Who else is playing online chess (turnbased) like OTB?

Since quite some time now, I constantly have asked myself what format would/should I play in the future? I love classic OTB, but simply have no time to visit the local chess club on a regular basis. As friends dropping by to play is not going to happen and play against engines is boring, internet chess will be the way to go for me if I want to play at all. 

But live chess 30 min is too hasty a thing for my taste (don't even ask me about Blitz!) while no one - not even me - wants to sit through a possibly 6 hour "simulated" OTB live chess game at the computer. So a few days ago I came to the decision : I will get a premium membership here (at the moment I use the free trial and love it) and will go for turnbase (correspondence). However, I will play it like OTB: No opening books, databases and no analysis board while considering my moves. (I actually even toyed with the idea to use my chess clock to make sure I spend only about 2 hours/40 moves, but probably that's a bit looney ...). This may not lead to high ratings, but I couldn't care less. What counts is that I will find time to play chess and have finally found a format (or so I hope) I enjoy playing. I think it's a good compromise for an old OTB player. Anyway, I now would be interested to know whether there are others like me who use the correspondence format in order to kind of "simulate" good old OTB chess and if yes, what their experiences are.

I understand your goal but I think it is likely to fail because inevitably you will have the position for the game in your head on some level all the way through (more so when it gets interesting). So you will think about it more than if it were just a few hour game OTB.

I find "turn based" a good compromise between playing a fast game (not as useful for developing OTB skills) and a long game (hard to devote a chunk of so many hours at once) where I can analyze alternatives.  But using opening books while playing turn based is also a help to OTB skills because it gives you a chance to study opening lines with something at stake.  So to forego that would (for me) defeat one of the purposes.

Thanks for your answer. I love to read books about my favorite openings, but I think I don't want to use them while playing. This way, I can test whether I know my lines. Also I think it should be fun to find out later where my opponent or me went out of book, and what I'd do in the same situation in the future.

I belong to a club here at chess.com called the Circle of Trust OTB. It is for people like you (and me) . In addition to playing OTB rules, we also expect good sportsmanship. You can apply for membership to our Super Administrator "roundtuit".

That's pretty much how I play...and NO opening books either...it's close to OTB.

That sounds great! :) I just read that your club currently does not take new applicants. Please drop me a note if they again do, though, because I'd really be interested in joining you. Anyway, I also don't mind if my opponents use books and the analysis board (just no engines, I played against boring engines long enough ;)) - in that case I'll just imagine, I'm playing someone with superior memory and calculation/visualisation abilities. :)  

 You can always "test" whether you know your lines. one of the advantages of using a book for your CC is that as you replay the game (which I often do during the course of a CC game) the opening patterns will get more strongly imprinted on you.

Also, you will become more familiar with the types of middlegames arising from your openings.

I see what you mean and I have absolutely no objection whatsoever. I myself simply just like to do it "OTB style" though.

Good question.

The main reason I came to chess.com was just to play turned-based chess.  Why?  Well, because prior to this I had been told by a chess friend that correspondence-chess (back in the old snail-mail days via postcard) had really helped him to improve his OTB rating.  That always stuck with me and when chess.com came along I decided to wade into the pool.  I'm glad I did.

Before I was either playing OTB in tournaments or quick chess online.  My rating was going down in both categories.  After a few months I began to get the hang of it.  Anyway, after about a year of playing turn-based chess here my OTB rating had stabilized.  Sure, it's nothing to brag on but it IS an improvement compared to the see-saw life I had been living going up & down 100 points a year.  Or so it seems after this long time.

So, go ahead.  Try it out.  You have nothing to lose.  My favorite tool is the Analysis Board.  Use it wisely! 

Well, I'll gladly use the database they provide here at chess.com after the game!

Sounds good! :) The analysis board is actually even more alien to me than the opening books. I have nothing against people using it, but for me, nothing beats the great feeling of having sucessfully calculated through the variations of a tactic "in my head".   

I've found that over-use of the analysis board ruins my sight of the board, so I do most of my analysis in my head and then check it with the analysis board.

 Actually, the COT does not allow books, databases or the analysis board, it is strictly as if "OTB." As far as engines go, NO-ONE on chess.com is supposed to be using engines and they get banned if caught.

Yes, I know that COT does not allow any of this - that's why I'd be interested to join if they take new applicants! However, I also joined Team Germany, and when I play for them in a tournament I have to acknowledge that my opponents are most probably using books, databases and the analysis board. That's what I meant when I wrote that I'm fine with this. I am fully aware that engines are not allowed at all at chess.com - that's why my remark "I played against boring engines long enough" came with a "wink". :) 

When you play a game in COT, you know that you are as good as playing your opponent face to face. We trust that our opponent plays the same as us.

3 years ive been in this group, I would never change it, a group based on principles

That's not true. If both players agree beforehand, and the game is unrated, then engine use is allowed.

Iam not sure whether the comment above is talking about cot or chess.com. But just to confirm, this is not allowed in the rules of cot , rated or unrated