When playing a correspondence game, you have the option of, until move 25, making moves from the opening book provided.
What's your preference: Do you make a lot moves from this seeing as they're "the best" and were played by masters, or do you try to get out of theory as soon as possible?
I play correspondence games without opening book.
I've read it is allowed to use opening books, but I'd rather play the moves by myself.
Where have you seen that it is allowed until move 25, I thought it was available during the whole game?
I use the book "chess openings for white explained" and "chess openings for black explained", I follow the moves on the book until the move the oponent play is out of the opening book.
@Pablo-No It looks like I was mistaken. It seems that it's just Lichess's opening book feature that stops displaying moves after move 25, but indeed there's nothing in the rules to state that you can't use other opening books.
Only use the opening book for as many moves as you could do in a classical time control, otherwise it's basically like using a computer and it doesn't help you learn.
I only use the book when I am trying to play a line a don't know but want to get experience with. Ill check that I'm not blundering anything with the book but ill still play my move because I need to see what happens and why the move I choose wasn't the best
i use opening books in correspondence. i feel it's a nice way to get a feel for various variations. going 'off book' thus seems pointless to me, at least in correspondence. i am not aware of ANY move limit on using an opening book. and i remember, briefly, using real post cards for correspondence games............. those were the days.....
I used to try to play book moves (it seemed like some sort of accomplishment OTB to be able to arrive at them).
Now however I try to get out of the book as soon as possible (so I'm playing my opponent, not some cadre of GMs).
Hey pawnmulch, another guy who actually used postcards! :D
@MrPushwood yeah... not for so long, but i did play correspondence a little as a kid. my brother in law has (i haven't seen them) little cards that you mail, i assume, with little clock faces on them, or something like that?? i'd love to see those... i'm assuming they were for correspondence chess.... he can't find them, as he's kind of a pack rat....
Yes, I do seem to remember chess-specific postcards.
