Yermo's language was really exciting and his analysis was great. I hope he continues to write for the bulletin!
Feedback and Ideas for The Master's Bulletin
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Feb 25, 2014
0
#3
As GM Erwin l'Ami suggested, we might want to move the News section more to the front. Anyone disagreeing here?
Feb 26, 2014
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#4
Is the expectation that if readers have questions/comments on one of the features - such as an opening discussion - that they would start a thread for that purpose in the forums here? I think the value proposition for the Bulletin is higher if the expectation is that there would be Q&A related to each article that the authors would participate in.
In "The Good" column, I really like the PGN file with the issue. I can add the annotated games to my databases and also play through the games in my PGN viewer of choice and make my own notes. Keep that coming and if you have a choice between adding "text only" features versus PGN features, my preference would be for you to lean towards features that lend themselves to a PGN format.
Selfishly I really enjoyed the Budapest Gambit material because I am currently learning those lines. So just as a matter of preference keep the opening analysis related to aggressive openings. Scandanavian, Morra, and Vienna Gambit are ripe topics too :P
Favorite features included topical theory, spotlight games, middlegame musings, endgame explained and tasty tactics.
Suggestion #1: Add the tasty tactic positions and answers to the PGN file
Suggestion #2: Add a reader's games annotated feature where one of the IM's/GM's can review one or two games annotated by a reader and comment on their annotations. Key is the reader needs to fully annotate the game first as the idea is to get feedback on our thought process and ability to evaluate what is going on in the game. You could ask for submissions related to a specific opening or openings that may be thematic for a future issue.
Feb 26, 2014
0
#5
The "reader submission" idea is a fantastic one Matt! That may be added soon! Maybe we will make an official forum thread here on Chess.com (in this group) JUST for game submission!
Apr 9, 2014
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#8
Honestly, I feel ike my Diamond Membership is going to have lesss and less value and the "good" content will now work its way into this additional subscirption service. Why not go back to my ChessBase Magazine subscription instead?
Apr 10, 2014
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#9
Are you serious ChessHodina? Your Diamond Membership lose value?
It's just not true.
May 7, 2014
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#10
a link to find the issues would be nice ;-) under the more tab, my home or whatevers :-) a bit of visibility helps. i just got a sub, and looking for where, i'm sure i'll find it, but still guys *a noogie for making use my gisting and searching skillz*.
ok i found
http://www.chess.com/article/view/the-masters-bulletin-archive
i guess subs to the bulletin don't get to see past issues minus the initial free ones (yay for those). 
correct me if i'm wrong. maybe you need a password or fairy dust or something to find open the links. looking forward to seeing the material going forward. 
One of the books I found helpful in my chess development was Alex Dunne's How to Become a Candidate Master. Would be good to see games that show common mistakes - 2400 v 2200, 2200 v 2000 etc. This doesn't really exist in other places (NiC, CBM), and - IMHO - has really good didactic value. You also have a team who play a lot of opens in North America, so likely will have a surplus of good material :-)
Informant is avaliable through the Forward Chess app (http://forwardchess.com/); how about looking into doing the same with Master's Bulletin?
I like the bulletin but can't find the US price and kinda makes me neverous but maybe that's just me. I am afraid of International transaction with the old credit card bc my bank wants to call and verify everything and even in some cases freeze my account. Also A link to the bulletin from my chess.com account would be nice. Thanks
Aug 28, 2014
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#15
U.S. Pricing on the left side of the page http://shop.chessvibes.com/the-masters-bulletin here http://grab.by/zSvw
Oct 22, 2014
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#16
Some month ago I wrote, that I would not be buying the Master's Bulletin because of an overabundance of chess materials already available and for a lack of time.
Never say never, or so people say.
In the meantime I have bought two back issues (single issues only, Jan & Aug 2014), and have to say that I am satisfied with what I got for my money (both amount and quality of content are good).
Why did I buy them? Because they had content that I am specifically interested in.
