Do you use analysis board?

do you?->->->->->->->->

Possibly. Why do you ask?

Of course.  I can visualize fairly well OTB (and even play blindfold), but in an unclear position I'll often play a game out to the endgame through many variations, to get a feel for the strategic keys.  Much easier than setting up a real board!

I suspect, though, that this question is made not out of curiosity or a desire to learn, but rather just as another launching pad for the Real Men purists to howl about their misconceptions of the differences between OTB and correspondence chess.  Oh well, might as well give the crowd what they want.

Just to see how many people actually think or do they just say"this is a good move, why not try it!" and then it turns out it's a mistake where as if you use analysis board you play as the other person and think about what he might do and see a mistake. That is why I ask.

I do NOT use the analysis board as I am primarily an otb player and believe doing so will hurt my otb play.

I agree. I've only played a few OTB games and I can already see how the analysis board can become a crutch.

It certaintly is tempting though.

DB users bother me more. Although I'm well aware it's a part of the rules.

I thought it was understood that with slow chess-over-the-weeks you could examine possible variations in more detail than you can in your mind over the board. I think people should probably make more use of the analysis board just as they should probably jot down variations that occur to them; hopefully their games would be of a better quality. Whether all of this ruins your OTB skill I don't know, I don't think it does.

 I play a lot otb and I have played postal chess in the past when actual postcards were used and now I play postal chess here, basically thats what this form of chess is. I can tell you that using the analysis board here IS a crutch when you play otb. It weakens your otb ability to accurately and swiftly analyze/calculate variations in otb play ( with the clock ticking ) . If you are not primarily an otb player then this doesnt matter but if you are then I would avoid using the analysis board.

what is a DB user ??

Thanks Reb for your input (#9, above) and I'll take note of your advice. I still think there must be a place, even for OTB players, for shuffling the bits around on a board (or a screen) to examine variations. For instance, when checking out a famous game with copious annotations, the given variations can be set up and slowly gone through, time and time again, until some understanding is gained. That understanding might NEVER be gained if you had to picture all the complications mentally.

Database.

I use the analysis board but am in two minds about it. It helps me to better understand a position but I'm sure it's hurting my 'real-time' analysis. Maybe I'm kidding myself when I say that I'll wean myself of it some time in the future....when I've improved my game!

Beautifully expressed.

 You refer to studying when you talk about moving pieces about during going over a famous game. I am referring to playing. Playing otb and playing postal , or turn based chess are very different. What helps in one form of chess may be detrimental to the other form(s). What one basically has to decide is which type of chess is more important to them and make their decisions based on this. OTB play is most important to me so I try not to pick up habits from other forms of chess that will be detrimental to my otb play, thus I do not use the analysis board here. However, I DO spend sometimes a day or more on a critical move which you certainly cannot do in otb chess.

Yes.

One serious shortcoming of the Analysis Board when used in post-game analysis mode is that you cannot diverge from the line of play actually taken.

What is otb play?..

Over the board.

Chess, in person.

Oh, wow, I feel stupid now.