cheat engines...c.c says it ok?

Wow....im flabergasted......cheating id say defined..unfair advantage...most people dont use any aids..i supposse that makes us stupid idiots....i accept ur points and understand...but ive no way and no wish for any aids.....i just think before a game starts people should state what there using..

It's not an unfair advantage because your opponent makes a choice not to do the same.

This is something that I ponder a lot. It's wrong to use engines to do your moves of course but it's ok to use an opening databases on your 1 move/3 day games. Think about it. While playing a long game you see this at the side.

Let's Play!

When you click 'Explore' you get a big database. 

when did chess stop being a game? Very sad...none of us rver gonna be champs.always gonna be millions better than me...maybe youse have forgotten sportsmanship

Those who believe players using databases are not "using their brain" are simply naive, or their understanding of chess openings and chess theory is so ridiculously weak that there is no point in discussing chess with them.

It takes a lot of work to use databases against an opponent who is doing the same to steer that opponent into an unfavorable line. The players who are still crushing me in every game on this site (almost everyone over 2300) know how and when to deviate from established theory. I do the same to most players under 2000. 

scott my phone barely lets me play chess...i understand now that database is allowed...i'll never agree its ok or use one...im new to chess and both saddened and surprised..be nice iff cc got another section going that was just straight chess....i really did learn something tpday: (

Correct. I guess if your opponent decides not to use every aid that the rules allow, then he is at a "fair disadvantage".

You have two options then: play live chess (no database is allowed in that case), or find someone else who is against database use and play with him. 

Please play with me

There is a group for people who want to play online chess with no databases or analysis board. I don't remember the name, but maybe you can search it.

And here's wiki (just in case you don't believe us ):

Correspondence chess differs from over-the-board play in several respects. While players in OTB chess generally play one at a time (an exception being a simultaneous exhibition), correspondence players often have several games going at once. Tournament games are played concurrently, and some players may have more than one hundred games continuing at the same time.

Time limits in correspondence play are usually between 30 and 60 days for every 10 moves (plus transmission time in postal chess). This time allows for far deeper calculation, meaning that blunders can be less frequent. Certain forms of assistance, including books, chess databases and sometimes chess programs, are often allowed. Books and databases are almost universally acceptable, but organizations vary as to whether chess engine use is permitted.

You think chess is a game?!  That's it, do 20 endgame problems, now! :D

Lol...that opened a can of worms....ive got regular players who will also b surprised by this...as I said im new to chess and id say most people playing dont realise database allowed...my opening stinks so I lose automattically....lol my middle will just have to get better

Ive noticed I struggle so bad v anyone over 1800...maybe I ve found the reason...lmao...still think its cheating....if its an unfair advantage

Doubtful. If you play a bad move the refutation won't be in the database. Most tactics I win with are once we are out of the opening database.

lol...so im basically beatenn within 5 mvs by anyone using a database?.....so im underated

No. You struggle because they are better players than you, the opening is foundamentally meaningless under 2000 as long as you play reasonable moves. If you want, we can play a game where i open 1.e3 Nc6 2.e4 Nb8 as black. it should be enough to be out of the database;) If i still win, then the database is not the reason you're losing games , right?

Add me.

Historically, it is in the spirit of correspondence chess to use databases and opening explorer but there is a need to define correspondence chess(CC) in today's context.

The basic sprit of chess is to use your own mind. In earlier times, such things ( opening books and databases)were allowed cause  at that time nature and availability of such resources were very different. Today these are readily available on computers. You just need to put a position on your database and out of millions of games, it will show you all the games in which such position existed and you can see how titled players reacted to those situation it can go on.

Now what are the implications of using these resources:

1. If you use database, generally you don't have to use ur mind upto some 25 moves. Given both you and ur opponent have average chess understanding. (decide yourself how big a help is this and if this is in the spirit of chess).

2. Allowing opening explorer and database use means 'forget using gambit openings and sharp tactical openings such as Ponziani. Ponziani is a very good opening against somebody who doesn't know it but if your opponent has access to explorer and database excess and you use ponziani, good luck trying to get a result out of it)

3. Using database means opening database on your chess GUI and if one does it, 99.99 %  he would have a look on position evaluation if not the next move. 

In this forum, many ppl are saying 'it is in the spirit of CC and it is within the rules. In my humble opinion, it is the right thing to debate the rationale behind rules rather than stating what is in the rules or using  the classic 'love it or leave it' line.  I don't know what is in the spirit of CC but I know the basic spirit of chess is to use your mind rather than using database.

Thank you

Internet chess is not cheating proof. Live with it. You know that your opponents can use engines or books or perhaps have a dad that is a GM and that helps. That is why the points on the internet are just for fun. I know that chess.com etc..would like to see this otherwise, but it is not possible. I play completely natural, but will not chase anybody around when i suspect that they do not.. Go to a chess cafe or something but stop whining about this subject. They do what they can to prevent blatant use of chess engines, but the rest is fighting against windmills.