[clovenhoof]

This is probably a stupid question, but do the online sites have a rule prohibiting the use of bots?

Secondly, for it to be morally wrong, wouldn't there first have to be at least an accepted rule by players that bots shouldn't be allowed?

I once ran a very large chess tournament where I allowed a computer -- Phoenix, from the University of Alberta, which had a playing strength of about 2100 -- to enter the event. I allowed all players to designate whether or not they were willing to play against the computer. I don't recall the split, but lots of players didn't want to, but not enough so that we had any trouble doing the pairings.

In chess, at a live tournament, it was understandable. The human interaction was part of what the people bought and paid for, just like what people at a B&M cardroom get.

Online, why does whether the player is human or computer matter any more than whether the player is black or white?

'hoof