ChessWorld - Preferences FAQ's

*** Some of the options to personalise your interface are only available to Full Members. ***

To access the different pages that allow you to personalise your interface, go to My Stuff and then select one of the appropriate Menus. In addition to the details below, you may choose to change a number of other features on your pages to suit your own preferences. Many of the changes that you can make are intuitive, but if you are uncertain as to the correct procedure please contact the HelpDesk.

Use the Play ... My Current Games menu to access your Current Games list.

My Stuff ...


... My Login

Q. What does the Auto-login feature do?

If no one else uses your computer to visit ChessWorld you may wish to check this option, which will log you in every time without the need to enter your Nickname or password. However, if you share your access to ChessWorld with other members of your family, or friends, you should always leave this option unchecked.

If you ever play, or intend to use, an alternative computer, for example, a public access computer provided by Internet cafes, or in the workplace, you should never use this option. If you do you risk that anyone may access your account and make moves on your behalf!

If you want to opt out of the Auto-login feature at any time either:
- uncheck the Auto-login box on the My Stuff ... My Login page before you log out,
or,
- click on the link in the line You have auto-login enabled currently. Click here if you want to remove auto-login which appears at the bottom of the ChessWorld Logout Page.

Q. What does the Keep feature do?

If no one else uses your computer to visit ChessWorld you may wish to check this option, which will make it easier for you to login every time you visit ChessWorld. This option will store your full login details in a cookie held on your current computer so that you can login with one click. However, if you share your access to ChessWorld with other members of your family, or friends, you should always leave this option unchecked.

If you log in using a different computer you will have to re-enter your full login details. Content stored in a cookie on one computer is not transferred to any other computer!

Q. Which Start page should I select?

This is your choice, of course. However, many Members prefer to select the Game Board option as this will place them at the game that has been waiting longest for a response. Once you are on the game board, you can easily select other games or make your move on the displayed game.

If you are not a Member of any Team then the second option is not relevant. However, if you are playing in one or more of our Pyramid Tournaments you may find that the list of current players is a useful guide to the choice of opponents.

It is not possible to select any other, alternative, starting pages when you log in normally. You can, if you so wish, select an alternative page using the Bookmark feature provided in your browser. You should be aware that if you always enter the site by using such a bookmark you might find it a less convenient choice, once the game has been completed. For further information on this particular choice and the issues that may arise please refer to Q. Why does an old game keep appearing as soon as I log in? in the Playing on ChessWorld section of the Chess FAQ's.

You may change your choice at any time; this will take effect when you next login to ChessWorld.

The options available on this page may be amended from time to time at our absolute discretion.




... My Moves

Q. How can I configure My Moves?

The following options allow you considerable flexibility in how you manage your game load.

Move action

     - Show adjusted board position (default)
     - Move automatically to the next waiting game
     - Go to current game list
     - Go to current game list - summary

We suggest that the default action suits most Members but for the fastest movement select the Move automatically... option.


Current Games List - order by ...

     - Time left.
     - Your turn and least time left
     - Opponents turn and least time left
     - Time left - your turn first then Opponent
     - Player strength - (defaults to Player strength - descending on Current Games page)
     - Move length descending
     - Move length descending - your turn
     - Move length ascending
     - Move length ascending - your turn
     - Latest moves played
     - Game number

Your personal preferences may be selected from this list. A useful way to check on games nearing the time limit is to order the list on Opponents turn.... Another strategy that you may wish to use is to order the list according to your preference and then set the   Preferred Move action   to   Go to current game list.   This will allow you to handle your games in your preferred order but will necessitate more mouse clicks than the default setting.


Move highlighting

     - Don't highlight your last move, but highlight last move of the game
     - Highlight your last move and the last game move (default)


Move score

     - Don't show the move score for the game
     - Show the movelog in ASCENDING move order   see (a), below.
     - Show the movelog in DESCENDING move order   see (b), below.
     - Show in 'very' shorthand PGN   see (c), below.
     - Shorthand PGN descending   see (d), below.
     - PGN standard (indicates checks with +, not potentially ambiguous)
     - Figurine notation   see (e), below.

