using and playing on a second board would only be cheating if you are physically moving the pieces around during play. (meaning moving them around on the second board prior to making your move on the computer. That could be considered assistance). 

Otherwise, if you are simply mimicking moves on a physical board to duplicate an OTB experience on a 3D surface, rather than playing on your computer on a 2D surface - how is that cheating at all?? I do not see it. 

Again, it would be stupid to do while playing fast time controls as it uses up too much time. But if you want to have an "OTB chess" type experience and you are simply making the same moves on both boards and not moving pieces around testing out positions between moves, you would not be cheating. 

Am I missing something? 

Using a board while playing daily games is not a violation of the fair play rules. I asked Chess.com directly to find out. I’d encourage anyone to ask them directly rather than depend on the information (correct or incorrect no matter how well intended) on the forums. Remember Daily games are quite different than Live games as the use of the board is a clear violation of the fair play rules in the Live games.

That being said, “Keep on Trucking” and be safe out there. We need you SweeperAZ!

Agreed. The key word is - If

Most players are ethical and do not abuse the practice. It is of no advantage.

 This is a thread for beginners and the question is asked- is it a good practice / good advice for them to use a 2nd board?

As players become experienced don’t we all almost instantly (in many of our games) recognize a blunder?  Soon as the piece is dropped we say to ourselves - oh no that’s a losing move. However - no take backs are ever allowed - the move has to be entered.

I ask why place yourselves in that situation - one that will be recurring constantly? We all see all the bad sports quitting games - do you think they will be 100% ethical? Especially new players- perhaps the temptation becomes to great and a take back is made. End of story. For this reason the practice is not endorsed but at the same time is not sanctioned as it is unenforceable.

I completely understand wanting to replicate the 3D experience- especially in long time controls. But it really is not that difficult to adapt to 2D with practice. It’s not that people think others are always cheating - not the case. Many rules are made as preventive measures- to simply eliminate the possibility. Such is the case - a 2nd board is technically against the rules but in a grey area where players are asked to forever be ethical. Why not avoid the situation? The practice in of itself is a Disadvantage. It’s a burden and leads to mistakes. So simple to adapt to 2D.

And why not simply play unrated games for a while till 2D becomes old hat?

Yes indeed. Learn by doing. I have made such posts in other threads about learning . So do it - play 2D and learn !

There are five established learning styles: Visual, auditory, written, kinesthetic and multimodal. Kinesthetic learners have to do something to get it, while multimodal learners shift between different techniques.

There really is no need to copy/ paste every previous post - then respond with but a few words .

It’s a choice for every player to make - do they accept the responsibility of always entering the move made on the 3D board even knowing they have hung their Queen. Play so many games and take back but one time - I know enough that it won’t be the last. It simply is quite the deal to ask of beginners who are struggling to learn the game - this added responsibility. It is only of concern in rated live games - so play till confidence is gained.

👍 I think you just countersunk two nails with one blow of the hammer. 🍻

TT - you”ll find my post about learning was made yesterday in another thread. Now you’re just being insulting. Good bye

This thread is about Live play only.

Everybody knows it’s perfectly fine for Daily

Well, if it matters, Square-off is going to be releasing new lower-cost versions of their chess sets and they still have chess.com integration.

Here's the Neo:

https://squareoffnow.com/product/neo

Just use the second board when playing against the computer in practice games. Problem solved, NEXT!

Rules And Fair Play

What do I need to know about Fair Play on Chess.com?

What are the rules?

• No chess programs or engines (e.g. Chessmaster, Fritz, Komodo, Houdini, Stockfish, Chessbase with any active UCI engine, etc.) can be used to analyze positions in ongoing games at any time.  
• In Daily Chess (turn-based games with several days per move), you may consult any resource which is not engine-based. This includes books, opening databases (including the Chess.com Explorer) for [www.chess.com/openings|opening moves], and thematic games (though not their engine analyses).  Tablebases are NOT allowed. You may not consult an engine, or another human, to provide an opinion on the opening database, tablebases, self-preparation or analysis that would relate to a particular game-in-progress on Chess.com. 
• In Live Chess, no outside assistance OF ANY KIND is permitted.
• Fixing game results by arranging games, playing with multiple accounts or losing intentionally is also against the rules.
• Do not let anyone else play on your account! This is strictly against the rules! 

