Can I use the engine in an old game, if I have the same position in a current correspondence game ?

Hi,

I wanted to learn and study a specific opening. So I opened the analysis tab, and I started to play the move. Then I wanted to turn the engine on. And I suddenly remind myself that I have a current correspondence game with the exact opening moves.

Can I turn the engine on ? Is it against TOS ? Would I be marked as a chess engine cheater ?

That would mean since I'm playing correspondence games, I'm unable to study at the same time the opening moves I'm currently playing... That doesn't seem fair...

It is of course against the TOS.

There are two separate things: 1) the opening book; and 2) the engine. Using the opening book is fine; using the engine is not.

I understand, but it means if I have a correspondence game with few moves played, I can not analysis the same opening at the same time ? If I have an Italian game running in correspondence game, I will not be able to analysis another Italian game for months ?

You will not stay for months in the opening, will you?

If that's true, it's almost unbelievably stupid. It's not like such a rule would make it any harder for someone to use an engine during a correspondence game when he has all the time in the world. At some point, you gotta rely a bit on the honor system because you don't actually have a choice.

Why would anyone want to play a human in a chess game where the result was decided by some outside resource like an opening book, or who had more computer power available to them?

On the contrary, everyone has a choice whether to participate in a game where many people make it quite clear that they don't want to match their brain against another person's brain.