I've been thinking...

A few people have come up with the suggestion that chess.com host tournaments with money prizes and probably an entry fee. The problem has always been that this would encourage cheating.

But what if chess.com had it's own currency, redeemable only on this site?

This could be used to buy certain features, like chess mentor lessons, or live video feeds, or entrance to tourneys, or whatever.

I got this idea from wgt.com (online golf)

Like this, it is also a free site, with unlimited free play. But, I actually spend real money there, far more than here. You can buy better clubs, balls, avatars, enter tournaments etc. Credits are not transferable or redeemable. Cleverly, balls have a "durability" component, and have a limited lifespan, or can be lost.

Why do I do that?

1. because I feel the immediate benefit of the money I spend, instant gratification, not to mention impulse spending.
2. i can buy credits within seconds using my mobile phone (zong mobile), by far my prefered method for internet transactions. Other payment options remain available too)

Any thoughts?

 Can a person cheat at wgt.com?

 I think if a person would cheat for real money, they would cheat for C.c. money.

 After all, people cheat for nothing now.

people even cheat for facebook credits

There isn't much to buy on this site. If people want to pay an entry fee and play for money, maybe the staff could be sure to check a representative sample of those games for cheating.

thanks for the info re wgt.com  maybe I have a better chance of beating you there!!

   Sounds like adding certain aspects of playchess.com on here with it's own currency, redeeming, etc.

   It might only encourage ch***ing more so people can get Premium content in other ways. It's not such a bad idea but knowing human nature and the amount of ch**ting that happens, I don't think it would be such a good idea to implement.

   Besides those things, how much work would it be for the site to write that sort of code and have it streamline with everything else here? (Chess Mentor, coaching lessons, basically anything Premium.)

   I'm torn on this. It would be a double-edged sword I think but with more blood rather then peace happening.

   -Mark

Ive been recently been shown another chess website, that has its own currency. I really like it. Ultimatelly I think Ill stay with chess.com. Yet it would be great to implement form of currency.

the way the other site works is it gives you a small "credit bonus" for entering tournaments and single games (only once per day). every single game costs credit.

currency can be used to "unlock" aesthetic features and video tutorials or just gloat about how big your reserve is... 

Its just a great way to intensify game and encourage players to enter tournaments.
If you have a grudge match to settle, why not raise the stacks :) Its not real money however it makes it interesting.
 

The way things are in Chess.com, as of today, seem very satisfactory to bring now in the "money" and "betting" isues.

Chess stands in this web as a pure intelectual –no luck—game.

Why spoil it, or smudge it, with bettings and money as if it was a vulgar dice game?

I like the idea of playing for free memberships or something....1st place diamond, 2nd platinum, 3rd gold...etc...