Hey guys! Is it worth it to upgrade to diamond for unlimited analysis? Will they analyze each move, give best possible moves for every game?
No, it's not worth it for that. Any of the free engines will do a better job.
There are other things, like Chess Mentor and the video lessons that make membership worthwhile, but the computer analysis is not a big draw.
The computer evaluations consist of a numeric score for each move, and on moves where the score drops sharply, a single alternative line (usually about 5 moves for each side, and sometimes they stop in very odd places).
You can download Stockfish for free and get multiple lines of analysis at every move. It will also do a better job, because chess.com's computer is quite erratic. Evidence: I once managed to beat it in an endgame that it evaluated as a forced draw (and tablebases confirm that it is). So it's not using a tablebase, and I feel it plays the endgames particularly badly, apparently due to horizon effect. I gave up on the "practice endgames vs. computer" because it played too weakly.
On the other hand, I got quite a lot from Chess Mentor, especially the endgame lessons (I credit them with my recent tournament draw with a 2390 player). But you get 5 lessons a day at Premium, so Diamond isn't necessary for this.
If you like videos, that's the big attraction. Lower level members don't get those.
The engine that chess.com uses is around 2500 elo, while most other engines are over 3000.
Of course, if the games are filled with blunders it doesn´t matter that much.
But I actually find it convenient to get analysis fast after the game, without having to load additional software (since at times I have to use a slow laptop). That analysis it´s useful to spot tactical opportunities that you could have missed, but not good enough that you could consider its suggestions for opening preparation, for example.
Engine analysis, even from the best engines running in the best software is of limited value. Engine analysis offered by chess.com is hardly worth mentioning. It is almost a complete waste.
Unlimited chess mentor access and the library of chess videos was sufficient inducement for me to upgrade from platinum to diamond.
You can copy your game to clipboard after the game using the menu button. (In the menu it says share pgn.) And then paste it and save it to your personal game file. I'm on Android so I coy and paste to Analyze This Pro app, then save it to my favorites. And then I can analyze to my hearts content with Stockfish 6 or, Komodo 9, which is available on Android for a few bucks.
Chess.com computer analysis is really only a quick and dirty convenince thing and useful to see if and where you made the super blunder or missed the killer shot.
As another chap said, it ususally just stops 5 moves in and leaves you with many questions as the point of the line is not revealed. Also, especially in endgames, he will give you "mistakes" and different lines when the evaluation is only changed insignificantly which is rather more annoying and confusing than helpful.
So yes, quite useful for a quick flip-through and see where things went wrong, but will not give you conclusive answers most of the times.
Diamond is good for the videos and Chess Mentor, I definitely find the price worth it.
I agree with a lot of what's already been said here.
I like the computer analysis as a quick recap of where my major mistakes were and what I should have played.
Also, as someone else mentioned, yes you can do some of this stuff for free with a collection of programs but I like the convenience of having everything I need in one website (and the app on my phone).
But the main advantages I find from diamond are:
Thank you all for the great info! I really appreciate it! Chess on baby!
Hey guys! Is it worth it to upgrade to diamond for unlimited analysis? Will they analyze each move, give best possible moves for every game?