What do you think about a "Play Subscribers Only" setting?

I recently sent this to chess.com as a "suggestion".  Does the community have any input?

Hello chess.com.

I just erased an enormous message in which I vented about the gross number of [rude] folks I keep coming across and if you would let me know if I somehow made it to your imaginary area where those reported [users] supposedly end up. But this idea now seems more important.

I come on here for stress relief from my already painful life and I absolutely love it when I get a positive interaction with someone in the chat. That's why I don't want to "simply disabl[e] chat" [disgrunted addition]. I've got an idea which, if possible, may be helpful in dealing with my, and presumably more than a few other's, issues and may increase paid subscriptions to your site.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO GIVE SUBSCRIBERS THE OPTION TO ONLY PLAY OTHER SUBSCRIBERS? Is that already an option?! [It's not that I could find after sending this] In my experience, I believe I've only come across one or two [rude people] who were subscribers, however almost all of those positive interactive experiences I've had, and there are many, were with other subscribers. I don't know how large your subscription base is but I wouldn't mind playing the same folks more than once if it meant that I didn't have to deal with the increasingly common abusers. The chess community here would only become closer which would possibly bring in more subscribers (if advertised) and probably keep current ones coming back if they're regularly having positive interactions with others. Unlike the negative ones that I keep having which are pushing me closer to lic... [an irrelevant complaint about that advertising survey from a few weeks back] I suppose it would increase the concentration of rule breakers in the free-pool but maybe the benefits from a more community-oriented platform will outweigh the costs.

I'm gonna make a post about this in the forums to see if there's any other interest. It surprises me that you've not already thought of this, again, unless I've not noticed the option. I imagine if you have, not implementing it had something to do with advertising... that'd be lame. [just a little more irrelevant banter]

Thanks for the input.

The only games i play here are unrated take back games.  Its the only type of chess that i have found where the opponent will actually interact, be kind, and act like a normal human being.  And not like some hostile, hot head, that thinks their online rating is the most important thing in the world, and defines them as a person.

What's a "take back" game?  I don't think I've ever heard that phrase.

Its an option where either you, or your opponent can take back moves.

I too would like to see an option to play only other subscribers. I would think this would improve the quality of the opponents and perhaps even encourage people to subscribe.

I presume this has been discussed and rejected by the chess.com staff, but I'd like to know why that is.

Thanks!

You can do this already on daily chess.

That's cool... I didn't know that. But why not on other games?

They probably don't want to give too many options to limit your play pool because it'll mean waiting too long to find other players.

This isn't an issue with daily chess because they can keep you in the pool overnight to wait for a match if necessary; as you don't have to begin playing immediately.

It seems like it ought to be up to each person whether he is willing to wait or not.

Perhaps, but this would also mean non-premium players have to wait longer for matches because of people blocking them out.

By the way, how do you restrict daily games to subscribers only? I don't see where that option is.

Thanks!

Click custom, scroll to the bottom, slide over "premium members only".

Thank you, V_Awful! Much appreciated.

Yes, but shouldn't the priority be to paying members? If you don't like waiting as a non-subscriber, then subscribe.

Perhaps, yes; but chess.com are going to want people to stick around long enough to get premium membership in the first place.

Virtually no-one comes to chess.com and gets premium membership day one, it's something people do after trying and liking the free version.

If the setting was available on live games, premium members would likely wait longer for games in many cases.

Perhaps. But can't you leave that option to the chess player?

Indeed, but that would be their choice, would it not? And the more premium members opting in, the shorter the wait times would be.

I was just mentioning that would likely be the case. I don't know specifically why there's not an option for it.