by: John C. Knudsen

There is more to correspondence chess than playing the game. If I were just interested in the game itself, I would be satisfied playing my computer all day and night, or by replaying the games of famous masters. I play correspondence chess because I enjoy the stimulation of the contest and interaction with other people. I will attempt to treat each of my opponents with respect and courtesy. If my opponent is a beginner, and I am experienced, I will not become annoyed when my opponent does not resign. I will prove my superior skills by making strong moves and ending the game. I will become familiar with the rules and try my best to abide by them. I will not be a “silent withdrawal” from my games and will promptly notify my opponents and the tournament secretary if I can no longer continue in a tournament. When the game is over, I will always send a thank-you card to my opponent, regardless of the result. I will also remain tolerant of opponents who must withdraw from their games, because sometimes the troubles of life interfere with avocations.

I will at all times respect the correspondence chess administrators who have been selected to watch over and regulate an event. If I disagree with a decision, I will gracefully appeal to a higher authority. I will not become involved in petty disputes with dedicated administrators who are trying their best to do the right thing. On the other hand, I will always expect the rules to be enforced on an equal basis. There is virtually no situation where politics and correspondence chess can exist with each other peacefully. The game is the thing, along with the interaction with my opponents - many of whom will become my friends. There is no place in correspondence chess for the legal beagle, or the person who is always on guard for some vague insult. It is, after all, a game, and should be treated as such.

I will only use a computer to analyse in my correspondence chess games if it is allowed by the rules and my conscience will permit it. In that event, I will at least have the decency to inform my opponent. Perhaps, then, my opponent will want to buy a better program, and then the game could evolve to a higher level.

If my correspondence game is published when it is over, I will not gloat over my opponent’s mistakes, but will attempt to clarify the ideas in an impartial way. I will not assume that my reader is skilled or understands the ideas involved, but will attempt to show how and why things happened as they did. I will give credit where credit is due.

I will try and give something back to the game I love so much. Whether it is in encouraging a beginning player, writing an article, annotating a game for publication, editing a magazine, or serving as an administrator, I will try and promote all that is good about correspondence chess. At this moment I will realize that it is true - we are all friends.

About The Author
Copyright © 1998-2005 by John C. Knudsen, all rights reserved. May be reprinted freely with all contents intact.

John C. Knudsen is a Senior International Master (SIM), and has been playing competitive correspondence chess for over 25 years. He is the owner of http://www.correspondencechess.com which has been serving the cc community since 1996. He also has an E-Book site located at http://www.correspondencechess.com/knudsen/edition/ which features e-books in many different categories.

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by: John C. Knudsen

Note to reader: The following essay has as its chief aim to interest more chess players in the art, sport, and science that is correspondence chess. If I use myself as an example too often, it is because I don’t know anyone better than I know myself.

I will attempt to explain the lure and fascination of correspondence chess. I must explain at the outset - I enjoy both forms of the game. In over the board (crossboard) chess, the contest is a more direct one; we are more involved in the fight. The whole affair is over in a matter of hours, and we move on to the next challenge. If you are a grandmaster, or a highly skilled player, you do not need me to clarify for you the reasons you play chess. Every player has a chess drive, and this drive determines what you receive from the game; how it increases the enjoyment you receive from this strange world of wooden pieces and wooden problems.

The Quality Factor. There is no doubt, in my opinion, that you will raise your playing level one to three classes by playing correspondence chess. We have all bemoaned our glaring mistakes during our OTB tournament games. The clock is a factor, one that should not be ignored. If I play a six-hour OTB game, I will have spent perhaps 2-4 minutes on each move. In CC, I might spend anywhere from ten minutes to four hours on a move. Multiplied by thirty or forty moves, the total time could approach 100-120 hours for a game. Think of the masterpieces you could produce if you had as much time for an OTB game! This is the factor that allows a tyro, such as myself, to, once and awhile, play a master quality game. This is also the factor, by the way, which proves the undoing of many strong OTB players when they first try CC. They spend 2-5 minutes on a move, send it off, and expect their opponents to play the normal weak moves. When their opponent plays strongly, and the name is not familiar, the first impression is, “What kind of computer are you using?” But CC players are organized in thought and purpose. This is pure chess, without much of the psychology involved with OTB chess. The board is played, and there is always the search for the (absolute) best move.

The Expense/Trouble Factor. Over the board tournaments are expensive. Look at how much a good hotel room costs. And, even chess players must eat, when they are not playing chess. This all adds up to a considerable expenditure, what we pay to indulge in our chosen hobby. When we were kids and young adults, living at home, we could afford to travel and enjoy tournament chess. Correspondence chess, on the other hand, costs very little compared to over the board play. With the advent of email CC, the costs are so minor that they are not even worth discussing. When you grow older, you have more trouble concentrating on your game, competing with the younger folks. If I have a particularly difficult CC game, and I receive a card from my opponent, I can ignore it and wait until the next day. Or, if I need to do some more research, I can do it when and where I want to, within certain limitations. There is no “zugzwang” (or chess clock) which forces me to move within a few minutes. As a matter of fact, my game will probably improve the more time I spend on it.

