Chess Live
Chess Live, formerly called US Chess Live (when it was affiliated with the United States Chess Federation), is a subscription Internet chess server that opened on August 8 2000.
Membership
New users can select from one of three membership options: Trial, Basic, and Royal; Basic and Royal levels require periodic payments. Higher levels of membership include more features, such as the ability to observe or participate in certain tournaments often held on the server.
Features
In addition to providing Internet users the opportunity to engage in games of chess with others, Chess Live also provides free lectures on skill and tactics to improve one's ability at the game.
Chess Live also includes instant messaging features and the ability to chat with other users in IRC-like public chat rooms.
There are a range of paid and voluntary staff positions to ensure the smooth and effective running of the system.
Connection clients
Registered users must use a client to connect to the server. Currently, there are two versions of the client available: version 4.2.00, which must be downloaded and installed on one's computer; and version 2.5.1, which has been implemented in Java and can be run from virtually any Internet-connected computer with a Java-enabled Web browser. Royal members may use non-Chess Live interfaces to connect to the server, such as Thief 1.1, Winboard, or countless other interfaces.
Cheating detection measures
The software has arrangements to try to detect players using the assistance of chess programs. It does this, in part, by detecting changes in window input focus, based on information on the activities being undertaken on the computer that the program is able to detect.
Whilst the server administrators may be able to view what other applications a user is running, all subscription servers use similar methods[citation needed], and this is permitted by Chess Live's privacy policy.