I am pretty new to this website. Since I have joined you folks I have discovered

a lot of good chessplayers, some really fine people and only a tiny number of the

clods I have met at others sites (rude chat...disconnects when they can't accept

a losing position etc.)The elegance and complexity of this site is a credit to the

creators. I hate the disconnects (only when I'm winning...:)_)but this is being

done on the fly and I am willing to live with this. The opportunity to play

against chessplayers from all over the world is a dream. I am not Lasker or

Kasparov (I wish...but I'm trying), but I get to have that same feeling of competing against the best...maybe now at the 1300 level only but your blood

still gets moving when you see a combination and it works or you make a mistake and your opponent catches you but you struggle back and WIN!. What

a feeling. Anyway...not to bore you who have been here for a lot longer or are

playing at a much higher level than I at this point but I feel like a kid at DisneyLand. Wahoo!!

I thnk the greatest feature about this site is the ability to play chess, because I haven't been able to play hardly at all since high school for lack of finding others players.  Now not only am I able to play, but I am usually able to play against players of similar skills, which would be hard to do if I was able to find player.

glad you are enjoying it!

a friend of mine introduced me to this site, and i think it's great. i have self taught myself chess and my daughters, but daughters out grow the game when they discover boys!!(GRRRRR!!). i have also built my very own chess board in the design of a castle with fancy illumination and everything. And the highlight of the board are the collectors models of Lord of the rings! which i have used for the pieces, the worst thing about it is that it sits in the corner gathering dust!!

Hey Joel, send a challenge, looking forward to playing you on this site, good luck.