What is Chessgames.com Premium Membership?
You can register to Chessgames.com for free,
however we also sell
Premium Memberships which provide even more powerful features
and enhancements to the normal account. For a small yearly fee, you can
help support our efforts of promoting chess learning worldwide, while receiving
access to some special features that we reserve for Premium Members.
What exactly do I get?
Your premium membership allows you access to over a
dozen special functions that make your use of Chessgames more powerful, and more fun. This
includes the Opening Explorer, our chess-training tool Guess-the-Move, The Sacrifice Explorer,
the ability to download PGN, and much, much more.
The complete list of features of the premium membership can be found here. More details about the various features can be found on
this page, in the sections that follow.
How much does it cost?
Chessgames Premium Memberships cost $US 25.00 per year--that's less than 7 cents per day!
NOTE: A few extremely generous chess patrons have opted to
buy a Lifetime Membership. A Lifetime Membership will give you complete access to all
Chessgames.com features for the rest of your natural life. Regardless of what new features
we add, or if we raise our rates, Lifetime Members never are charged anything additional.
The fee for Lifetime Chessgames Membership is $US 300.
How do I sign-up?
The first step to getting a Chessgames Premium Membership is to get a FREE Chessgames Membership.
Then can you can upgrade your account.
If you don't have a free Chessgames membership:
- Go to the registration page
and fill out the form, starting with your user-name and password. We strongly suggest you also
provide your email address, as otherwise if you lose your password we will have no way
to send the password to you by email.
- Once you finish the registration, you will see a link "UPGRADE TO PREMIUM MEMBERSHIP."
Follow this link to the secure server.
- On the secure server, enter your credit card information.
If you already have a free Chessgames membership:
- Be certain that you are signed-in under your username. You know are you
signed-in when you see your screen name on the homepage in the upper right,
where it says "Welcome..." If you are not signed-in, visit the
login page and enter your username and password.
- Go to the Premium Membership Page
and follow the link that says "CLICK HERE to sign up!" That will take you to the secure server.
- On the secure server, enter your credit card information.
Once your registration to Premium Membership is complete, you will be
directed to the menu of Premium Membership options.
What if I don't have a credit card?
Checks & Money Orders - You can order your Chessgames Premium Membership by sending a check or money order, for $US 25,
made out to Chessgames.com. Be certain to tell us what your username is.
Mail the check or money order to:
Chessgames.com
718 NE 11th Avenue
Pompano Beach, FL 33060
ALL CHECKS AND MONEY ORDERS MUST BE MADE
PAYABLE TO CHESSGAMES.COM.
PayPal - As of June 1st, 2007, Chessgames accepts payments via
PayPal to the acccount:
chess@chessgames.com
NOTE: If you pay via PayPal there will be a delay up to 24 hours before
your account is activated. You should email us a confirmation after you successfully
transfer money to the Chessgames PayPal account as this may accelerate the process.
Rates - When purchasing a subscription, use this rate card to know how much to pay:
SUBSCRIPTION
Buy one year, or buy more and save money. | RATE
(US Dollars) |
| 1 year premium membership | $25.00 |
| 2 years premium membership | $47.00 |
| 3 years premium membership | $66.00 |
OK, I signed-up, now what?
When you are a premium member, a new link will appear for you on the
Chessgames.com homepage in the upper-right area of your screen, that
reads Members' Area.
This link will take you to all of the premium features:
Some of the features will automatically enable themselves in different areas of the
site. For example, buttons that say "PGN Download" will appear above your searches,
the Opening Explorer will be fully functional, and your avatar will appear
next to your name.
NOTE: you cannot access
Premium Membership Features if you are not logged in! The login link
appears on every page of Chessgames. You know that you are logged in properly when you see your
screen name where it says "Welcome" on the upper-right area of the homepage.
Help! I'm being locked out of the premium areas!
If you have a premium account and you still cannot access premium features,
there are several possible explanations.
- You're not signed-in. The first thing to check is that you are
actually signed-in. One way to find out if you are signed-in is to visit
the homepage. If you are signed-in, the upper-right corner of the homepage
will read "Welcome, ______" and display the name of your account.
REMEDY: If you
find that you are not signed-in, please visit the login page.
If you don't know your password, you can have it emailed to you
from our Password Recovery Page.
