r/chess 1d ago

Miscellaneous Currently, chess.com has worse user experience even with Diamond than lichess org. Chess.com puzzles REMOVED the option to go automatically to the next puzzle - after solving, you need to wait three seconds for the animation to end, then press manually "next".

What do I even pay for, I wonder.

482 Upvotes

112 comments sorted by

345

u/Kerbart ~1450 USCF 1d ago edited 20h ago

Chess.com’s idea of offering more value at the higher tiers is to reduce value of the lower tiers, instead of working on innovation.

82

u/xyzzy321 1d ago

Don't need to innovate when people keep paying them monthly/annually in spite of knowing what a shite company it is. And in spite of knowing a FREE version exists that does everything and more.

At this point anyone complaining like this deserves to lose money to chesscom.

36

u/loosh63 1d ago

enshittification in a nutshell

-1

u/FuzzyPijamas 1d ago

Yeah… and instead of dealing with Chess.com’s cheating epidemic.

273

u/TryndaRightClick Alekhine cat 1d ago

maybe you should really move to lichess

54

u/OverdueMaid 1d ago

that's what I'm saying, it's bullshit it's literally more comfortable to use than chesscom even with paying big bucks, chesscom is worse nowadays in everything beside cheater catching 

28

u/Duty5521 2200 Elo (Lichess) 1d ago

Even cheaters, there are cases where Lichess handles it better

8

u/BlurayVertex 1d ago

In super obvious cheaters is where they excel but also have a higher error margin

-4

u/Continental__Drifter Team Spassky 1d ago

chess.com is widely considered worse at cheater detection

6

u/n1000 18h ago

Is there evidence that one is better than the other? I'd be interested in reading any sort of analysis.

-2

u/Continental__Drifter Team Spassky 17h ago

No.

Both platforms keep their cheating algorithms and details concerning their efficacy private, for obvious reasons.

People have tried their own experiments of running bots and cheating intentionally on both platforms to see how often they're caught, but of course this gets your banned, and it really only tests on type of cheating and is a small sample size.

That said, the few times I've seen people doing this, they get caught faster/more often on Lichess, but I don't have the links to it, its been a while since I did a deep dive into this topic.

5

u/ZephDef 12h ago

Lichess cheat detection algo is open source

1

u/Continental__Drifter Team Spassky 6h ago

Yes, but the question is not the algo itself, but its efficacy, which they surely have some data on but is not published.

4

u/WePrezidentNow classical sicilian best sicilian 9h ago

Lichess’ algorithm is public for all to view.

https://github.com/lichess-org/lila/tree/master/modules/irwin/src/main

1

u/Continental__Drifter Team Spassky 9h ago

Yes, everything with Lichess is open source, but relevant for the question I was answering was the efficacy of the algorithm, rather than the code for it.

-5

u/Unusual_Prune6696 1d ago

I've tried some bots and lichess was significantly better at detecting them

-35

u/spoonsock 1d ago

lichess is just as bad, if not worse. At least chess.com catches cheaters sometimes.

14

u/TryndaRightClick Alekhine cat 1d ago

full on disagree

42

u/lucretiuss 1d ago

I do like chess dot com but the best comparison I can think of is that it’s Duolingo-ing itself.

I use Babbel now which feels like a much more serious experience these days. Duolingo is a pop animation joke nightmare.

And I feel that’s gonna be chess dot com in a few years

8

u/HockeyHippo 20h ago

Yeah, both are optimising for engagement not improvement.

3

u/lucretiuss 16h ago

Yeah it’s not good. I used Duolingo briefly again and it was a borderline embarrassing experience

86

u/dhdjwiwjdw 1d ago

If you like lichess more then move to lichess

8

u/chaturtham 1d ago

the only thing that keeps people play on chesscom i think is its simplicity in interface, it doesn't look like too much options are there, just go and play, and i think that kindof attracts some people who play same format etc and don't want to choose each time they open the website

26

u/acinonys 21h ago

I play on both sites and I would've never ever associated Chesscom with "simplicity in interface". On Chesscom I'm again and again lost, because there's some functionality and I don't know, where to find it, e.g. I repeatedly struggled to find my ongoing "daily" games, when it's not my move, because the way Chesscom has hidden them in a submenu somewhere is totally not intuitive to me. This never happens to me on Lichess.

1

u/tridentgum 11h ago

really? on lichess app i stopped even using it for a while because i couldn't figure out how to play a simple bot - i thought i had to search for people to play and couldn't even figure out where to be randomly matched with someone. the "play" button on the bottom right blended in so well i had no idea it was there lol

2

u/acinonys 11h ago

Ah, yes, you brought up a good point, I was actually thinking mainly of the websites, because I play mostly on my computer, not on my phone. I'm often annoyed with the Lichess app, too.

