Chess.com Advertising Issue

I think courses are a good idea, simply because they can be tailored specifically to you. When you're watching videos the subject is covered in general, you don't have the attention of anyone to discuss ideas or lines with.

As for the ad, I barely saw it as my bookmark leads to chess.com/home which it never was shown there. I feel it would have probably been better to send a message to everyone at least asking to check it out, then it wouldn't have been in their face every time they visited the site and they could have stored the message if they wanted to check it later.

Either way, I can't wait for a course my level (I'm trying to up my rating as much as possible as it is. So I hope to be more eligable for courses in the future :P)

Also the course fees, you get hours of someones attention who could charge you alot more, they do seem pretty cheap for the tutoring you get. Ok its not 1 on 1 tutoring but the classes are small, so I think that every student will get the attention they need

 Sorry Dpruess, I can't agree with that. When I was having a problem, I messaged Erik twice and neither have been answered to this day. I also find when I go on the help and support thing, and read that their going to send me a mail, it often doesnt come through for weeks. In my opinion, this is because too many members put their needs as "urgent" instead of just strong or normal. This means I have to wait weeks for mine, and end up having to go after people who's problems are less urgent than mine.

Calum.

thanks for telling me that, Calum. if you have problems with support being too slow, send me a private message. Erik is not supposed to have to deal with that anymore, but i do oversee it. so, next time, it'll go better now that you know to write to me. also if you would tell me more in private message about your issue that was slow to be resolved, i'd be interested to hear that. thanks!

I will :D. Thats what made me decide to switch from a diamond membership to a gold membership, I was reasonably annoyed afterwards.

Calum.

I think the idea of Chess.com university is an amazing idea.  It is the natural evolution from what this site currently offers to a full blown eLearning instruction environment that many universities award degrees for.  I for one will be taking advantage of it at my first available opportunity.

I want to illucidate for a moment on what I think these guys are doing right.  Cognitive psychologists K.A. Ericsson and A.C. Lehmann (1996) identified four major steps necessary to develop expertise in any subject.  They formulated these steps into a model they called Deliberate Practice. Deliberate Practice entails these aspects:

1. The task is at an appropriate level of difficulty (not to easy or not too hard)
2. The learner is given informative feedback about his or her performance
3. The learner has adequate chances to repeat the task
4. The learner has the opportunity to correct his or her errors.

Charness, Krampe and Mayr (1996) found that when statistically controlled for the amount of chess study vs deliberate practice the best players were those who had engaged in the most deliberate practice.

Eysenck, M. W. (2006). Fundamentals of cognition. New York: Psychology Press.

In my view that is precisely what you get based on the descriptions provided on a Chess.com university course. As far as the price anyone who has ever taken private chess lessons will know the answer to that question.  The courses are a steal monetarily and unique in that they are driven as an eLearning type of instruction.  I really appreciate what DPruess is trying to accomplish and it is these kinds of efforts that make me feel like my money was spent well by becoming a member of this site.  The eLearning chess courses show not only business acumen but a little moxie and Chess.com will only become better for it. I would already be signed up for a course if I was not so busy with other obligations but from what I can tell it looks like Masters level quality instruction at a very affordable rate.

I also wanted to say that the Chess.com university temporary banner "Ad" did not in any way violate the spirit or the letter of the no advertisments agreement of the paid memberships.  As a sponsored Chess.com activity I see no harm done whatsoever.  Keep up the great work DPruess!

I'm with you there Kingsidecastle.  I had the privilege of enjoying the first lecture on Saturday.  It was amazing. 

I'm going to start a blog soon giving my impressions but if anyone wants to ask any questions about the course (for which spaces are still available) and they want a student's perspective, just click on my name and message me.

I personally like to learn great chess without paying, but under the circumstances, this is "university". Do you know how much  people are paying MONTHLY to be in colleges/universities these days? I don't know if I can make that kind of money. This is similar to that. However, there are resources around the internet (like free chess books. No kidding. FREE chess books), and I find them more valuable. Not saying anything against anything here, or about chess courses in general, but just stating my opinions/personal thoughts.

Whats the big deal? Chess.com can advertize as it likes and do what it likes. I see no problem in that.

You get what yo pay for... if it was free every cess player would get inn on it and overload these guys... sounds like it is time to get out the cheese and crakers for all the whiners thta don't want to pay for anything but they want someone to take the time to prepare lessons for them. The members of this site have no where else to go to get a product this good! I glady pay for the diamond membership annually.

what banner?

to everyone who is complaining about the banner. download AdBlock+. :-)

For the purpose of the chess.com university. I think it is a good idea but I find it rather odd that there are people who are as just as high if not a higher rating as you who do private lessons for much lower prices. I personally know an IM in my area who does chess lessons in his space times who people pay 30 dollars an hour for his lessons. The price here is rather steep for what we get.

In another note, when I do get a paying job next semester at college, I will be joining under one of the memberships here. I think it is due time. Depending on the wage, it'll probably be a Platinum or Gold.