tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75245438791869009792024-03-19T03:26:19.289-04:00ChessJam Online ChessChessJamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07587466248652047570noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7524543879186900979.post-8363308349649071012010-12-31T22:14:00.002-05:002010-12-31T22:18:54.044-05:00ChessJam 4.1 releasedChessJam 4.1 is now available as a required update. If you use the web version or Facebook version, you don't need to do anything. If you use the desktop version of ChessJam, you will be prompted to complete a quick upgrade.<br /><br /><B>Changes in 4.1:</B><br /><UL><br /><LI>A once rare timeout bug has been recently exploited by a few users to become a real nuisance on ChessJam. The bug allowed someone to force a timeout of a game to avoid having the rating calculated for the winner and loser. This problem has now been fixed.<br /><br /><LI>There have been several complaints about some players utilizing computer programs to help them win games on ChessJam. We have added "application switch detection" into the ChessJam application to help identify users that are switching from ChessJam to another app after every move. We realize that it's common to switch to other applications during a game so we ignore it unless the number of application switches is very close to the number of moves. For now, we're collecting the information only for analysis. During the next few days, we'll add automatic messages to the chat window to notify the opponent that the player is switching between moves. <br /><br /><LI>Some players are registering with multiple usernames to help boost their rating on ChessJam. They play themselves to pump up their rating. We are starting to compare the IP address of both players to try and reduce this practice. There are valid cases where both players will be on the same network and can be sharing an IP address (for example, if someone plays someone in their own home, they will have the same address) so we'll only use this data when we see other patterns that suggest that someone is pumping up their rating.<br /></UL><br />We're working on some cool new features including new tournament types and even mobile device support, so stay tuned!<br /><br />HAPPY NEW YEAR!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7524543879186900979.post-7914889277378351912010-09-29T11:51:00.001-04:002010-09-30T15:27:24.345-04:00Faster load times for ChessJam worldwide (16 locations!)Earlier today, we made a change that will result in faster downloads of ChessJam, especially if you are located in Europe or Asia. Before today, when you downloaded ChessJam or loaded the web or Facebook version, the files were served from Tampa, Florida. Starting today, the files will be served by one of sixteen locations depending on your location. You will hopefully notice faster download times and application load times. Below is a list of server locations. The closest server to you will automatically be selected so you don't have to do anything different. <br />More improvements are already in progress. Stay tuned!<br /><img src="http://gregorywilson.smugmug.com/photos/1028703162_UD4ES-M.jpg">ChessJamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07587466248652047570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7524543879186900979.post-85571553522588430032010-09-14T23:13:00.003-04:002010-09-14T23:16:40.194-04:00ChessJam 4.0.3 releasedChessJam 4.0.3 is now released. Changes:<br /><ul><li>FIxed a problem that caused clocks to go negative in rare circumstances<br /><li>Added a new less intrusive notification of tournaments, etc. New notifications will replace the popups starting tomorrow (Wednesday)<br /><li>Games can now be posted to Facebook from web version of ChessJam<br /><li>Multiple bug fixes<br /></ul><br />If you are running the desktop version of ChessJam, you will receive an upgrade notification next time you run it. If you run the web or Facebook version, you are already set.<br /><br />Report any bugs to <a href="mailto:support@chessjam.com">support@chessjam.com</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7524543879186900979.post-56566624378096366492010-09-10T15:14:00.001-04:002010-09-10T15:15:51.647-04:00ChessJam 4.0.2 released - bug fixesChessJam 4.0.2 is now available. We fixed another premature timeout situation (hopefully the last!), fixed the sounds that got screwed up in the 4.0.0/4.0.1 release and fixed the HUD clocks.<br /><br />We apologize for the back to back releases but we're on a serious bug hunt!<br /><br />Thanks!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7524543879186900979.post-53998888852157345462010-09-09T23:19:00.002-04:002010-09-09T23:26:27.166-04:00ChessJam 4.01 releasedEarlier this week we released ChessJam 4.0. Overall, it has been a great release for us. We've seen a lot of people take advantage of the new web version and Facebook versions of the game. We also saw a huge improvement in the number of failed games where a clock went bad, etc.