Long Distance Chess Games Through Mail or
Online
Chess games can be played with
others via mail correspondence, email or using computer software
programs.
Chess is a board game of mental skill for two players. The square
board has eight rows (called ranks) and eight columns (called
files), giving a total of 64 squares of alternating light and dark
color. Each player has a light-colored square at the near right
corner when facing the board and begins the game with 16 pieces that
can be moved in defined directions and that can remove, or capture,
the opponent’s pieces from the board in accordance with the rules.
The 16 pieces consist of eight pawns, two knights, two bishops, two
rooks, one queen, and one king. One player controls the white pieces
and the other player controls the black pieces. The player who
controls the white pieces is always the first player to move.
When a player's king is directly threatened by one or more of the
opponent's pieces, the king is said to be in “check.” When in check,
a player may only make moves to block the check or capture the
hostile piece threatening the king. The object of the game is to
checkmate the opponent, which means to put the opponent's king in
check. If no move can be made to escape the check, the game is over.
Chess is not a game of chance, rather it is based on tactics and
strategy. The game is so complex that not even the best players can
think of everything. Although there are a limited number of squares
and pieces, 64 and 32, respectively, the number of possible games
far exceeds the number of atoms in the universe.
Chess is one of the most popular games in the world. It can be
thought of as an art and science as well as a game. It could be
called a “mental martial art,” and learning chess is often advocated
as a way of enhancing mental prowess. Chess is played
recreationally, for fun, and competitively by professionals. There
are chess clubs and tournaments. There are chess computers and
software. Chess may be played online with others and by mail through
correspondence.
Correspondence Chess
Correspondence chess may be played through a correspondence chess
server, by e-mail, or by the postal system. Less common methods
include fax and homing pigeon. This is in contrast to over-the-board
(OTB) chess, where the players sit at a chessboard at the same time
or play at the same time remotely.
Correspondence chess allows people or clubs located in different
geographical locations to play one another without having to be
together in person. The length of such a game depends on the method
used to transmit the moves. A game played via server or e-mail might
last a few weeks or months, but a game played by mail between
players in different countries could last several years.
Structure of Correspondence Chess
Correspondence chess is different from OTB play in several ways. In
OTB chess, only one game is played at a time (except at a
simultaneous exhibition). In correspondence chess, or online chess,
all games are usually played at once, or concurrently. Some players
may have more than a hundred games going on at the same time.
The time limits are generally between 30 and 60 days for every 10
moves. This allows for thorough calculation, resulting in few
blunders. The assistance of books and databases on chess is often
allowed.
Correspondence Chess Server
A correspondence chess server is the most convenient form of online
correspondence chess. Instead of players directly e-mailing their
moves to each other, the game is played on a clickable board on a
web page that tracks all the moves. The web server e-mails each
player when it is his turn. This ensures e-mail privacy and avoids
the potential problem of viruses. Players also do not have to
maintain their own chessboards.
Most correspondence servers have move validation and check for
stalemate and checkmate. This eliminates overlooking illegal moves,
as they must be immediately corrected. Downtime is one of the
drawbacks of a correspondence server. When the server is
unavailable, the games it is serving cannot be played.
Correspondence chess servers offer tournaments, thematic
tournaments, teams, and other social events and features.
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