There are several popular and good computer programs available to play chess against, such as Fritz and Chessmaster to name just a couple; also several websites allow one to play against a computer program.

There are also several websites where people can play chess together over the Internet and of course people can play Over-the Board.

 I'd like to hear which methods are preferred by chess players in this forum, how they may use each available method, and what benefits or pros/cons they have experienced with each.

 

  

When I want to master an endgame, it's difficult to find a willing human victim who's good at the ending, so I practice against Rybka, Fritz, or Crafty. If I want to practice an opening line against a human-like opponent Chessmaster is a good choice.

 

Otherwise, I prefer humans. Humans don't always play the lines you're expecting, and they tend to set and fall for traps! Humans often have a better positional understanding. I think playing computers exclusively can be harmful to your chess.

Hi, I feel playing  humans are better, the game feels more 'alive'. Although computers are good and invaluable analysts the play a certain plain tactical way that doesn't have the same feel as if I was playing a human.

Sal. 

You will find programs are so strong it only makes sense to play vs a human.  Then you can use the program to analyze the game.

Both are good. But playing with friends is always more lively.

If you like losing play rybka or any of the top programs out there, if you prefer not to lose all the time play people.

I would often play Chessmaster, but you are more likely to lose since you get only get to play against moves that are set for a computer since it only knows the rules and movements of the pieces, but when you play a person you are playing a human which is more vulnerable to mistakes and also more likely to know how to move around leave traps as well as openings for takeing or checking the king.