Amazon.com has a facility it calls Personalized Recommendations. It keeps track of the products you buy (or merely browse), then it steps in and says:

People who were interested in item X also expressed an interest in items Y and Z.

I was wondering whether a similar scheme - Extended Personal Profile - would be useful on this site for linking potential opponents. We currently use informal networking to put one of our opponents in touch with another of our opponents, on the basis of common interests, style of play, etc.

Could chess.com not also say: "You like playing against Y and against Z, so you might like playing against a player X - who also plays against both Y and Z (or either)".

If I only knew who player X was!

that is an excellent idea!!

In the meantime, there's always the groups feature now.  Here is a group for people who like to fight 'till the end (Chess Spartans).

http://www.chess.com/groups/view/chess-spartans

Artfizz has indicated in his profile that he is from the other camp and prefers a quick surrender to a long drawn out battle.  I haven't seen a group specifically for people who feel this way, but there should be because judging by any of the threads on this divide, there are a whole lot of 'em.

Billium248 wrote: In the meantime, there's always the groups feature now.  Here is a group for people who like to fight 'till the end (Chess Spartans).  http://www.chess.com/groups/view/chess-spartans     Artfizz has indicated in his profile that he is from the other camp and prefers a quick surrender to a long drawn out battle.  I haven't seen a group specifically for people who feel this way, but there should be because judging by any of the threads on this divide, there are a whole lot of 'em.

We are traditionally known as "Cheese-Eating Surrender Monkeys" - but, in this context, perhaps we could be called "Chess Athenians".

You Spartans shouldn't be in a democratic chess.com group... "The Spartans disliked walls because walls defined cities. Cities, if you weren't careful, encouraged other things ... like democracy. And if there was one thing Sparta distrusted more than walls, it was democracy." 

The Spartans, apparently, didn't always fight like Spartans...

"The Athenians were far too clever. They held back for a while, and then politely sent over a herald to ask if the Spartans would like to surrender. And, unbelievably, that's exactly what the Spartans did (ON THE ISLAND OF PYLOS).

http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/n-s/spartans2.html

Very informative link.  Thanks.

Instead of Athenians, what about Persians?  Wasn't it the Persian army that wanted Sparta to just surrender without a fight?

I don't know about Greek history, but I love the idea of recommended opponents.

Greek, Persian, French, English, Japanese, Australian, or Kiwi, Surrender is not an option!!!

Chris17 wrote: I don't know about Greek history, but I love the idea of recommended opponents. Greek, Persian, French, English, Japanese, Australian, or Kiwi, Surrender is not an option!!!

Don't forget the Americans!   "Failure is not an option" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZuUwcl_wT8

 gumpty and others have advocated a more comprehensive Personal Profile (http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/using-books--databases-for-playing-turn-based?page=4). A scheme such as the one below, in which members indicate their intentions, could provide a basis for more accurate matching of opponents by temperament.

EXTENDED PERSONAL PROFILE

Preferred Style of Chess { Tick any that apply }

[ ] Correspondence Chess (“Turn-Based”)

[ ] electronic Over-The-Board (“LiveChess”)

[ ] physical OTB

[ ] some other chess variant

[ ] don’t play chess

Correspondence Chess facilities (major) used during a game { Tick any that apply }

[ ] books

[ ] opening databases

[ ] Game Explorer

[ ] the web or other legitimate resource

[ ] none of the above

Correspondence Chess facilities (minor) used during a game { Tick any that apply }

[ ] use the Analysis Board

Cheating { Tick any that apply }

[ ] get help from 3^rd party

[ ] use a Chess Engine

[ ] use End-Game Tables

Ease-of-Play / Multiple Game Management facilities { Tick any that apply }

[ ] press SUBMIT to move (i.e. not Touch Move)

[ ] make notes during the game (either on paper or in the Notes tab)

[ ] use the Moves tab to rewind the game

[ ] use the Details tab to show captured pieces

[ ] use the Details tab to flip the board

[ ] display the algebraic co-ordinates on the board

[ ] highlight the square of the last move made

[ ] use Conditional Moves

Learning Attitude{ Tick one }

( ) Determined to improve at chess

( ) Social player

( ) Serious player

Competitive Attitude{ Tick any that apply }

[ ] Never resign!

