Is this considered cheating?

Often, while I'm playing a computer, I like to feel pieces in my fingers and try out different variations.

I guess it wouldn't be considered cheating since I'm not getting help from anyone but myself. However, I'm wondering if it's technically ethical to do this, since I am not certain whether my opponent has that same advantage.

Anyway, it's weird for me to play chess without feeling something besides a mouse between my fingers. I guess I do this for therapeutic reasons as well as analytical.

So, before considering doing this in live games, I'd like to ask the community what they think.

In a live game, you're not supposed to use an analysis board. In a correspondence game (what this site calls "online chess"), it's fine. This is more tradition than anything else.

In live games, it would be too time consuming. I was referring to correspondence. Thank you so much for your answer :)

really? interesting never knew that before. Just curious though where in the help and support does it say that?

People who ask that question normally end up here

perfectly ok in correspondence

Forget correspondence Keep your games on-line

http://support.chess.com/Knowledgebase/Article/View/13/3/what-are-the-rules-for-playing

It does not specifically say you can use an analysis board, but you can tell chess.com allows it in corr. games because they have an 'analyze' link that gives you a pop-up analysis board. This is consistent with other sites and corr. chess rules dating back to the snail-mail era.

ah i was refering to the fact that i do know a member who did use (he deleted his accout) a board off the internet beside his computer. i was just curious to see why this would be considered cheating. (some of you may know who deepmac was)

Perhaps not necessarily cheating, ChessPlayer6033. I meant to ask if it is A-OK as an ethical chess practice, and wanted to hear from the community about it. So far, the consensus is positive. So, I guess I'll start buying a decent fancy chess table with Staunton 7 pieces :)

I usually play my games without analysing anything while playing, trying my best. After the game is over, I analyse it. The reason that I do this is because I like to "pretend" I am playing in a real tournament game (if you know what I mean), when you cannot do anything more that thinking and making the move you think it's the best 

In live chess "trying out different variations" with either a real board or an electronic one is definitely cheating. You can, however, replicate the game in a real board without trying out any variations. 

In "online chess" (correspondence chess), they are both legal.

You can, however, replicate the game in a real board without trying out any variations

You sure about that Philidor?  I know we're splitting hairs here, but I thought that setting up a board in live chess was illegal as well even if you don't move the pieces around to analyze.

Not 100% sure, but I can't see how that could be considered cheating.

your definately missing something

I agree that it's not really cheating, but I thought our live rules followed OTB tournament rules as much as possible.  If you pulled out a small magnetic set whie playing OTB, even if you didn't move the pieces around, wouldn't your opponent object?  It does give you a different perspective on the board which is against the rules as far as I know.  I'm often wrong however... 

Oops... forgot about the .html at the end. The fixed link is here

i take a chess board and study that. I don't move the pieces though to check things out

still wrong - this directs to www.chess.com/chess.com/cheating.html instead of www.chess.com/cheating.html

Anyway, it is definitely okay to use a real set for analysis.