- You're signed-in under the wrong account. Some people, perhaps
by accident, register more than once to Chessgames.com. Whatever account you were signed-in
as when you paid for premium service is the account which will be activated.
If you sign-in under a different account than the one you activated for
premium service, you will not be able to access premium services.
REMEDY: Sign-in under your premium account,
and stop using your non-premium account. If you are not sure what the username of
your premium account is, consult the email that we sent you when you first signed-up
for premium services.
- Your premium membership has expired.
REMEDY: You can add more
time to your account by visiting our membership page.
As always, be sure you are signed-in to your account.
- There was a problem with the payment. Occasionally,
somebody will cancel the charge for premium service. It is our policy to
deactivate the account until we communicate with the account holder.
REMEDY: Contact chess@chessgames.com
and we will do our best to identify and rectify the problem. The simplest
method to correct a canceled-charge is simply to sign-up again.
- There is a technical problem with your browser.
Some browsers are configured to show you old versions of pages instead of
new ones. This is done through a mechanism called a cache which
is a great benefit if properly implemented but creates enormous problems when
it don't behave properly. AOL users are particularly vulnerable to this
kind of technical problem.
REMEDY: The easiest remedy is to press the "reload" button on your browser (some browsers
require "shift-reload") when you receive an error message. If the error message suddenly
vanishes, then you know that it was a cache problem. Unfortunately, this doesn't always work. It may be possible to
venture into the "options" area of your browser configuration and clear the cache files.
If none of these remedies solve your problem, please contact us
at chess@chessgames.com. Be
certain to include your username in your email.
What is Guess-the-Move?
Guess-the-Move is a chess-training tool that allows you to review some of the greatest chess
games in history, move by move, and try to guess what move the winner played each step of
the way. It's a fun, challenging, and competitive way to improve your chess.
To use Guess-the-Move, just visit the Guess-the-Move Main
Page. It will automatically pick a random game for you to play, or you can use the
search engine if there is a specific game or kind of game that you are looking for.
Here is a preview of what Guess-the-Move looks like while you are playing:
If you want to learn more about Guess-the-Move and how to play,
consult the Guess-the-Move Help Page.
NOTE: Like all premium features, you can access Guess-the-Move from your
Premium Membership Page. Anytime you
are on the game page for a game that is the Guess-the-Move database,
a special link will appear underneath the board which will start a
round of Guess-the-Move with that game.
How do I put a little graphic next to my posts?
Those little graphics next to your posts are called "avatars". Their purpose is
make your posts be distinguished from other users, and to help personalize
your chessgames identity. Think of them like the little tokens that you pick
before you play a game of Monopoly: it's just a symbol to represent you
and make your posts more recognizable.
Here are some
examples of avatars:
To change your avatar, visit our Avatar Page
and click on one that suits your tastes. Be sure you look at the different pages;
there are a lot to choose from! There are currently almost 1000 avatars,
and we add more every month or so.
There is a rule that you cannot pick an avatar which is in use
by a frequent chessgames kibitzer. If you pick one that is in
use by somebody else, just pick another.
HOT TIP:
If you are a premium member and you have your own graphic that you'd like to submit to our avatar library,
send a 48x48 pixel GIF (non-animated) to chess@chessgames.com.
HOT TIP:
You can change your avatar whenever you feel like it. This will not only change your symbol
on future posts, but will retroactively change every post you've made in the past.
How do I download PGN files?
Free members of chessgames can download the PGN of any single game by using the "download PGN"
link that appears below each game. However, it's much more useful to download large files
of PGN, in bulk, for you to import into a variety of PC software.
Premium Members have two ways to download PGN files in bulk:
- Zip-File Archive: One of the easiest ways to download large numbers
of games in bulk is our Zip-File Archive. The archive
separates the games in categories of endings, openings, players, tournaments,
and years. Because these files are compressed, you'll probably need a common
utility such as WinZip to decompress them once you receive them.
The link to the Zip-File archive, like all premium features, is always available at the
Premium Membership Page.
- PGN Download button:
Premium users will soon notice a new button appearing on various pages that reads "PGN Download."
When you press this button, you will download all games resulting from the search you are on. For example,
if you are on a page for a certain opening, or a certain player, or tournament, this button will
give you all of those games. Due to server limitations we only allow this operation to be performed
when the number of games is 1500 or less. If you want to download more games than that at one time,
use the Zip-File Archive.
