As an avid chess player and enthusiast, one question you might be grappling with is whether a Chess.com premium account will indeed improve your chess level.
Having had access to a Chess.com premium account in the past, I’ll let you know what I think in this article.
Chess.com Membership Options
There are three different types of accounts available on Chess.com, namely Gold, Platinum, and Diamond.
The Gold account comes with a monthly fee of $6.99, but opting for an annual payment significantly reduces this cost.
The same rule applies to platinum and diamond accounts too.
From a glance, the leap from gold to diamond comes with a significant price difference, making a careful review of these services necessary.
Gold Account: The Basics
A Gold subscription offers unlimited puzzles.
Why is this a critical detail for particularly beginner players?
The most direct path to improving your chess level is by solving puzzles and avoiding blunders that usually cost players their games.
With a free account, you only get three puzzles per day, so you can see how a gold account massively expands this resource for you.
To dive even further into theory, the unlimited lessons feature is invaluable.
These lessons, categorized based on different levels, range from basic introductions to chess to advanced gameplay strategies.
One controversial topic among chess players is the effectiveness of playing against bots.
While the gold account does unlock this feature, it’s worth noting that with their sometimes illogical decisions, bots may not provide the realistic game scenarios that playing against real opponents does.
Perhaps the most significant relief of purchasing a chess.com premium account is the ability to play sublimely without the constant interruption of ads.
Platinum Account: A Step Up
Moving up to a platinum account, one exciting addition is the unlimited game review feature.
Following the completion of a game, players can review each move, helping them to understand where and how mistakes occurred.
Additionally, the platform offers an accuracy rating, presenting the percentage of right moves you made during a game.
While this new tool can sometimes be misleading, it’s the in-depth game analysis that indeed enhances learning.
By identifying key points where mistakes were made, you become more aware of your game’s tactical imperfections.
If the pricing of a platinum account seems too steep, the good news is that free accounts offer two game reviews per day – a decent amount for those just starting their journey into chess analysis.
Diamond Account: The Ultimate Experience
If you go all out for a diamond account, you gain the ability to access what’s referred to as unlimited coach explanations.
This feature gives you access to automated coach evaluations, which while being automated, can still be incredibly insightful in reviewing one’s games.
A somewhat less serious, but exciting addition to this membership is unlimited insights, providing a host of different statistics about your gameplay.
Understand your game’s average accuracy, see which days you perform best, and even your win rate against opponents from different countries.
While these statistics might not directly contribute to improving your chess level, they certainly bring an added level of enjoyment to your chess.com experience.
Final Thoughts
Based on my experience, I can wholeheartedly say that your best shot at effectively improving your chess level lies in immense dedication and hard work, irrespective of your account type.
You can also very well improve your chess level without a premium account.
However, your journey could potentially become more engaging and simplified with access to more puzzles, lessons, and game reviews.
As the saying goes, “Money well spent, is not money wasted.”
Paying for a chess.com premium account might be the motivation you need to devote time and energy towards improving your game.
Let me know if this review was helpful.