Playing Chess on Servers

I have been playing Correspondence Chess for nearly 50 years. I started out using postal cards but in the past several years have played exclusively on Chess Servers. Servers are easier to play on because they eliminate the need for record keeping such as dates moves were received, sent and total time used. Servers also eliminate the possibility of making moves from the wrong position or writing down the wrong move.

If you are interested in playing chess where you are free to use books or other resources (no chess playing programs, please!) and want to have two or three days to work out your moves and play opponents from all over the world then I can highly recommend playing on one of the below listed Servers! Don't be surprised if most opponents do not indulge in chatting during play. Many may not speak your language. Don't worry if you lack experience. You'll find players at all levels on these sites!

Some warnings about Server play:
Be aware that many server sites have the dregs of the chess world skulking about. People who think that because they are anonymous they can freely hurl insults, use profanity, make cheating accusations and just generally behave in a crude manner, especially in the forums. That said I've met some great people on some of the Internet sites. Please remember if you play on any site there will be accusations of cheating. Most players do not use chess engines and just because you lose a game, it does not mean you were cheated. There are a lot of good chess players out there!

Also John C Knudsen's advice is important if you want to get the most out of your Correspondence Chess experience:
The Correspondence Chess Player's Creed 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 analyze 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.

Here is my list of recommended servers:

CHESSWORLD
http://www.chessworld.net
This is the best server site I have found. I like it because you can set you own starting rating. This is important because if you are a strong player you will not have to slog through a hundred games against low rated players before you can start playing opponents near you own ability. Your first game will be against a welcoming opponent of similar strength who will answer any questions you may have. You can play a limited number of games free. They have very helpful players on their forums. Forums moderators keep a tight rein on postings so the trash isn't allowed to post

CORRESPONDENCE CHESS LEAGUE OF AMERICA
http://www.chessbymail.com/
If you want to play using the mail this is the organization. You can start at your USCF rating, or if you don't have one, you can estimate your rating up to 1800. Limited e-mail and server tournaments. US and Canadian residents only.

QUEENALICE
http://www.queenalice.com/
This is another good site. It's free! It's my second choice behind Chessworld. Probably the best free site. Friendly forums.

PLASTICBISHOP
http://www.plasticbishop.com/
Another small site where you will start at 1000 and can expect to play a lot of beginners. My first half dozen games there only lasted an average of less than 20 moves. If you're a beginner this is a good site to start on

IECG
http://www.iecg.org/
They run both e-mail and server events. I would recommend the server events which you can sign up for here: Lechenicher SchachServer
http://lss.chess-server.net
Caution! Only play here if you want to use you engine! Everybody does because they don't have any rules against it. Also be aware that you can't get a high rating and a title just because you're allowed to use an engine. You'll find yourself playing strong players who know how to do more than just let an engine choose their moves; they know how to guide an engine to play better and they know engine weaknesses

If you need to do some research on your openings you can try these sites:

CHESSLAB
http://www.chesslab.com/PositionSearch.html
They have a 2 million game database you can search.

CHESSLIVE
http://www.chesslive.de/
They have a 4.2 million game database you can search.

If you need advice on just about any subject relating to chess you can go to THE CHESS EXCHANGE FORUM
http://www.chessexchange.com/forum/
and ask away. Somebody will help you.

Another helpful site is CHESS VIDEOS TV
http://www.chessvideos.tv/
They have many videos you can watch and learn from. Some are by beginners but many are by strong players. All are instructive and interesting. You may even want to post you own masterpiece so everybody can see it. At the same time you can explain in detail how you thought up all those brilliant moves.