chesscafe.com

[stevencarr]

50 bucks is too much.

[Niall Doran]

I have to agree, 50 dollars is asking too much. Maybe the idea is that they'll have special offers on membership now and again to make people think they're getting a bargain, or maybe free membership when you buy a certain amount of stuff from them.

[Colin Patterson]

Disappointing, if that was what all the waiting was for.

They will need a more friendly, welcoming interface if they want to attract members, but I suspect that most visitors were just dipping in and out for a specific book review or column, rather than seeking a 'hub' experience.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Rather dispiriting, to say the least, that they have moved to the paywall model - and no, I'm not buying.

[Niall Doran]

I have to agree with you Colin, I prefered the old layout. I'm aware people don't like change, but it just seemed clearer, less 'busy' before.

Like yourself, I generally dipped in for the book reviews, had a quick glance at anything related to openings, and kept promising myself to do some serious work on Müller's endgame columns, but that was as far as it went.

Still, it's not like we can't still access all the old stuff!

[Andy McCulloch]

Articles from the archive cost 99 cents each.

[Graham Borrowdale]

The trouble with charging for this type of site is that most people will not pay unless it has 'must-have' content, and I have never found a website, in any field, with 'must-have' content. If I had to pay $50 per year to access each chess website I would only choose one at most, and I don't know which one it would be - don't get ideas, Carl! Taking the analogy of magazines, there are just two in the UK to choose from, at a similar price to Chess Café. I guess most people choose one or the other and stick with it, but if a particular issue looks interesting it is possible to buy just that issue, which is not possible with a subscription website.

[John Moore]

Have just noticed that ChessCafe.com has become a paysite with only a limited amount of free material. Annual membership is $50 refunded in the form of a voucher for the Chess Café shop - which is not much use if you live outside the US.

[MJMcCready]

Seems to be a pretty common strategy. Obtain the customer base first, then charge them money for products once they like them. I'm sure they won't be the last... .

[Niall Doran]

Well, they do have a living to make. No point, from a business point of view providing freebies to non-US chessplayers who won't buy anything (assuming you can't buy from outside the US)

[MJMcCready]

Well, they do have a living to make. No point, from a business point of view providing freebies to non-US chessplayers who won't buy anything (assuming you can't buy from outside the US)

Indeed they have which is why they are justified in what they do I am sure. The difficulty for some is that it goes against the grain of the internet being free. I'm not sure, though, the content which is paid for is necessarily better though.

[Arshad Ali]

Well, they do have a living to make. No point, from a business point of view providing freebies to non-US chessplayers who won't buy anything (assuming you can't buy from outside the US)

Living in the USA, I've used them for buying some of Aagaard's Quality Chess books, which are either not available on Amazon, or arrive months later. Why would anyone in England buy those books from ChessCafe? The overwhelming majority of good chess books are published by Europeans (including Russians). Easier, faster, and cheaper to get them in England from Amazon UK, or the NIC shop, or "Chess and Bridge" at 44 Baker Street.

[John Moore]

I have actually bought stuff from them - but the postage is a lot if you live in the UK. By the way the deal of getting the voucher six months in looks a bit like a pyramid scheme to me. In other words, the first purchasers get the vouchers and it works as long as there is enough new people joining. But if I was going to start a pyramid, I wouldn't start with chess players.

[John Moore]

Not that I am suggesting, of course. that is what Chesscafe have in mind. I have enjoyed the site almost from the beginning and wish it well. Just that I won't be joining.

[JustinHorton]

I clicked on it earlier this evening. My computer immediately crashed.