Chess.com a year on (nearly!)

It's a measure of the success of Chess.com (for me) that I can't easily remember a time before it existed.  What did I do before with my online time?  I can hardly remember!

 

Anyway, so much progress has been made with the site (a BIG thank you to erik, jay and all the gang) that I feel the need to pause and take a breath to try to look objectively at where the site is now and where it might go in the future.  The site excites me so much that I strongly hope it goes from strength to strength.  I hope this isn't too presumptuous of me - I'm sure erik knows what he is doing! But I feel like "thinking aloud" a bit.

 

I think that the site has been very successful in attracting inexperienced players to register and play/contribute.  There is a genuine community feel to the site which can't be faked and I think this is the biggest success - "play, learn, share" is not an empty motto but a genuine statement about the site's ethos.

 

However, is there a danger of positioning the site so firmly as the best for beginners that advanced players are unnecessarily put off from joining?  I consider myself an "intermediate" player, but in the rating stats here for turn-based chess I'm nearly in the top 2%.  Once a reputation is made, it sticks, and if Chess.com continues to have a membership which is predominantly made up of 'beginners' then that may become self-perpetuating.  

 

Perhaps this isn't even a problem.  Perhaps I'm being a snob (I hope not, because my ability doesn't justify it!).  Perhaps I'm mistaking what I want out of Chess.com for what others want out of Chess.com.  Maybe having mostly "beginner" members is the strategy.  I appreciate that there will always be a larger base of beginners that there will be advanced players, but if Chess.com is to be a home for all abilities of chess players then it probably has some way to go to attract the experts, masters and even stronger players.

 

I hope I haven't spoken out of turn.  Is this an issue, and if so how can it be tackled?

I think it's an excellent point. Well worth discussing, though I'm personally not sure what can be done. I've never been an advanced player, so I'm not sure what would attract (and hold) them.

For a player of my ability, chess.com is a great place to hang out. Plenty of players to play, including players above and below. Lots of stuff to look into, players analysis, blogs... etc.

I am hoping with tournaments, memberships etc. there will be more excitement to follow.

One thing that has been brought up that I really hope to see more of in the future is advanced interfaces between players i.e., coaching student type environments where players learn and study together.

Perhaps an analyse mode for games so that two (or more players) may enter and analyse a game or a position together.

Thats on my wishlist anyway. I think it would improve mentor's and coaches ability to use chess.com for the LEARN and SHARE parts of play.learn.share.

Og

I have played on every available chess site. There is a duality to "advanced" Advanced as in NM, IM, GM and engine use. Okay let's face it most real GM's and IM's who are young enough play at ICC, bless their blitzing hearts. For those that can handle the complications of downloaded software the style play at ICCF, IECG and other e-mail format sites. For server based sites (here) this is going to be one of the best. The top 3 dogs now are GameKnot, RedHotPawn, ChessWorld. I think GK is a very fine site but so badly managed that I am not surprised it hasn't imploded. Plus is you want the engine advanced option that is the #1 place on the internet to experience that!! RHP forums are it's claim to fame if you are young and bored. Couple real and titled players there and there are several derivatives of RHP by different names, same site different color which is your basic white. Site could use an overhaul. CW is similar to here but not nearly as good and the same as GK with the comp user brigade :( Let's face it you come to a place like those above and here you come to play chess. I think taking away all the bells and whistles there are enough, good honest players here to challenge the hardcore players without (presently) running into the engine wall !!

Good thoughts.  I hadn't really thought about the drawing of stronger players, because I'm here to learn.  Perhaps after the live chess gets going some strong players might be inticed to come here to play.  I believe that on ICC they are given free memberships if they are legitimite FIDE GMs or IMs.

 

I'm sure with all of the nice features that this site is adding they will eventually get around to the coaching aspects.  They seem to be doing everything else most excellently.