Using software to work out moves and "beat" someone

I wouldn't count on this method for two reasons. First, somebody cheating on this site is probably not feeding moves directly from an engine (I don't know if that's even possible here). Human players will still be feeding the moves in even though they may come from a computer, so you'll still get an answer even from someone who's cheating. Second, a lot of people don't bother with chat so a non-response is no indication whatever that you're dealing with a cheater.

I think it’s entirely possible that some people use some kind of software or game system to gain an upper hand.  I do think that it’s counter productive because 1) you don’t really think the moves out yourself, so you don’t learn and 2) with any luck, one day you’ll play that person in real life and see what moves he/she really makes!

It is not only possible, it's easy.  There is a link to download pgn files during your games....this allows individuals to immediately open up the current game in programs like Vektor and Chessmaster.  It would be as simple as double clicking on the downloaded file.  I have used the PGN file to review my mistakes after the game is over, but unfortunately others might easily use this to "cheat".  

I actually do this, but from a strict educational standpoint. I ALWAYS choose and submit my move first. But after moving, if the move was not obvious I plug it into a chess engine to see what I "should" have done, or at least other alternatives. A lot of times I'm right on the money, but when I'm wrong it's helpful to know so I make better choices the next time around.

It's very easy. Download one of the popular chess engines from the "downloads" section of this site. When playing a game, you can save the "PGN" (which is kind of like a standardized chess fingerprint) to a file. Quite a few engines read PGN files and will set up the board exactly as it was elsewhere. You can then tell the chess engine to play as you, and it will select the next move.

365chess.com also has an "Explorer" that is really handy for openings. It will tell you how most people react to a specific sequence of opening moves as well as the name of the opening at any given move. It's very cool.

I'll say again that I do not use these techniques to gain an advantage over my opponent, and neither should you. But learning chess is something you SHOULD do WITH the help of others, be it through books, coaches, chess engines, or analysis of your own games. Just be honest with yourself and others about your process.

I play on another site where this is currently the hot topic of discussion. I have a couple of points to make:

1) There are people who use chess engines to varying degrees, they cheat. What can you do about it? Even if you have a team of people and systems in place to deal with this the detection process is also open to abuse and accusations (the cause of much trouble currently on the other site). I find that the more is overtly done about the problem the more paranoia about the problem increases.

2) It has been suggested that strong players not posting in the forums is a cause for suspicion. This has also been suggested on the other site. A year ago (approximately) there was a great deal of this nonsense. A couple of high rated players started posting on the forums and then got accused of cheating! Funnily enough they stopped posting after that.

You can make of that lot what you want. My opinion is that cheating does happen but it is not nearly as widespread as some would like us to believe. If it was there would be more players at the top end of the rating scale than at the bottom. 

I agree that using a chess engine to play someone in a rated game is just plain unethical.  Unfortunately in correspondance chess, unlike live, it is the nature of the beast to have time to study for your next move.  People have used databases of past games to help them decide which move to use since, well, forever.  But in doing so, you learn more about the game, why/how that particular line works etc.  I do that when I can because I am just learning.  A chess engine on the other hand, can be a useful tool if used properly (post-game analysis, practice, etc), but ultimately does all the work for someone if used improperly. 

This is why I haven't ponied up and got one yet, I don't know enough about the game to use it properly.  I feel a new player, like myself, is better off studying from a database or a book since it forces you to learn the significance of your moves.

While I realize it's not your intention to cheat here I would suggest that there is a strong potential for you to gain an unfair advantage when you turn a chess engine loose on an unfinished game. Imagine, for example, that computer analysis reveals a subtle tactic you didn't see. It may still be on the board for the next move or maybe several moves to come. Maybe you would have seen it yourself, or maybe not. However you look at it once you have gained insight into an ongoing game it colours the way you play the game from that point on. If I knew an oponent gained any kind of advantage by using a chess engine with an ongoing game I'd be pretty upset. It wouldn't make much difference that it wasn't their intent to gain an advantage. Please take a cue from the others here who use computer analysis on their games only after they have finished.

1.look at the players game history before accepting or issuing a challenge. look at the moves made for a couple of wins and losses...

2.See if they are on-line making moves during "work hours". most jobs would not approve of employees downloading chess software into the computers... 

3.i like to play players who play the same opponent a couple of times and split the wins. 

4.Playing unrated games will filter most cheaters out i believe. i particularily like how Azoth is running an unrated tournament.

just have to do whatever it takes to feel comfortable about the game.. nobody wants to feel like they are playing a computer.

above all, pay the opponent respect by not "double-checking" a move... or whatever cheating is called these days.

I'm glad that our rating isn't attached to our names. That kind of cybersocietal pressure would inspire more cheating.  It would be an extreme move, but having ratings become entirely non-public (nobody can see it, except once during game acceptance window) would give players the feeling that cheaters would prefer other websites.

with the main form of chess play on this site being multiple days to make a move... it'd be incredibly simple... to be black, and just plug white's moves into a chess video game set at a high level of difficulty... and then just mirror the computer's moves.

 i'd say it probably happens quite a bit.  but then again... you gain nothing by winning here, except personal acomplishment, so it's counter productive... 

but i tend to never underestimate the stupidity of people in general... to some, a "win" or a high winning score mean more to them than anything else.

one would hope...chess players would at least try and keep up the illusion of civility and fairness. 

but how easy can you do that?