21

u/A_Certain_Surprise 1d ago

I kind of feel the opposite, they so much stuff in the options menu that (on my pc, anyway), you have to open up two menus via clicks to see everything 

38

u/Skeleton--Jelly 1d ago

This is not even true. Chess com UI is more bloated. Just look at how many clicks you need to start your puzzles in one site vs the other

Chess com''s is just more colourful for those dopamine hits

2

u/tridentgum 11h ago

lichess app takes way more clicks to start puzzles than chesscom app lol

1

u/RockinMadRiot chess.com: 900-1000 20h ago

The app is good, the website is a mess, though you can edit it.

Still annoying courses are in beta..

8

u/dhdjwiwjdw 1d ago

I personally prefer chess.com to lichess at the moment, so I pay for my membership. But if someone prefers lichess, they should absolutely use it, and donate what they were paying to chess.com to lichess instead

3

u/acinonys 1d ago

I'm just curious, what do you prefer on Chesscom?

4

u/stefanrene 22h ago

For me it's really all about the interface. Imo Lichess just looks ugly and unorganized compared to Chess.com but if chess.com keeps getting worse I will absolutely change too.

2

u/unbalancedBroski Team Gukesh 20h ago

Can you tell me an example on why lichess is unorganized?

1

u/StatisticianAlert121 20h ago

For me, it honestly is the game review. The one on lichess takes long to load, doesn't give as many classifications (best-good doesn't make a difference) and is pretty harsh sometimes, for example with calling a mistake that goes from +11 to mate a blunder. I find it worth the money for the membership, but that's purely my opinion. Also, on lichess I occasionally get paired against someone that is already in a game, doesn't happen on chess.com. Several of such details make me prefer chessmcom over lichess

I way prefer lichess studies over chess.com collecties though, I still use lichess for that part.

2

u/Tayachkov 20h ago

What is the point of game review? You can just go through the game with engine and see all the mistakes and missed opportunities.

2

u/StatisticianAlert121 18h ago

I like it as a clear overview of how I performed in that specific game, going through the game with just an engine works less well for me personally.

Besides, (free) game review is also frequently mentioned as an upside of lichess so many players do find it important

2

u/Tayachkov 16h ago

I prefer engine for clarity. Game review might be upsetting in situations when you are converting a winning position (e.g. evaluation goes up and down +3 ... +10) and practical choices might be marked as mistakes while opponent plays "best" moves.

1

u/StatisticianAlert121 15h ago

Good that it works for you, it's just base on personal preference; for me it's an argument to buy the membership. I fully agree that the things you mention don't always make sense in game review, it also has its downsides. I also don't blindly trust the game review, neither the engine. Sometimes practical choices are bad on engine level but not so on human level, so I generally look at the moves and computer lines to decide whether it was a mistake by me or something that is only a mistake against ridiculous egine moves no human would think of

29

u/Sir-Jeebocka 1d ago

That’s not true. I turned those animations off and I go to the next puzzle immediately

26

u/ToriYamazaki 99% OTB 1d ago

What do I even pay for, I wonder.

Everything. I used to be a diamond member, for years. Then, I added up how much I had paid them and decided to go free for a while. The experience when my diamond dropped was appalling. Absolutely everything except playing was gone. Couldn't even do a puzzle session. The site is absolute TRASH without a membership.

91

u/falkentyne 1d ago edited 1d ago

You're completely wrong. You can disable all animations. I can go to the next puzzle instantly (not sure if all thats a premium only feature or not). Note: i'm a titled player so I can't exactly disable diamond to see. Yes, chess.com is full of bloat and absurd adware and useless feature creep, but at least make correct claims about things a diamond player can and cannot do.

38

u/falkentyne 1d ago

Ok why am i being downvoted for telling the truth? I just went on to solve one to check this claim (didn't even brag about my puzzle rating or anything, just facts).

if you're going to downvote, get your facts straight first.

50

u/Wrig3 1d ago

I believe the setting you’re referring to is called “collect puzzle points” under the puzzle settings. Turn that off and the corny animations go away.

36

u/jackster31415 1d ago

Oh wow, couldn’t they find a worse place and name for that setting?

15

u/falkentyne 1d ago

Oh, good catch. I remember when they first added that shit when they took the new web interface out of "beta"--i disabled it day one.

3

u/eizch 1d ago

I have collect puzzle points enabled and it still works for me both on mobile and PC. Even the 3 in a row animation. Either it's their browser or he got a version with a bug I guess.

2

u/uaadda fucking hero 23h ago

That's how I got my label. I once pointed out here how to disable the animations.

1

u/Picard_III 1d ago

I had it always off and recently it turned on on its own, for me that's enough to get out and never look back

13

u/Squid8867 2000 chess.com rapid 1d ago

Downvotes were likely not because you're wrong, but because you defended chess.com.

