Using a Real Chessboard To Play Live Games

Does anyone use a real chessboard to play live games on this site?

Do you mean an electronic board that will register moves?

No. I can't afford one of those unfortunately. I mean using a real chessboard with real pieces and transposing every move on the screen on to the real board. The idea would be to make your moves on the real board and only look at the screen after your opponent makes his move and after you transfer  your opponent's move on the real board etc. throughout the entire game. In this manner you will be training your OTB board visualization.

THE SCREEN WILL HELP U BE MORE IMAGINATIVE, SINCE IT HAS ABSTRACT NATURE, AND CANT TOUCH THE PIECES... THE ONLY ADVANTAGE U WOULD GAIN FROM A REAL BOARD IS ITS SIZE, SINCE IT WILL TRAIN U TO HAVE WIDER VISUAL SCOPE... THUS WIDER SCREEN IS ADVICED IF U ARE REALLY INTO THE CHESS BIZ

Thanks Madabel!

There's another advantage to using both. When I first started using a 2D board, I had a difficult time "seeing" the board. Now after over a decade playing only on 2D computer boards, I find it very difficult grasping the spatial sense of a 3D board. 

I don't understand the cheating part. If the Captain is referring to the fact that you could use the real chessboard as an analysis board that doesn't make sense to me. Why would someone go through the trouble of setting up a real board and transposing moves from the screen onto the real board and play at a disadvantage if the person's goal is to cheat? If someone wants to cheat they will use an engine. 

I actually play 30 minutes games with a real board! Feels more like "real" chess to me cheers!

Thanks evert!

This can be very true. If you are planning to play in a OTB tournament and have only played online, I would strongly recommend using a 3d board for practice. you will not understand it until you try and see the difference it will make. 

It is important to do otb chess and online chess. The visualizing is different. Setting up a board while playing online gives one a feel for the game. Even many experienced chess trainers suggest playing with a board when online, to closely simulate a real otb game.

Technically speaking it IS against the rules since chess.com attempts to recreate OTB play as much as possible.  Obviously an arbiter would be called if you tried to use a second board in a tournament.  Luckily though, no one gives a sh#t since there is no way to enforce the rule.  If you are using the second board for analysis however, then shame on you.  No way anyone will know but your conscience, but that should be enough to keep you from doing it.  My $.02.

Baddogno raises a good point. However I think that if someone wanted to have a second board to play out different lines during a live game a real chessboard would not be as practical as a simple chess app would be. As I see it the only reason someone would setup a real chessboard when playing a live game would be to simulate OTB play. Since Chess.com does have 3D board settings I fail to see how using a real chessboard could possibly be considered outside assistance since transposing every move to a real board back and forth puts that player at a definite disadvantage.

I don't see the disadvantage if you use a second analyze board. Of course, it is cheating.

Actually, it is the other way around. If you see benefit from using a real board, then it is you transposing moves to the computer. That benefit is what some may consider unfair because you are probably also moving pieces around, like with the analyze option.

Well, guys I do not really know what is going on in this discussion. You can also move the pieces in the electronic board to see the sequence and the consequences of your thoughts. In the "old days" when internet did not exist, players did have a board onto which not only they displayed the current position  of their games but also moved the pieces back and forth to see how the game could go. This whole thing is in a distance game by no means cheating!! For God´s sake, you can even use books and magazines. That is the purpose of the whole thing. To increase the learning and understanding of the game. Only using electronic devices to see what your next move is going to look like and develop is cheating, because computers are so powerful these days. I think you are taking the whole stuff too long along a wrong road.

Cheers to all.

It's not about dalily games but about live games.

This topic has come up before. I like using a real board, and it's much more enjoyable to play real people on a real board than it is to play online. Chess.com has claimed that they try to mimic real chess games, but at the very same time, they contradict themselves by saying using a real board is against the rules. Using a real board IS the best way to recreate a real chess experience. It's hard to imagine playing the game it was intended and call it cheating. Golf for example was intended to use golf balls. It's not cheating to use a golf ball, even though others might want to use tennis balls.

The real board contradiction is sort of like when you call a company and they put you on hold for 45 minutes, dont answer your questions, and then hang up on you just after they tell you customer satisfaction is their main priority. 

It's laughable to say one thing, then immediately contradict it. Using a real board is against the rules, but it's obviously not enforceable. It was asked if recreating a true chess experience is the goal, is playing online chess in your pajamas against the rules too. Or having a glass of wine. Or listening to music. Are all those against the rules because they recreate real chess and happen to give one player an advantage? Customer service did not have an answer. 

Actually I don't visualize better on a real chessboard. The idea of using a real chessboard to simulate an OTB game means that you don't move pieces around. You would play the game with the "one touch" rule meaning that all calculations must be done in your head. The reason someone would play live games with a real chessboard is to improve their 3D visualization for when playing in an OTB chess tournament. It's just a training tool for players that don't have access to a chess club and have limited opportunities to play OTB.