As with Online Chess,
Correspondence Chess can mean a variaty of ways to play 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.
[edit]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. Some servers offer basic membership for free, with more services available for a fee. 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 some claim raises privacy implications[who?].
The International Correspondence Chess Federation (ICCF) closely cooperates with the world chess organization FIDE. All ICCF titles, championships and ratings are recognised by FIDE.
[edit]Mobile correspondence chess
With the advent of smart-phones such as Apple's iPhone, Blackberry and Android based devices correspondence chess has seen a recent rise in popularity as applications on these devices. Usually the devices use Wifi, GPRS, 3G and sometimes SMS technology to submit their moves to a central server.
[edit]Email-based correspondence chess
There are organizations devoted to organizing play by email, such as the International E-mail Chess Club (IECC).[3]
Email play has gradually declined in popularity due to issues such as email viruses, opponents' claims of not receiving moves, and similar impediments to the point email play has arguably been superseded by server-based correspondence chess, where usually the interface to a chess server is a web-based interface.
[edit]Postal (traditional mail) correspondence chess
There are national and regional organizations for postal chess which use traditional "snail mail" for transmitting moves between players. The ICCF and affiliated local and national federations often organize postal events. Other examples of groups offering postal play include the Correspondence Chess League of America (CCLA) and the United States Chess Federation (USCF). However, groups other than the ICCF and affiliates are not sanctioned by FIDE.
Traditional postal chess organizations such as the International Correspondence Chess Association, the Correspondence Chess League of America (CCLA), and the United States Chess Federation (USCF) have added email and/or server-based options to their correspondence play.[4]
Postal correspondence chess has arguably been superseded by email-based correspondence chess, where play per game is cheaper—each move usually delivered free and instantaneously by email. But there are still devotees
!!!!!!!!
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. Some servers offer basic membership for free, with more services available for a fee. 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 some claim raises privacy implications[who?].
The International Correspondence Chess Federation (ICCF) closely cooperates with the world chess organization FIDE. All ICCF titles, championships and ratings are recognised by FIDE.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Correspondence_chess
"Casual Chess' maybe??