Chess Leagues for Online Tournaments

Some chess websites offer various chess associations or leagues we may join in from which to access online tournaments. Being aware of online chess league systems can help us in our quest for tournaments to compete in.

Examples of chess leagues we can join in are the following: chess leagues for humans, chess leagues for computers, and chess leagues for advanced players. Leagues purely for human players and those that are purely for computer players are separated.

The league for advanced players is for those who are aided by computer software. Being aware of these associations or leagues helps us access online tournaments easily.

The procedures in these leagues are the same except in the participants that are allowed to take part in them. For instance, human players may participate in the leagues for humans and advanced players. But only in the advanced leagues are chess engines or software programs allowed for use by players, and only in aid of playing, not to win for them.

The play histories of a player joining both leagues are always treated separately. The player cannot claim performance in the advanced league to be the same as in the human league.

We may have an outstanding rating playing the advanced league but not the human league. These online chess league systems are kept separate especially in terms of play histories. We cannot claim to be also good in one system just because we have a good play record in the other system. It would be a good idea to be good at chess with and without the use of chess engines to get good ratings in both categories.

To be more specific, chess leagues for humans should not involve any computer or chess engine participation except the use of database software. This software is used merely in aid of the opening stages of the game.

But as an online tool to calculate chess moves, such use is prohibited. Using programs for just verifying chess moves is also illegal. To avoid being disqualified we must be aware of these policies.

With chess leagues for advanced players, software programs for chess are permissible but not to do all the decisions and win strategies for the player but merely to support the same.

Human factor in chess strategizing should still be dominant in online chess league systems. It is like typing and researching with the aid of a computer. The final outcome is a composition of the person aided by computer tools.