Depending on how your computer is configured, this button will either ask you
where to save the file, or it will automatically start up PGN software
that your web browser is aware of.
HOT TIP: When you save PGN in this way, most
browsers present the name
pgndownload.pgn to be used
as the filename. You probably
want to change this to something that will help you remember what's actually in
the file. However, be certain that ".pgn" is at the end of the filename.
HOT TIP:
The PGN Download button is especially useful in conjunction with the Opening
Explorer. Follow an opening to find the position you are interested in (750 games or less),
then click the link that reads "search database for this position." On the resulting page, use
the PGN Download button to grab all games which contain that position.
How do I use the Opening Explorer?
On the Membership Page, and at the bottom of nearly every page,
there is a link to one our most powerful features, The Opening Explorer.
This tool allows you to study openings one move at a time, with complete links
to all relevant games. We have a
special Opening Explorer Help Page to explain how to use it.
How do I use the Repertoire Explorer?
The Repertoire Explorer is a feature of the Opening Explorer which allows you
to study the openings played by a specific player. To access it, first find the
player page that you are interested in, and at the top of the page you will see
a graphic like the one shown to the right. Simply click on the white pawn to see
that player's repertoire with the white pieces, or the black pawn for the
repertoire with the black pieces.
For more information, see the Opening Explorer Help Page
under "What is the Repertoire Explorer?"
How do I use the Sacrifice Explorer?
On the Membership Page you will find a link
to the Sacrifice Explorer, our fun tool
which allows you to search for sacrifices by opening, player, tournament,
and more. To learn more, please read the
Sacrifice Explorer Help Page.
How do I use the Endgame Explorer?
On the Membership Page you will find a link
to the Endgame Explorer, our
unique tool which allows you to search the database based on the material remaining
on the board. For example, if you want to study king and pawn endings, or brush up on
your bishop/knight mate, you can select the desired material and find relevant games.
You can also select the result of the game, e.g. if you search for "two pawns vs a rook" you can search
for cases where the superior side (the rook) wins, and cases where the inferior side (the pawns) win, or you
can search for draws.
More information is available on the Endgame Explorer
page.
How do I see previous homepage Puzzles of the Day?
On the Membership Page you will find a link
to the Tactical Exercise Archive, a collection of over a month
of previous homepage puzzles.
How do I search kibitzing?
On the Membership Page you will find a link to the
Search Kibitzing form. The form also appears at the bottom of the "New Kibitzing" page that you get when you
click on the Kibitz button in the upper right.
This handy tool allows you to search the entire database of Chessgames.com kibitzing.
Using this feature is very simple: just type one or more words and see what comes up.
HOT TIP: Looking for the posts of a certain user?
Type their username.
HOT TIP:
You can find games that deal with a certain tactical theme by typing in words like
interference or underpromotion.
How do I search for a specific position?
To search for a specific position, use one of these two methods:
- Know the sequence of opening moves that produces the position, e.g. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5
and type this string into our Move Lookup Page. This form can be accessed from the first page of the Opening Explorer.
You will then go to the Opening Explorer page which covers all games with that position (regardless of whether the moves
were played in the same order). From there you can click on the "search database for this position" link to see all of the games.
HOT TIP:
You don't have to be a perfectionist when typing in your moves. In fact, go ahead and use lower case and forget about
move numbers. If you type "d4 nf6 e6 nc3 d5" it will work just as well as if you followed the formal syntax.
- Know the FEN code for the position, e.g. rnbqkb1r/ppp2ppp/4pn2/3p4/2PP4/2N5/PP2PPPP/R1BQKBNR w KQkq d6
and type this string into our FEN Lookup Page. This form can be accessed from the first page of the Opening Explorer.
NOTE: You cannot search for endgame or advanced middlegame positions; only the opening moves (first 20 moves or so) are indexed
into our position database.
HOT TIP:
For more information on FEN codes, see our FEN Made Easy article.
What is a "favorites list"?
Your favorites list is a list of users on chessgames who you enjoy
reading the most. This is a somewhat advanced feature.
You are not required to make a favorites list, but if you
do, some powerful features will become available.
At the bottom of each users page, you will see a "thumbs up" and a "thumbs down"
graphic next to some buttons. The thumbs-down section is used to add people to
your ignore-list (see FAQ for more information),
and the thumbs-up section is used to add people to your favorites list.
