This chess server's main purpose is to link users who want to play chess. Among other things, the server allows you to contact other users about playing chess matches, checks to make sure that your moves are legal, keeps track of the board position while you play, and updates ratings of players after the match.
The basic way of contacting a user about playing a chess match is by using the match command. There is a separate help file for the match command, so we will not go into details here. But here (Table 6) is a list of the various commands that you may want to learn about (remember that requests are sent to your opponent, not to the server, and must be accepted by your opponent in order to occur).
| command | function |
| match | request a match with another user |
| abort | request that a game be canceled |
| accept | accept a request from a user |
| adjourn | request that the match be stopped, saved and continued at another time |
| decline | decline a request from a user |
| draw | request that the chess match be declared a draw |
| flag | end the match because your opponent is out of time |
| moves | have FICS send you the moves to the match you are playing |
| pause | request that the match be suspended temporarily, but not adjourned |
| promote | set the kind of piece a pawn will be promoted to when it reaches the back rank |
| refresh | display the current board position |
| resign | give your opponent the win, and end the match |
| say | communicate with your current (last) opponent |
| switch | request that you and your opponent change sides (colors) |
| takeback | request that one or move moves be taken back (canceled) |
| unpause | request that a paused match be resumed |
| withdraw | cancel a request you have made |
It is possible to play matches with more than one user simultaneously, much like a simultaneous exhibition at many major chess tournaments. If you are interested in playing more than one chess game at once, or interested in playing against someone with simultaneous matches, read the "simuls" file.
See also: match, simuls [and the individual commands]