 |
What is this site? |
| |
As you can see this site is a social network dedicated to online turn based chess however, this site is only a small part of a group (family) of sites that are dedicated to this type of chess. |
|
|
Why a group of sites? |
| |
We wanted to create a free global social network that supported players and webmasters that run or support this type of online chess. |
|
|
Haven’t other chess sites tried this and failed? |
| |
Well, to be frank, several chess sites have stated they want to create a global network but in reality all there are doing is promoting there own site.
This is the only group (family) of sites that has honestly attempted to provide the players and webmasters tools to work with to promote their online chess site. Allow all players and webmasters to promote or advertise their online turn based chess system and freely allow players to talk about, suggest and promote their favorite online chess site.
At the time of writing this information I am not aware of any online turn based chess association (or website that is not affiliated with this group of sites) that provides these tools and the freedom to promote all chess websites.
|
|
|
You mentioned free? |
| |
Yes, all the websites associated with this organization are free *, they will accept donations of course. Some sites will or may charge a small fee to provide special feature to their users (players) from time to time.
There is a small charge for players that wish to use the player registry; this allows the players to protect their handle, name or nickname.
*: indicates that the site does provide free online turn based chess or some similar type of chess, they may or may not have a special premium or full membership status as well as the normal free chess they offer. If a chess site offers nothing free (the ability to play free chess games) they will never be listed with our organization unless the have supported this group of websites in some other fashion.
|
|
|
Why is almost everything free? |
| |
We believe that a free site can offer the same features that a pay site offers, we may not have the fastest servers or bring new features online as fast as the pay sites but in some cases our features are just as good if not better in some cases.
In our opinion there is a place for free chess sites and a place for pay chess sites. Pay sites have dedicated staff members to perform and add the day to day functions and features. While free sites have the dedicated volunteers to perform the same functions.
|
|
|
Please provide more information about the player registry? |
| |
Idea:
The whole idea about the player registry (a first for the A4C Chess Group) because no other online turn based chess system has considered a global social network for this type of chess and then followed through with the logical conclusion that certain tools and features must be created to make this idea or dream have any chance of success.
Registry:
Players and webmasters constantly visit other online chess sites, in some cases they are fortunate to be able with the handle or nickname of their choice however, more often than not they are faced with having to use a different name.
I some cases players identities have be stolen and there nickname is used on another website and the player faces countless problems because people think this player is the same player on both sites.
When a player logs onto a new online chess site they are normally forced to start at the bottom of the rating latter again, and in some cases this is not fair to the player and the players he plays (a player listed at 1200 but really 2200).
The player registry was created with the hope that it would solve these issues, players his nickname (if available) and this nickname is honored by all of the websites that belong to the association. Also using the best rating from 4 of the chess websites the player’s plays chess on we get an average rating for this player.
Result:
The player and webmaster truly create a global social network and this network truly supports the player and webmaster.
|
|
|
What makes you different? |
| |
Here are some of the things we offer that other online chess sites do not offer.
1. We offer a player registry system.
2. We offer a chess webring.
3. We offer free chess and the ability to enter Swiss tournaments with sponsored prizes, with no cost to the player.
4. We offer a set of rules and guide lines for online turn based chess, stating a site follows FIDE or correspondence rules is not enough. We are the only ones to review and re-write these rules to make sense for this type of chess. Find us a set of rules other than ours that deals with mouse clicks, pointing devices and or input devices!
5. We offer a clear direction for this type of chess (online turn based chess) this direction is needed and proof of this is evident when webmasters start up an online chess site and ask their members what should we call this type of chess? And of course they pick a name that is not correct.
These are just some of the feature we hope to offer more in the future.
|
|