Once you have people on your favorites-list, the following features become
available:
- All kibitzes by users on your favorites-list will appear to you
in a highlighted color (gold by default).
- The bottom of all kibitzing sections will have an option that reads
"FAVORITES-MODE: [ON] [OFF]". When you click [ON] you will view the
discussion so that only the people in your favorites list are visible.
- The Search Kibitzing page has an
option that reads "Only search users in your favorites list."
Select this to search only posts made by users in your list.
Your favorites-list is 100% confidential. If you add somebody to your favorites,
they will have no way of knowing.
What is a "chessforum"?
What a chessforum is: A "chessforum" is
a personal discussion forum operated by a premium Chessgames member.
Unlike most forums at chessgames, the topic of discussion on a chessforum
is not necessarily tied to a specific
player, opening, game, tournament, etc., but instead can be under the guidance of the
chessforum owner. If you want to analyze your personal chess games,
or hold some sort of chess related contest,
this would be the perfect place to do so. You
can even conduct a correspondence game on your chessforum! It's ideal for any chess discussion
which would not have a wide enough appeal to be posted in the Kibitzer's Café.
What a chessforum is not: It's not a blog where you are free
to discuss anything you like. It's not a political soapbox. It's not a place where obscenity is tolerated, nor is
it to be used for advertising commercial services. It's not a place to be used for badmouthing
other Chessgames users. In short, our normal
posting policy applies to chessforums.
Starting your own chessforum: To active your chessforum, visit your Preferences Page and
check the selection Activate your chessforum, then click the "Update Profile" button. That's all there is to it! Now, when you
visit your Profile Page, your forum will appear at the bottom.
Unlike the other forums on chessgames.com, you can exert a certain degree of administrative control
over your chessforum:
- Customize Your Forum - If you visit the
Chessforum Configuration Page you can
change certain settings, such as the header graphic that appears above
the kibitzing.
- Moderate Your Forum - Did somebody post something
on your chessforum that you don't want there? You can remove it simply by
clicking the "delete" link found to the left of the message. In this
way you can moderate your own forum in whatever way best
suits your intentions.
- Lock out Unwanted Guests - If somebody is on your ignore list,
they will not be permitted to post on your chessforum. (They can, however, read your forum.)
- Disable your Chessforum - Just like you activated your chessforum by
checking the box on your Profile Page, you can
deactivate it by unchecking this box. Should you ever change your mind, just check
the box again and the chessforum will return, along with all of the messages posted to it.
We hope that you find fun and useful purposes for your personal space on chessgames.com!
HOT TIP:
If your premium membership expires, your Chessforum will become deactivated (invisible).
If you renew your membership within one year, your chessforum will reappear with all of
the messages intact. Renew your membership early to avoid getting
your personal Chessforum temporarily locked.
What is "Game History"?
Game History is a premium feature which allows you
review games that you've seen recently. It is useful if
you saw a game recently and want to find it again. The
Game History extends 30 days back.
You can get to your Game History here
or from the Premium Membership Page.
It also can be included in your customized Enhanced Menu (see below).
How can I customize the menu bar?
Premium users can activate a special menu bar, called the "Enhanced Menu", at the top of
each page. This allows you to
access your favorite features easily. You can activate and customize your Enhanced Menu
at our Enhanced Menu Configuration Page.
Here is a sample of what it looks like, once activated:
HOT TIP:
There is an option found on the
Preferences Page under "Configure website behavior"
which lets you turn this feature on and off.
The option reads "Enhanced menu at the top of the screen".
How do I turn off banner ads?
We like to think that our advertisements are on-target and interesting, but if you enjoy
chessgames.com more without them, you are free to turn them off. Premium users can turn off
banner ads by visiting the Preference Page and
checking the box that says "Do not display sidebar advertisements."
NOTE: This feature does not effect all advertisements on the site. Notably,
most of the homepage banner ads will remain whether or not you have
this option selected. There may be a few other exceptions as well.
Terms and Conditions
The current version of the Chessgames Terms and Conditions document can be
viewed here:
Terms and Conditions
My question isn't listed here.
Many common questions not answered here can be found on
the main Chessgames.com Help Page.
If you require personal assistance, please send your questions to chess@chessgames.com
and we will try to solve whatever problem you might be experiencing. We want you to get the
most out of your Chessgames Premium Membership.
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