The Friendship Factor. When was the last time one of your over the board opponents became a fast friend? I have met hundreds of people through CC. While you will run across the odd apple, for the most part, CC players are in it for more than the game. You can discuss chess, your lives in general, or whatever. Try that with your next over the board opponent. You barely have enough time to play the game, celebrate (or cry inwardly, as the case may be), before it is time for the next round. This factor in CC is one that is widely recognized but seldom spoken about. Some of my CC opponents end up being dear friends. You have something in common with your opponents. You love the game. No one, not even your long-suffering spouse, can take that away from you.

Are you ready for the challenge? Would you like to improve your game and make new friends? There are many great CC organizations ready to welcome you into their fold. All it takes is a desire and an ambition to try. Whether you are a novice or a grandmaster, there are plenty of like-minded players out there. Just what are you waiting for? You may find, after a time, that this is what you were looking for the whole time.

About The Author
Copyright © 1998-2005 by John C. Knudsen, all rights reserved. May be reprinted freely with all contents intact.

John C. Knudsen is a Senior International Master (SIM), and has been playing competitive correspondence chess for over 25 years. He is the owner of http://www.correspondencechess.com which has been serving the cc community since 1996. He also has an E-Book site located at http://www.correspondencechess.com/knudsen/edition/ which features e-books in many different categories.

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You have made the decision to give it a try - good for you! You are about to enter the satisfying, yet challenging world of CC. But, how do you start, what do you do? That is what this piece is all about. Follow the ten steps to correspondence chess and you will be well on your way to a new and rewarding chess experience…

1. Do some research - see if the club or organization has possibilities for you. I would particularly recommend the ASPCC, APCT, and CCLA for American players (in no particular order). Send away for information on what is offered. Study what you receive and make your choice.

2. Join only one organization in the beginning. Choosing a chess organization is somewhat like choosing a mutual fund - the more brochures you have to go through the harder it is to make a decision. Send off your dues and soon you will start receiving the magazine or bulletin.

3. First hard choice - choosing your first event. Take it easy, there is no rush. Resist the temptation to enter every tournament in sight - the games take much time and effort! Get a feel for what is going on before you jump in with both feet. If your club or organization has a “social” tournament or “class section”, enter it first. Call it the basic training of CC, if you like. There will be plenty of time later on for more challenging fare. You will meet like minded players of similar skill level.

4. If you have questions, ask! Many of the members of organization that you will bump into have been members for dozens of years. Most players are happy to assist and mentor new players. Else, where would the new opponents come from? Make yourself familiar with the rules - and follow them. Rules bring order to the CC world. Without them we would all be fighting all the time and about everything except chess!

5. Keep orderly records. Record keeping is a necessary part of CC. The discipline that results from keeping good records will enhance your enjoyment of the game and will reduce clerical errors. This record keeping is not something that can be taught - you will learn how to do it along the way. Remember that poor record keeping accounts for most glaring mistakes in CC. The more attention to detail, the smaller the chance you will lose a game to a simple mistake. Keep a notebook on each tournament - and use it!

6. Study each position every time you must make a move. Many skillful players pride themselves on being able to play “blindfold”, but, for the rest of us, a thorough study of the position will be more practical. Yes, you can move the pieces about the board and try out various schemes and combinations. Make sure that you analyze from the actual game position, though! In this regard, you simply must become an expert at chess notation. It doesn’t do any good to uncork a brilliant seven move combination when you are looking at the wrong start position!

7. Some days, you will not be able to work on a game. Whether it is stress from work, or stress from home, learn to recognize these things and don’t even try. Put the game away and try again tomorrow. It is one of the great things about CC that you can work on the games when and where you want, within certain limitations, namely - the time control for the tournament.

8. Give it your best effort. We all make mistakes - no matter what our playing ability. Try to make the best of what you have before you, and, above all, try and calculate all of the possibilities. This involves quite a bit of work, and you can bet that your opponent will be trying his or her best to anticipate your moves and strategies. For some comic relief, play over some of my CC games. Over 300 so far, and perhaps 30-50 of them are master class games. The rest range between the simply bad and barely playable. Always repeat this advice when you make a mistake in your game - it will make you feel better and make you realize that your talent has potential!

9. Try to get to know your opponents. Some of the people you will come across will be fascinating, others dull. Everyone has a story to tell and sometimes the humor on postcards or in emails will have you rolling on the floor in laughter. Correspondence chess allows a friendship that will hardly ever lead to intrusion or imposition.

10. Give something back. Get involved in administration, in writing, in sharing your experiences. The desire to give something back will come once you feel confident in your experiences and your ability. You will have a story to tell that others will want to hear. There is always room for fresh ideas and techniques.

There you have it - a formula to begin playing correspondence chess. Not that much to it, is there? Sometimes, the first step is the hardest, after that everything is just experience.

by: John C. Knudsen

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