מדוע שנצטרך לוח לידינו

A 2nd board provides opportunity and most importantly the means  at a player’s fingertips for takebacks/analysis. 
Whether or not they abuse the 2nd board is open for the Fair play team to determine any possible sanction/warning. The rule is a preventative measure.

A 2nd board is “outside assistance”. No question. Because a player “swears” he will never take back a move or analyze does not make the practice “fine/ok to do”  or endorsed as acceptable practice.

The rule is unenforceable in the privacy of your home setting. Hence, the best can be said is a reminder to please not abuse it. There is little doubt if players were directly observed on camera using a 2nd board that a warning would be forth coming.

A 2nd board is a Disadvantage in several aspects. A great percentage of games- even longer time controls- come down to a time scramble at the end. If you were using a 2nd board it would need to be abandoned and the game finished on the screen. Why even go there? Learn to play 2D. Need a learning curve? Play unrated against the computer with the 2nd. Adapting to 2D is easily accomplished.

The advice is for new players. Those already using a 2nd board started sometime ago - have made their rationalizations and likely will not change. As in the case with Wesley- old habits are hard to break - Until he was forfeited a game. 
Those who argue a 2nd board is not providing them with any assistance- I’d ask - then why are you using it? Commonly answered by they are not gaining any “advantage”. The rule is a preventative measure and says nothing about any gained advantages as a criteria.

A real board, or second board, is not outside assistance. If it was, chess.com would say so. Using that board, or any other means, for analysis IS assistance. Which is against the rules. But use of the board itself is not. "assistance, the action of helping someone with a job or task". That's what the dictionary says. A real board is an inanimate object. It's literally impossible for it to be of assistance. The "assistance" comes from someone moving around pieces on that board to try out different options. Chess.com already says that's against the rules. It's impossible for relaying moves to a real board to be cheating because it's an exact replica of the actual game.  Writing down moves, in notation form, is also relaying moves and an exact replica of the actual game. 

I suspect this is why nobody has been able to come up with any examples where someone was penalized for using a real board even though they openly admit doing it. 

As far as why people use a real board, I can only answer for myself. I use a real board for the EXACT same reason I use a brown and tan online board, and neo pieces. I like the look of it and it helps with visualization. If I had to use a blue and red board with weird looking pieces I would have a much harder time "seeing" the game. 

Rules And Fair Play

Yes. I think we all agree "analyse on another chessboard" is forbidden. Also agree that using any sources of information or advice are also forbidden. But we aren't talking about that. 

Someone can walk into the station and say I’m a bank robber, I speed on the highway, any sort of restricted activity. The authorities can not and do not issue a citation or make arrest until evidence is found or observed. They must be caught in the act or investigation made for any action to take place. Same here. Proclaim using a 2nd board is not cause for any any action. There is no proof. CC has acknowledged there is no way to obtain such rendering the rule unenforceable- they only say it is technically against the rules and please do not abuse the 2nd board. This is said for good reasons - many already explained with common sense. They know many use one- they do not want to lose members over the issue as the practice is viewed as being a disadvantage in the 1st place. Staff has said as much in the past- do not use the board for analysis. This does not mean the practice is endorsed or encouraged. That it is OK.

The issue extends beyond making analysis to taking back moves. Any move - including a realization a Queen is hung etc. Pkayers become ethically bound to never ever make one . Not a favorable position.

How about making a video PG ? That of you using a 2nd board during Live play in a rated game. Visual evidence. Post it on CC and await any consequences that will surely come your way.

Yep.

I can't imagine there would be any point in that though. In your examples it would be like consequences for not robbing a bank, not speeding, etc. Using a real board is not assistance, like we all agree on, using it for analysis is assistance. Chess.com has stated they have a policy of wanting to mimic real (otb) chess as much as possible. Using a real board obviously mimics the real chess experience more than almost anything else. So it would be pretty tough to claim they want members to have the most enjoyable experience (while not being assisted) and at the same time disallow the very things that promote what they claim to want. It would be like wanting members to have a good time playing blitz chess, but you aren't allowed to use a clock.