Will I subscribe The Master's Bulletin now? Probably not. But I will definitely buy future single issues, if they include topics that are of interest to me.
What I am most interested in is a brief overview over a lesser known or uncommon opening (variation). Of course this can not be as thorough as would be in a whole book devoted to this opening, but I like the format with the annotated games and it is enough to get you started, to understand basic ideas and to see if this is something for you or not.
I have to say, that I found the annotations to be of high quality, not just lines and variations, but plenty of text too. I like that!
What I would like to see less of in future issues are current top grandmaster games. You can get them anywhere.
What I am very interested in - and this would make me seriously consider a subscription! - is a new section with "forgotten gems". 3 to 5 brilliant games that are years or decades old and not very well known. Not the usual names like Tal, Morphy and Fischer. Games from players most of us have never even heard of. These games should be annotated extensively, of course.
I'm also very interested in more member game analysis. These are usually more instructive than GM-level games. Or just randomly annotate games of average tournament players rated between 1900 and 2250 Elo.
I see no need for chess puzzles and tactics problems. There are plenty of these for free on the internet.
What would be very nice are some(more) articles on general endgame strategy, on middlegame strategy, general plan finding (which could be illustrated in concrete example in annotated games).
I am totally not interested in player profiles / interviews. Not interested in current chess news. Yes, I do follow the news and current top tournaments, but for that I don't need the Master's Bulletin.
One more thing: I really like the fact that the Master's Bulletin comes as a pgn and as a pdf. That makes it good to use for studying alone at home on the computer and for printing it out, and studying it together with a friend.
This brings me to my final suggestion of what I would like to see in the Master's Bulletin:
I often study chess together with a good friend of mine. He has a book by Jacob Aagard (I forgot the title) which contains about fifty diagrams of early middlegames positions from real games. We set up one of these on a chessboard and try evaluate the position to find plans and strategies. There usually are no concrete "cool" tactics. Just "normal" positions. We look at the position for a couple of minutes, then discuss our ideas. Then we look up the solution/explanations in the book. I believe this is the best way to study, if you don't want to pay for a good personal chess coach on a regular basis.
This is what I would like to see in the Master's Bulletin. At least one, perhaps even two or three such positions each month. Include that and if the amount of content is satisfactory in relation to the price I would very likely subscribe. A slightly higher price would be very much okay, if there is more content too. It is not the overall amount of content I care about, just the amount of content that is of interest to me personally. For a 70-100 pages I would pay up to 10 Euro a month. Maybe 12 Euro if the stuff is really good!
Well, that's all I can think of for now. All of this is just a personal opinion and I certainly don't mean to come across as overly critical.
I must point out participation, love & woman.
Today they are a key factor in all of Chess operations
There are many groups Administrated by woman.
Chess from history was not appealing or even allowed to woman.
It was "supposed" a inferior game to woman.
In recent history meaning only 100 years the strength of Chess by woman has made a complete change to Superior Chess participants, leaders around the world.
There Honesty, character , intelligence, leadership actually keeps Chess.com alive.
Not only to play Chess but interact with the world Chess community keeping Chess.com again alive.
I interact with just a few groups compared to how many groups there are here at Chess.com. My feeling with this.
Some of the Administrative groups lead by woman receive Trophy's & Awards from Chess Masters. All of them
The Animal Kingdom Conservation Group, The ORACLE. Chess Titans. Friends play Chess. I'm sure you all know more. If miss any give them afterwards.
There devotion has become Chess.coms anchor.
If I may add . I would have placed many of these Chess playing woman on board my ship in active duty also a research if they play CHESS Pryor to placement as a requirement in some case's.
A Leon. Lt-1. E-4 Fireman US Navy, Retired. A man.
Let us have it!
The good!
The bad!
The ugly!
And things you'd like to see us cover! I expect the thread to be hopping, especially if there are topical openings and games you think Peter and I should assign to our list of Grandmaster Authors!
Let's do this!