Edit Position...Then Play Against Computer?

You can do that in Chessmaster.  I think the Fritz programs do that as well.

Thanks, but chessmaster is 30$ and I would rather use my iPad or freeware for this feature instead of buying a program for this single feature. I couldn't find anything about Fritz being avaliable for mac(unless your referring to "Fritz and Chester"), although I may be able to get a PC version to run with crossover, I would rather not.

It is pretty absurd to me that this feature is on the chess.com iPad app, but not actually on the website. I am going to post about it in the suggestion forum because if the site doesn't already have this feature, it needs it badly.

...Another update though: there is a "Play Position Against Computer" feature which is usuable from the tactics trainer and the chess mentor, but still they don't let you customize and set-up the board.

you can try computer workout but here you cannot set up your pieces but you can practice king vs queen and so on against the computer.

Mating with a Queen is playing K Q vs king.

you find computer workout here: learn --> computer workout --> and select the excercise you want.

there is something for all levels in here.

Usually iPhone/iPad apps are cheaper than the ones meant to be used on desktops. I purchased Shredder for iPhone, and it was something like 5.49 euros ($7, I guess), and I've been satisfied with it. Among other things, you can set up your desired position and then play against the computer with it or even analyze the best moves step by step. If you're even moderately interested in chess, then I recommed spending a few bucks on a program like this.

Then again, if the chess.com app already does that, you might not need it...

Search for CompoChess. Then open the program and setup the position. Turn on the computer analysis and hit spacebar after you made your move. Just don't hit it immediately because that makes the computer blunder :) There is a downside thought. The computer is showing his analysis, so you might need to move the program window all the way to the right in order to hide it :)

 If one wants to cheat he will cheat ... This probably takes away the temptation (?) or the embarassment (!) of doing it using chess.com functionality  Nevertheless, I think that if cheaters had that option they would be more easily detected

~bobby and dajacca: Thanks for your input, I will check out the computer workout more and see what I can get out of it. What exercises/positions would you recommend for a complete begginer to practice and get better at?

~Azikikuru: I agree about the cheapness of the apps for iPad/iPhone and I like it.. I will check out shredder and see how I like it. I found that I like "Chess Wise Free" and I think I will upgrade to "Chess Wise Pro" because it is pretty awesome and has this feature too. Thanks for the recommendation.

~nxavar: I searched for compochess but only found a PC program, which I might be able to use with crossover on my mac, but there is likely to be problems. I might try it if I can't find anything better. Thanks for the recommendation though.

~TheMouse & nxavar: That makes a lot of sense, now I think I get why they don't have that feature, but still I also agree with nxavar about how it would be easier to detect a cheater if they were using the feature on the site instead of with a 3rd party application.

Maybe they could create the feature for the site and make clear warnings about how using it to cheat would be detected and punished. It might also be possible to just disable it while any live chess game is going on or something like that.

~Everyone: Do any of y'all use this feature to practice/learn (not on the website)? What do you use it for? How do you get the most out of it? If the feature was added to the site, what would you use it for?

I would use it to learn how to play various end game pawn formations.

I think solvoid is totally right.. it would be a great feature and maybe it just gets disabled if you're in Live chess modes of playing a turn by turn game. I've been looking for the same sort of feature and yeah I could go elsewhere but I spend all my chess time here and everything else is here so I was trying to avoid getting a bunch of other programs. 

Is there anyway to do this on my computer(mac) instead of my iPad?

Not at the moment but we are working on adding this feature.

@kahai: Are there any way to set up position and play computer online at chess.com regardles of platform/os?

Vær relevant, hjælpsom og venlig!

Is this feature available on the Android app?

I do that with my eight year old nephew against Stockfish.  He still needs more practice to put it away with two bishops or bishop and a knight against a lone king however.  Soon enough he'll be ready for Fritz's Technique Trainer =)

PLEASE...after I paid a membership, it is very frustrating that i can[t set up a position and try it. I am trying to master the king and bishop against king, and is not possible on pc. It is possible on ipad (which I need to borrow).

This is really silly. I wouldn[t have paid the membership if i knew this was not possible.

Working on this feature? Maybe im just a simpleton but I feel like if the computer can know how to play during a game it shouldn't be hard to program a start-where-you-want feature. It could play you from that position if you got there during the course of a game... seems fishy to me.

Setting up a position and then playing from that position, or just analyzing that position with an engine, is something every chess player know how and be able to do.  This is simple stuff.  This is Chess 101.

Get a GUI.  There are literally dozens and dozens to choose from.  Many are commercial but many are free.

Get one or more chess engines.  There are literally HUNDREDS to choose from.  MOST of these are free.  Some are commercial.

If your operating system and/or platform doesn't support GUIs and or engines then start using one that does.

With the new chess.com app update, this feature seems to have been removed, and also I can't find it anywhere on the chess.com desktop website. Does anybody know if this feature has just been totally removed from chess.com all together? 

1) Install Lucas Chess and start it.

2) Click Tools - Create Your Own Game

3) Click Config - Start Position

4) Set up the position and click Accept

5) Click Config - Enable Engine to play with you having the side to move in the current position.

OR

Click Utilities - Plays instead of me to have the computer make a move then do step 5 to have the computer play first.

6) Explore the hundreds of other really awesome things about Lucas Chess.

7) Wonder why people suggest crappy stuff like Arena when Lucas Chess and Scid vs. PC exist.