Correspondence chess is chess played by various forms of long-distance correspondence, usually through a correspondence chess server, through email or by the postal system; less common methods which have been employed include fax and homing pigeon. It is in contrast to over-the-board (OTB) chess, where the players sit at a chessboard at the same time (or perhaps play at the same time remotely). For other uses, see Chess (disambiguation). ... A correspondence chess server is arguably the most convenient form of correspondence chess. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... A British pillar box The postal system is a system by which written documents typically enclosed in envelopes, and also small packages containing other matter, are delivered to destinations around the world. ... A Samsung fax machine Fax (short for facsimile, from Latin fac simile, make similar, i. ... Homing pigeon The homing pigeon is a variety of domesticated Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) that has been selectively bred to be able to find its way home over extremely long distances. ...

Correspondence chess allows people or clubs who are geographically distant to play one another without meeting in person. These distant relationships are just one of the many distinct appeals of correspondence chess.^[1] The length of a game played by correspondence can vary depending on the method used to transmit the moves: a game played via server or by email might last no more than a few days, weeks, or months, but a game played by post between players in different countries might last several years.

Structure of correspondence chess

Correspondence chess differs from over-the-board play in several respects. While players in OTB chess generally play one at a time (an exception being a simultaneous exhibition), correspondence players often have several games going at once. Tournament games are played concurrently, and some players may have more than one hundred games continuing at the same time. A simultaneous exhibition (often abbreviated to simul) is an event where chess masters play multiple chess games at a time with selected players (usually below master strength). ...

Time limits in correspondence play are usually between 30 and 60 days for every 10 moves (plus transmission time in postal chess). This time allows for far deeper calculation, meaning that blunders can be less frequent. Certain forms of assistance, including books, chess databases and sometimes chess programs, are often allowed. Books and databases are almost universally acceptable, but organizations vary as to whether chess engine use is permitted. Hobby players new to the distinctive appeal of correspondence chess sometimes shun all assistance. 1990s Pressure-sensory Chess Computer with LCD screen The idea of creating a chess-playing machine dates back to the eighteenth century. ... 1990s Pressure-sensory Chess Computer with LCD screen The idea of creating a chess-playing machine dates back to the eighteenth century. ...

Computer Assistance

The new phenomenon of computer assistance has altered the essence of correspondence chess and in addition to profound chess knowledge and analytical discipline, the ability to interpret and guide computer analysis has become important. Given that even players with poor chess knowledge can use the strongest computer programs to analyse their games, the gap between the beginner and master player has narrowed in recent years. However, the influence of computer assistance remains controversial in both official and casual play, and consensus on the issue of whether to allow computer aid is still lacking. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Also at stake is human supremacy over computer chess programs; some argue that a chess program — if left alone — is no match for a top-level correspondence player. An interesting parallel match between correspondence chess grandmaster Arno Nickel and six computer programs on the now defunct Chessfriend server ended +1=3-2. Nickel also played a two-game match against Hydra, currently the strongest chess machine, winning 2-0. In the rematch, the first game was drawn. The second game has been postponed because of the parties' schedules and server problems. Arno Nickel played in the final of the second CSS/PAL Freestyle (see Advanced Chess) on Playchess, becoming the only player to obtain a winning position against the tournament winner Hydra Syclla, reaffirming his "anti-Hydra" status. He eventually lost the game because of time trouble in the revised shorter time-control. ^{[citation needed]} The title Grandmaster is awarded to world-class chess masters by the world chess organization FIDE. Apart from World Champion, Grandmaster is the highest title a chess player can attain. ... Arno Nickel (b. ... Hydra is a chess machine, designed by a team with Dr. Christian Chrilly Donninger, Ulf Lorenz, GM Christopher Lutz and Muhammad Nasir Ali. ... Advanced Chess (sometimes called cyborg chess or centaur chess) is a relatively new form of chess, first introduced by grandmaster Garry Kasparov, with the objective of a human player and a computer chess program playing as a team against other such pairs. ... ChessBase, which runs under Microsoft Windows, is a popular commercial database program for storing and searching records of games of chess. ...

