How long do you think about your correspondence moves?

I think about them 1-40 minutes, often multiple 5 minute sessions per move, until I find a way to get to an ok position. It is common for me to make few if any inaccuracies. I'm sure that annoys some people who set a trap only to see me escape.

Do you play your correspondence games with a will to win? Or do you think for 5 minutes, play a move, and let the future take its course?

I spent at least 4 five minute sessions trying to figure out how to develop while defending a pawn. I was aware of how my opponent could pile up on it. Challenge. I finally realized it was a backward pawn that needs to be traded off. I then realized the best piece to recapture with. I think any other move would have lost a center pawn eventually. Certainly the first few moves I pondered were not strong enough.

By comparison, some of my opponents play 60 games at once and make simple blunders.

@Chesserroo2 said in #2:
> By comparison, some of my opponents play 60 games at once and make simple blunders.

I play 6 games at once, and make simple blunders.



I currently only play correspondence, due to time constraints. However, even with 1 day per move, one player may spend far longer on a move as you say. So, I don't think correspondence gives a good indication of true strength, particular as opening books and databases are permitted. For that reason, I'm considering playing Blitz/Rapid in the time I have available, which may be a unpleasant experience at first. I don't do well under time pressure.

Also, the Insights feature appears to not work for correspondence games any longer. That's such a valuable feature it would be a shame not to make use of it.

I'm suffiently burnt out by deep thinking that I doubt I'll go nearly as deep in the future. I wish I had journalled my thought process so I could correct all of it and not just the parts I remember from 6 day games and deep variations. My plan is to not start more games while I review the finished ones.

Some of the moves I thought about over an hour were classified as blunders by stockfish. Now I have to figure out why.

@Chesserroo2 said in #4:
> I'm suffiently burnt out by deep thinking that I doubt I'll go nearly as deep in the future. I wish I had journalled my thought process so I could correct all of it and not just the parts I remember from 6 day games and deep variations. My plan is to not start more games while I review the finished ones.
>
> Some of the moves I thought about over an hour were classified as blunders by stockfish. Now I have to figure out why.

I don't understand how you can play long form games on a computer. But I also don't understand why I can't do it. There seems to be something in my mind that wants the physical pieces to be in front of me.

I'm thinking I'm thinking not nearly enough... ;-) ;-)

I dont play correspondence but after the 5 or 6 moves if i had unlimited time i might would take a day or two to make a move.

@Nomoreusernames said in #5:
> I don't understand how you can play long form games on a computer. But I also don't understand why I can't do it. There seems to be something in my mind that wants the physical pieces to be in front of me.

I play them on my phone. And I don't move pieces around. I do it all in my head, and I don't consult opening books. I'm strengthening how many variations I can calculate in my head. I'm preparing for an OTB classical tournament, and guaranteeing my learning consists of both long and fast games.