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Online Chess Play : Crossboard Servers

Web-based resources let you play online at any time of the day against opponents anywhere in the world. Crossboard servers are the online equivalent of playing face-to-face on a real chess board. You and your opponent are both online at the same time. Each player sees the other's moves immediately.
Where to Play Chess Online
Web-based resources let you play online at any time of the day against opponents anywhere in the world. It is no exaggeration to say that they have revolutionized chess play. Registration is required for most online play resources, but some offer limited play without registration.
Yahoo Chess
44% of online players • Free? Yes, ID required • Guests? No • Java? Yes • Windows client? No • Initial rating: 1200 • Seek? No • Save game? Email (not PGN) • Good starter site.
Pogo.com
14% of online players • Free? Yes, ID required • Guests? No • Java? Yes • Windows client? No • Initial rating: 1500 • Seek? No • Save game? Email • The best of the general game sites.
Internet Chess Club (ICC)
12% of online players • Free? 1 week free trial • Guests? Yes • Java? Yes • Windows client? Yes • Initial rating: Given by player • Seek? Matrix • Save game? File • The best of the pay sites.
MSN Game Zone
8% of online players • Free? Yes • Guests? Yes • Java? Yes • Windows client? No • Initial rating: 1600 • Seek? No • Save game? No • Limited functionality.
Playchess.com (ChessBase)
7% of online players • Free? Full access for 30 days • Guests? Yes • Java? No • Windows client? Yes • Initial rating: Provisional • Seek? List • Save game? File • The ICC's top competitor.
Instant Chess Club
3% of online players • Free? First 64 games • Guests? Yes • Java? Yes • Windows client? No • Initial rating: ? • Good casual play site.
Free Internet Chess Server (FICS)
3% of online players • Free? Yes • Guests? Yes • Java? Yes • Windows client? Yes • Initial rating: Provisional • Seek? Matrix • Save game? Email • Good site for hobbyists.
Chess.net
1% of online players • Free? 2 weeks free trial • Guests? Yes • Java? Yes • Windows client? Yes • Initial rating: Provisional • Seek? List • Save game? File
World Chess Live (WCL)
'The ICC, the world’s premier online subscription chess service, has today announced the acquisition of two competitive online chess services, World Chess Network, from Master Games International, and Chess Live, from GamesParlor.' (May 2007)
Chesspark.com
'Welcome to an exciting new community for online chess. Play rapid games or slow ones. Chat with old friends and make new ones.'
Other Online Chess Play Sites
Here we list a few sites which we failed to look at on our first round of reviews. Most of these sites are free; some of them have play for cash programs.
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