Why I've Started Playing Mostly Here On Chess.com

Without expanding needlessly on the subject as it's in my profile, I'm a 33 year old who just in the last few months has started playing the game really seriously and competitively with long term goals of growth in mind. I'm USCF and FIDE registered and I play online basically all day along with study and review/analysis. 

I've played on every server out there. ICC, Lichess, ChessTempo, PlayChess, etc. Bottom line? Nowhere, nowhere can I find a wide variety of pools for live chess like you have here. ICC has pools, too but they recently replaced the 45/45 pool with a 25/10 one when they should have instead just *added* the 25/10. Long story short, Chess.com is now the place where the most standard chess is played on the internet. Beyond that, the population here is massive compared to the other servers. There's regularly 10,000+ logged into live chess here. #2 would be Lichess which hovers at 2k to 5k on it's absolute busiest days and that site is booming now. Additionally, the regular, 24/7 tournaments that include 15/10's are just amazing. Once again, nowhere else can I find a tournament schedule like the one you have here. It's real tournament chess. Not "arena" blitz for two hours. 

Anyway, I just wanted to drop my two pennies. There's more I could say but I think I've made enough points. On every other server but Lichess you're going to wait for a game endlessly at times, there's no well constructed pairing pools on any site but this one, and the community here is massive. I think the site's best days are yet still ahead of it. 

That said: Where's V3? Really, what could possibly be taking this long without even an update? 

It's coming.  I've been using the beta for the past few weeks, only jumping back occasionally.

I hadn't tried out the V3 set in months as the last time I did I was very, very unimpressed. Now, after clicking over to it yesterday and seeing how much progress has been made, I couldn't be much happier. I love the direction they're going with things. 

I just can't wait for it to go live and for everyone to be on it. It's leagues beyond what we have here now. 

I only play on chess.com. I'm too lazy to explore other sites. Good to hear that this site is so good

It's definitely not time to pop the champagne, but things are looking brighter. Prior to the recent editions of the V3 beta, we were in the technological stone age for internet chess in 2015. 

Again, you can't do everything here that you can do with commercial engines and software but ...it's getting much better. Live chess is looking clean and sharp, too. 

It really is imperative that they incorporate a system where I can upload my own engine for use on the site rather than rely upon what Chess.com has to offer. Still, the new Chess.com analysis engine is a totally different beast than the previous one here...which was terrible. 

Same toughts here, been almost everywhere, started in FICS, tried ICC, Playchess, Lichess, Chesscube, etc. 

I remember the first days of this site, couldn't even play online, it was so bad I didn't return in about 3 years before registering again, and now that I want to play again this site is top notch, great community, lots of players, (incredible) active forum, great mobile app, it really took everything other sites left unnatended and did a great job, so if they're releasing a new version with more improvements, I won't be moving from here anytime soon.

At this point it looks like a miracle ICC is still online, I guess the GM's playing there is what keeps them alive, but that server will soon die if they don't fix a lot of things, FICS is acceptable since its totally free, but ICC is like paying for playing in the flinstones software.

what's V3?

Version 3 of Chess.com. You're a premium member and can try it for yourself. Look for the link to it at the bottom of your screen and go into live chess. Enjoy. 

Same thoughts about ICC. I monitor these sites pretty closely and indeed - their population has literally fallen off the table. It's dead over there and very difficult to get games within your rating range unless they're blitz. It's 90% gm's playing blitz and the rest is the 45/45 team league. It's just ...passed it's prime to say the least. 

I was just using V3 to play blitz for the first time and I love it. With the blue board, classic pieces, and things set the right way there really isn't anything I'm missing from the other interfaces in live chess right now. 

The new analysis graph that shows who's winning and by how much is also a great, great addition here. This is the kind of stuff that we needed to bring the site up to speed. Don't do away with these kind of technical enhancements. 

OP you and me are on very similar paths. I am 35 and also only took up chess seriously earlier this year. Like you I am fortunate enough to have a lot of time to dedicate to improvement and I wanted to wish you luck on your quest.

Also I agree with your comments about this site. The current trend of streamers towards lichess is something I do not really understand.

What I don't like are the instadeletes of threads on this forum that are centered about discussion the merits/demerits of lichess.com. I tried asking about which one people preferred, and it was deleted instantly by the admins.

I'm actually a Lichess donor, believe it or not lol. I think what they're providing over there, for free, and the player base they are putting together is pretty amazing. That said, I don't consider it as ..."serious" a chess site as Chess.com. They call 5+5 chess "classical", all tourney's are arena blitz, and of course...you get what you pay for in life. Their trainers, links to videos (that's all they are), forums, community, leagues, and tournaments, etc all are second to Chess.com. 

Either way: Other than those two sites right now, there really isn't anywhere else to put in serious time unless you want to play online rated FIDE games on FIDE online arena...which I have, too.