My subscription to ICC is about to expire. I was wondering if someone here had experience with the Platinum membership on Chess.com. I really like the ability to get a game on ICC anytime I want and I like the video lessions.
Thanks, Bob
Reading the forum (no specific thread on this topic), Chess.com has had some comments about it.
At least one poster said it wasn’t really worth getting the premium membership at Chess.com. Not sure if he got the diamond or platinum.
Another poster mentioned the Chess.com had an anonymity about it. In that there apparently didn’t have a way for chessplayers to really connect to each other. (FICS and ICC both are set up so that you basically start on a main chat channel, then find chess games after that.).
I can’t comment on ICC specifically, other than its basically FICS with premium stuff. Although FICS has a lot of stuff that ICC has, but free. For example: I would presume chess lectures on ICC are done by masters and GM’s. FICS has lectures done by an autobot. -That doesn’t mean the lectures don’t have merit though: someone had to program the lecture.
Not sure what ICC offers that FICS doesn’t, but I’m sure there are enough extras to make it worth paying to play on the server.
It maybe better to compare these servers: Chess.com – ICC – Playchess.
I suggest that you try a gold membership at chess.com and see if you want to upgrade from there. IMO, ICC’s interface is archaic and not easy to use by today’s standards.
I’m a chess.com diamond member. I think it’s a great site–I enjoy it immensely.
I’m a platinum member on chess.com, and I’m always very happy. There’s an abundance of learning tools (Tactics Trainer, the video lessons, chess mentor, game explorer), and there’s definitely a community (the quality of the forums varies, but if you have an interesting, original topic or an actual question, you’ll get good responses). From what I’ve seen of ICC, the interface and layout on chess.com is much better. If anything, it’d be nice if there were more titled players wandering around, but new ones join everyday.
Diamond is the only chess.com paid membership worth it, and then the only reason to do it is for videos. Platinum and Gold don’t have video access. It really comes down to whether you like the video style and interface style of ICC or Chess.com more.
The turn-based aspect of chess.com (internet corr) can be had for free. the Tactics Trainer and computer analysis of chess.com are not very compelling. Chess Tempo chesstempo.com/ and Tactics Server are free, and anyone can drop Houdini into Arena for a free computer check.
There is no question that chess.com has more active real-time players (probably than both of ICC and Playchess combined). It’s my impression that ICC and Playchess have stronger players, and it’s also smaller worlds…so maybe there isn’t much issue foul language. The behavior of chess.com players consistently disappoints me, and I feel like I’m filling out an abuse report every few times I log in.
@Crume.
While I don’t play “live” chess on chess.com, I haven’t experienced any abuse from the slower paced correspondence players. I’ve made quite a few good friends around the world.
As for player strength, Planet Chess (Chess OK/ Convekta) has many very strong players as well.
I would agree with you on the turn-based / correspondence scene of chess.com. You can have a real conversation, good chess, and still not pay a dime 
.
chess.com is great for all the articles, etc. The only thing lacking is speed play, which does not seem to work as well on chess.com. I also like chesscube for fast play (one minute games.)
ICC is by far the best chess site for chess fans interested in seeing good players and taking lessons from the top teachers in the world. You can watch Nakamura play on a regular basis and many other players in the top 50 of the world. The commentators are also usually very strong. There is a long tradition that attracts the best players besides providing an easy method to take lessons and process credit cards. I teach on FICs, chess.com and the ICC but the ICC interface is easiest to me, mainly because I have much more experience with it.
The quality of the videos has already been mentioned.
It all depends on what you want out of a site, but the ICC is clearly the best at attracting the best players.
I find Chess.com very annoying in that they violate the rules of chess. Per established chess rules, whites clock is started and white moves first and then hits their clock, starting blacks clock. This is normal and per the rules of the USCF and FIDE. But on Chess.com, whites clock doesn’t start until black responds to whites first move, essentially meaning that when white makes their first move, black can leisurely sit back and take as much time as they want pondering how they will respond to whites first move. This takes away the time initiative that white is supposed to have and hands it over to black, changing the character of the game and some of the advantage one has in playing the white pieces. I personally find this very annoying and as a result, I will not become a paying member of the site.
Regarding the comments of Chess Cube that other contributors have made, I find the place a joke! Very large quantities of cheaters, poor sportsmanship and arrogant, mouthy children! It’s also merely just a bullet chess website and not for thinking chess. The Moderators are many times teenagers, (or close to it), on power trips and ban people at the drop of a hat. As such, Chess Cube is dying fast. Good riddance!
I’m a diamond member at Chess.com and while I don’t play a ton of Live chess there, I have never seen the behaviour you are describing. As soon as a live game is accepted/started the clock starts for White. As soon as the move completes the clock for Black starts.
I have never played on ICC but from what I have read a 1500 on chess.com is weaker than the equvalent rating on ICC and there are more active titled players on the latter.