[ ] Resign when appropriate

[ ] Let ‘lost’ games time out

Speed of play{ Tick one }

( ) Very Fast ( < 3 hours/move)

( ) Fast ( < 6 hours/move)

( ) Average ( < 12 hours/move)

( ) Slow ( > 12 hours/move)

Courtesy{ Tick any that apply }

[ ] Say “Hi!” (or equivalent) at start of game

[ ] Say “gg” (or equivalent) at end of game

[ ] Award trophies

Verbosity{ Tick one }

( ) Chat freely during game

( ) Chat only if opponent starts chatting

( ) Disable chat

Participation in non-Chess Activities{ Tick any that apply }

[ ] Post in the forums

[ ] Belong to group(s)

 ARTREF:EXTENDED PERSONAL PROFILE

WOW!!  That's a pretty extensive list!  I don't think my E-Harmony profile has that much info on me. 

I love the choices!  I'd love reading all the "extended personal profile" info on my opponents.  Being able to search users via these categories would be really cool too.

Count me in favor of adding an "extended personal profile" feature.

"Who is player X ?"

It's me, Mister X ! :o)

Mysterix wrote: "Who is player X ?"

It's me, Mister X ! :o)

Do you happen to know MysterY and Mister Z?

Billium248 wrote: WOW!!  That's a pretty extensive list!  I don't think my E-Harmony profile has that much info on me. ... Count me in favor of adding an "extended personal profile" feature.

• It should be easy to implement - just another page of options.
  
• Access other players' extended profile via an extra link next to My Complete Profile.
  
• Some of the options could have friendly tags e.g. Never resign! = Spartans at Thermopylae. Resign when appropriate = Spartans at Pylos.
  
• Add in a few more questions such as: "what month does you car insurance expire?" - and chess.com can upsell additional products!
• Options like Speed of play can be updated by the system.

An extended personal profile like the one listed above could also help introduce new players to features they didn't know about.  "Do I use conditional moves?  I would if I knew what it was.  Let me look into this." 

I've also heard a lot of players who are initially upset to learn that so many players use database assistance simply because they didn't know they were allowed to as well.  The above questions may help avoid this to some extent.

Billium248 wrote: An extended personal profile like the one listed above could also help introduce new players to features they didn't know about.  "Do I use conditional moves?  I would if I knew what it was.  Let me look into this."   I've also heard a lot of players who are initially upset to learn that so many players use database assistance simply because they didn't know they were allowed to as well.  The above questions may help avoid this to some extent.

Very astute points, Billium248.

If the headings in the Extended Personal Profile were links to the relevant section of the Help or FAQ (e.g. Conditional Moves), that would help new members familiarise with the facilities more quickly. (On the downside, it might reduce the potential membership of the Circle of Trust group or the Chess-Spartans group!).

excellent suggestions!

Hey artfizz,

It's a great idea, but I'm not sure about companies hocking their wares, (as in post #12).

Adds are like ants, first a scout, then comes the infestation!

Chris17 wrote: Hey artfizz, It's a great idea, but I'm not sure about companies hocking their wares, (as in post #12). Ads are like ants, first a scout, then comes the infestation!

Point taken, Chris17 . I mentioned that for a couple of reasons: first, chess.com are such a trustworthy organisation that I can't see them going for it (and imagine trying to sell car insurance in 200+ different counties anyway).

Secondly, even without it, there would be enough information on the Extended Profile. Oh, you like chatting, do you? Try this mobile phone. You're determined to improve at chess? Then you may be interested in this training package. And so on.

Fizz,

I AGREE THATN IT IS A GREAT IDEA, AS ANYONE WHO WANTS TO CHALLENGE AN OPPONENT HAS AN OPPOTUNITY TO DO SO.

i FOR ONE AM STRUGGLING TO FIND OPPONENTS, DO NOT BE SCARED BY MY RATING, I STARTED AT 1200 LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, WON THE FIRST GAME, LOST THE SECOND ONE AND HAD 4 DRAWS, HOWEVER 4 OF MY OPPONENTS QUIT BEFORE THE 9TH MOVE AT MOVES 3, 4, 8 AND 9. WITH THIS POST I DO CHALLENGE ANYONE BELOW 1200 AS I MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP YOU JUST ASK ART FIZZ FOR A REFERENCE!

SO MY RATING IS AROUND 1900 AND I STILL, TO THIS MOMENT, DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY, IF SOMEONE CAN EXPLAIN , BE MY GUEST.

amazon keeps trying to sell me "the complete idiot's guide to chess".  they know me too well. i'm scared of their power.

hondoham wrote: amazon keeps trying to sell me "the complete idiot's guide to chess".  they know me too well. i'm scared of their power.

Very sloppy on their part. If they were monitoring your progress carefully, they should be trying to push Petrosian's Eye of the Tiger (Don't let go of the Tal), and Maxe Euwe's classic: Euwe can do it! (if you really want).