The play by correspondence (JPC) consists in playing whereas the players are not physically together, nor available to the same moment.

They use to communicate a system of transmission of messages, historically the postal Courrier but since the democratization of Internet, more and more the email and finally the Web. In the case of the email, one usually finds the abbreviation PBEM which comes from English Play By E-Mail , or more rarely Jeu by email. The exchange of message can also be done by the means of forum S, one speaks then about Jeu by forum. More and more of plays also directly use forms Web, on sites carried out in PHP, with the result that one can speak about Jeu PHP.

In the beginning, the play generally proceeded between 2 players who échangaient messages directly. The time of a part can in this case very long being. For example, an international tournament of failures by postal mail can last 2 years, each player playing all the parts with the other players at the same time.

But the plays with several are possible. There is then a leader of plays who centralizes all the messages, manages the turn of play then returns the answers to the players and so on. A Web site is generally set up to answer this organization.

The list of the plays being able to be practiced in this manner is large, one finds there for example:

• plays of reflection
• the failures
• the ladies
• abalone

• plays of plate

• plays of conquest or war ( wargame ) (example: Full Metal Planet, Diplomacy…)

• the roleplays

• inspired of adapted existing plays (example: AD& D, Cthulhu, Warhammer,…)
• inspired by novels (ex: The lord of the rings)
• historical (time ancient, medieval, rebirth, etc.)
• completely original

• plays of sport

• cycle races
• races of cars
• football

• the plays of simulation

• breeding of virtual animals on virtual Internet
• micromonde in which the players create nations, make them evolve/move, direct them: to see the Archipelago of political Micromonde
• purse

The majority of these plays are amateurs and free. Certain plays can require an optional financial support of the players to help with the financing of the operation of the play (cost of lodging of the site). Others group in associations. There exist also paying plays.

External bonds general practitioners

• TourDeJeu : Gate of the Plays by Correspondence
• LudiMail: Association of promotion of the plays by e-mail
• Nainwak Association: Association of which the goal is to support free plays Internet, opened with all, and amateurs
• Fog off War: Label quality of the online games
• Range One Net: magazine for the creators of PBeM
• Gamers' room: Directory of the plays by Internet
• Lines concerned: helps and councils with the creators of roleplays by email and forum
• PbeM news: publication of advertisements and current events on these plays
• Other Worlds: files of an old directory of the plays by e-mail