<br /><br />We've been monitoring like a hawk and found a few other bugs that needed fixing. This release takes care of the following:<br /><ul><br /><li>Clocks now stay in sync even with players with a lot of network lag<br /><li>Premature timeouts have been fixed<br /><li>The weird time that sometimes shows up on clocks after a game has completed has been fixed<br /><li>We rearranged the login buttons to help new people find their way. We apologize to our regular players that have learned to click the login button with their eyes closed. We'll all have to retrain a few times! ;-)<br /><li>Server upgrades to improve performance<br /></ul><br /><br />We'll continue to watch things. We have a lot of enhancements planned, but we are currently trying to get to flawless play for all players. <br /><br />If you see any problems, please email us at <a href="mailto:support@chessjam.com">support@chessjam.com</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7524543879186900979.post-12222473724572165092010-09-06T10:23:00.008-04:002010-09-06T12:44:18.411-04:00ChessJam 4.0! Now 3 ways to play online chess including in Facebook and your web browser!Today we released ChessJam 4.0! During the past few months, we've seen our growth accelerate and now we're starting to attract several grand masters! We think this latest release will put ChessJam up a few notches and spur even more growth.<br /><br />ChessJam can now be played in three different ways:<ul><br /><li>You can now play ChessJam in your web browser! Simply go to <a target="_blank" href="http://chessjam.com/play">http://chessjam.com/play</a> and you're in!<br /><li>You can also now play ChessJam within Facebook by going to <a target="_blank" href="http://apps.facebook.com/chessjam">http://apps.facebook.com/chessjam</a><br /><li>The ChessJam desktop application is also improved. It's now smaller and faster!<br /></ul><br /><img src="http://chessjam.com/images/chessjam3options.png"><br />Bug fixes and other improvements:<ul><br /><li>We have rewritten the way clocks are handled. They are now much more reliable and consistent. This should address the occasional premature timeouts that some players reported.<br /><li>Multiple memory optimizations<br /></ul><br />Let us know if you find any problems with the new software. You can always email us at <a href="mailto:support@chessjam.com">support@chessjam.com</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7524543879186900979.post-61316886807391429862010-08-30T15:45:00.005-04:002010-08-30T17:36:47.250-04:00ChessJam 3.5 Released!We just posted ChessJam 3.5 for download. Your existing version should auto-update.<br />Here's what new:<br /><ul><br /><li>The application is now 53% smaller resulting in faster downloads, updates and faster startup time.<br /><li>There should be fewer disconnects throughout the application now.<br /><li>Network traffic has been reduced throughout the application.<br /><li>Automatic draw detection added (finally!). If both players don't have the required pieces to checkmate, a draw is automatic. If a position arises in which neither player could possibly give checkmate by a series of legal moves, the game is an automatic draw. Combinations with insufficient material to checkmate are:<br /><ul><br /><li>king versus king<br /><li>king and bishop versus king<br /><li>king and knight versus king<br /><li>king and bishop versus king and bishop with the bishops on the same color.<br /></ul><br /><li>Turbo tournaments now auto-start more consistently.<br /><li>The end-game dialog is now clearer with a button for "Get a link to this game".<br /><li>Numerous other bug fixes, performance tweaks and cosmetic improvements.<br /></ul><br />We're working on a major new release - stay tuned!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7524543879186900979.post-75212884257395960022010-07-31T08:10:00.003-04:002010-07-31T08:20:29.562-04:00Turbo Tournament Rule ChangeEffective immediately, the following rules are now enforced in Turbo Tournaments:<div><ul><li>If you are white, you have 90 seconds to make your first move or you will automatically forfeit the game. A warning will be sent to you 60 seconds prior to being booted. </li><li>If you start a Turbo Tournament game, you cannot abandon a game without losing rating points. All games in the Turbo Tournament room are rated games regardless of the number of moves made. If you click the resign or draw button, your rating will be impacted.</li></ul><div>Turbo Tournaments have been a huge success and we hope these new rules will make them run smoother and keep things more fair.