intro_playing

PLAYING IN CHESS MATCHES

This chess server's main purpose is to link users who want to play chess. Among other things, the server allows you to contact other users about playing chess matches, checks to make sure that your moves are legal, keeps track of the board position while you play, and updates ratings of players after the match.

The basic way of contacting a user about playing a chess match is by using the match command. There is a separate help file for the match command, so we will not go into details here. But here is the simplest way to ask another user for a match:

match user_name

The other user will be asked to accept or decline your match request. If the user accepts, the server will determine who plays White and Black and will notify you that a match has begun with that user. The starting position will be sent to you, and play will begin.

During a chess match, you and your opponent will moves the pieces on the board and also issue various commands or requests. The help file intro_moving explains how to move the pieces on the board. Here is a list of other commands and requests you may need to use during a match (remember that requests are sent to your opponent, not to the server, and must be accepted by your opponent in order to occur):

command	function
abort	request that a game be canceled
adjourn	request that the match be stopped, saved and continued at another time
draw	request that the chess match be declared a draw
flag	end the match because your opponent is out of time
moves	have FICS send you the moves to the match you are playing
pause	request that the match be suspended temporarily, but not adjourned
promote	set the kind of piece a pawn will be promoted to when it reaches the back rank
refresh	display the current board position
resign	give your opponent the win, and end the match
say	communicate with your current (last) opponent
switch	request that you and your opponent change sides (colors)
takeback	request that one or move moves be taken back (canceled)
unpause	request that a paused match be resumed
withdraw	cancel a request you have made

It is possible to play matches with more than one user simultaneously, much like a simultaneous exhibition at many major chess tournaments. If you are interested in playing more than one chess game at once, or interested in playing against someone with simultaneous matches, read the "simuls" file.

See Also: