Which do you prefer?

When I started playing chess, I ONLY played games online. no one around me played, and I didn't feel confident enough in my abilities to go to a local club to play otb.

After a year or so of this, I started participating at a club near my college, and found it extremely difficult to calculate and visualize with the real pieces, not a perfect overhead view, etc. For a while I actually really disliked playing otb, simply because it was more difficult for me.

Now, I almost refuse to play chess online, simply because I prefer otb so much more. The visualization issue eventually worked its way out, and I don't feel the pressure or necessity to win while playing online. 

Which do you prefer? and why?

Always prefer OTB.

OTB is more focussed + distraction-free as well as honest (you pretty much know you are not playing an engine .... unless the stakes are really high :)) 

Interestingly enough, I always seem to remember OTB games from memory way better than the 2D/Online ones I played ... even though they were the same "slow game" time control where I pretty much used the same time mgmt in both formats.   Has me thinking that the tactile "touching/feeling the pieces" + the whole "chess club atmosphere" conditions the brain better to absorb every essence of the game.

If you are fortunate to live near a chess club (which I am!) and can actually make the time (which sadly enough, I no longer can!),  consider it a blessing as this is fun, social (you make a ton of friends) and feels way more enriching!

I play almost online and I set up a real board, but only the actual position without moving pieces, doing calculation in my mind.

I have no choice but to play online as there are no chess clubs around where I live.  Only my friend plays chess with me on a board.

I prefer women.  But if there was a functional chess club in the area (weekly gatherings aren't, apparently), I'd probably go to some events to play OTB.  I haven't played OTB for years,  from a time when I was much more socially connected and out and about, and there was a local coffeehouse chess wonk who used to like to kick my ass at chess and help me improve.

I joined a club only a month after I started playing online. Most people there have been playing for much longer and thus are out of my league for now.

There is a vast quality-difference between their good tournament-sets and the crappy sets they use for practice despite having like 40 of the good ones in the shelf. I find it hard to properly visualize with pieces that are too small or different in size.

What I enjoyed most at the club were the tournament-games with the good pieces, really long time-controls and writing down the moves. That felt so... professional. ^^

But I enjoy playing at the computer too.

Otb is the real deal...