No. 1 chess website, where do you go...?

It started with ads on the game site, annoying but understandable, a little motivation to become a premium member.

Then came commercial sounds during a game. From nowhere suddenly loud and noisy sounds, some wargame commercial, unbearable, impossible to ignore and to stop.

The newest hit is redirections during a game. Suddenly I am on another website, wanting me to update java or offering some dubious plug-ins for mediaplayer. This happened several times in the last weeks. It´s only on chess.com, other websites work fine, no virus or something else on my computer.

Now, chess.com, where do you go...? If this is the direction your owners want you to go, it´s the downwards direction. Keep serious, please!

I use chess.com all the time and have never experienced any of these problems.  In my opinion it's my favorite site.

I agree. Please proceed with caution. I am not happy with some changes and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Which website say that ?

As I pay for a membership (just the basic one), I don't experience the ads here, so I can't say that any of this has affected me. Though I agree that there are forms of advertising which simply do not have a place to exist (the really noise and video ads like you mentioned...). I would recommend installing the addon "adblocker plus" as it removes the annoying ads (and speeds up your web browsing). It is not set up to remove the revenue that sites gain from ads, but rather creates a partnership with them to ensure that they use ads that do not ruin the experience of the user. So banner ads (that clearly look like ads and not a part of the site) are allowed etc. I think sometimes people get hung up on the free money from ads that they forget that they are destroying their own sites by doing so. 

Today it happened again. I lost a game, because four-times in the game I was redirected to javaupdating.com, trying to install an .exe file on my computer. This happens only at chess.com.

Please stop this!

I use firefox and I've installed the Ad blocker addon.  I don't get any of these problems with ads and I'm just a basic member.

Still chess.com keeps redirecting to other websites like "javaupdating.com", which is of course a fake.

Hints like: "change your browser" might help, but this solves only the symptoms, not the wrong behaviour.

Can someone from the chess.com staff please explain to me, why since a couple of weeks this redirections happen? Do you have new advertisment habits, do you not have control about the ads, do you want this?

Thx and happy new year

Cliff Gallup

I use Linux (LUbuntu) and the Google Chrome browser, never had that problem.

Maybe because I use all the time AdBlock?

I use firefox and I have the AdBlock addon as well and never had any problems.

Why don't you just simply use an ad blocker? Every browsers has them for completely free, and you can easily change their settings as to what and when to block.
No offense, but these are around for years, just learn how to use them.

Yep, ad blocker is around as chess.com is by far not alone in allowing this kind of advertising. My theory is that it pays the highest and the ad agencies sell to websites with bogus info about their "superiority."

I honestly think that if you want to make an impact you need to install ad blocker (it takes about 45 seconds...) as it sends a clear message. One that is MUCH MUCH clearer and meaningful than the occasional forum post. If you really want websites to "change their behaviour" you need to take this approach as it works on a large scale that is not easily ignored.

Something on your comp must be infected.  I DON'T have a paid membership and have never had audio ads or any other type of ads pop up.

Seriously, listen to the comments above and install AdBlocker.

I use Qtweb, I don´t use any adblocker, I have never had a paid membership... and I have never been redirected to any of those sites that you mention.

    A lot of virusus, and infections appear around the holidays. The 1st question Jackln will ask you is; what system & what browser are you using. You owe it to yourself to buy the newest up to date that you can afford. I'm using Windows 7, and Google Chrome + Ad blocker and have no problems. If your experiencing 2-3 audio ads at the same time; Your Infected. Microsoft will not service updates on Windows XP after March 2014!

Ad blocker is the return of jesus

    Thank You dchurchill; you also need the newest version of Java,(its free), otherwise your games won't load properly.

I'd suggest checking browser extensions first as dchurchill said. That definitely shouldn't be happening. We want you to stay on the site, not to be redirected off of the site- especially during the game. 

Chessbazzar.com is the best chess website i had ever seen in my life. . .

Hello jac1yn,

ads with sound and redirections happen only when I´m on chess.com.

I do not have suspicious browser extensions, only genuine add-ons from microsoft, adobe and avast, which is my antivirus-program.

I do not think my computer is infected, because 1st I am very careful when I am surfing the web and 2nd I´ve run several antivirus- and antimalwareprograms like avast, malwarebyte and gmer on my computer and they show no infection, malware or virus.

I am using a new Asus notebook with Windows 8 and IE 10.

Thx Cliff-Gallup