(a)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

e7e5
c2c4
g2g3
f1g2
d2d3
f2f4
g1f36
b1c3
e1g1
d1d2

e7e5
d7d6
g8f6
f8e7
b8c6
e8g8
b7b6
c8g4
c6b4
c7c6

(b)

26.
25.
24.
23.
22.
21.
20.
19.
18.
17.

c2c3
a1b1
c1g5
d5c6
g1g2
c4d5
f1f5
f3g4
c3e2
a3a4

g7g6
b4e7
d8e8
a8c8
h3g5
g5h3
e5g4
d7e5
e6g5
e7b4

(c)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

e4
c4
g3
Bg2
d3
f4
Nf3
Nc3
O-O
Qd2

e5
d6
Nf6
Be7
Nc6
O-O
b6
Bg4
Nb4
c6

(d)

26.
25.
24.
23.
22.
21.
20.
19.
18.
17.

Qc3
Rb1
Bxg5
dxc6
Kg2
cxd5
Rf5
Bg4
Ne2
a4

g6
Be7
Qe8
Rc8
Ng5
Nxh3
Nxg4
Nxe5
Ng5
Bxb4

(e)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

e4
f3
d4
xd4
g5
h3
e3

e5
d6
exd4
f6
e7
xe4
O-O

The appearance of the movelog on the left hand side of the Game Board may be a useful reminder of the progress of the game when you are considering your next move.

Certain movelog options also show a small search box below the buttons on the left hand side of the screen.


Move confirmation

     - Do not ask for any move information
     - Instant move preview confirmation.

To reduce the risk of making an inadvertent move, you may consider that the Instant move... option is best. This allows you to check the actual move, on the board, before you confirm. Once a move has been made and confirmed there is no possibility of take-back!


*** If you chose Instant move preview confirmation above then select ...

       - 'Msg' button will only message the opponent.
       - 'Msg' button will also confirm move when using 'Instant move preview' option.

Be careful if you select the latter option! Clicking on the  Msg  button will have the same effect as pressing  Confirm .


Conditional (If ... then) Moves

     - No conditional moves
     - 1
     - 2
     - 3
     - 4
     - 5

     - I do NOT want to receive or send conditional (if-then) moves
     - Yes
     - No

Q. Why does the movelog display appear to show an error or is ambiguous?

If you choose the Show a *very* shorthand PGN option there may, occasionally, be a minor ambiguity in the display. To resolve this click the  Export game PGN  button which appears to the right of the game.




... My Details

Q. How can I change my Country or Flag?

You can change your choice of country which will then automatically change the Flag as currently displayed. If you select certain countries, (currently Australia, Canada or the United States), then you can also choose an appropriate State or Province Flag.

Q. Can I change my password?

Yes. Simply go to Enter new password and enter your chosen new password, using any combination of alphanumeric characters, then re-enter it once more for confirmation. Finally, press  Submit  at the bottom of the page. Take care to make a careful note of your password otherwise you will not be able to access your ChessWorld account. For additional security we suggest that you choose a password that is easy for you, (but not for others!), to remember. A mixture of upper and lowercase characters and numerals is a recognised method of increasing security. Be aware that problems can arise by confusing a numeral ' 1 ', (one), with a lower case letter ' l ' and the numeral ' 0 ', (zero), with the upper case letter ' O '.

Never publish your password in any ChessWorld Forum, or on any Game Board, where other Members may see it. If you need to mention it in connection with a specific query always use the confidential HelpDesk.

If you are playing your games on a computer that is used by other people you should make sure that you have un-checked the Keep and Auto-login boxes on the ChessWorld login page.

The security of your account is your sole responsibility!

Q. What will happen if I click on the Email My Password link on the login page?

You may need this if you have forgotten, or are unsure of, your current password. We despatch this email in two versions, one in plain text and one in HTML format.

In the plain text version you will see two alternative links to the Password Reset page. Depending upon the configuration of your computer and your email client these links may or may not be functional. If they do not work when you click on one or the other of them simply follow the instructions and copy the whole link into the Address bar of your browser, making sure that your copy is pasted as a single line. It does not matter which link you use as the end result is identical.

These links contain a unique ID token linked to your account: do not change or modify this in any way.

In the HTML version you will see a direct link which, when clicked, will take you to the Password Reset page.

When you reach the Password Reset page use the Enter your Password box to enter your new password. When you are sure that you are happy with it and that, above all, you will remember it, press the  Reset Password  button.

Please be aware that, for security reasons, the unique ID token embedded in the link only remains valid for 24 hours; after that time you will not be able to access the Password Reset page and you will have to use the Email My Password link on the login page to request another Password Reset email.

Q. Can I change my nickname?

Yes. ChessWorld offers this as a privilege to new Members. If the *Please choose nicknames ... box appears on your screen, you may use it to make any change. However, the opportunity to change your nickname is available for a limited period only and, after that time, the *Please choose nicknames ... box will no longer be available.