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for playing!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7524543879186900979.post-34735983793265222502010-07-17T08:50:00.005-04:002010-07-17T09:39:20.656-04:00How we enabled "Login using Facebook" with ChessJamLast week, we rolled out an exciting new feature - the ability to login to ChessJam using your Facebook credentials, even if you have never registered for ChessJam! This capability is made possible by something called <a target="_blank" href="http://wiki.developers.facebook.com/index.php/Facebook_Connect">Facebook Connect</a>, a fairly new API (application programming interface) from Facebook. This API makes it possible for applications to connect to Facebook in various ways authenticate, share data and more. We thought it was important to explain exactly what features we are using and why. These dialogs are only presented on your first login.<div><br /><b>The login dialog:<br /></b><img src="http://gallery.tigeraerial.com/photos/937494564_x48pq-O.jpg" /><br />When you first click "Login using Facebook" on the ChessJam login screen, you are prompted for your Facebook credentials. This dialog is presented by Facebook. <b>Your Facebook email address and password are NOT collected by ChessJam.</b> ChessJam does not have access to your email address nor your password. Once you enter your Facebook email address and password, Facebook confirms that they are OK and then tells ChessJam if you successfully logged in.<br /><br /><b>Facebook permissions dialog 1:<br /></b><img src="http://gallery.tigeraerial.com/photos/937494565_LGMYj-O.jpg" /><br />In addition to the login status, Facebook makes some of your data available to us, but only data that you have shared with everyone. We do not have access to any of your private data. Currently, we only use your name and country. No other details are used and we will never use any additional information without first asking you. Facebook has very strict rules about this, and we follow these rules to the letter!<br /><br /><b>Facebook permissions dialog 2:<br /></b><img src="http://gallery.tigeraerial.com/photos/937494567_LCnMp-O.jpg" /><br />If you click ALLOW, you will have the option of posting your game to your Facebook wall after each game you play. You can choose to do this on a game by game basis. Here is what it looks like on your wall:</div><div><br /><img src="http://gallery.tigeraerial.com/photos/780947343_vzpA8-S.png" /><br /><br /><b>Choosing a ChessJam user name:<br /></b><img src="http://gallery.tigeraerial.com/photos/937494575_DYmzw-O.jpg" /><br />After logging into Facebook and granting permissions, you will be prompted to select a user name and enter your country. The username is how others in ChessJam will see you. We use your country to build the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.chessjam.com/online_chess_stats.cfm?report=countries">country leader board</a>.<br /><br />If you previously created a ChessJam account without logging into Facebook, you can link it by clicking the "LINK" button on this dialog. You will then be prompted for your ChessJam username and password.<br /><br />Once you have completed these steps, you can login to ChessJam in the future with one click!<br /><br />If you later want to revoke permissions from ChessJam, you can go to the PROFILE page and click the Facebook icon. You can also login to Facebook using your web browser and go to your ACCOUNT menu, then APPLICATION SETTINGS. You will see a list of all applications you have granted permissions to, including ChessJam. You can simply delete ChessJam from this list by clicking the small "X" beside it.<br /><br />We hope you enjoy this new feature!</div><div><br /></div><div>Additional information about the Facebook connect APIs:</div><div><ul><li><a href="http://wiki.developers.facebook.com/index.php/Facebook_Connect">http://wiki.developers.facebook.com/index.php/Facebook_Connect</a></li><li><a href="http://wiki.developers.facebook.com/index.php/Flash/ActionScript">http://wiki.developers.facebook.com/index.php/Flash/ActionScript</a></li></ul><br /><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7524543879186900979.post-23817650533488485852010-07-11T11:27:00.003-04:002010-07-11T11:38:14.654-04:00ChessJam 3.4 released!ChessJam 3.4 is now available for download. Your existing copy will auto-update to the 3.4 version.<br />Changes:<ul><li>Facebook integration has been improved. You can now login to ChessJam using your Facebook credentials! After you go through the login process once, the subsequent logins will be one-click away. The Facebook login dialog is coming directly from Facebook. ChessJam does not capture nor store your Facebook credentials. You can also still login using your ChessJam credentials.