Chess with Prison Inmates

They try not to allow anything to be given to prisoners that could be a hidden code, so chess moves could be considered that I guess. Also I don't think inmates would ever be given access to the internet, if you wanted to something like this, you'd be sending your moves by post.

I definitally agree that correspondence should be alowed to be playing among a prison inmate and a person out of jail.  If you mean one player out of jail and another in jail then that should be fine in my oppinion.  I don't know too much about the subject but I would think that if the prison dosn't let inmates play chess with "free people", then I bet the problom is that they don't want information going in and out of jail outside of the jailers ability to observe and "OK" what someone has to say.  If you mean between two people in jail wanting to play chess then that could result in fights between members which could bring people into the fight until it involves a long term gang war in prison.  (Believe me, it happenes.)  These "Gang Wars" may only last a few minutes, a day or two, but some have lasted for years, NO JOKE!  I AM DEAD SERIOUS!  Well I guess it isn't too good to say "dead serious" becuase people actually do die in Gang Wars.  Think of that, people could die from a game of chess!  That is why prisons wouldn't want it to go from inmate to inmate, but I don't know why inmate and "outmate" games arn't aloud other then unpermited, and uncontrolled conversation.

I know that in certain areas chess between prisoners is permitted if not encouraged as  a means of harmless, non physical, competition.  I agree that it can get out of hand, but I think lots of people know which guys (or gals) not to play with.  I would like to be a part of providing inmates with the basic supplies with which to study and play chess.  In circumstances where it can be allowed with outsiders, I would like to be a part of that, too. 

Anybody have any experience  (bad or good) with this?  Thanks!

Wasn't there a Latvian guy who discovered some brilliant ...Kxf7!! novelty in the Sicilian Dragon while in prison?

They certainly allow it in UK prisons.

I think the guy who went off on a spiel about gang wars, caused by chess, has seen too much OZ.

Thanks, guys!  You have got me excited about digging back in.  I'll try to keep you up on what I find out... Kind of agree with you Genghiskhant.... 

All Service Postal Chess (ASPC) is a small club primarily (not exclusively) for "snail mail" chess with about 100 members and a fair # of them are cons if anyone is interested in playing with prisoners send me a note or message. 

You don't have to be a service member or ex-service member to join BTW.