In-game analysis - is it cheating?

No. It is not cheating.  It is completely legal to use during a daily game as long as you don't use any computer evaluation. 

You can also make use of databases as long as they don't allow computer evaluations.

I know j

I know it's legal, my query was more along the lines of - could it perhaps be detrimental to my development as a player if I habitually use the analysis tool? Surely it would help development if I try to visualise it in my head instead of playing it out in an analysis?

detrimental to calculation and visualization.

useful but only use it when you need to.

I think it is probably very useful in developing the ability to foresee the way lines can develop. 

Yes, it would be great if you could do all that in your head and keep all the lines straight, but it is a very difficult task for most people.   

I assume most people are doing it with an idea of what happens if I do something and not just trying every random combination.

Unethical but accepted behaviour is what I consider it, on a philosophical level. How it effected learning would vary from person to person, but hey, if you're going to play with an engine all the time, why even commit any of it to memory?

Not an engine, the analysis available in daily chess. Please reread the OP...

Oh yes THAT analysis, done by a little gnome living inside your computer... lol.

Except that talking to an actual gnome about the game  would be illegal. Lol.

You want to know if using a computer to help you during a game is cheating?  

Certainly not.  Please do it.

Is anyone new posting on this thread going to read the OP?

About 6 months ago I created a similar post on this topic, though my focus was more on using the opening explorer in Daily games. (link if you're interested in the responses).

Since then I've adjusted my perspective.  I've come to accept it's another type of game than live games are. Instead of seeing the engine-less analysis tool as a form of cheating in now see it as a tool to help me calculate lines.  It helps, but I quickly learned that the difficult part is not the visualization, it's the part where I need to think of lines and anticipate my opponents moves.  I even considered it my moral duty to try my best to play good moves. I also expect that from my opponents. In Blitz and Rapid, there is nothing I want more than pressuring my opponents until they blunder, in Daily I find it hugely unsatisfying to win because of an early game unnecessary blunder.

Regarding your specific question. You can always chose to think about a position without any help first. But doing a quick check to make sure you didn't miss anything is not a bad habit, I even recommend it. As long as your aware that it's not the same as playing live or OTB, in Daily you train yourself to play complicated positions and consider long term effects of your moves, you'll need something else to work on visualization or calculation.

I agree with Duckfest. My guess is that it can actually be a tool to ultimately help to train the brain to think visually about lines and anticipating opponents’ moves, potentially making it easier to do it without this tool over time. So potentially the opposite of the OP’s concern could come to pass? The tool in question is effectively a spare board.

The analysis tool in daily games only gives you the ability to move pieces freely. The reason is because daily games here are trying to emulate old correspondence chess, where one opponent would mail his move to his opponent that might be located in different city/country.

One would have a board in front of them with the correct position and try things out by moving the pieces freely.

So when you click analysis, it has nothing to do with engine analysis that you get after the game. You only get the ability to move pieces without submitting your actual move. Of course, this feature is reserved for daily chess only, in live games it is not allowed.

Filigranova - the Analysis tool simply allows you to experiment with different lines for the current game, as if you had a board with you. There isn’t any actual analysis. You can just move both players’ pieces to explore ahead for different moves. It exists in real time for Daily games both online and in the app. In the app the button is a magnifying glass in the centre at bottom of screen as shown in the image below. Online the magnifying glass is at the bottom left. I couldn’t see it on the screenshot you posted though… does it exist below the screenshot area?? 🤔