</li><li>When you finish a game, you can share the game by either posting it on your Facebook wall, tweeting the results or you can click a button to get a link to the game that you can share with anyone.<br /></li><li>When you sit at a table, you are now represented by a different chess piece that is based on your rating (it was always a pawn before). Here is how the pieces are assigned:<br /><ul><br /><li>below 1600 -- Pawn</li> <li>1600-1799 -- Knight</li> <li>1800-1999 -- Bishop</li> <li>2000-2199 -- Rook</li> <li>2200-2399 -- Queen</li> <li>2400 or higher -- King</li></ul><br /></li><li>Bug fix: When a robot runs out of time, it now loses the game.<br /></li><li>Various minor bug fixes and performance improvements</li></ul>What's next? We're working on a web version of ChessJam that even allows you to play ChessJam inside of Facebook. The web version will have all of the same features and both web and desktop versions will continue to be updated in parallel.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7524543879186900979.post-35639822245109141372010-05-01T02:53:00.005-04:002010-05-01T03:04:47.171-04:00ChessJam 3.3.0 Posted - NEW ROOMS!The picture below says most of what's new!<br />If you are running ChessJam on a Netbook, you'll be pleased to hear that 3.3 has full netbook support and will auto-reduce the resolution to fit as needed. AIR 2.0 is required for netbook resolution support and can be downloaded from http://labs.adobe.com/downloads/air2.html (download and install the runtime).<br /><br /><img src="http://gregorywilson.smugmug.com/photos/852998585_HNJKS-O.png">Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7524543879186900979.post-44545611460834687072010-04-19T23:18:00.004-04:002010-04-19T23:38:47.426-04:00ChessJam 3.2.2 now available - Improved reliabilityWe have had a few reports of games getting out of sync and have gone through the logs with a fine-tooth comb to learn how to improve reliability. We think you will find 3.2.2 more reliable with smoother graphics animations.<br /><br />We also made some minor changes to the registration screen behavior.<br /><br />More features are coming soon but we prioritize reliability over everything else. If you run into issues with games, please email us immediately with any details you can provide. Email to chessjam@gmail.com<br /><br />Coming soon... new rooms, new tournaments and more!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7524543879186900979.post-57613074202079707272010-04-14T02:22:00.004-04:002010-04-14T02:33:46.369-04:00ChessJam 3.2.1 now available - Chat commands and enhancements!We just posted ChessJam 3.2.1. Changes include:<div><ul><li>New chat commands!</li><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;">/block username</span> - blocks chat msgs from a user for the duration of the game.</li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;">/unblock username</span> - unblocks the user</li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;">/silent</span> - silences the chat sounds</li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#33CCFF;">/help</span> - get a list of current commands</li></ul><li>The chat window is now taller</li><li>Blank chat messages are no longer possible</li><li>Fixed a bug that sometimes made chat messages invisible</li><li>Chat messages no longer have a blank line between them to allow more messages to be viewed at once</li><li>Auto-scrolling of messages improved</li><li>Additional memory improvements</li></ul></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7524543879186900979.post-65319527118214532302010-04-09T18:29:00.005-04:002010-04-10T12:20:24.933-04:00New Big Dog Weekly Tournament starting tomorrow!Everyone seems to be enjoying the Turbo Tournaments so we have decided to try something new with a bit of a twist called the Big Dog Weekly Tournament.<br />Here's the scoop:<ul><li>The 60 minute room is being replaced with the new Big Dog Tournament room. (We will be expanding to 12 rooms very soon and will bring back the 60 minute room).<br /></li><li>The new Big Dog room will have an in-room leader board similar to the Survivor Sunday room.<br /></li><li>The new tournament runs for a week from Sunday morning at 12:00am (0400Z) to Saturday night at 11:59pm (Sunday 0359Z).<br /></li><li>The tournament is point-based. Here's how it works:<ul> <li>Each time you win a game, you get a point<br /></li><li>If your opponent has a higher rating than you, you get bonus points (1 bonus point for every 100 higher rating)<br /></li><li><b>Example 1:</b> If PlayerA (1500) defeats PlayerB (1850), PlayerA wins 4 points (1 for the win and 3 bonus points for the rating spread of 350)<br /></li><li><b>Example 2:</b> If PlayerA (1310) defeats PlayerB (1950), PlayerA wins 7 points (1 for the win and 6 bonus points for the rating spread of 640)<br /></li><li>The loser's points remain the same. You never lose points.