Hello Greenknight,

I am probably the only person on the planet with wins against the world's strongest checkers computer (Chinook) and the world's strongest chess computer (Deep Thought) so I think I am uniquely qualified to speak on this subject.

First, while programs trounce us soundly at tournament time controls or quicker (I think there are 3 programs over 3100 at bullet and blitz now) the opposite is true of longer time controls.

When I play Vortex at the rate of 1 hour per move for both of us (while I am doing other work, I just periodically glance at it and move after mulling over to what to do) I am 11-0 with 0 draws. At time controls of 3 seconds per move each, I am about 15-70 with maybe 2 or 3 draws!

Look at some of my games. There is no program on the planet that would make some of my moves. Take a look at Ed vs. Shark for example. Throwing away a Chancellor for Archbishop is "intuitive" for a human player, but totally beyond the domain of the program. At the move shown, I throw away a knight, while already down C for A, and there is no immediate regain of material!

As for programs being used on the internet and elsewhere: if a rule cannot be enforced, it really isn't a rule at all, so just beware of the fact that others are out there consulting with software.

And for checkers, you might think with all of the FREE strong checkers programs out there, honest players would never be able to win a game on here.

I like to throw away a checker, then play most of the game "down a man", only to befuddle my opponents, who may or may not be using software. Sooner or later their greed (keeping my "gift" too long) causes their demise. Look over some of my most recent checker games against the strong players, and you will see what I mean.

Again, no program on the planet can see through the complications that the human mind understands at a glance.

I would say, rise up to the challenge, and dare players to use software against you, then kick their butts by being strategic when they try to be tactical.

You will win every game.

Trust me on this one, I know what I am talking about :)

The discussion about using computers in internet chess we sometimes have had on other chessservers.
The difference is,if you play "livechess" (the same like otb-games) for instance at ICC,USCL or Playchess.com,you play only one game at the same time,mostly fast-3 or 5 minutes- and the using of helps is forbidden.The servers can sometimes control it.At playchess.com (Fritzserver) they have a running software,which disqualifies cheaters automatically and every day you can see sometimes such a message in the display : "disqualified because of using chess software".In addition there is a "machine room",in where you can play as "centaur" (=human-machine).

An other fact is at turn based servers.Here we play like correspondence chess,many games simultaneously with long times and both players must not be online at the same time! And in correspondence chess, there are no prohibitions to use helps, advices,computers,books or other things.Neither the "International Correspondence Chess Federation" (ICCF) prohibits something nor the special Brainking rules.And also this wouldn`t make sense,if you cannot control it really.And that`s why all the worlds topplayers in correspondence chess are playing with all helps they can have.:
In the past only with books and common analyzing in the chessclubs,today additionally with computers and big databases.
It is perhaps not a very good evolution for the correspondence chess.It is now "centaur chess", but it is not cheating!
In "Gothic chess" I see there no problems, because the programs are much weaker at the moment as the strong chess programs (like Fritz,Chessmaster,Shredder).The best is if you analyze mainly for yourself.(excuse my bad English)