You shouldn't be using an engine. A database does not require an engine.
Did you cheat?
Sort:
Aug 3, 2011
0
#3
if there is an engine involed at all then yes you cheated. However once your game is completed then you can use your engine to evaluate the game.
Just play the moves you think are best. After the game is the time to get out your engine or tablebase or database or book or your friend that is good at chess to figure the game out better.
I agree. Any reference to engine in the middle of a game should be considered cheating.
But consider the following:
1. As black I often get 1.d4 opening and I am not comfortable with it.
2. So I look up an engine and decide to go deep into 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 different variations. I play these 8-9 variations to the end using the engine.
3. I note down these moves.
4. Now when I am faced with 1.d4, I will try to play one of these variations.
5. After some moves there will be a deviation. BUT I am strong willed and I do not go back to engine.
6. I refer to my notes and see if I get a good idea of how to respond.
Did I cheat? The moves will show that I followed an engine.
I strongly feel I did not because I used the engine as a tool to find best moves BEFORE the game started. If I am not allowed to use engine moves even like this, then of what use is the engine as a tool to improve my chess?
In fact I have started building a repertoire of such moves for my next 1.d4 encounter just a week back and plan to unleash it on my opponent in future.
Godspawn wrote:
Just seeing someone post this and havng to ask if its cheating....Now i understand why this site has closed 700+ accounts for cheating lately.
No Godspawn, players can be actually confused about the edge where cheating meets fair play. See Frankdawg's post. Apparently he feels using table-base, database and books is cheating. In turn-based it is not. But seeking help of friends and engines is. In live games none is allowed. Every site has it's own rules and may not be the same.
The use of an engine and friends in the middle of a game is a big NO NO here. But in real world championships it is allowed if a game is adjourned! So we can't even speak of "chess rules".
Skand, I think you are confusing an engine with a database.
rooperi wrote:
Skand, I think you are confusing an engine with a database.
You think? 
rooperi wrote:
Skand, I think you are confusing an engine with a database.
Actually, no. I am quite clear about the two.
Aug 3, 2011
0
#10
Please refer to this page
http://www.chess.com/forum/view/community/chesscom-policy-on-cheating
We provide tools to report cheating to our staff. But having several constant and redundant threads on the topic that circulate with the same questions and comments over and over again isn't helpful, and instead causes people to worry more than they need to. If you want to discuss cheating, please do it in this group
http://www.chess.com/groups/home/cheating-forum
Referring to openings database can be grey areas. For example:
1. You start a game, black replies with a move which is new to you.
2. Next you explore openings and like to investigate a Viswananthan's line of play in a particular game.
3. Remember: you have still not played move 2.
4. So you open that game in an engine. You see Viswanathan's moves and also check what the engine has to say about those moves.
5. You make the notes. You close the engine. You have made notes and promised to yourself that after 2nd move you will NOT go back to the engine.
6. You make your 2nd move (irrespective whether it is Anand's second move or engines's 2nd move or any other). All the three moves may also be part of online-database.
Did you cheat?