for the return of the real FICS, but most likely it won't be before Friday, July 26, 2013. Note also that the FICS email systems (support, abuse, etc.) will not be working until FICS resumes normal operation.

Posted by mattuc.

Any more updates on when FICS may return?

Apparently we are now just a day away from 'normal service':

news 1511
1511 (Sat, Jul 27) FICS is up, but staff only for a little longer

The good news is that FICS has been restored and is up and running, but restricted to staff only for now. We ran late into the evening getting it ready and unfortunately our European admins need sleep. We are looking to be back up and running tomorrow, Sunday the 28th. I will give you the good news as soon as I have it.

Posted by Chessty.

FICS is BACK!