Masonic Postal Chess Club

 

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

 

You play two games simultaneously, one game as White and one game as Black, with each of your opponents in your section. (Sections can be one, two, or three opponents.) Your assignment to play shows to whom you write first. In those games, your first move is in "Game A", and your opponent will return a reply move for "Game A" along with his first move for "Game B". When you receive the first move for "Game A" from others, you are to return a reply move for "Game A" together with YOUR first move in "Game B".

 

Regular postcards are the most commonly used. However, special Chess-By-Mail postcards are available from the U.S.C.F. (United States Chess Federation) through its official magazine — Chess Life.

 

Each member should keep all correspondence received from his opponent until after the games are completed, reported, and the ratings published. There are many personal or commercial methods of keeping records of the moves in each game. You could buy a spiral steno book (6 in. x 9 in.), which would be adequate. There are cardboard notebook sized chess boards with plastic pieces and other similar recording devices that are available through chess supply houses. You may want to make a carbon copy of your postcard each time you send one.

 

ALWAYS acknowledge your opponent’s last reply! For example, if White wishes to send the move 22. N-B3 (N should be used for knight), he would include the 21st moves, and writes his opponent one of two ways:

 

Game A

 

21. R-K1, B-N5 or R-K1 21. B-N5

22. N-B3 N-B3 22.

Game B

 

21. R-K1, B-N5 or R-K1 21. B-N5

22. N-B3, Q-K2 N-B3 22. Q-K2

 

You should underline YOUR last move. This reduces possible confusion.