World Chess Network and Chess Live Merge into New ICC Service
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Internet Chess Club (“ICC”), the world’s premier online subscription chess service, has today announced the acquisition of two competitive online chess services, World Chess Network, from Master Games International, and Chess Live, from GamesParlor. The two services will be merged together to form a new service, separate from ICC, to be called World Chess Live.
Founded in 1997 and with the long time support of one of the world’s most respected patrons of chess, Dato’ Tan Chin Nam, the World Chess Network has developed a friendly, loyal community of chess players from around the world who enjoy playing and talking together as well as participating in a variety of fun and educational chess activities. Chess Live, positioned as the family-friendly online chess community, was created in 2000 as the online chess service of the U.S. Chess Federation, but has since expanded to welcome chess players of all countries.
In contrast to these other online chess services, ICC has traditionally been the first choice of chess professionals and those who strive for the top ranks, including among its members more than half of the world’s chess Grandmasters. “We recognize,” says Joel Berez, President and CEO of ICC, “that both the World Chess Network and Chess Live communities have cultures and traditions that are much more similar to each other than they are to the ICC community. Therefore keeping them together in a new service with an atmosphere similar to what they already enjoy makes more sense than forcing them to move to ICC and will undoubtedly be appreciated.”
In keeping with the spirit of moving both communities with minimal disruption to the members, the new World Chess Live administrative staff will be headed by Julie Trottier, long time Chief Administrator of the World Chess Network, assisted by Chris Fitzgerald, who held a similar position on Chess Live, as well as other administrators drawn from both services. According to Martin Grund, ICC’s Vice President of Online Operations, “Julie and Chris have both done a remarkable job of maintaining happy and healthy communities with limited resources and I’m honored to welcome them into the ICC family.”
World Chess Live, while separate from ICC, will enjoy the benefit of much shared content and costs, such as:
The most feature-rich online chess software platform on the Internet.
ICC Chess.FM audio and video regular shows, plus live coverage of major chess events around the world.
An extensive library of chess educational material and special interest programs.
Online events hosted by the world’s top players, such as a recent charity chess simul by #1 rated GM Vishy Anand.
Founded in 1995 as one of the first premium gaming sites on the Internet, today ICC is firmly established as the premier online chess service, with more members, more Grandmasters, more volunteers, and more loyalty from its members than any other classical game service on the Internet. More than 35,000 paying members from all over the world regularly enjoy playing casual or tournament chess games against each other; watching others play, including hundreds of titled chess masters; attending online lectures, classes, and special events; or simply socializing with fellow chess enthusiasts in a club house that’s always open.
www.chessclub.com
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Contacts:
Joel M. Berez
joel@chessclub.com
Martin Grund
lateknight@chessclub.com
Joel Berez, by the way, was one of the founders of Infocom, makers of what are still, 20 years later, some of the greatest computer games ever written.
(This could be bad news for WCN and USCL, however, as the fine print in the contract specifies that Berez is paying them in zorkmids.)
How did you put this up before Chell Live did?
Consolidation’s to be expected at some point; I don’t think ChessLive really ever became what USCF hoped. Of course, part of that is that they were very late to the Internet “party.”
I’ve been happy with ICC’s service, other than my inability to get entered in a correspondence event. 🙁
i prfer the free internet chess server (fics), where i don’t have to pay for playing chess. it’s available on http://www.freechess.org
I think the main reason ICC is “The best on the Net” is because it has the most $$$$$$ money!! Also the reason ICC has the most top professionals on its site is because they give them free memberships and pay them to be there. Any site with 1980’s computer software is garbage in my opinion.
I belong to both the ICC and WCN, and as far as a “chess community” goes, WCN can’t be beat. Where else do IMs and GMs call you by your first name, as they do when us regulars on WCN play them on “Audio Master Challenge”? We get to know each other via audience chats, etc.
WCN has had the best feature shows, especially since the great Fred Wilson left the airwaves of ChessFM on the ICC, We’ve had great lectures by Larry Christiansen, Pascal Charbonneau, Anna Zatonskih, Martha Fierro and Irina Krush. All of these play the Audio Master Challenges.
Then there are the Friday Night “TGIF” blitz battles between Larry and Pascal, or Larry and Irina, and the Banter Chess feature, in which you see two great players going at it and telling you what they are thinking as the game progresses.
I hope very much that all of these continue on the new site. I hope Fred Wilson comes back with his inimitable approach at chess interviews.
Because chess is more than a game, it is a community. WCN recognized that fact and fostered it.
Brenan Nierman
Does this mean, if I have a Chess Live account, I can get on to ICC? I hope so!
>>Any site with 1980’s computer software is garbage in my opinion. >>
Which site are you referring to? Are there ANY sites like that? You know, we’re playing a 15th century board game here.
Anthony said…
Consolidation’s to be expected at some point; I don’t think ChessLive really ever became what USCF hoped. Of course, part of that is that they were very late to the Internet “party.”
I’ve been happy with ICC’s service, other than my inability to get entered in a correspondence event. 🙁
Anthony:
On ICC do “finger CorrEvent” and follow those instructions. If you are waiting and have not got a reply send a message to StesurBarsa the head of the ICC Correspondence program.
Also the Spring CC Championships sould be coming up soon. Watch for an ICC News Item about this.
Hope this helps.
–Duncan (dro)
Duncan, thanks for the advice. I’ll do that.
Great news for FICS – still free and still bigger than ICC.
To Anonymous, It may be a 15th century board game but if you had a brain in your head you’d know I was referring to ICC which uses a DOS program which has become extinct. If you want to take computer courses at DeVry tech just to sign in to ICC then its a great efficient site. I dont much care for fingering this and typing “tell bozo the clown hello” and all these other ridiculously complicated commands outdated by windows.
I’ve been a WCN member 4 years and the site as well as the community are unparalled! I signed up with the ICC and was truly and deeply dissapointed. The program software OUTDATED! Over time the ICC can to expect LOSE marketshare as most players will jump ship. I been going through withdrawal as I’m sure everyone else is, but the takeover for the players at WCN is just too much of a down grade 🙁
Hi Friends
I dont like ICC and WCL is similar.
IRC Technology
I like WCN software and all its activities.
I think that we have taken a step downward 🙁
Javier from Spain
Thanks!
Isn’t it funny what WCL became?!
a place where you dont want to be.
I was a member of ICC and WCN.
So sorry to see WCN go…
WCN was the best place to play chess and ichessu.com the best place to learn chess.
I am member of IchessU.com for the last 4 years and happy with my coach and classmates.
I wish WCN came back (: