Suggestion for Postal Chess

All Things Chess
1

What is your preferred method for recording postal games in progress? I am just getting started and could use the advice.

2

I’m pretty new at correspondence as well, and playing in my first section. I use ChessBase 10 – it’s worth seeing if ChessBase Light (free on chessbase.com) will do the same things. I’ve included some technical details to get you started…I had to find all of these tips in random articles across the web and in the CB Help files. Hope they help!

Some steps to get you started with CB…

  • Create a new database – I use my section number with “Games” for official game scores and “Analysis” for thoughts / notes / candidate moves
  • Create a new game and input some moves
  • Save that game with basic info such as name

Now to make your new game a Correspondence game…

  • Open your correspondence game and press ctrl+alt+w. The “correspondence settings” dialog box will appear.
  • In the “Time Control” tab, make the start of the game as the date of White’s first move. Make sure the time control is correct and that the white/black designation is right.
  • Skip over “Game Info” tab and go to “Email” tab if you’re using email instead of the Post. Click the “Use Time” setting if you’re playing an Email section.
  • The “Address” tab can be used if you intend to print Correspondence cards or generate emails using ChessBase. I don’t fill these in…it’s easier to just copy / paste the raw game score into email for me.
  • In the “Notation” tab be sure to click Algebraic Notation unless you want to use international number moves (ie 5254 represents “e2-e4”).
  • Click OK to save, and then “Save and Replace Game”, which is ctrl+R in CB10 or File > Replace in the command menu.

Once you’ve designated the game as a Correspondence game you can add timestamps to each move.

  • With the designated game open, click on the first move and then press ctrl+w. This opens a move entry box for your receive/send dates.
  • If you’re playing email, ignore the “Stamped” field and leave it unchecked. The send date/time acts as the stamped time in email.
  • ChessBase will calculate your days for you. Double check this carefully! At least 30% of my days do not calculate correctly, and I’m not sure why…so I often check the “Set manually” option and enter my days appropriately. Usually CB charges me an extra day…this might have something to do with differences in how ICCF and USCF calculate thinking time. Not sure.
  • I recommend pressing ctrl+R (replace game) each time you enter date/times to moves…that way you don’t lose any data.
  • Always keep your postcards or emails for a few months past the section end…the paper trail might be needed later.
3

Chessbase Light Premium will do what CB 11 will do in this regard. I especially like the ability to print out post cards.
A note, there is no need to press CTRL functions. Right clicking your mouse does the same thing and gives you many other interesting options.

4

Spawn will need to give click paths. CB 10 (and presumably, CB Light) does not show any correspondence options when you right click on a move if that game has been set as correspondence.

5

It’s quite easy. Right click; move the cursor over “special annotation”; select “correspondence header” to set up a game or “correspondence move” to record a move received or made.

CB Light Premium will also print very nice postal chess cards with a disgram of the position and all other relevant information. You can also make your own cards if you have a printer that will print cards. Use a pgn and diagram that you manually insert.

6

Thank you both so very much!!!

7

I also use ChessBase Light Premium for correspondence games (playing correspondence inspired by Gary Walters…) The free version of Light does not allow one to save one’s games - it’s for displaying already created files only (as well as experimenting to find out if it’s right for oneself.) CB is especially useful for navigating multiple variations during analysis.

If one is interested in ChessBase and correspondence, one should check out the 8 part series on the subject on the ChessBase support website: chessbase.com/download/index.asp , then scroll down to the “ChessBase 9” section and the 8 part series is in the bottom of the CB9 section. I don’t know if the tips there apply to CB11 or not, but it does all work for CBLP 2009 and 2010. (Except that for some reason the control keys for correspondence moves don’t work, and I use the mouse click method Brian describes.)

If one isn’t interested in ChessBase (or Chess Assistant,) I’m virtually certain that the free Shane’s Chess Information Database (SCID) also has correspondence functions. But I haven’t ever used it for that.

8

Is an activation code required?

9

For CB Light Premium, yes. It’s the entry-level version of the database program. If $ and interest allow, I’d pull the trigger and get CB 11.

10

I still use my trusty POST-A-LOG.

11

CBL Premium will do much the same for far fewer $$. If you’re looking for an excellent database program for less, Chess Assistant 11 Starter is excellent and can be had for under $100.