Why me and playing Internet chess are finished!

Correspondence Chess isn't for me.... I love Chess, apart from my wife and kids, it has been the most important thing to me over the past 20 yrs. I love playing the game, i love reading about the game, i love watching others play the game, i love the competitive aspect of the game, i simply love everything about Chess! I collect the books and magazines, i play for my local club, i play in OTB tournemants, i study chess whenever i can, even at work! I also love chess.com , its fantastic! i have spent many hrs on here, and will continue to do so! Erik has done a fantastic job with this site, and out of all the sites i have been a part of over the years, this is the best, i say that without hesitation.... chess.com has something that all the other chess sites lack, chess.com is a COMMUNITY...full of people like me with a real passion for this game, you can do so much more here than play chess. It really is a dream come true for people who love this game. Anyhow, to my point, i have just resigned 41 of my 47 games here, and the only games i will play to a finish are my team games, as i dont want to let my team down! The reason? I really felt that i had to take control....let me explain. As much as i love this game, there is one thing that i HATE about internet chess. That is the fact that people can CHEAT. Im not talking about databases, books, or game explorer etc, they are ALLOWED, and within the rules of this site. I talk about the use of engines in this site, and prob ALL INTERNET CHESS SITES. Now let me get something straight here, I AM NOT BLAMING CHESS.COM IN ANY WAY. how the hell can they stop people cheating? answer: they can't! Its a trust thing, and nomatter what the punishment is 'after the fact' chess.com nor any other site can prevent the use of engines. So i said i needed to take control? yes, i needed to have piece of mind, that i am not playing against programs here, and as some of you will have read in a couple of recent threads here :( http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/cheating-on-chesscom and http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/computers-in-correspondence-chess ) there isnt a way to prevent the risk of you playing against computer moves here, or any other internet site, UNLESS YOU DONT PLAY AT ALL. So i guess you could say that i have found a way to defeat the cheats, they will never take a single point off me again, i will never lose to a cheat again, and that in its sad little way makes me feel like i have scored a shallow but certain victory against the scumbags. Why do cheats annoy me so much you may ask? , well im not sure! i think it has something to do with me being an OTB player long before an internet player, and basically being 100% certain in my games that i was playing the person sat infront of me! I guess im a little paranoid by nature, or you could call it careful, but i have witnessed enough cheating in my time on the internet and think it is time for me to take control of my own actions! I will still be running team england (which i love). I will still participate in my teams votechess games, still be active in the forums,and will spend time that i used to use playing games, learning more on tactics trainer and reading articles etc. But basically from now on i am a non-playing member here... over and out, si crowley

Hate to see this happen.  I understand it, just hate to see it.

That's a shame. You could continue playing live chess, it is difficult to cheat using an engine in faster games.

Hey Gumpty...See ya around, Checkmayte;COT-OTB !    No cheaters here bro...Have a good life.

Maybe you're just not that good bro... LOL

but why did you resign to rick29.. looked like you were winning.. you must be good to beat the computer.. 

Personally I don't think this should ruin internet chess for you. It can be alot of fun because you have a relaxed amount of time for each move and you get so much experience. I don't think anyone I've played (over 50) is a cheater, probably only the high rated players. Even if I do encounter cheaters, there's so many non cheaters that I wouldn't consider to stop playing internet chess.

Hi gumpty

I don't play on sites like this for two reasons; 1.I can't afford to pay for the service, so I don't abuse it by overstaying my welcome; 2.Losers have a tendency to cheat and I don't play with losers.  I fully understand your frustration with the cheaters and have no simple solution, other than what you are now proposing.  But I will say this--I am a USCF OTB rated 1949 (last published 1987), and anytime you want to play, drop me a line.  But I'm only into "friendly" chess (no tourneys or matches), just off-hand games for fun.  "Til then, skae-no.  (skae-no: Seneca version of aloha)

 Hi Gumpty,

  I know the frustration that you feel because i am also a OTB player, and people that cheat are the lowest form of scum out there. Sorry you won't be playing anymore on here but that is entirely your choice and i respect that.I for one play online to try and stay in shape between OTB tourn. and i am sure i have played a cheater or two in the past but i am using my games online as training and if someone needs to cheat to make them feel good then they really need to get a life. Anyway just wanted to say i know how you feel.

Tell me Gumpty...if you are so into OTB chess, why is it you left COT?...Just curious, Thank you; Glenn

I don't agree with you about not being able to get a fair game, but I do respect your opinion my friend...I hope your chess experiences in the future are more to your liking.    May the chess Gods go with you...:--))

thanks bro, couldn't get my zipper down without ya.

This is pathetic.

Grumpty,

I have only been a member for two days, and been visiting this site for a

couple months.  It is very sad to see someone leave because of cheating.

As you mentioned there have been some very serious threads about cheating,

with varying views and tolerance levels.  One thing for sure, the better 

players are, and should be, concerned with cheating.  Anyone can waste

valuable competition time bouncing your moves through an engine, and

that is just not what this site is all about.  As I aspire to become a better

I look forward to competing with players like yourself, whom I would

never get the opportunity to play against, if not for the Internet.  Even

without a failsafe for cheaters, I would hope that upper ranked players

do not get disgusted to the point of leaving.  It just will just drag the

game of chess down.

to each his opinion..i say even playing against a computer has its own benefits in the post game analysis..Remember we made computer engines and we can still beat them (Technically i give myself 4 moves before being wiped out :)..but hey our GMs have proven it to be possible..and if you are sorely outclassed just ignore that game..your morale shouldnt be dented by some cheaters!

i think you,re being a bit hasty, why not just take a few weeks off. if you leave for good it leaves everybody tarred with the same brush, and as you,re British remember this is an American site. you.ll be talking about weapons of mass destruction next. i,ve seen then i swear, and i did not have sex with that woman.