Cheating & Openings

We are allowed to take help of computer for openings database in turn based games.

I would like to know how many initial moves are considered "opening" ?

Frankly, my own experience (wheneve I decided to lookup database, which itself is very few times) in trying to take help of opening database has not been very successful because (a) I forget after 2-3 moves that I had decided to lookup openings database or (b) after 4-5 moves itself the opponent makes a move for which I have to come up with my own move.

However, I would still like to know how many initial moves are considered "opening moves" so that I am clear in my conscience about playing by rules.

 There is no set number for the " opening " in chess. If I had to set such a number I would say somewhere between 8 to 12 moves. However, "opening theory" has evolved so much that many "opening" books go past move 30 ! Clearly these books are covering middlegame territory as well and not just openings. As for the use of databases here its my understanding that its allowed and NOT limited to only the " openings ". I have had some of my games here follow some of my data base games way past the opening phase.

Well, Eric (staff) says:

 "The only type of computer assistance allowed is games databases for opening lines in Turn-based Correspondence-style Chess and Vote Chess."

So I think you can't use computer beyond openings when playing On Line games.

you can use the databse for as far as it goes, if it's 20 moves or 30 moves as long as it is a previously played game that's perfectly legal.   You will notice that even the explorer here gives the entire game, so you are entitled to look over tha game in its entirety and follow the moves if you and your opponent do the same.

 I followed one game well into the 20 move area.  Interestingly my opponent was following the same game which was in an openings  database on another well known  website. I was white and in fact white had lost the game but I read through it all as I thought that white had the better position in the opening, sure enough he had simply made a mistake much later.  My opponent was clearly more lazy and followed the game blindly thinking that black would win, only too late did he realise that black was worse...I won. Motto don't follow databases blindly.