Jeff Cole has posted an update to his cross-platform 'Chess by Post' application, which allows you to play a game of Chess over the internet with your friends, or a random opponent. The small v4.1 update tweaks the major 4.0 release earlier in the summer with improved layout and formatting of the notes section. But it's the 4.0 release I want to highlight.

This is where the 'notes' section was added, which allows you to take notes and have them attached to an individual game. Obviously these notes are private to you and not seen by your opponent - that's what the in-game chat is for. In terms of playing the game, Chess by Post now picks up on the three-fold repetition conditions that triggers a draw, and stalemate due to insufficient material (ie there are not enough pieces left for a successful checkmate by either side).

Even a year or two after our first review of the app, it's still being improved and riding high in the charts:

Chess by Post, even though it's on a mobile and is a game played over huge distances, makes Chess feel a lot more sociable. This is a simple idea, polished up for Windows Phone, and works well... [Cole has] coded a classic version of Chess, and one that's going to be on my phone for a long time.

Here are the bullet point updates from the App Directory listing.

Version 4.1

• Text wrapping, carriage returns, and scrolling enabled on notes view.
• Notes button changes appearance to let you know if you have a saved note on a game

Version 4.0

• Introducing Move Planner! Freely move pieces in a game to try out possible strategies before submitting and see how the game might unfold!
• Make notes to yourself about games to help remember your strategy
• New wooden board background option added
• Game now automatically detects stalemates on threefold repetition and insufficient material situations

Chess By Post is available both as an ad-supported version and a traditional purchase and play version, both in the AAWP App Directory.