read below, but be advised,  amended in posting number 8.    you may want to read other posts for the amendment     (amended by popular demand to make it more challenging and offer more opportunities to win first place, second place and third place).

standard rules below apply with the exceptions noted in the amendment in post 8.

clarification noted by ** below.

 end of edit comments, on 6 april 2008.  ret.

 

Like the others, the rules are below.  However, unlike the others, we are cutting off all guesses after the registered users level reaches 200,000 users to add some more 'chance' into selecting the right date.  

 

Chess players:  NEW FORUM:  250,000 users pool.

 

Rules:

Take your best guess on the exact date that this site will reach 250,000 Users.  The winner will be the ** FIRST user who guesses closest to the exact date without exceeding it.  Ties will be resolved by the first person to post the closest date.   if you think erik is going to be 'right', just wait til he posts and do what matt did - pick a day later and post that for your guess....  heh heh.

e.g.  suppose erik guesses July 4, 2008.  and the site reaches 250,000 users on July 7, but no one guessed July 5 or July 6.  erik wins.  

e.g. # 2   suppose erik guesses July 4, 2008, and the site reaches 225,000 users on July 3.  his guess exceeded the exact date so he is disqualified.  the winner will be selangor because he guessed July 2, 2008.

 

** FIRST PERSON's to guess a particular day/month/year is the ONLY one that counts.   Subsequent guesses for same date will NOT COUNT.     - - - I hope that is clear enough now. 

 

1. one guess per player.  you may not change your guess, first shot, one chance.

2. All 'guesses' must cease when this site size exceeds 225,000 users.   (that way, we must wait a while - there would be no point in allowing 'guesses' after the site reaches 249,700 for instance).   there are over 250,000 registered site users now    - we are not guessing the exact hour, so date is fine.

3. Prize:  recognition by all here for your accuracy. (for what that is worth); Fame. (fleeting at best for we will start a new 'pool' to guess the next membership milestone for this site) and a good feeling, sort of like winning a chess game.       

 

Reason for this pool:  about the same as many of the other Forum topics.  [someone got bored with chess and thought of something chess-related to do.  reason folks are taking guesses in this pool:  about the same.]

 

 

I will post my guess later.

  

 

EDIT BY ERIK:
"Here is the link to view the current number of members:
http://www.chess.com/members/member_countries.html "

thanks, ERIK.

june 5

why not check "who win"

God2 wrote: why not check "who win"

---

???

another one? they just keep flying at us. well anyway, i think i will lie low until we get a little closer toward 250,000.

 Honorable mention and a Sincere "Thank you" to Selangor and benws for keeping watch on the numbers of user for last pool.   You are both now "defending Champions" for this pool. 

 

AMENDMENT TO THE RULES ABOVE:

 

to make it more of a challenge, the rules are amended as follows:  we have just reached 150,000 users. there will be several prizes awarded for this 'POOL'.

 

same qualification on dates as first posting. 

 

HOWEVER, this time, the big trophy goes to the user who most correctly guesses the date we reach 250,000 BEFORE the site reaches 175,000 registered.

 

Second place goes to the one who most correctly guess the date we reach 250,000 BEFORE we reach 200,000. 

 

and third place goes to the one who most correctly guesses the date we reach 250,000 BEFORE we reach 225,000.

 

disgusted mention goes to anyone who takes a guess after the site reaches 245,000 as that is not a challenge, but we will note their handle anyway.

 

Post your guesses for the date the site will reach 250,000 users anytime you want.  No further entries for a particular trophy level will be accepted after the site reaches that level - 175,000, 200,000, 225,000 or 245,000.   anyone noting that the site has reached a particular level (line just above this), and wishes to so note, please do that.   Eastern Standard Time Zone, USA is the time I am in, so I use that.  If using other time zone, please so note.  

 

disqualifying actions:  returning to change your guessed date (I note those periodically, and retain the 'guesses' on file.     posting a notice about 'further guesses closed' on a dated notice that is prior to the date that the site reached one of the numbers - 175,000, 200,000, 225,000 and 245,000.

 

 superpotato, please note.  need a year, not just a month/day.

the honorable july 4, 2008.

Since Superpotato supplied his guess without a year on it, it is disqualified.

Currently, the only date picked is July 4, 2008 by BENWS.

Total users on 17 May at 3 PM West Coast Time zone (USA West coast), is 176,900 approx.

therefore, since no one successfully posted a guess prior to 175,000 users, I am revising the prize listing as follows:

same qualification on dates as first posting. 

HOWEVER, this time, the big trophy goes to the user who most correctly guesses the date we reach 250,000 BEFORE the site reaches 190,000 registered.

Second place goes to the one who most correctly guess the date we reach 250,000 BEFORE we reach 200,000. 

and third place goes to the one who most correctly guesses the date we reach 250,000 BEFORE we reach 225,000.

disgusted mention goes to the user who posts without a year on their date, or fails to post prior to reaching 240,000 users.

 

My own guess:  August 20, 2008.

 

 

 

NOTICE TO ALL:   Selangor is managing this pool, effective immediately and until he decides to turn it over to someone else or it ends.

 

Best regards in your chess and in life.

 

Ret