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SchemingMind.com Internet Correspondence Chess Club 
. Missing description[All Comments] [Add Comment or Rating]As a grandmaster in <a href='http://www.chessvariants.org/link2.dir/srchess.html'>Stanley Random Chess</a>, I'm greatly indebted to schemingmind.com, because it is the only internet correspondence chess server in the world that enables the play of the classic game: Stanley Random Chess (an alternative form of chess that predates regular chess, and offers greater complexity and creativity.) Additionally it offers many other variants, including of course traditional or Common Chess, with a very pleasing interface and friendly atmosphere. Of the lesser known correspondence chess sites, schemingmind.com is easily one of the most outstanding. Members can play up to 10 games concurrently for free (which is ample for most players), but paid membership naturally gives extra privileges. Using images from Alice in Wonderland, the site has a definite Lewis Carroll feel, which only enhances its attractive qualities.
It is a fantastic site. There is a good sense of community there, and the players are either a healthy challenge or chessfriends with a great passion for the game. Standard, Alice, Chess960, Kriegspiel, Dark Chess, Shatranj, and other chess games of interest. Run by a fan of the game, it is a welcoming place. It has a well-conceived server design. Support it with word and finance!
Gregory Topov wrote on Thu, Dec 2, 2004 09:35 PM UTC:Excellent ★★★★★SchemingMind.com is one of the best email/web chess servers I've come across, and the players also display great humor, creativity and imagination on the forums. Of note is the high level of Mornington Crescent games that occasionally are played, as well as the delightful variant Stanley Random Chess (info here: <a href='http://www.geocities.com/verdrahciretop/src.html'>http://www.geocities.com/verdrahciretop/src.html</a>). SchemingMind.com is not for everyone, but comes highly recommended.
Michael Farris wrote on Wed, Aug 4, 2004 03:03 AM UTC:Excellent ★★★★★I give great praise to Mr. Lockwood and his Schemingmind.com website. I appreciate the power of the variants to increase board vision in the standard game, lift one's ability to see solutions to current problems by the use of past experiences with the variants, and the value of expanding one's 'chess experience' by trying something different. Alice chess players, be glad, because this game is the latest addition to the chess repertoire at the site. The standard chess games one plays here can be enjoyable and challenging. This is a good chess community. The play at the site facilitates replay over one's gamescore, and the response is quick. Games may be saved as PGN, and categorization of openings of the standard game are handled by the program. The site is a fine addition to internet chess culture.
<P>This is an <i>excellent</i> site. Not only can you play different variants but there is a good sense of community and members are fairly active and able to make a lot of creative input. The site admin encourages this and has made a lot of additions as a result.
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one example is the <b>dark variants</b> which i'd never heard of but were suggested and explained in one forum. it was suggested as a result of kriegspiel being too complicated for most and also as a new idea (both exist on the site). then it follows they added both suicide and crazyhouse dark chess, so i've never seen these elsewhere.
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the latest feature is mini- tournaments so any member can make his own tournament with friends. this is great because some of the larger tournaments take time to coordinate and run.</P
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