New online Chess Club

[andrew martin]

Thanks for all the ongoing feedback,which is being noted and reviewed. Constructive help and support is crucial.

I disagree completely with an earlier posting. This Online Chess Club is going to succeed and there is enough positive support among British chessplayers and beyond to make it work.

The establishment of this club is part of a larger plan to return English ( British) Chess to a stronger state. All the time I hear players moaning about the ECF and how bad it is .Well, I have to tell you that there are many dedicated people who desire change for the good of all our chessplayers and projects like this in the long run will improve everyone's lot.

Merry Christmas!

Andrew

[andrew martin]

Yes,one really doesnt have to turn very far to determine why British chess has been in decline for the last 20 years.

Support,encouragement and action is needed from everyone,from top to bottom, not cynicism and negativity.

That is why I welcome all the constructive criticism and will act on it.

OK, I am off to Chicago to record a DVD with Nigel Short; contrary to public opinion I dont stay up all night browsing chess message boards:)

[Carl Hibbard]

There does need to be some big changes.

I've seen the new "black interface" ( http://blackchat.chesscube.com/ ) they are developing, imo they have not addressed any of the existing issues, and in fact I believe they have made the system harder to use.

They are more concerned with graphics and effects than chess!

Hopefully the project leaders will learn a little bit about online chess in the future.

That said, I will use the system for a quick game when I'm not at my usual PC; but I can't see it being a regular haunt. I did invite some local OTB players to join, who I added to my "contacts" list, but the system has a bug which deletes the contact list every day, rendering this useless. There is a lot of ground to make up with stability and security before I would consider giving up my credit card for any premium features.

I don't seem to get the ECF group anymore when logging on to the new "black" look - is it there somewhere?

[thys]

Hi Carl

Could you possibly send me a screenshot of what it looks like when you log in.
I have joined the ECF group, and when I log in I do get the group.

Please email it to me at : thys (at) chesscube (dot) com

[Carl Hibbard]

Hi Carl

Could you possibly send me a screenshot of what it looks like when you log in.
I have joined the ECF group, and when I log in I do get the group.

Please email it to me at : thys (at) chesscube (dot) com

Thanks...

Mark fixed this for me whilst online - anyone else seeing the same problem should ask one of the moderators whilst playing online

[Tyrone Woo]

I used to belong to ICC, fair enough. Not tried Playchess or FICS yet, what are they like compared to ICC? The grades inflation on ICC is flattering to the point of laughable, e.g. grandmasters with 3500, lol.

If ChessCube needs to charge something eventually, well why not? Every site has server and admin costs. Customers will pay IF ChessCube offers value and fun.

[andrew martin]

ICC is obviously losing a lot of trade to PlayChess, which is a much better site all round. The ICC interface is ugly,cheap and outdated and the amount of abuse which is tolerated and obvious cheating makes it unattractive to play there. The rating system is also ludicrous, as it is on PlayChess. Rampant inflation rules. It's amazing how many chessplayers get a kick out of seeing big numbers by their name. What an ego trip. However, I would like to praise the Chessbase site; of course I work with them, but I think its certainly the best site for chess around. Of course you have to pay.

Naturally,there is nothing wrong with starting a new venture like the ECF club and we are working to provide you with an excellent service. The look of the site is already superior to any chess site I know and the facilities will only improve. We'll have online lectures ,shows and lessons before very long from world-class players, as well as terrific research facilities. There may be a charge for this,a preminm membership, as the last post suggests, but the basic facilities as they are now,free at the point of delivery , will remain unchanged . One can hardly expect top Grandmasters to work for nothing or even IM's; that is ridiculous and anyone who questions this obviously doesn't earn a living from chess.

Anyway thanks to everyone for signing up. Keep going!

Andrew

[Gavin Strachan]

If the new online chess club is to promote British chess then that is always good idea though perhaps not original and what Andrew states about the other sites is fair comment. A slightly more interesting and original venture to improve the quality of players coming through from bottom-to-top would be a web service which has access to video lectures/ideas and strategies in openings/endgame, middlegame, opening technique/spot the move/GM analysis of games/explain to amateurs why the super GM's seem to crush the 2500 GM's when we 95% of everybody else would get whipped by both 100% of the time, etc, etc. There is a wealth of DVD's, books and magazines to help but a subscription website with online access would do good business. Chessbase and Twic is great for good players but is generally quite high level stuff. Much of the chessbooks/DVD's and software are quite expensive but a subscription type service maybe more affordable and attractive (a bit like an online chess library/academy). There are lots of good websites that have bits and bobs of info on certain aspects of the game but no central reservoir of knowledge. Why don't we get to see the Andrew Martin - Nigel Short film online!!

[andrew martin]

You might well do that in time

[Carl Hibbard]

It will be interesting to see how well they relay a live broadcast of something major like say Corus since that is the sort of thing that will increase the number of users

[Greg Breed]

We'll have online lectures ,shows and lessons before very long from world-class players, as well as terrific research facilities.

Music to my ears. This is what will attract the club player who wants to learn more about chess ideas and history, and improve their technique, tactics, strategy, openings, positions and endgames!

[Carl Hibbard]

We'll have online lectures ,shows and lessons before very long from world-class players, as well as terrific research facilities.

Music to my ears. This is what will attract the club player who wants to learn more about chess ideas and history, and improve their technique, tactics, strategy, openings, positions and endgames!

The sentiments (and plans...) are excellent but what is the time scale on this sort of extra facilities?

[Neill Cooper]

I've greatly enjoyed Chesscube, having not played much online chess before. I even have a reasonably realistic grading.

I have a couple of queries -
(1) Why are so many of the ECF club players rated over 2000 listed as being from other countries?
(2) How can I easily add more friends?

"Yes,one really doesnt have to turn very far to determine why British chess has been in decline for the last 20 years."
I'd be interested in discussing Andrew's statement - but this is the wrong forum. Where could it be discussed?

[Nigel Wright]

How about in general chat under the title "Decline of English Chess over the last 20 years"?

[Matthew Turner]

Try this link
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstop ... bsite.html
How can chesscube possibly compete!