The History of Chess.com from 1994
There are many things outdated on Chess.com Today - the most obvious ones include "🚫Account Closed" or old analysis icons. 
As well as some hidden in corners- I dare you try go to these links:
https://chess.com/echessÂ
https://chess.com/chessmentorÂ
Very old things...are you curious about it? Come on, let us begin exploring!
This will be the history of Chess.com from the domain getting registered in 1994.
I suggest watching this video first to get a brief idea and see the screenshots of the past, and then read the details below in this blog. I also include original blogs for more details for you to read.
Take this video as a starter, I have much more details for you to consume.
1994: Domain Registered
1996: Chess Mentor
2005: Sold
Chess Mentor company went bankrupt and sold the company, and erik got it eventually.
He purchased it to start a better chess community.Â
"I imagined a place where people could build a chess home online: find friends, store games, tell their chess story, share ideas, play in a safe and friendly environment, and learn from each other." - Chess.com Founder, @erik
"Because I have a passion and love of games! I was in charge of a chess club..." - Chess.com Founder, @jay
2007: Official Launch
Chess.com was officially launched on May 2007. The website looked vastly different back then as you can see in the video, the logo was also slightly different.
BOOM! The release of features, developments!!
Posting news is one of the oldest features on Chess.com, and at that time, literally ANYONE can post them. (Their news article links are still accessible today, which is funny since the people are not staff and usually offline for several years). What is the oldest active member (non-staff) you could find? Let me know in the comments!
More reads
Erik's Blog - The Chess.com Logo Story
Why and How I started chess.com - Erik's BlogÂ
chess.com/aboutÂ
oops I accidentally clicked publish before finishing this 
Go watch the video first pls then lol.
Anyway continuing the post below:
Chess.com begins to face more and more members, and more games are being played.
On 28 July 2005, this was the first time when Chess Mentor was removed and replaced with Chess.com. (However, Erik said he purchased the domain in 2006, which was when we see the Chess.com old pawn logo.)
In May, a closed beta was started for staff to test Chess.com site, which explains why some accounts such as @chesscom and @erik were created before the public release of the site.
Anybody could post news, here is an example.
People who were banned or closed themselves were known as account closed in the past.
Release of features log
2009: Video lessons
https://www.chess.com/news/view/new-professional-chess-video-lessons-now-on-chesscom-7100Â
In 2013, I found this article that Chess.com purchased Chess Vibes, no idea what this is and how it impacted though
https://www.chess.com/news/view/chesscom-to-acquire-chessvibes-8508
2016: Live Club Tournaments (Arenas)
https://www.chess.com/news/view/new-feature-live-club-tournaments-3882 Â
2017: Chess.com Partnered with Twitch to stream games? What? Or is this just Twitch Partner?
https://www.chess.com/news/view/twitch-chess-com-partner-to-promote-chess-streaming
2018: Chess.com purchased Komodo to make those Komodo bots in our Play Computer Page?Â
https://www.chess.com/news/view/chess-com-acquires-komodo-launches-new-monte-carlo-version-similar-to-alphazeroÂ
On 22 November, we have Puzzle Rush!
https://www.chess.com/news/view/puzzle-rush-chess-coms-new-addictive-featureÂ
The developments get faster, here are the features in 2019.Â
They added more time controls to puzzle rush, as well as introduced Puzzle Battle.
 
https://www.chess.com/news/view/feature-new-puzzle-rush-formats-releasedÂ
https://www.chess.com/news/view/new-feature-puzzle-battleÂ
New chat feature!!
https://www.chess.com/news/view/new-feature-site-wide-chatÂ
2020
2020 saw a rise of users due to the pandemic. This was when I joined Chess.com! Chess.com also adjusted ratings and increased them. FIDE also changed 10 minute chess to rapid instead of blitz.
https://www.chess.com/news/view/10-minute-chess-now-rapid-rated-bullet-ratings-increased
 Again, in 2021, chess.com wanted to adjust 960 ratings, but they reverted it as it was too rush and they wanted to think properly next time due to feedbacks.
https://www.chess.com/news/view/daily-chess-ratings-adjustedÂ
During 2021 and 2022, Chess.com changed their looks a lot.
https://www.chess.com/news/view/chesscom-new-navbar-updated-search Â
They changed membership prices, a significant change, as Game Review is no longer in the Gold Plan!! At least old members could still stick to it, the plan is more expensive for me.
https://www.chess.com/article/view/prices-changingÂ
Furthermore, they have added Game Review to remove the original Game Report.
Probably only OGs remember the old features.
chess.com/members/view/[username] -> chess.com/member/[username]
Game Report -> Game Review
They added explanation and changed the classifications.
I have no idea when these were changed, if you do, let me know!
Game Review
Did you know the old excellent icon was blue with a tick? Sooner, they might remove the Missed Win and add "Miss" too, as this has already kicked out in beta!Â
https://www.chess.com/announcements/view/new-classification-system-in-game-reviewÂ
Game Review on mobile and those but I will not cover mobile in this blog. What will we have in future?
-Updated library coming soon
And more, and Chess.com is becoming a better site.
Chess.com is a popular online chess platform that was founded in 2007. The site has become a destination for chess players around the world to play, learn, and connect with others who share a love of the game.
The idea for Chess.com was first conceived by two friends, Jay Rosenkrantz and Erik Allebest, who were passionate about chess and saw an opportunity to create an online platform for chess players. In 2007, they launched the site as a place for chess players to connect, play games, and participate in forums and other online communities.
In its early days, Chess.com was focused on providing a simple, straightforward platform for playing chess online. The site offered a range of features, including the ability to play games against other users, participate in tournaments, and access chess puzzles and other resources to improve your skills.
Over time, Chess.com has continued to evolve and expand its offerings. The site has added new features such as live streaming of grandmaster games, training sessions with grandmasters, and a wide range of lessons and courses to help players of all levels improve their skills.
In addition to its core features, Chess.com has also developed a range of social and community features that have helped to build a sense of community among its users. These features include forums, chat rooms, and other online communities where chess players can connect and discuss the game.
Despite its growth and success, Chess.com has faced its share of challenges and controversies. In 2012, the site experienced a data breach that exposed the personal information of its users, leading to widespread concern and criticism. In the years since, the site has worked to improve its security measures and has implemented a number of changes to protect the privacy and security of its users.
In recent years, Chess.com has continued to grow and evolve, building a large and dedicated community of chess players around the world. Today, the site is home to millions of users who come to play chess, learn, and connect with others who share a passion for the game.
Overall, the history of Chess.com is a story of innovation and growth, as the site has evolved from a simple online chess platform to a comprehensive destination for chess players of all levels. Despite its challenges and controversies, the site has remained committed to its mission of bringing chess players together and helping them improve their skills and enjoyment of the game.
