Red Hot Pawn Play Chess
Online correspondence chess on the platform that has run for a quarter of a century. Daily chess against friends or the global community — forums, team play, tournaments, private messaging. Free on iPhone, iPad, Android and the web.
A quarter century of online chess.
Play online correspondence-style "daily chess" on the Red Hot Pawn Play Chess platform — straight from your phone, your tablet, or the web. Take on your friends or challenge the global chess community.
Established in 2001, Red Hot Pawn Play Chess has grown into one of the most active correspondence chess communities on the internet. With a passionate community built over more than two decades, it offers a level of features and camaraderie above what you'd expect from a chess platform.
Cloud-backed to serve millions of pages and API requests every month, with virtually 100% availability since launch.
§ 01 — Built to last
25 years online —
and still growing.
A platform measured not in funding rounds, but in games played — by hundreds of thousands of members.
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№ 01
Established 2001
A quarter of a century of continuous development. The longest-running independent correspondence chess platform on the web.
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№ 02
Virtually 100% uptime
Cloud-backed at scale. Your games are there when you are — morning coffee, lunch break, late-night, holiday.
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№ 03
Built & run by one studio
No acquisitions, no pivots. The same independent UK studio (netAdapt, Newbury) has shipped every release since launch.
§ 02 — Community
More than just
moves on a board.
Two decades of community-driven features built around real players' needs.
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№ 01
Forums
Discuss openings, swap analysis, debate the world's top players, or just talk chess with people who get it.
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№ 02
Team play
Form or join teams. Collective games and team tournaments add a social dimension you won't find on most platforms.
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№ 03
Tournaments
A constant cycle of open and invitational tournaments. Round-robins, knockouts, themed events — there is always something to enter.
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№ 04
Private messaging
Stay in touch with your opponents and team-mates. Messaging built into the platform from the very start.
§ 03 — How it works
Daily chess —
play at your pace.
Correspondence chess is chess that fits around real life. Make a move when you can. Think as long as you need.
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Step 01
Start a game
Challenge a friend, join an open game, or enter a tournament. Pick your time control — typically days per move.
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Step 02
Play on your terms
Get a notification when it's your turn. Make your move whenever — phone, tablet or browser. Play many games at once.
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Step 03
Improve over time
Build a rating, track your progress, swap analysis with the community. The longer you play, the better the platform gets.
§ 04 — Frequently asked
Questions, answered.
For app-store searchers, search engines and curious humans.
- What is Red Hot Pawn Play Chess?
- Red Hot Pawn Play Chess is an online correspondence-style "daily chess" platform. Players make moves at their own pace over hours or days, building games against friends or the global community. The platform has run continuously since 2001.
- Is it free to play?
- Yes. The app is free on the App Store and Google Play, and the website at redhotpawn.com is free to use. Optional subscription tiers unlock additional features on the web, but core play is free.
- How does correspondence chess work?
- Each player has a generous time limit per move (often days). You make a move, the opponent receives a notification, plays their move, and so on. Games run in the background — perfect for fitting around real life.
- What features does the platform offer?
- Forums, team play, tournaments, private messaging, ratings and ranking, game analysis, opening libraries and a deep set of chess tools — all built up over more than 20 years of community-driven development.
- What platforms is it available on?
- iPhone, iPad and Android via the Red Hot Pawn Play Chess app, plus the original website at redhotpawn.com. The same account works across all platforms.
- How reliable is the platform?
- Red Hot Pawn has run with virtually 100% availability since 2001. The platform is cloud-backed and serves millions of pages and API requests every month.
- Who runs Red Hot Pawn?
- netAdapt Ltd, an independent UK software studio in Newbury, Berkshire. We have built and maintained the platform from day one — over a quarter of a century.
- Is there a community?
- Yes — and an extraordinarily active one. Forums, team play, tournaments and private messaging have built a level of features and camaraderie above what you might expect from a chess platform.