Chess-By-Email FAQ

1. What is Chess-By-Email?
2. What browsers does Chess-By-Email work with?
3. How do I start a game?
4. How do I move?
5. Will Chess-By-Email detect illegal moves?
6. How do I capture en passant?
7. How do I Castle?
8. How do I promote a Pawn?
9. Does Chess-By-Email detect Checkmate and/or Stalemate?
10. Should I resign if I've been Checkmated or Stalemated?
11. What's a pass code?
12. Is the pass code secure?
13. What if I forget my pass code?
14. Is there a time limit?
15. It's my move, and when I go to the game, it say's it's my move, but there's no form to enter my move! What gives?
16. Sometimes I get "500 Server Error". What does this mean?
17. How do I report a bug?

Q. What is Chess-By-Email?

A. Chess-By-Email is the Internet's version of 'Correspondence Chess'. Each move is emailed to the opposing player who then checks the board and makes his/her move. This continues until one of the players resigns or the game ends in either Stalemate or Checkmate.

Q. What browsers does Chess-By-Email work with?

A. Chess-By-Email has been tested with NS 3 & 4 and IE 3, 4 & 5. Chess-By-Email will not work properly with older browsers.

Q. How do I start a game?

A. Just point your browser to http://world.std.com/dpf/cgi-bin/chess.pl, enter your email address, your opponent's email address, and a game name, and click on the Submit button. Once the board appears, make your first move, and the game has begun.

Q. How do I move?

A. If you're using NS3 or 4, or IE3 or 4 and have JavaScript enabled, you can simply click on the piece you want to move, then click on the square where you wish to move it to. A third click on any one of your pieces will replace your 'From' move with the new selection and well delete your 'To' move. If your browser dosen't support JavaScript, or if you have JavaScript turned off, you'll need to type your move into the boxes provided.

Q. Will Chess-By-Email detect illegal moves?

A. Yes, Chess-By-Email should detect and disallow all illegal moves.

Q. How do I capture en passant?

A. The option to capture en passant will be made available when the conditions are appropriate.

Q. How do I Castle?

A. The option to Castle on either the King side, Queen side, or both will be made available when the conditions are appropriate. The option to castle on either side will not be made available if:

• There is a piece or pieces between the King and Rook on a given side.
• The Rook on a given side has been moved at some point during the game.
• The King has been moved at some point during the game (Castling on both sides will be disallowed for the remainder of the game).
• The player has already Castled at some point during the game (Castling on both sides will be disallowed for the remainder of the game).
• The King is in check.
• The King will pass over a square which is attacked by an opposing piece.
• The King will be in Check after Castling.

Q. How do I promote a Pawn?

A. The option to promote a Pawn will be made available when the conditions are appropriate (when a Pawn occupies the next-to-last square and can move to the last square by either capture or normal means). A pull down selection box let's you choose to promote the Pawn to either Queen, Rook, Bishop, or Knight.

Q. Does Chess-By-Email detect Checkmate and/or Stalemate?

A. Yes. Chess-By-Email can detect Checkmate and all three types of Stalemate:

• The same board position repeated three times during a game.
• 50 moves without capture or without movement of a Pawn.
• Player is not in check but cannot make a legal move

The player will be warned when making a move that will result in Stalemate.

Q. Should I resign if I've been Checkmated or Stalemated?

A. No. Chess-By-Email will not permit you to resign or make any move what-so-ever if the game has ended in either stalemate or checkmate.

Q. What's a pass code?

A. Your pass code guarantees that your opponent cannot make a move out-of-turn. Each player has a pass code that only lets them make a move when it's their turn. If it's not your turn to move, you can still view the board, but you can't make a move.

Never give your pass code to your opponent!

Q. Is the pass code secure?

A. Compared to security standards for credit cards and other sensitive data, it's not very secure. However, for our purposes, it's good enough :)

Q. What if I forget my Pass Code?

A. Each email notifying you of your opponent's move contains a link with all of the data necessary, including the pass code, to access the game in progress. Also, the email you received when your game was originally started contains your pass code. If you no longer have that email, just click here, fill out the form, and your pass code will be emailed to you!

Q. Is there a time limit?

A. No.

Q. It's my move, and when I go to the game, it say's it's my move, but there's no form to enter my move! What gives?

A. Chances are you're not using the correct pass code. Each player has a unique pass code which prevents "cheating". If it's white's turn, only the user with white's pass code will be allowed to make a move. Likewise, the user with black's pass code can only make a move when it's black's turn. If you access the game with an incorrect or missing pass code, the game will not be able to identify you as the correct player and will not let you make a move.

The email sent to you when the game was started contains your pass code (likewise, the email sent to your opponent when the game was started contains their pass code). If you have forgotten your pass code, and your original email has been deleted, go to http://world.std.com/dpf/cgi-bin/chess.pl, click on "Forgot Your Pass Code?", fill out the form, and the pass code will be emailed to you. You can then use this pass code to access the game and make your move.

For more information on pass codes, click here.

Q. Sometimes I get "500 Server Error". What does this mean?

A. This usually means that the server that Chess-By-Email runs on is experiencing problems. Your best bet is to try back later.

Q. How do I report a bug?

A. Please send all bug reports/comments/suggestions/etc. to dpf@theworld.com. When reporting a bug, please include a complete description of the bug including the game name and the move in which the bug occured.