</li></ul></li><li>You can play as many games as you want. Obviously we're encouraging people to play the "big dogs" on ChessJam.<br /></li></ul><br /><img src="http://gallery.tigeraerial.com/photos/832146673_kCtti-O.jpg" /> <img src="http://gallery.tigeraerial.com/photos/832146589_vjWLo-O.png" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7524543879186900979.post-84714199472857125282010-04-07T09:26:00.001-04:002010-04-07T09:27:40.080-04:00New Turbo Tournaments for players rated below 1700Due to popular demand, we have added new Turbo Tournaments for players rated less than 1700.<div><br />Open Tournaments now run at 12AM/9AM/12PM/3PM/6PM/9PM EDT (0100Z/0400Z/1300Z/1600Z/1900Z/2200Z)<br /><br />Below 1700 Tournaments run at 12AM/12PM/6PM EDT (0400Z/1600Z/2200Z)<br /><br />Every other tournament is for players rated less than 1700 only!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7524543879186900979.post-74918271564561758442010-04-05T22:16:00.004-04:002010-04-05T22:18:25.735-04:00ChessJam 3.2.0 now availableFor this release, we focused solely on improving the memory consumption and CPU utilization and we think you will notice the results! Memory consumption was cut in half! CPU utilization is equally improved.<br /><br />Your existing ChessJam application should auto-update. If not, simply uninstall and re-install.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7524543879186900979.post-4741428433467145792010-03-07T00:09:00.008-05:002010-03-07T00:21:28.893-05:00Online Chess Turbo Tournaments now every 8 hours!Last week, we announced <a href="http://chessjam.blogspot.com/2010/02/introducing-turbo-tournaments-beta-live.html">Turbo Tournaments</a>. The live online chess tournaments seem to be drawing a crowd! Starting today, we run them every 8 hours at 7AM, 3PM and 11PM EST (1200Z, 2000Z and 0400Z). The Tournament room has a countdown timer on it as a reminder.<br /><br />Below is a screenshot from the 11PM tournament Saturday night. The entire thing played out in under an hour! The winner was "Undefined", our #1 player. Congrats!<br /><br /><center><img src="http://gallery.tigeraerial.com/photos/804080661_m7zXU-O.png"></center>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7524543879186900979.post-20088192402439757032010-02-28T01:27:00.003-05:002010-02-28T01:45:31.245-05:00ChessJam 3.0 - The scoop!Two days ago we released ChessJam 3.0 and subsequently 3.0.1. We are excited to share the full list of what's new and what's fixed:<br /><br />What's new:<br /><ul><li>Turbo Tournaments! - Live perpetual 8-player bracket tournaments. You'll immediately notice that this room is unique. All of the details on Turbo Tournaments can be found <a target="_new1" href="http://chessjam.blogspot.com/2010/02/introducing-turbo-tournaments-beta-live.html">here</a>.<br /><img src="http://gallery.tigeraerial.com/photos/798617293_TYzgC-S.png" /><br /><br /></li><li>Crazy Games! - We've created a room for some unusual variations to the starting position of chess. The intent of this room is to stir things up a bit! All of the details on Crazy Games can be found <a target="_new2" href="http://chessjam.blogspot.com/2010/02/introducing-crazy-games-on-chessjam.html">here</a>.<br /><img src="http://gallery.tigeraerial.com/photos/798617210_vtjdZ-S.png" /><br /><br /></li><li>Improved Facebook integration with game replay! At the end of each game, you have the option to post your game on Facebook. In 3.0, this post includes a link to the game history so your friends can see how you handled every move of the game. Check out <a target="_new4" href="http://chessjam.com/game/O2FnAOQy">this sample game</a>.<br /><br />Here's what the game looks like posted to your facebook wall. Notice that a screenshot of the final position is included. The caption can be customized on a game by game basis.<br /><br /><img src="http://gallery.tigeraerial.com/photos/798617182_y7YT5-S.png" /><br /><br />The link takes the viewer to a webpage where the entire game can be replayed.<br /><img src="http://gallery.tigeraerial.com/photos/798617175_JYr5j-O.png" /><br /><br /></li><li>See your overall rank on the ChessJam leader boards! Now when you view the top 20 users or countries, you can see where you rank, even if you are not in the top 20.<br /></li></ul>Bug fixes and performance improvements:<br /><ul><li>Clock increments are now working correctly<br /></li><li>Clocks now stay in sync better and are more reliable<br /></li><li>Improved game start reliability<br /></li><li>Overall game play is more reliable and has less lag<br /></li></ul>As you can see, we've added a lot of new features and worked hard to improve the quality of the gaming experience. We are already working on several new enhancements, many of which have been suggested by our users, so stay tuned!