Regulatory bodies of correspondence chess

Correspondence chess tournaments are usually played under the auspices of an official regulatory body, most importantly International Correspondence Chess Federation (ICCF), which is affiliated with FIDE, the international chess organization. However, the ICCF, which organizes postal and email events, is not the only organization involved in correspondence chess. There are numerous national and regional bodies for postal chess, as well as a number of organisations devoted to organize email play^[2]. However it should be noted that groups other than the ICCF are not sanctioned by FIDE. International Correspondence Chess Federation ICCF is the International Correspondence Chess Federation. ... The Fédération Internationale des Échecs or World Chess Federation is an international organization that connects the various national chess federations around the world. ...

The ICCF awards the titles International Master, Senior International Master and International Correspondence Chess Grandmaster — these are equivalent to similar titles awarded by FIDE for over-the-board chess. The ICCF also runs the World Correspondence Chess Championships. Because these events can last a long time, they may overlap: for instance, in February 2005 Joop van Oosterom was declared winner of the eighteenth Championship (which began in June 2003), though the winner of the seventeenth Championship (which began in March 2002) had not yet been determined. The title International Master is awarded to outstanding chess players by the world chess organization FIDE. The title is open to both men and women. ... International Correspondence Chess Grandmaster is a title created by the FIDE in 1953, second only to that of world correspondence champion. ... Joop van Oosterom is a Dutch billionare and chess enthusiast. ...

Up until 2004, ICCF correspondence chess was played only via email and postal mail. For playing by these two forms of transmission, the ICCF developed their own game notation, known as the ICCF Numeric notation, especially for the purpose of ICCF correspondence chess. ICCF numeric notation is the official chess game notation for all International Correspondence Chess Federation games. ...

In recent years, the use of increasingly powerful chess programs have brought forth new challenges for organizations like the ICCF and the U.S. Chess Federation, necessitating sometimes controversial decisions on the admissibility of such programs in official correspondence play.^[3] The United States Chess Federation (USCF) is a non-profit organization, the governing chess organization within the United States, and one of the federations of the FIDE. The USCF was founded in 1939 from the merger of two regional chess organizations, and grew gradually until 1972, when membership doubled to...

Moreover, the emergence of the Internet has brought new opportunities for correspondence chess, not all of which are organized by official bodies. Casual correspondence chess includes correspondence play initiated through correspondence chess servers and games played between individuals who meet and play on their own. Casual correspondence play does not lead to official ratings, though some chess servers will calculate ratings for the players based on results on that server. A correspondence chess server is arguably the most convenient form of correspondence chess. ...

Types of correspondence chess

There are three main types of correspondence chess, with server based correspondence chess becoming the most popular form in the world today, with major correspondence servers becoming as large and popular as the online blitz chess servers.

Server-based Correspondence Chess

Correspondence chess servers are usually database-driven and carry with them a web-based interface for submitting moves to the database. But they do create the possibility of facilitating any method of transmission, as long as the transmitted moves are audited within the server's database.

Server fees vary. Most casual servers use a yearly charging model, whereby players can play as many tournaments or games as they want all year round. Also more casual servers allow the use of nicknames, and have a real-time rating system which often adjusts a player's rating after each rated game. Casual servers also tend to have a wide range of facilities, such as online games databases, social and chess improvement forums, teams, and player homepages. More traditionally based correspondence chess servers often charge per tournament and still force the use of real names, which is arguably a very controversial thing to do in the modern world of online hackers.

The International Correspondence Chess Federation (ICCF) closely cooperates with the world chess organization FIDE. All ICCF titles, championships and ratings are recognised by FIDE. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Email based correspondence chess

There are organisations devoted to organising email play. But email play is gradually declining in popularity due to issues such as email viruses, the possibility of opponents claiming they have not received moves, and similar impediments. Many email players are abandoning it in favor of server based chess.^{[citation needed]}

Postal (Snail Mail) correspondence chess

There are organisations who use traditional "snail mail" to facilitate moves between players. This form of correspondence chess was arguably superseded by email-based correspondence chess, which offers much cheaper play per game — each move usually delivered free by email and also instantaneously. But email-based chess itself has arguably been superseded by server based correspondence chess, where usually the interface to a chess server is a web-based interface. Traditional postal correspondence organizations, such as the International Correspondence Chess Association and the United States Chess Federation , have added email and server-based options to their correspondence play.^[4] Snail mail is a derogatory retronym (named after the snail with its proverbially slow speed) used to refer to letters and missives carried by conventional postal delivery services, and refers to the inevitable lag-time between dispatch of a letter and its receipt relative to the virtually instantaneous despatch and... International Correspondence Chess Federation (ICCF) was founded in 1951 as a new appearance of the ICCA (International Correspondence Chess Association), which was founded in 1945, as successor of the IFSB (Internationaler Fernschachbund), founded in 1928. ... The United States Chess Federation (USCF) is a non-profit organization, the governing chess organization within the United States, and one of the federations of the FIDE. The USCF was founded in 1939 from the merger of two regional chess organizations, and grew gradually until 1972, when membership doubled to...

