Correspondence Chess on the Internet

Are you a chess fan, but sometimes find yourself too busy to sign on to a chess playing site and endure a good long game? Maybe correspondence chess is the answer for you!

There are several different ways to play a correspondence chess game, but probably the easiest is to join a correspondence site like Gameknot.com. You could also get together with someone and email moves back and forth, but many times this will entail the setting up of an actual board or computer chess set so that the position may be viewed. Some chess forums also have a correspondence area, as is the case with Chessforums.org. Both Gameknot and Chessforums feature free registration! No fees to enjoy a good game.

The time controls are usually days, not minutes or even hours, which makes it easier to fit a good chess game into your busy schedule. For instance, if you engage in a chess game with someone, and the time control is three days per move, it takes a lot of pressure off of both players and allows a great amount of time to ponder positions.

It is also possible to set up your correspondence chess account to notify you via email when it is your move! This takes much of the guesswork out of things, and makes the chess game much easier to track.

On Gameknot, there is a chess board set up for both players, and you simply move your pieces and submit! Then it is up to your opponent to make their move within the given time limit. This negates the need for an actual board set up somewhere in the house for you to follow. Games can be checked at any time, whether it is your move or your opponent's, as well.

Correspondence chess is nothing new; in fact, folks have been doing it for years and years. The first games (and some are still like this) were done by actual snail mail, through letters using either moves lists, diagrams, or both. Now that the electronic age is upon us, correspondence chess has taken on new platforms. Are there any downsides to it, though?

Yes, there are. The ease of using an engine online, especially in correspondence chess, makes cheating a real possibility. All you can do is play an honest game, and hope your opponent is doing the same. Chess isn't what it used to be, especially since it mixed with computers.

Also, be aware that just like a real game, if you don't make a move within the given time limit, you lose the game. So if you go out of town for the weekend, for instance, it is wise to check email as quickly as you can upon arrival back home to see if it is your move or not.

Correspondence chess sites even come with a chess rating. In this manner, you can track your improvement (or decline), and see how you rank against others that play chess on the site. Try a correspondence chess game today - what do you have to lose?