Are world-class correspondence games more likely to be drawn than world class OTB games? A games of chess with perfect play from both sides may be a draw. And while we don't have any perfect chess players it does seem that a match between two equally strong grandmasters is more likely to be drawn that a game between two equally strong amateurs (though I have no statistics on this).

I believe the closest thing we have to perfect play is world-class correspondence play. Are top quality correspondence games yet more likely to be drawn that OTB grandmaster games?

EDIT in response to @Rauan's question: I'm not sure whether world-class correspondence play allows for use of computer, but I would be interested in statistics either way.

EDIT: in response to @Spork's point engine vs. engine games, I looked around online. The CCRL list shows the strongest AIs drawing 45%-60% of the time at relatively brisk 40-moves-in-40-minutes time controls. I found a post on chess.org that says that human grandmasters "have a draw rate approaching 60% or more in their games with other GMs," but these would be at longer time controls than the 40/40. So I don't think there's a clear signal.

A site called KCEC has a regression analysis showing that stronger engines to tend to draw more than weaker engines even when correcting for the difference in rating between opponents.
Yes (actually, hell yes).
World class correspondence chess is very close to the infamous &quot;draw death&quot; of chess. If you thought 70-80% draw rate among the world elite at classical chess was bad, check out what it's like at world correspondence chess championship level: 9 decisive games out of 136 played, or about 95% draws.
World class correspondence chess has some pretty crazy statistics as a result:

Anyone can draw against anyone else (comparatively, a player rated ~2000 has no chance against a player rated 2700+ in OTB classical).
Because most games ends in draws, it's awfully hard to gain elo. You stay where you are!
Some openings are considered so drawish that a draw can be predicted right out of the opening, e.g.:


DN: What is your Centaur opinion over AlphaZero? Would you be able to beat it in a fair match?
WM: That whole spectacle seemed to be a spun tale with a stacked deck. If AlphaZero were to play in an actual engine tournament like the TCEC, I seriously doubt it would even make it to the semifinals. In terms of beating it though, I couldn't say if that would actually happen. It could play something like the Petroff and easily draw and that would look like some sort of small victory on its part. However, I will say it will NOT beat me in a Centaur CC game. That's just not going to happen.


Can you imagine an OTB tournament where there is no winner because every game is drawn? It's happened in correspondence chess.
I've seen one top correspondence chess player say he'd have some pretty good odds of drawing against a 32-piece tablebase (!) in some lines such as the Ruy Lopez Berlin, even as Black.

As engines keep getting better, this draw rate is going to keep increasing.
Edit: here's a graphic by former World Correspondence Chess Champion Leonardo Ljubičić with the draw rates in correspondence chess. Engines are clearly having an impact in the middle range and above.