It should be noted that correspondence chess servers can have any interface to submit moves to it — they are like a virtual "bank", and the method of transmission is less important, as long as the move transactions are audited into the "bank". For example, if carrier pigeons carried moves to a place where their moves were scanned in, those moves could be entered into the correspondence chess server.

Over-the-board players who also play correspondence chess

Although nowadays the strongest correspondence players are specialists, a number of notable players in over-the-board (OTB) chess have in the past played postal games during their chess career. Olga Rubtsova won both the world OTB and correspondence championships for women. Former world correspondence champions Yakov Estrin, Alberic O'Kelly de Galway and Viacheslav Ragozin were all OTB Grandmasters, and C.J.S. Purdy and Mikhail Umansky were OTB International Masters. Players who have received the GM title in both fields include Ulf Andersson, Igor Bondarevsky, Aivars Gipslis, Curt Hansen, Jonny Hector, Janis Klovans, Olita Rause(WGM), Lothar Schmid and Duncan Suttles. Correspondence GMs Janos Balogh, Olaf Barda, Jean Hebert, Jonathan Penrose and Richard Polaczek are also OTB International Masters, and OTB GM Alexander Tolush was a correspondence IM. Correspondence GM Martin Kreuzer is an FM in OTB. Paul Keres, an Estonian sometimes regarded as the strongest player never to become world champion, played many games of correspondence chess, apparently because he had difficulty finding players in his native country anywhere near strong enough to give him a decent game. OTB world champions Alexander Alekhine and Max Euwe also played. Ulf Andersson also achieved very high ratings in both ICCF and FIDE, remaining in the FIDE Top 100 unto June 2002 and consistently ranked second on ICCF. Andrei Sokolov is another OTB GM who has recently taken up email chess. Olga Rubtsova (August 20, 1909 - December 13, 1994) was a Soviet chess player. ... Yakov Borisovich Estrin (April 21, 1923–February 2, 1987) was a Russian chess International Grandmaster and theoretician, most famous for being the seventh ICCF World Champion in correspondence chess between 1972 and 1976. ... Albéric OKelly de Galway (May 17, 1911, Brussels–October 3, 1980, Brussels) was a Belgian chess International Grandmaster, and an International Correspondence Chess Grandmaster, most famous for being the third ICCF World Champion in correspondence chess between 1959 and 1962. ... Viacheslav Vasilyevich Ragozin (October 8, 1908 – March 11, 1962) was a Soviet chess Grandmaster, an International Arbiter of chess, and a World Correspondence Chess Champion. ... Cecil John Seddon Purdy, 1906 - 1979 was an Australian chess International Master (IM) and inaugral World Correspondence Chess champion. ... Mikhail Markovich Umansky (born January 21, 1952 in Stavropol, then USSR) is a Russian chess grandmaster of correspondence chess, most famous for being the 13th ICCF World Champion in correspondence chess between 1989 and 1998. ... Ulf Andersson (born June 27, 1951 in Västerås, Sweden) is a leading Swedish chess player. ... Igor Zakharovich Bondarevsky (May 12, 1913, Rostov-on-the-Don, Russia – June 14, 1979, Piatigorsk) was a Soviet Russian chess grandmaster in both over the board and correspondence chess, International Judge, trainer and author of chess books. ... Aivars Gipslis (February 8, 1937 – April 13, 2000) was a Latvian chess player. ... Curt Hansen (born September 18, 1964) is a Danish chess player. ... Jonny Hector (born 13 February 1964) is a Swedish chess grandmaster. ... Jānis Klovāns (born 9 April 1935, Ruba) a Latvian chess master. ... Lothar Schmid (born 10 May 1928) is a German chess grandmaster. ... Duncan Suttles (b. ... Martin Kreuzer (born 1962, Regensburg, Germany), is a German Grandmaster of Correspondence Chess and a Mathematics professor. ... Paul Keres Paul Keres (born January 7, 1916, in Narva, Estonia; died June 5, 1975, in Helsinki, Finland) was an Estonian chess grandmaster and one of the strongest chess players of all time, apart from the World chess champions. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Alexander Alekhine Alexander Alexandrovich Alekhine (sometimes spelled Aljechin or Alechin) (IPA: ; Russian: ; other members of his family pronounce it , French: Alexandre Alekhine) (October 31 or November 1, 1892 – March 24, 1946) was a Russian-born naturalized French chess grandmaster (officially naturalized in 1927 only three days before the World Champion... Machgielis (Max) Euwe (last name is pronounced /ø:wə/) (May 20, 1901 – November 26, 1981) was a Dutch chess Grandmaster and Mathematician. ... Ulf Andersson (born June 27, 1951 in Västerås, Sweden) is a leading Swedish chess player. ...