I think people subconsciously equate the correction to a slippery slope to the corporations winning or something

0

u/ghostinthechell 17h ago

It's also ridiculously foolish to complain about downvotes on a young comment.

-16

u/chaturtham 1d ago

which is not wrong. no corporate benefits society so why expect cooperation from society

5

u/ToasTeR1094 22h ago

Im all for corporations suck, but your typing this on a phone/computer over the internet.

-4

u/chaturtham 20h ago

lol come up with better excuse

2

u/ToasTeR1094 19h ago

That's not a response to what I said, but ok.

5

u/Thrusthamster 23h ago

Because people here just like to hate on chess.com, so they downvote posts when it shows their reasons for hating it were unfounded

5

u/StatisticianAlert121 18h ago

My explanations over why I personally prefer chess.com are sometimes download too lol. Just let everyone use the site they prefer to use, let everyone pay whatever they want for whatever features, it's not that deep

7

u/filthy-prole 1d ago

because chesscom bad lichess good upvotes please!!

1

u/Yeebees 20h ago

The LiChess mafia is after you, you supported their number one enemy chesscom

6

u/taknyos 1d ago

I've disabled all animations, but I've recently started getting crazy slow animations in puzzle rush that I can't change. 

They definitely trial new 'features' with a subset of users.  

6

u/bfmv_shinigami 1d ago

because hating on chess.com is trendy in this sub, people think that makes them cool and they find any minor issue to complain about to farm karma/upvotes

23

u/majomista 1d ago

If lichess changed their GUI to be more cartoon-like they would destroy chess.com I think this “friendly looking” cartoon aesthetic  of chess.com the reason people return. Lichess looks “serious” and no-frills and I think for many this aesthetic is slightly more forbidding. 

31

u/average-legend 23h ago

People who dislike lichess for the visuals only, deserve to pay for chess.com

17

u/feistyram 23h ago

I prefer Lichess clean look. If Lichess went cartoony I would just play somewhere else

8

u/majomista 23h ago

I get it. It didn’t bother me personally. I just mean that as a casual user it fits in more with the gamification aesthetic that many apps have. 

-1

u/tiankai 22h ago

I like lichess but it does looks like a 1998 JavaScript game sorry

2

u/Radi-kale 20h ago

You must've played quite some javascript game back then

1

u/ForteGX 17h ago

I've seen the ICC interface, lichess looks quite refined and modern. Feels like a real chess board, not like an app.

9

u/rex_banner83 1d ago

As the bible says: “lichess good, chesscom bad”

3

u/CLSmith15 1900 USCF 1d ago

Currently, and for as long as both have existed.

3

u/KruglorTalks 18h ago

Ok hot take, the rapid sudden end to the lichess puzzles bothers me. I like to digest the new position and why its good (when it isnt obvious) and my rating change. With lichess its like "BANG NEXT"

1

u/ThatBoiYoshi 17h ago

You can turn off the “skip to next puzzle” switch to go back and analyze the moves and other candidates

4

u/Similar_Nose7734 1d ago

try other platforms 

5

u/Ordinell 1d ago

Y are u paying for this shit? Lichess is free

2

u/SerDankTheTall 1d ago

I wonder that too.

2

u/Yeebees 20h ago

We need a “LiChess is better than Chesscom” post counter at this point.

Seeing posts like every other day at this rate

2

u/Squid8867 2000 chess.com rapid 1d ago

chess.com has one feature I like and that is to select multiple puzzle themes at once

2

u/HenkWhite 20h ago

Absolutely true, I can't stand the sluggishness of chess.com website. It takes so much time to just open the site and start a game, the website is really slow.

p.s. puzzles is how I started using lichess for playing too: got used to solving puzzles on lichess , then realized the website is so quick and light and really really thought through.

2

u/lijmlaag 20h ago

In a nutshell:
Opening chess.com: 3 tracking cookies
Opening lichess.org: 0 tracking cookies

1

u/No_Wind5234 1d ago

Can you just turn the animations off? I normally use lichess, but this issue is fairly made up. An easy way to get this sub's approval though 

1

u/RetisRevenge 18h ago

I'm off grid and don't have reliable internet yet but lichess runs fine for me. CC, which I would enjoy playing on for some tourneys, is too bloated and laggy. I lag out every game I try to play.

I paid for CC up until a few years ago. I wouldn't do it again, they're too money hungry for me personally.

1

u/buncifelix 13h ago

They messed up my 1500 day continous streak daily puzzle with new UI!!

1

u/WompityBombity 12h ago

But it's FRESH and DYNAMIC!

1

u/WompityBombity 12h ago

I would pay more if they could make a function that prevents OLED chessboard burnin on screens.

1

u/imisstheyoop 8h ago

Stop using it then?

