Registering an Entry in a Rated Online Chess Tournament

If we're determined to play and win an online chess tournament we need to register first an entry. This entry is either us or our computer software. Then we can proceed to play and win in the tournament.

Most chess tournament sites are free. We can take part in the games for free right after registering. The tournaments are rated—human or computer tournament. Then, even as a free participant we are entitled to enjoy site special features such as rated tournaments, games where all our moves are annotated and recorded, available statistics on our play ratings, special chess articles, message boards, and even downloading some game software available online.

Rated tournaments are classified into two: the human and computer tournaments. Here, not only human intellects are pitted against each other in chess but the software we use or have developed as well. They are separately and differently registered. If we enter the tournament as human competitors we reflect in the registration as so. If we enter our software in the tournament we have a separate registration option for this. We cannot participate in a human online chess tournament while letting our software compete for us, and vice versa.

Some players are tempted to play as humans yet apply software, or play as software yet play themselves. There is a software tool for guarding against this, and if caught, the software automatically terminates our account with the site. Worse, we may be banned from the site for life for the dishonesty.

If we decide to play as humans, we ourselves should play. We may opt to play with aid from any software. But we must make sure that software is used only in aid of our play, not letting the software themselves play and win for us. There are options, such as playing as a participant in a human chess league or an advanced chess league. We may opt to play here with or without chess software. Rating will be done on a case to case basis.

If we opt to have our software play, this means we pit it against other software registered in the tournament. This is where a computer chess league comes into the picture. It will make sure that only chess programs are participating in the tournament—other players at times would like to test their wit and play with a computer program.

When registering for a rated online chess tournament we should decide whether to play ourselves or have our software play.