ICCF World Champions

Dates given are the period in which the final of the championship took place, as given on the ICCF website.

Men

1. Cecil John Seddon Purdy (1950-53)
2. Viacheslav Ragozin (1956-59)
3. Albéric O'Kelly de Galway (1959-62)
4. Vladimir Zagorovsky (1962-65)
5. Hans Berliner (1965-68)
6. Horst Rittner (1968-71)
7. Yakov Estrin (1972-76)
8. Jørn Sloth (1975-80)
9. Tõnu Õim (1977-83)
10. Victor Palciauskas (1978-84)
11. Friedrich Baumbach (1983-89)
12. Grigory Sanakoev (1984-91)
13. Mikhail Umansky (1989-98)
14. Tõnu Õim (1994-2000)
15. Gert Jan Timmerman (1996-2002)
16. Tunç Hamarat (1999-2004)
17. Ivar Bern (2002-)
18. Joop van Oosterom (2003-2005)
19. Christophe Léotard (2004-)
20. undecided
21. Joop van Oosterom (2005-2007)

Cecil John Seddon Purdy, 1906 - 1979 was an Australian chess International Master (IM) and inaugral World Correspondence Chess champion. ... Viacheslav Vasilyevich Ragozin (October 8, 1908 – March 11, 1962) was a Soviet chess Grandmaster, an International Arbiter of chess, and a World Correspondence Chess Champion. ... Albéric OKelly de Galway (May 17, 1911, Brussels–October 3, 1980, Brussels) was a Belgian chess International Grandmaster, most famous for being the third ICCF World Champion in correspondence chess between 1959 and 1962. ... Vladimir Pavlovich Zagorovsky (June 29, 1925 in Voronezh, Russia, formerly USSR - November 6, 1994) was a Russian chess grandmaster of the correspondence chess, most famous for being the fourth ICCF World Champion in correspondence chess between 1962 and 1965. ... Hans Jack Berliner (born January 27, 1929) Professor of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University, is a former World Correspondence Chess Champion. ... Horst Robert Rittner (born July 16, 1930 in Breslau, then Germany, today Wrocław, Poland) is a German chess player, most famous for being the sixth ICCF World Champion in correspondence chess between 1968 and 1971. ... Yakov Borisovich Estrin (April 21, 1923–February 2, 1987) was a Russian chess International Grandmaster and theoretician, most famous for being the seventh ICCF World Champion in correspondence chess between 1972 and 1976. ... Jørn Sloth (born September 5, 1944 in Sjørring, Denmark) is a Danish chess grandmaster of the correspondence chess, most famous for being the eigth ICCF World Champion in correspondence chess between 1975 and 1980. ... Tõnu Õim (born June 16, 1941 in Tallinn) is an Estonian grandmaster of correspondence chess, most famous for being the only man to have won the ICCF World Championship in correspondence chess twice, in 1983 and 1999. ... Dr Victor Palciauskas (born October 3, 1941 in Kaunas, Lithuania as Vytas Palciauskas) is an US grandmaster of correspondence chess, most famous for being the tenth ICCF World Champion in correspondence chess between 1978 and 1984. ... Dr Friedrich (Fritz) Baumbach (born September 8, 1935 in Weimar, Germany) is a German chess grandmaster of correspondence chess, most famous for being the eleventh ICCF World Champion in correspondence chess between 1983 and 1989. ... Grigory Konstantinovich Sanakoev (born April 17, 1935 in Voronezh, then USSR) is a Russian chess grandmaster of the correspondence chess, most famous for being the 12th ICCF World Champion in correspondence chess between 1984 and 1991. ... Mikhail Markovich Umansky (born January 21, 1952 in Stavropol, then USSR) is a Russian chess grandmaster of correspondence chess, most famous for being the 13th ICCF World Champion in correspondence chess between 1989 and 1998. ... Tõnu Õim (born June 16, 1941 in Tallinn) is an Estonian grandmaster of correspondence chess, most famous for being the only man to have won the ICCF World Championship in correspondence chess twice, in 1983 and 1999. ... Gert Jan Timmerman (born April 15, 1956) is a Dutch chess player, most famous for being the fifteenth ICCF World Champion in correspondence chess between 1996 and 1999. ... Tunç Hamarat Tunç Hamarat is the 16th International Correspondence Chess Federation (ICCF) World Champion in 2004. ... Ivar Bern (born January 20, 1967 ) is a Norwegian chess player, most famous for being the seventeenth ICCF World Champion in correspondence chess. ... Joop van Oosterom is a Dutch billionare and chess enthusiast. ... Christophe Léotard is a French correspondence chess grandmaster and the 19th World Champion in Correspondence Chess. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Joop van Oosterom is a Dutch billionare and chess enthusiast. ...

