The BIG problem

correspondence really does suck... i know some people enjoy it because you can spend days on a move... but are you really spending days on a move??... are you sticking moves into database , engine... do you get through a few moves and then just forget about the game... id suggest correspondence players start playing chess, get the real time feel of time pressure... start out with 30 minute games , and decrease the amount of time over time.. i know a lot of you will hate this fact but the truth is your not really going to gain much in online correspondence

If you get that much time, then you should use it and analyse thoroughly before each move.
Beginners play in the promotion section open

I quickly gave up correspondence here. Could not get a single serious opponent the few times I tried. So I play correspondence on chess.com (sorry guys). Have played quite a few games there and only had one game where opponent abandoned it.

I really recommend a time limit per move though. It's super annoying when someone leave an unlimited game. (If you play 3 days per move and for whatever reason can't play for a while you have the option of "vacation". This pauses all your games. You also have a generous amount of vacation days available.)

I did look at iccf and it looks really great but also kinda way too serious for me.

I had a good time playing correspondence here, Idk what you guys are all complaining about. It is a problem yes, but a big one? Are you serious? This is one of the smallest problems ever. You can just abort the game if the other side doesn't move. Done. I think you don't even get a warning doing that at correspondence. Out of 120 games I had to abort only 5.

@tpr why play on ICCF when there is correspondence on lichess, makes no sense

@Darksouls I disagree

@SucheSchachfreund I have only played against 4 people who do not do that. Out of like 25.

@Sprinkles_The_Carrot it's because of the low rating

@SucheSchachfreund how am I supposed to get a higher rating when no one will play?

i'd suggest selecting a time limit you are good with - whether that's 1 day, 3 days... i cannot see anything longer than that. unless you want to, say play some guy on a 7 day move thing, or unlimited (i'd suggest never doing that) and the guy just never moves... i'd have three or four games, 3 day move time, and go from there. if some guy flakes, that happens. move on.

i'd also play on chess.com and agree with post #13. correspondence on chess.com is MUCH better. or at least, it used to be. here, i no it is kind of sub par. i feel like at 1600 it's a little hard to get a game. people seem to be bunched well above or below me. on chess.com, i don't have that problem. they simply have more correspondence guys -

but yeah - pick a time period you like. steer clear of unlimited. that just seems highly dubious.

oh, and block the guys who don't move or what not. just block 'em and be done w it.

i don't get why people suggest iccf.............i thought they allowed engine use??? if that's fine with you, then i guess iccf is great...........i'd suggest ---- i sound like a commercial --- chess.com. they have themed correspondence, or at least used to. say you want to practice your ruy lopez exchange variation. there may be a tournament for that, and u play both sides against a guy, and the game starts with the exchange. those were fun...............!!

@pawnmulch I'll check chess.com out and will use your advice!

As I recall, ICCF allows cheaters.