Java and Jagex chess--PLEASE HELP!!!

Please-
If anyone can help me with this--I am almost at wit's end.
And, I must say that I am nearly a technological/computer idiot, so please, if you answer this, keep my handicap in mind)
No games at this address, jagex.com will now open for me and I have tried everything I can to find a solution. Java seems to work fine for me elsewhere.
Specifically, I go there to play chess. There are many other places, I know, but every other one I have seen has a time control for a game in minutes. This is the only one I have found that has a time control (30sec, and 1,2 and 4 minutes) for every move. Since having the problem, I have searched for another site but I do not think there is one with this type of time control.
Here is the problem. For several weeks, after clicking on one of the game icons (doesn't matter which one, all go to the same sign-in page) nothing but a grey square appears. I have waited for as long as 30 minutes and-NOTHING!
The grey area came on in the past, but was quickly followed by the sign-in page.
I have tried downloading and using different browsers (opera and firefox) and same problem.
I have used Netscape, Explorer and the browser for YahooDSL and same problem. --although in Netscape sometimes a red 'x' appears in the top left corner of the grey screen and sometimes the message at bottom left, "applet gameclient will not load", and sometimes the message "applet gameclient notinited" (or something like that, I'm not certain on the speing on that one)
I have tried using different versions of Java and same problem.
I have gone to the help site for Java, tried their suggestions and same problem. (although the help there is not made for a technological idiot like me so I'm not sure I did everything right).
I have gone to the help sites of ALL the browsers I have tried, and, yes, that is right----SAME PROBLEM.
In utter desperation, I came here and will try to post this. I have also downloaded a program,'AIDA32' in order to get help with putting my computer's specifications here. Here's what I think might be pertinent:

Computer:
Operating System Microsoft Windows 98 SE
OS Service Pack None
Internet Explorer 6.0.2800.1106 (IE 6.0 SP1)
Computer Name PAVILION
User Name David O'Connor

Motherboard:
CPU Type Intel Celeron II, 566 MHz
Motherboard Name Unknown
Motherboard Chipset Intel Whitney i810
System Memory 256 MB
BIOS Type Phoenix (01/27/00)
Communication Port Communications Port (COM1)
Communication Port EPSON Printer Port (LPT1)

I would GREATLY APPRECIATE any help anyone might be able to give me. I am really addicted to playing chess on this site. I know this is pathetic, but I cannot help it.

 

There is nothing wrong with your system. Jagex yanked its multi-player games including chess from its site on August 2 without any notice. I miss it too and suffer from the sam eaddiction as you. If you have returned to jagex.com recently you will see the note that the multi-player games will return soon updated and improved. Soon appears to be a very long time. Jagex makes it money from runescape and some nights there are close to 60 thousand people playing it.The chess, while important to you and me, apparently means nothing to the
provider. I liked their chess features better than anything else I could find. I'm hoping it will resurface some day soon.