I played a few events. Won some game, lost some too. The quality of play was generally pretty good.
I did get a ridiculously easy win when an opponent used an "if any" conditional series that gave me a free rook by inserting an otherwise illogical move into the sequence.
The only problem I had during the years I played USCF corr, was when an opponent was warned in a situation that the rules stated would call for forfeit. Such leniency, however, most often would be a good sign.
Here's a comment that NM reb made in a different thread:
"I played snail mail postal chess for more than a decade and then gave it up. The games took years, literally. The "fast" games might take as little as 6 months to a year. The standard time control for such games was 10 moves every 30 days, an average of 3 days/move. The time you didn't use in say moves 1-10 were added to your next time control. Also conditional "if" moves were common and binding. It was an interesting form of chess but I could never go back to it."
Also, I don't see why you would play postal chess incurring the cost of postage, when the net is a far superior, quicker and cheaper medium. (Using a real board for analysis is much slower too.)
Another way to force yourself to take your games more seriously, without taking years per game, is to post all your (slow time control) losing games on your blog. Some people call this their Hall of Shame and it motivates them to understand their mistakes so they don't have to post that they made the same mistake yet again.
USCF postal chess is OK, but I would recommend CCLA (Correspondence Chess League Of America). They offer snail mail, email and server chess, plus their membership dues are about half of USCF's.
Yes, this is the big reason I quit postal play. It became a contest to see who had the best program. Some postal organizations allow their use and others do not. However, the ones that do not cannot stop it unfortunately.
Its very unlikely that folks would use an engine during postal play. Possible, but not likely.
My reasoning is this: anyone who thinks a chess engine is acceptable for ANYTHING other than game post-mortems was likely raised in the age of the chess engine and as such wouldn't be caught dead playing postal chess. Too slow, too boring, etc.... The sheer amount of patience required weeds out those accustomed to the quick solution being handed to them.
Its very unlikely that folks would use an engine during postal play. Possible, but not likely.
My reasoning is this: anyone who thinks a chess engine is acceptable for ANYTHING other than game post-mortems was likely raised in the age of the chess engine and as such wouldn't be caught dead playing postal chess. Too slow, too boring, etc.... The sheer amount of patience required weeds out those accustomed to the quick solution being handed to them.
ICCF rules allow engines and many if not most games are just computers playing each other, it's been that way for a long time.
Starting on June 1, 2021, chess players of all ages and skill levels can participate in the first-ever US Chess Rated correspondence event on Chess.com. Find all the details here: https://dailychessmusings.com/2021/04/23/harnessing-the-power-of-the-pyramid-in-chess/
Back before computers, I played international correspondence chess. Had one game with a player in East Germany (before the wall came down) that was aborted by the arbiter after 5 years and adjudicated. Typically would have 12 games going at once. Kept all the wonderful letters I shared with people from all over the world. I'm surprised anyone plays it anymore, with computers available.
One time I was partway down an opening line against an opponent from Argentina, and when I looked it up in ECO, at the bottom of the line the reference was my opponent's name.
I was thinking of doing CC chess with USCF. My reasoning is that it would help me analyze positions, and I know I will take it more seriously than "online chess" because instead of just clicking my move I will have to mail it! (I know there's also email.....but that's another story).
I was wondering if anyone had any experience(s) with real CC chess and if they'd recommend it or not.