Fans of traditional pursuits, such as chess, draughts or backgammon, will be relieved to hear that online gaming isn't just the domain of violent shoot-'em-ups, massive multi-player role-playing games and 3D simulations.

In fact, the internet has been just as important for established board, mind and word games as it has been for action games.

And the best thing is that many of these games can be played for free. All you need to know is where to find them and how to join in. In this feature we'll show you how to enjoy online gaming - traditional style.

Any place, anywhere
These days, there is a wealth of different ways to play games over the web. Most obviously, there are PC-based online games, all manner of titles that can be played just by going to a website and clicking on a link.

Thanks to plug-in graphics technologies such as Java and Flash, in-browser games are prettier and more user-friendly, so much so that you don't even need to actually install a game on your PC in order to play it.

Then there's mobile gaming. With faster mobile phone networks and bigger colour screens, mobile gaming is really taking off. Games on your phone can be played either directly against one another via Bluetooth or infrared, or through the medium of text messaging.

Finally, there's good old email. Across the world, millions of people regularly take part in games known variously as Play By Email or Play By Mail. These turn-based games sometimes require a small software application to be installed on your PC, which allows you to make your move by email.

What you need
To play traditional games online, you need surprisingly little in the way of hardware or software, especially when compared to the latest alien-blasting game. Usually a suitably powerful PC with a seriously capable graphics card is sufficient. The nature of games such as chess and backgammon means that almost all modern-ish PCs will be adequate.

You will, naturally, need a modem and an internet connection but, depending on your game of choice, it's not always necessary to have a broadband connection to play.

That's not to say we wouldn't recommend one. The advantages of fast download speeds are huge, but not always urgent when it comes to classic gaming. At its most basic, you could, for example, simply email your next chess move to your opponent and wait for his or her counter-move to arrive in your inbox.

Clearly, your requirements will differ depending on the type of game you intend to play. Some web-based games will require Shockwave and/or Flash, which means heading to www.macromedia.com to download and install the browser plug-in. Similarly, for mobile gaming you'll need a compatible phone (usually Java-capable) and, depending on the game, the person you wish to play against will usually need a similar handset.

Checkmate
Turn-based games, such as chess, backgammon and draughts, remain as popular as ever on the net. An internet connection means that you can take on other players from across the globe.

For fans of chess, The Internet Chess Club is a good place to start. You have to register, and download the chess software supplied to take part, but once you have done that you are ready to go.

It not only claims to be the largest online chess community, with 2,000 people playing on the site at any given time, it also caters for all skill levels, so you don't have to feel bashful if you're a beginner looking for practice.

GameKnot offers a similar deal for chess fans, although it doesn't require you to download anything. All the graphics are handled by your browser with the help of Java technology. For anyone who doesn't want to rush things, it's ideal.

As a turn-based game, you are in no hurry to complete moves. Simply make your move and wait for your opponent to do the same. It might take 10 minutes, it might take three days - it doesn't really matter as long as you win!

Backgammon is a little less common online, but can still be found at sites such as the US-based GameColony. In fact, backgammon is just one of many board and card games you'll find on this excellent site.

Many online games sites like this one don't just specialise in one game, they usually let players enjoy several different types of game. Yahoo Games or MSN Zone are two good examples of such sites. Both offer literally hundreds of games to choose from. All you need to do is register (for free), log in, and you're off.

Another good source for online turn-based games is It's Your Turn, from where you can play all the obvious games, such as chess, backgammon and draughts, or even take on a fellow online gamer at battleships.

Card games
Card games are now enjoying a new lease of life on a desktop near you. One of the most-played card games on PCs and online is what the Americans call Solitaire, or, what we know as Patience. You'll find a version of Solitaire among the games that come with Windows, and there are plenty of other variations that can be played online.

By its own definition, however, Solitaire is a one-person game. If you're looking for further mainstream card games and fancy playing against a real opponent, then some of the enormous game sites such as the aforementioned Yahoo Games, and Pogo, are ideal destinations. For the more obscure ones, it's worth heading first to The House Of Cards, where you can find a list of card games, and the sites where those games can be found.

One of the world's most addictive card games is, of course, poker, and there are plenty of sites that specialise in nothing but the cowboys' favourite.

Naturally, some of these are gambling sites, but if you're not interested in parting with any of your hard-earned cash and just want to practise or play for fun, then try The Poker Room. Here, you can play with pretend or real money, and the 3D graphics on offer - showing people playing round a table - are quite a nice touch.

Pub games
The internet can even help you with pub games, meaning you can enjoy pool, billiards or even darts online without the need to inhale other people's cigarette fumes or pay for a big round of drinks. One of the best pool games, and one that is totally free, can be found at Yahoo Games, but there are plenty of other good online destinations for a spot of baize-bashing.