*** Please be aware that after you change your nickname no further changes are permitted for a period of 60 days, even though the *Please choose nicknames ... box may still be available.

No further changes are allowed.     However, if you feel that there are exceptional circumstances you should contact the HelpDesk with all relevant information. Permission to make such changes will be granted at our absolute discretion. You should be aware that our decision is final and no discussion will be entered into.

You should choose a nickname using conventional alphanumeric characters. You may use an underscore,
(  _  ), to represent a space if you prefer. If you use, or attempt to use, any other characters, (for example, diacritical characters), you may find that you will be unable to access your ChessWorld account : we reserve the right to arbitrarily change the name into an acceptable format.

If you decide to change, make sure that you keep an accurate record of your new nickname. In particular, if you choose a nickname that incorporates 'spaces' make sure that you know exactly how many 'spaces' you use. A common cause of problems is the confusion between the underscore character, (  _  ) and the hyphen, (  -  ). Be aware that problems can arise by confusing the numeral ' 1 ' (one), with the lower case letter ' l ', and the numeral ' 0 ', (zero), with the upper case letter ' O '. Failure to remember your new nickname will prevent you gaining access to your ChessWorld account. The HelpDesk may be unable to offer assistance in such cases!

The use of nicknames that could be interpreted, either explicitly or implicitly, as offensive will be regarded as a breach of our Terms and Conditions and we reserve the right to take whatever action we deem necessary.

Q. Can I change my nickname after joining from Google+ or Facebook?

Yes. If you have joined ChessWorld using our Single Sign-on option, (SSO), using your identity, for example, your real name, may appear as your nickname. If you would prefer to remain anonymous, in common with the overwhelming majority of our Members, you may change your nickname, as described above. If the option is no longer available, then please contact the HelpDesk with the reasons for your request, when we will be pleased to assist you as necessary.

You can still login using our SSO option, and, as part of the login process, our software will check your details and automatically display your revised nickname, which will appear on the play page or other pages where appropriate. This process is quite automatic and no other Members will be able to access, or deduce, your Google+ or Facebook details.

Q. How can I remove or replace entries in the Comments section of my homepage?

You can remove, or replace any, or all, of your current entries at any time. If you wish to leave the comment area blank, proceed as follows. Replace the existing comment(s) with either a space, or a period,
(  .  ). Finally press the  Submit  button at the bottom of the page.

Please note that if you simply remove your comment(s) and then press  Submit  the change will not be implemented

Q. How can I add images or links to my homepage Comments?

You may post images or links to your homepage subject to copyright restrictions. You may also use a limited subset of HTML instructions. You should be aware that the use of any embedded code and its functionality is solely your responsibility.

Any embedded coding, or material, which, in our judgment, may have an adverse effect on the functionality of ChessWorld or any of its component parts or may be deemed as in breach of our Terms and Conditions will be removed without prior notice.

Q. What should I do before I upload a picture to my Homepage?

You can upload any suitable picture by visiting the My Stuff ... My Details page and clicking on the
Upload your photo link, which appears just below your Country flag.

All pictures must be checked and approved by ChessWorld before they can be displayed on your Homepage and it is important that you observe the following guidelines.

- Pictures submitted must be in either .jpg or .gif format. No other formats are permitted.

- We recommend that you use the .jpg format for pictorial or portrait content and that you use the .gif format for simple graphic content so as to ensure the best quality results.

- File size for any submission must not exceed 50k; if your chosen picture file is bigger than this we recommend that you use a suitable online tool such as that provided by picresize.com.

- Width of your picture should not be greater than 300 pixels.

- Height of your picture should not be greater than 300 pixels without our prior approval.

The picture that you wish to upload must be stored, in the folder of your choice, on your own computer. Pictures located at any other source, including links to any such pictures, cannot be accepted.

** Any images containing offensive, racist or religious content, or content which is not suitable for a family audience and which, in our sole judgment, may cause offence to other Members will be rejected.

** YOU must own the copyright, or have the permission of the copyright holder, for any uploaded image.
** YOU are solely responsible for any breach of copyright.
** WE, ChessWorld, cannot accept any responsibility for any breach of copyright.

Uploading pictures is normally a swift and pain-free experience. However, if you find that your upload is taking longer than two or three minutes you should abort the process, check your settings and picture file size before attempting to upload again.

