ChessCafe Taking A Bold Step

[Peter McKillop]

Apparently it will now cost $50 per year to access their site. Seems like a risky step but, on the other hand, there's a ton of quality/fascinating information there. I'll bet there are some other chess sites that will be following developments closely.

[Kerry Liles]

Re: ChessCafe Taking A Bold Step

Apparently it will now cost $50 per year to access their site. Seems like a risky step but, on the other hand, there's a ton of quality/fascinating information there. I'll bet there are some other chess sites that will be following developments closely.

I guess my last visit was a few days ago, so I missed the big announcement... I think $50 is better spent toward a subscription to New In Chess, but that is just my first reaction.
I often read Guert Gissen's column at Chess Cafe, and occasionally looked at some other things when people posted specific links but I cannot say I would cough up $50.
Thanks for the heads up.

Late edit: it says this on the membership page - "$50.00 coupon for our shop issued after 6 months membership!!"
That sweetens the deal quite a bit for the first year at least - maybe that is the point of the experiment? The real
test will be renewal rates after the first year of course. I *might* be able to find something for $50...

[Garland Best]

Re: ChessCafe Taking A Bold Step

Well, so much for my visits to Chess Cafe. Pity.

[Ken Craft]

Re: ChessCafe Taking A Bold Step

I can't imagine the day when I will spend money to access a website.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: ChessCafe Taking A Bold Step

I can't imagine the day when I will spend money to access a website.

How about if you wanted to access a web site to play chess or some other game of interest to you?

I've played the Yahoo fantasy sports leagues for years and it's free. If they instituted a fee I can see myself paying for the service.

Probably I haven't visited the Chess Cafe site in the last year so it's no big loss to me.

[Ken Craft]

Re: ChessCafe Taking A Bold Step

Highly unlikely that would pay for that either, Gary.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: ChessCafe Taking A Bold Step

Times change, Ken. I can still remember when we had an ice box before the refrigerator. The coal man used to deliver our coal. A milk man would deliver our milk. I once got around half day in the coal bin for throwing stones at the milk man's horse.

Now we have environmentally friendly refrigerators, the coal has been replaced with a pipe which delivers clean burning natural gas and we get our milk from a store which buys from some marketing board which buys from ranchers who have quota to sell it.

The outhouses, don't ask.

In a few years most sites worth visiting will likely be pay.

[Peter McKillop]

Re: ChessCafe Taking A Bold Step

I miss my frequent visits too. Here's some (limited) good news: it now appears that you can access certain things (e.g. archives) through the search function.

[Ken Kurkowski]

Re: ChessCafe Taking A Bold Step

Given that we are willing to pay money for chess books, and that some chess sites provide at least as much information and wisdom as any book, I have no problem paying for a quality site (although I'm always looking for good freebies :) )