The idea of creating an email chess server began early in 2001. A few lines of codes were written to see if it is possible to make email chess easier. Could we establish a club where people can play chess simply by email? I know what huge efforts are needed to maintain an email chess club, but what are the computers for if not to take the hard and regular work from humans?
The club was founded in the middle of 2001, when a few obsessed and curious players were trying to use the system's first facilities. It had no name, and a lot of very useful things were still unsupported. But at least we could make moves. :-)
At the beginning of 2002 the club was deemed ready for the Internet public, most of the basic facilities needed to start and play games were working.
By the end of 2002 much work had been done and the following facilities were supported: the pairing system, PGN and FEN support, time controls, vacation policy, the reminder system, and a lot of other stuff were ready, such as starting games with standard openings, assigning colour during a challenge, friendly games, and the chess problem system, to mention only the major things.
On November 20, 2002 the club got it's final name, E4EC, which stands for E4 Emailchess Club, and e4ec.org became the club's Internet domain.
A few things remain to be completed in 2004. The biggest challenge is to support more types of tournaments.
As the tail says there was a king in India, called Shehran, dominating on everything, but his tedium. He was bored in the morning, noon and at night, all every day, until he fell ill because of it.
Sessa ebn Daher, his court wise man, to heal the king, invented a new game, called it chess. The game was brilliant, the king has recovered from the illnes after the first game.
- What do you want as a reward? - asked Shehran.
- A few grains of wheat only: put one grain on the first square of the chessboard, then double it on the next squares - said Sessa ebn Daher.
- Humble request! - smiled the king, but finally couldn't perform it.
The number of the wheat grains was 18 trillion, 446 billiard, 744 billion, 73 milliard 709 million, 551 thousand 615, which is approximately 700 thousand million tonnes.
Players can use more different time controls in the club. 10/30 - This is the default time control. Club level tournaments and games by pairing use this one. Here 10 moves must be taken in 30 days. Clocks start with 30 days, the thinking time is always subtracted from them, but another 30 days are added at every 10th move. The maximum the clocks can show is 40 days. 10/40 - This is a bit slower time control. 10 moves must be taken in 40 days, the addition is 40 days, and the maximum is 50 days. 10/50 - More slower, 50 days for 10 moves, 50 days addition at every 10th move, the maximum is 65 days. 5+1 - This is a faster one. Here the clocks start with 5 days on them. The used up thinking time is subtracted also, and 1 day is added at each move. The maximum is 30 days here too.
The server manages the clocks, it calulates the thinking times, adds, substracts, and does everything. Records everything in the game logs.
If a clock runs out of time, the player will be considered as being on an unannounced vacation. If it elapses also, he'll loose the game, the opponent can claim result.
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