After your picture has been approved by ChessWorld it will be uploaded to your homepage. This process is normally completed within twenty four hours of your initial submission.




... My Email

Q. How can I configure My Email?

This page allows you to select how we handle your account.

Email address to notify you when opponents move:
The address you provide here is the one we use to contact you, or to post move notifications and so on. Failure to provide a valid address may affect your Membership. If you wish to leave the site, or relinquish your subscription, clear the entry from this box, replace it with an asterisk, (*), and then press the  Submit  button.

Turn Chess Move Email on
This is a convenient way to receive notification of the latest moves. Make sure that your email client can accept emails from chessworld@gmail.com     If you are unsure of the procedure, or have any problems with receiving Email from ChessWorld, please refer to the Email section of the General FAQ's

Member information notification preferences

     Tick to indicate that YOU DO want game invitations.
     Tick to indicate that YOU DO want team invitations.
     Tick to indicate that YOU DO want tournament invitations.
     Tick to indicate that you DO NOT want periodical news letters.
     Tick to indicate that you DO NOT want periodical flash bulletins.

These selections can influence how many game invitations you receive. You can select as many, or as few, as you wish.




... My Interface

Q. Can I change the way the ChessWorld pages appear on my computer?

Yes. You can change the appearance of many features. You can, for example, choose which menu system and analysis board suit your particular needs. There are a wide range of options provided on this page and, once you have made your changes, simply scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the  Submit  button.

As we provide an extensive range of choices, we suggest that, before you try alternative combinations, you make a note of your current configuration so that, in the event that you make a change that you later regret, you can restore the original appearance of your ChessWorld display easily and quickly. You may make any and all changes that you wish; you cannot do any harm! It is always possible to return and make revisions at any time.

Some of our configuration choices are available to Full Members only.

Q. Can I change the appearance or size of the board on the Play page?

There are several alternative options available.

The simplest way to temporarily resize your board is to use the zoom feature provided by your browser. This will enlarge the contents of the whole screen and can usually be done by pressing  CTRL  +  + . To reset the screen back to the default setting, simply press  CTRL  +  0 , (zero).

Fixed board size  -   The boards, excluding the non-optional coordinates, are either 320 or 400 pixels square. In this range there is a limited range of colors available.

Resizable boards  -   There is a range of 26 different colors. The default display for these boards does not show coordinates but, if you prefer the convenience of board coordinates, you can choose from a range of five alternative color coordinated options.

To size these boards to suit your preferences first select and confirm your choice of board and then go to the play page. Below the board you will see:

 

  +  Board Size  -  

 

 

   Store

Click on +   or   -   to enlarge or reduce the size of the board as required. When you are satisfied, click on    Store to save your setting.

Piece styles  -   We offer 19 different piece styles, including, for the committed enthusiast, a "blindfold" version. The choice you make applies only to the main play page, and not the Analyse or Play Through boards. However, both of those boards do offer you a smaller range of alternative styles if you wish to change from the default setting.

Q. Can I change or remove the Pie Chart display?

Yes, you can adjust this display from the My Stuff … My Interface page.

To prevent the display of the Pie Charts, change each of the three colour selection values to 0, (zero).

To configure the colours to your own preference enter any hexadecimal colour value. If you need further guidance on the code for a specific colour use the Colour Chart link adjacent to the selection box. This page shows a limited selection of colours for your guidance: you may enter any variation that you choose provided that the value is in the range 000000 to FFFFFF. These codes represent the hexadecimal equivalent of the colour and may be entered in either upper or lower case.

Apart from changing the basic colour you may also change the transparency of the colour to suit your preference. This can be done by adding two further hexadecimal values, between 00 and FF, to the initial value. For example, the default seting for green is 00FF00. If you add FF to this value, (00FF00FF), the colour will appear to be unchanged as you have selected minimum transparency. If you add 00 to this value, (00FF0000), then you will have selected maximum transparency. By selecting various values you are able to choose the precise effect that you wish.

Any changes made will affect the Pie Charts displayed on your Homepage and your Rating Information page.

Q. Can I remove the underline from the hyperlinks on ChessWorld?

By default, the underline is shown whenever you hover over a ChessWorld hyperlink. Depending upon your browser, you can configure your computer to remove the underline effect. Go to Hyperlink Settings on the
My Stuff ... My Interface page and select the Use Browser settings option. This will ensure that your local configuration is used. If you are unsure as to the correct procedure necessary to configure your browser, please consult your local documentation.