Fly Or Die, for example, has some good 3D pool and snooker games. Shockwave.com - the company behind one of the web technologies that is powering web gaming, even has its own Pool game designed to showcase what the technology can do. And very good fun it is, too.

Finally, if you are so taken by online pool that you fancy taking up the real game, you might want to go to Easy Pool Tutor, where you'll find hints and tips galore.

Say it with words
There are plenty of wordsmiths out there, and there is a similarly plentiful selection of websites for anyone into crosswords or other word games. Best Crosswords has daily free crosswords, the only requirement is that your PC supports Java technology, while the two big boys, Yahoo Games and MSN Zone, also have lots of word games.

Etymologic is quite fun too; open the homepage and you are presented with 10 randomly selected word puzzles.

Wordsmith.org is another excellent site. Its Word A Day feature introduces you to a new word every day (at the time of writing, it's Swivet,) and it also has an Internet Anagram Server, into which you can type any word to find out what other words can be made from it.

Bill's Games, a site run, not surprisingly, by a man called Bill, is a simple-looking site with plenty of card, puzzle, word and board games. In the word games category, you'll find hangman, brain teasers and other word puzzles to chew on.

Finally, don't forget that your favourite daily newspaper's crossword can often be found online too, so if you didn't pick up a copy, or you made a complete pig's ear of it, you'll be able to locate it online, print it off and do it all over again.

The Times Crossword Club goes one step further, and offers a £100 subscription service that gives you access to prize and vintage crosswords, all solvable online.

The email of the species
They're getting on a bit now, but role-playing games played over email are still remarkably popular. Known as Play By Email games, they have a simple enough premise: you have a game installed on your PC, and you make your move by email.

Your opponent receives your email, the software loads automatically and your move is replayed, at which point the cycle starts all over again. There are a couple of sites dealing with these kinds of games; the rather archaic-looking PbeM, and the similarly titled PBM.

Clubs and Societies
It goes without saying that you can be the biggest chess/backgammon or poker fan of all time but, if you haven't got anyone to play against, it's not a great deal of fun. Yes, you can just pick a random punter on a games website, but it's sometimes much better to play against like-minded souls.

And, to that end, it's worth considering joining a club or society that's dedicated to your passion. Thankfully there are many such organisations to be found on the net. If you're a fan of draughts, for example, you might want to try the Wyllie Online Draughts Club, and there's a similarly helpful resource for darts players round the world at Cyber Darts. For finding fellow poker nuts, try Poker Pub UK.

Depending on what game you are thinking of taking up, there'll be something online to interest you. Perform a search using any search engine, such as Google, and you're bound to dig something up.

End move
Most of the web-based board, card and strategy games we have mentioned are completely free, but there are also options for those prepared to splash out a bit of cash. The PC, in particular, is well served for traditional games, and they're rarely expensive.

Virtual Chess 2, for example, should only set you back a fiver, and features some nice graphical flourishes to help you enjoy your game. Check out online shopping sites such as Amazon for an idea of what's on offer.

Gaming on the net need not be the exclusive domain of people who want to blast their way off an alien planet or suchlike. The traditional gaming community is as strong online as that of the bandwidth-hogging, action gamers players.

And that means you'll never be without someone eager to play a game or two. Just log on to one of the sites we have recommended and take your pick of games and prospective opponents.

Mobile gaming
Bigger screens, better graphics, multi-player functionality. No, we're not talking about PCs, but about mobile phones, which explains why the world of mobile gaming is growing at a huge speed. The mobile platform is perfect for traditional games, such as solitaire or chess.

Many handsets, such as the recently released Sony Ericsson P900, come with games such as chess built-in, but there are other, more advanced board games available to download from the web and install on your phone.

Cascata Games, for example, offers a two-player Chinese chess game for the P900 that can be played either via Bluetooth between two phones or via SMS with just about anyone. Mobile multi-player gaming is starting to become big business, too.

Check out Nokia's new N-Gage platform, a phone/handheld gaming device. It offers most of the classic PC/console games in a portable format. See www.n-gage.com for more details.

And you can bet your bottom dollar when 3G becomes more widespread, true multi-player gaming will be the next craze. For an idea of what other mobile titles are available, check out specialist mobile games stores such as Handango. Although it's aimed at younger gamers into action video gaming, it also provides a good example of what's to come on the mobile platform.

Shopping for games
Even if you prefer handling physical chess pieces or cards to playing computerised versions of your favourite games, don't dismiss the internet just yet. It is, of course, the perfect place to find shops from where you can buy a decent backgammon, chess or draughts set and get it delivered to your door.

Games Web has a wide selection of different games, including board games, but for more specialist purchasing you might want to try sites such as Farscape Games, where you can get boards, pieces and even themed chess sets (the England Rugby World Cup-winning team will set you back £113).

Also worth a look is Avatar, which sells hand-crafted English-made chess sets. Offering broadly similar products, but with an emphasis on backgammon, is Backgammon-UK.