Calculate, move, return to sender: The slow genius of correspondence chess

Before computers arrived, PB Dhanish waited for the mailman to deliver his opponents’ moves.

- Susan Ninan

It is how correspondence chess was historically played – via mail, with days to ruminate over a single move before writing it down on a postcard and mailing it to an opponent. A reply would take weeks, months, and sometimes one never heard back. Once correspondence chess moved to online servers with engine assistance allowed, Dhanish had three computers running round the clock – scouring databases for the perfect move. Dhanish happens to be India’s only international correspondence chess Grandmaster (GM).

He’s no longer an active player. Now, Dhanish just goes by his day job – a lecturer at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Kozhikode, Kerala. After long, there is a possible second correspondence chess GM from India on the horizon. K Sasikiran – who became India’s fifth GM 23 years ago, has been playing correspondence chess for close to a decade. He is currently a senior International Master (IM), and the country’s highest-rated player in the format, (Elo rating of 2540) with a shoo-in to become the country’s second correspondence chess GM.

In a game where players have retooled their repertoire around chess engines, what does it mean to have correspondence exponents ganging up with these behemothian engines and playing games that last months and tournaments that run into years? Neutralised contests with incredibly accurate games and a high rate of flawless draws. It partly explains India’s lengthy wait for a second correspondence GM.

“It’s hard (to get a correspondence GM norm). To get a plus two (two wins) in top tournaments is incredibly tough. I have one GM norm so far, and a double GM title does sound nice. I’m hoping I can get it this year,” said Sasikiran.