Q. How can I change the default colors?

You can change the default color settings for a wide range of ChessWorld features by using either our Color Chart, which may be clicked at the top of the page, or the more convenient Color Selector, by clicking on the icon which appears next to each configurable option.

To use the Color Selector, simply click on the icon to reveal the ChessWorld Color Picker table. You may enter the desired hexadecimal codes into the boxes provided or you may use the more convenient color selection options. When you have made your choice click the  OK  button at the top right of the Color Selector.

Make any further changes and then press  Submit  at the bottom pf the page.

If you prefer to use one of our pre-selected color combinations for Table Highlights please refer to
Q. How can I change table highlight colors? in the Current Games section below.

If you make changes to the background color, or the size or color of the fonts, you should make sure that your changes do not affect the usability or visibility of the various buttons and links on the play page. It is possible to select an almost infinite variety of colors and some combinations of background and text color may make a page difficult or impossible to read.




Play ...

... My Current Games

Q. How can I use the My Current Games page?

This page can be configured to show your current games in three distinct formats:

Detailed - multi-line information with links to Show | Hide thumbnail view showing current position.
Summary - single line, minimum information.
Position - similar to the Detailed display, with a revised format; thumbnail views are shown by default.

You can choose any of these displays, according to your preference, by selecting from the
Detailed | Summary | Position option at the left of the upper information box. Your choice will remain set for the duration of the current session.

Use the For all logins keep this view Summary | Detailed | Position option shown at the right of the lower information box to choose, and retain, a particular view for all sessions.


You can choose how this page displays your games, by selecting from:

          Time Left
          Your turn and least time left
          Opponents turn and least time left
          Time left - your turn first and then opponents
          Your turn and consecutive-move time limits   **
          Player Strength descending
          Player Strength descending - your turn   **

          Move Length descending
          Move Length descending - your turn
          Move Length ascending
          Move Length ascending - your turn

          Latest Moves Played
          Latest Moves Played - your turn   **
          Game Number

          ECO descending   **
          ECO ascending   **
          Endgame first   **
          First few opening moves - (descending)   **
          First few opening moves (asending)   **

Your choice will remain set for the duration of the current session, but may be over-ridden when you next login by the setting chosen on the My Stuff ... My Moves page. Note that the options marked ** can only set on a per-session basis; all other choices can be pre-set from the My Stuff ... My Moves page.

The time stamps on these pages are provided for guidance only and may not be as accurate as the ChessWorld system clock. You should take particular care when reviewing variable limit games: refer to
Q. What is the '10 in 50' Variable Time Limit and how does it work? in our Time Limits FAQ for a detailed explanation.

Q. Why is the Cache option provided?

If you check this option, the Current Games list is cached, (saved), on your computer. If you have set your Move option to Go to Current Game list, (via My Stuff ... My Moves), the list will be displayed instantly, in the order as selected in the Order current games by box. It will not be automatically updated from the ChessWorld server.

This is probably more useful if you have a long list of games, or you do not want to wait while the list is updated. To help you remember which game(s) you have selected from the list those game(s) will be displayed in a different colour.

Q. What does the Send Reminders message do?

If you click on this link an automatic email message will be generated and posted to those opponents who have not made a move for at least 10 days.

For your convenience, you will see a list of player names to confirm the process, for example:

 

Reminder sent to : Opponent #1

 

Reminder sent to : Opponent #2

 

Reminder sent to : Opponent #3

 

Reminder sent to : Opponent #4

 

Reminders have been sent

The email message is quite simple and non-specific:

 

Hello there
[Your username] would be very pleased if you could resume your game of chess at www.letsplaychess.com

Please return to ChessWorld.net and resume playing your game(s) with them

You should be aware that this message is only sent to players who have not moved for at least 10 days: you cannot be selective! You may wish to send messages only to specific players, in order to avoid repetition of the automated reminder, or to avoid reminding certain players. If this is your preference then you should use the Leave [Opponent] a message option on the relevant home page.

Q. How can I change table highlight colors?

Use the link Customise Colors link in the Search options box to reveal a selection of pre-defined color combinations. To choose your preferred option simply click on the link at the side of the color swatch. This will change the color highlighting for every table on the site, including the Forums.

If you wish to change to another selection simply click on another link, or return to the Default Highlights setting.

When you make changes, check that they do not affect the usability or visibility of the page content. It is possible to select an almost infinite variety of colors and some combinations of background and text color may make a page difficult or impossible to read.