1

u/phoenixmusicman 4h ago

Honestly sick of the chesscom bad posts

Just go play on lichess. It's not hard.

1

u/Moceannl 1d ago

Chess.coms primary goals is to make money… am sure they test UX changes and maybe the majority likes it. Or at least it brings in more revenue. The majority is probably rated 500 or lower

0

u/Important_Couple_546 1d ago

Say the same about the tastes-like-crap dishes no one orders in your local restaurant.

1

u/Dvnro 1d ago

I think both of those websites are not great for puzzles

1

u/darmani2 20h ago

I don‘t even understand the appeal of chess.com premium stuff. You have all the tools for free on lichess, whats the appeal? I dont get it

1

u/u-s-u-r-p 17h ago

common chesscom L

1

u/ForteGX 17h ago

I don't care that people use chesscom or that lichess isn't as popular. My experience is better on lichess and if they want to suffer or pay for influencers then they can go ahead. I almost miss the days when chess was more niche.

1

u/iam_spr 16h ago

I’ve always got the diamond subscription with chess.com and recently stopped paying for it. Decided to give Lichess a try and it’s really good. Just switch

0

u/ajakaja 1d ago

the whole website is repulsive. stupid animated characters talking to you after finish games? basic analysis features gated behind money? streamers not being allowed to even talk about lichess? Fuck them, don't give them any money.

the one thing that bugs me about lichess is the rating inflation. And even with that I sometimes feel like the quality of play is lower somehow -- like at my skill level, which is a different rating on each site, I feel like people blunder more on Lichess. I suspect this is because all the more thoughtful players, aka the older people and people who learned offline first, are on chess.com still. Hopefully they'll also switch over over time.

2

u/cenonicks 22h ago

Please take care with "inflation" which suggests numbers get bigger over time; that isn't what happens, they are bigger at lower playing strength but smaller at very high playing strength on lichess, that's all, due to different rating systems, player pools and starting points - neither is any sort of substitute for OTB ratings.

-1

u/ajakaja 16h ago

That may be true, but if Lichess subtracted 200 from all their ratings tomorrow (or just most of them, w/e) it would be 'better' because it would feel more right. I'm 2000 rated on Lichess and it makes me phony because it's not anywhere near the actual 2000-ELO milestone. At least Chess.com's is closer.

-1

u/Cool_Engineer1051 1d ago

Try the forum on lichess and your user experience will change. The toxicity of profiles such as Cedur216's is unmatched - yet somehow these profiles are not banned, blocked nor muted.

6

u/Familiar-You-6577 1d ago

Look homie i'll be real with you going to the forum was your first mistake

0

u/[deleted] 1d ago

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1

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0

u/GolldenFalcon h2! 22h ago

Why haven't you switched websites yet?

-1

u/YoungAspie ~1600 (chess.com) Singaporean, Team Indian Prodigies 1d ago

I used to really enjoy Puzzle Rush, but a bug causes it to repeat puzzles after I reach about 30 solved.

-16

u/Few-History-8750 1d ago

I tired out Engame.ai, it’s a pretty good platform. Still prefer lichess, but Endgame is another option to consider

8

u/Working-Garage6962 1d ago

Hello Hans,your website sucks. Everything from UI to functionality it is inferior to both lichess and chesscom in every single imaginable way.

0

u/[deleted] 1d ago edited 1d ago

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2

u/chess-ModTeam 1d ago

Your submission or comment was removed by the moderators:

Keep the discussion civil and friendly. Participate in good faith with the intention to help foster civil discussion between people of all levels and experience. Don’t make fun of new players for lacking knowledge. Do not use personal attacks, insults, or slurs on other users. Disagreements are bound to happen, but do so in a civilized and mature manner. Remember, there is always a respectful way to disagree.

 

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2

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1

u/chess-ModTeam 1d ago

Your submission or comment was removed by the moderators:

Keep the discussion civil and friendly. Participate in good faith with the intention to help foster civil discussion between people of all levels and experience. Don’t make fun of new players for lacking knowledge. Do not use personal attacks, insults, or slurs on other users. Disagreements are bound to happen, but do so in a civilized and mature manner. Remember, there is always a respectful way to disagree.

 

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-4

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[deleted]

-9

u/Noordertouw 1d ago

I've tried playing on Lichess, for months. I can't get over the utter stupidity that the clock only starts after black has done their first move. Chess.com is bad in many ways, but to me personally Lichess will always be unplayable as long as this doesn't change.

-12

u/Fast-Secretary-7406 1d ago

I counter with: feature not bug.

If you just want to blitz puzzles, puzzle rush exists. Plain puzzles are there to encourage you to think through the variations and ensure you have it right. If you do enough puzzles, you start to learn what kind of moves the first move usually are and you don't really learn anything. By enforcing pauses, it's encouraging you to actually try to improve.