well personally i play ALOT better in person. Seeing the board makes a huge differnce to me. others play alot better online.
Onilne vs OTB

I find a physical or 3d board helps me eliminate blunders with bishops and queens on long diagonals.

I don't think he's cheating, mainly because he and I are usually at the lunch table, and I can see his screen if I try. He never has anything but Chess.com open, at least nothing else chess-related. Maybe it is just having only a 2d board to look at...
>>Renegade \o/

i had the same problem a while back. a friend of mine just started playing and could pass off as a 1000 rated player at best. online...he's rated at just above 2000. i don't know what to say. he beats people above 1800 regularly online too...

Never heard of anyone playing better online than OTB. Most people seem to play about the same or OTB is better, which makes me a wee bit suspicious.

i had the same problem a while back. a friend of mine just started playing and could pass off as a 1000 rated player at best. online...he's rated at just above 2000. i don't know what to say. he beats people above 1800 regularly online too...
That's seems really strange. I guess I don't understand the time-line: Do you mean he used to be a 1000 a while back, when he just started playing, and now he's 2000?
Just curious if this has happened to anyone else. One of my friends has played me several times online, and 3 out of five has beat me pretty harshly. But, everytime he and I play OTB, I completely slaughter him. And I've seen him get slaughter by another friend who I also beat regularly. Just curious if this seems to happen to anyone else, or if I just need to take a break from chess for a while.
>>Renegade \o/