Women

1. Olga Rubtsova (1968-72)
2. Lora Jakovleva (1972-77)
3. Ljuba Kristol (1978-84)
4. Liudmila Belavenets (1984-92)
5. Ljuba Kristol (1993-98)
6. Alessandra Riegler (2000-05)
7. Olga Mikhailovna Sukhareva (2002-2006)

Olga Rubtsova (August 20, 1909 - December 13, 1994) was a Soviet chess player. ... Lora Jakovleva (or Lora Yakovleva) (Russian: Лора Григорьевна Яковлева; April 21, 1932, Perm) is a Russian chess woman grandmaster of the correspondence chess, most famous for being the second ICCF Womens World Champion in correspondence chess between 1972 and 1977. ... Ljuba Kristol (Russian: Любовь Даниэловна Кристол; May 26, 1944, Leningrad) is a woman Russian-Israeli grandmaster of correspondence chess. ... Liudmila Belavenets (or Lyudmila Belavenets, Russian: Людмила Сергеевна Белавенец; born June 7, 1940, in Moscow) is a Russian woman grandmaster of correspondence chess, the fourth ICCF Womens World Champion in correspondence chess (1984-1992). ... Ljuba Kristol (Russian: Любовь Даниэловна Кристол; May 26, 1944, Leningrad) is a woman Russian-Israeli grandmaster of correspondence chess. ... Alessandra Riegler (May 24, 1961, Modena) is an Italian grandmaster of correspondence chess. ... Olga Mikhailovna Sukhareva (b. ...

References

1. ^ Craig Sadler, "Facts, Games and World Champions of Correspondence Chess," http://www.schemingmind.com/journalarticle.aspx?article_id=1&page=1.
2. ^ such as the International Email Chess Group (IECG) and International E-mail Chess Club (IECC)
3. ^ www.correspondencechess.com.
4. ^ "ICCF Playing Rules EMAIL," http://www.iccf.com/content/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=37&Itemid=58; "ICCF Playing Rules WEBSERVER," http://www.iccf.com/content/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=38&Itemid=59; "Correspondence Chess," http://beta.uschess.org/frontend/section_143.php; Alex Dunne, "The Check is in the Mail," column, Chess Life (March 2007), online at http://www.uschess.org/cc/dunne/march07dunnecolumn.pdf (p. 5).

See also

• ICCF
• ICCF national member federations short articles about the federations
• Category:Internet chess servers

International Correspondence Chess Federation (ICCF) was founded in 1951 as a new appearance of the ICCA (International Correspondence Chess Association), which was founded in 1945, as successor of the IFSB (Internationaler Fernschachbund), founded in 1928. ... The creation and activity of the IFSB In August 1928, the ICSB, Internationaler Correspondensschachbund, was created under the leadership of Erich Otto Freienhagen (Berlin), which had existed in a loose form since November 1927. ...

External links

• ICCF - International Correspondence Chess Federation.
• FICGS - Free Internet Correspondence chess & Go Server.
• ChessWorld.net - Large Correspondence Chess Server.