Do you prefer to play chess online or over the board (OTB). Please explain why you prefer one over the other. Thank you...

OTB is more enjoyable to play while online is more comfortable (auto-notation, auto-clock). When playing with friends (no clock/notation) I go for OTB.

OTB is best for me but you know what they say about the best camera being the one you have with you...online can't be beat for convenience.

OTB is a more thrilling experience, but chess.com is good for studying.

I agree. I really love to play OTB but I live in a very remote rural area and can't find anybody to play OTB with. Chess.com is definately a super good study tool....

I prefer correspondence or today, turn based chess. I’ve always lived where otb chess is impossible. There was a time when I was playing a lot of otb and one day realized I wasn’t enjoying it. After work on Friday night after putting is 50-60 hours, travelling a couple hours to the site, playing chess 10-12 hours on Saturday then another 8 hours on Sunday, living on fast food, driving back home and getting up at 5:00am Monday. No fun! I also realized that years of shifting plastic around while analyzing postal games had hurt my otb skills.

OTB, tournaments only, its a better test of your ability.

hmm i like both.. OTB is more visual and sometimes you might just see moves you missed on online.. but online chess is fun.. you get to know people from all over the world and get to play chess with them.. and somehow it's not as pressurizing as OTB (OTB can be pressurizing sometimes even when you play friends or relatives as you can see their face and when you see a cheeky smile or something, you would be pressurized into thinking they have a brilliant plan.. this won't happen on online chess)..

I prefer OTB. I haven't yet played a game here but I'll play Live when I do. I've either lived in places where few people play or I've worked long or odd hours when I couldn't play. In fact, I've played chess computers or software much more than humans. I used to love spending a Sunday afternoon with a football game on TV while studying various openings on a computer with books piled around.

Online turn based. It's much more about thinking than about memory.

Here only practice. The real test is OTB. So dont be haughty if you are doing well online. The same difference as between fantasy and reality. So dont feel great if you do better in onlinechess .  Come forward and tell the world i am proven but not here because it would be childish and foolish.

Definitely OTB, I play here just for fun and practice.

Online is my choice because up here in the frozen north there's not a lot of OTB competition. Oh sure, the penguins like to push the pieces around but their knowledge of opening theory, tactics and strategy is almost non-existent. My wife thinks her time is better used making oil for the lamps. The dogs just don't care to take the time to play after a long day of mushing. There is a guy over in Saltwater who knows how the pieces move but ever since he went south to James Bay for vacation he thinks he's too good for chess.

I like OTB SO much better.  But this site is the best of all online sites.

Online...is better.

OTB costs me 2 dollars a game in Harvard Square and real tournaments cost 30-100 dollars just to enter.

Not to mention any Hotel costs if I have to travel to the tournament.

Online Chess costs me 5 bucks a month.

I still play OTB but if I had to choose I would choose Online Chess.

I'm naked right now....That's one of the many perks for Online Chess.

Online.

prefer otb, but this site is pretty good.

No contest, OTB.

Playing a game sitting at a friend's house or in a tournament hall are satisfying experiences for me. Online chess is something I do when I'm bored.

I don't have a preference, I enjoy both, differently. There is a good feeling to handling a nice chess set. USCF OTB is intense, I sspend more time on my moves OTB even if it's friendly. It's hard to find OTB oppertunities. I can easliy play on-line every day. I like playing people from all over the world.

I prefer OTB, but I don't mind playing online