Note: this is not to offend, discredit, etc, etc, any other group in any way, shape or form.

Please read the entirety of this post, for you will actually know where I'm going with this. If you don't, then just ask via feedback, but no hate comments. Period.

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I've been thinking over, and over, and over again: "should I be involved with the biggest groups in Chess.com? Really?". Look at the issue this way: most likely everybody is joining the biggest groups around. It varies, but they start out at ground zero (no records, stats, and a rating of 1200 (like all of us once was...)), and they want to get involved in the community, and not just to play chess. Heck they might even pay for membership...

Anyways, they go to the group directory, and the first groups they see are: We Chat Global, Chess Unlimited, The Power of Chess, Chess Association, and The Chess Players Team. And suppose those kind of players applies for all of them. Not knowing what lies ahead of them (or they do...), they expect to play more matches than they could during live chess. Better then their reflexes for getting games in Live Chess. From the research I've done on all of the mentioned teams (yes, I was in all of them, but quit from three and stayed in two. That'll be explained later...), the situation they'll get in is suprisingly sad.

First problem (that applies for almost all of those teams): overload of incoming messages. Some people would say "dude. That's Chess.com. If you don't plan on playing any team matches, then change your alert settings". That actually was said to me once, when actually I was playing games for that team...

Second problem: the fact that just because a big part of Chess.com is involved in 5 groups, means that they should join too. The new guys sign up for those teams because it is those groups that others think they SHOULD join (mostly likely a personal decision, however).

Third problem: the administration of those groups. Don't get me wrong. The super/regular administrators are doing a fine job keeping all the eggs in one bread basket, but nowadays it's turning up to be a "hierarchy". Higher rated players have more chances/opportunities to sign up for more games than the lower rated ones (like myself, unfortunately).

Let me ellaborate. Here are the stats of the 5 teams:

We Chat Global: # of members - 3069; team matches - 85; vote chess - 4; current team matches - 44 winning out of 65; one open match - We Chat Global=40 players signed up, the other team=5 (not fair for the other 35 players...)

Chess Unlimited: # of members: 2930; team matches - 73; vote chess - 18; one open match - Chess Unlimited=34, the other team=2 (one: not fair for the other 32 players; two: a 1256 vs a 911, and a 1251 vs a 827. Really?)

The Power of Chess: # of members - 2497; team matches - 664; vote chess - 59; one open match - The Power of Chess=22, the other team=4 (not fair for the other 18 players). Otherwise, not a bad group.

Chess Association: # of members - 1631; team matches - 128; vote chess - 5; one open match - Chess Association=64, the other team=46 (a good showing, but still not fair for the other 18 unpaired players); 2 matches in the "open matches section", and they are already full (doesn't make any sense...).

The Chess Players Team: # of members - 1426; team matches - 40; vote chess - 7; pretty good, not bad at all.

Suprisingly, I found that The Power of Chess and The Chess Players Team is better than the other three. Reasons? Firstly, unequally matched teams. The big teams versus smaller teams = more players not playing than those rated high enough, which is not practical. Secondly, some of the pairings of players that CAN play matches are not that fair. A 1256 versus a 911? Really? I signed up for a game with one of the other smaller teams I'm in, and that I would play a player not that higher than I am. Next day I saw that I was relugated by those that are higher rated than I am...

Honestly, I'm starting to get the feeling that most of the time that matches are made more for higher rated players, and matches to "keep the kids happy, and in hopes that they won't leave". Such selfishness...

I think to be in those groups (except two of them), it's a waste of time. Some of you might think otherwise, but I stand by what I say. This is the truth.

To the other smaller groups: I respect you indefinetly. I appreciate (almost everybody's) dedication to those groups because of individual beliefs, interests, for the love of chess, and not on somebody else's. I will do everything I can to bring you where you want to be in the Chess.com community. You are what makes this community flow.I wish you all a successful future!

Best regards, bellchessteam19

Under 1600 Group

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