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7524543879186900979.post-49467996251791973572010-02-28T00:54:00.009-05:002010-03-07T00:09:21.614-05:00Introducing Turbo Tournaments (Beta) - Live Online Chess TournamentsToday we launched Turbo Tournaments, a fully automatic 8-bracket bracket live tournament. Here's how it works:<br /><br />The room is a traditional 8-player bracket:<br /><img src="http://gallery.tigeraerial.com/photos/798617293_TYzgC-O.png" /><br /><br />You enter a tournament by sitting down at any round 1 table. Once someone joins you at the table, the game will start. The winners of the round 1 games are automatically seated at the round 2 table. The winners of the two round 2 games advance to the final round where an overall tournament winner is crowned! <br /><br />Once a tournament is in progress, the room highlights the completed games as shown in this sample screen shot:<br /><img src="http://gallery.tigeraerial.com/photos/798660177_purjB-O.png" /><br /><br />Notes:<br /><ul><br /><li>You can only sit at a round 1 table. The system will auto-seat the round one winners at round 2 tables.<br /></li><li>IMPORTANT: Once the system seats you at a round 2 or round 3 table, do NOT unseat yourself. If you do, you forfeit the game and your opponent advances.<br /></li><li>If a draw is declared, the person with the most remaining time on the clock advances to the next round.<br /></li><li>Anyone can observe any game in the tournament.<br /></li><li>All tournament games are rated like any other game.<br /></li><li>Once a tournament ends, the tables are cleared and a new one starts.<br /></li><li>The winner of each tournament is recorded and will be displayed on the Turbo Tournament leader board.<br /></li><li>Coming soon: Turbo Tournament wins will be included in your user stats.<br /></li></ul>We have labeled this as "beta" for the next few days. Although we have done a lot of testing, there may be scenarios that we have not thought of. If you run into any issues or have suggestions on how to improve Turbo Tournaments, please drop us a note on the <a target="_new" href="http://chessjam.com/forums">ChessJam forums</a> or email us.<br /><br />Enjoy!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7524543879186900979.post-26190415430357206622010-02-28T00:10:00.003-05:002010-02-28T13:47:03.557-05:00Introducing Crazy Games on ChessJam!Today we opened a new room on ChessJam called <b>Crazy Games</b> and as the name implies, this room has some crazy online chess variations. You'll find 14 tables, each with a unique starting position. Each table has a name that gives a hint as to what you can expect.<br /><br />Crazy Tables:<br /><ul><li>Queens<br /></li><li>5+5<br /></li><li>Triple Knights<br /></li><li>Pawnless<br /></li><li>15 Pointer<br /></li><li>Mirror Mirror<br /></li><li>Mind the Gap<br /></li><li>Double Double<br /></li><li>Totem Pole<br /></li></ul>We've also included five tables with positions from the middle of some famous historical games. Each link below takes you to a page where you can see the entire game.<br /><ul><li><a target="_blank1" href="http://www.chessmaniac.com/Games/MyChessViewer/Best-Chess-Games.shtml">Byrne vs. Fischer 1956</a><br /></li><li><a target="_blank2" href="http://www.chessmaniac.com/Games/MyChessViewer/Best-Chess-Games.shtml">Fischer vs. Spassky 1972</a><br /></li><li><a target="_blank3" href="http://www.chessmaniac.com/Games/MyChessViewer/Best-Chess-Games.shtml">Kramnik vs. Kasparov 1994</a><br /></li><li><a target="_blank4" href="http://www.academicchess.org/Games/chessviewer/anderssenimmortal.shtml">Anderrsen vs. Kiesenitzky 1851</a><br /></li><li><a target="_blank5" href="http://www.susanpolgar.com/susan-polgar-highlighted-games.html">Polgar vs. Chiburdanidze 2004</a><br /></li></ul>Games in this room do not impact your rating or stats so there is no risk in going crazy! Below are some screen shots to entice you to come play.<br /><br />The Crazy Games Room:<br /><img src="http://gallery.tigeraerial.com/photos/798617187_7N49o-O.png" /><br /><br /><br />Mind the Gap:<br /><img src="http://gallery.tigeraerial.com/photos/798617199_VhPex-O.png" /><br /><br />Triple Knights:<br /><img src="http://gallery.tigeraerial.com/photos/798617210_vtjdZ-O.png" /><br /><br />Fischer vs. Spassky 1972:<br /><img src="http://gallery.tigeraerial.com/photos/798617236_6gFRF-O.png" /><br /><br />We plan to mix things up in this room often. If you have a crazy idea for a fun starting position, send us the FEN and proposed name either in the <a target="_new" href="http://chessjam.com/forums">ChessJam forums</a> or via email. There are a lot of online FEN editors. Our favorite one is at <a target="_new2" href="http://www.chessvideos.tv/chess-diagram-generator.php">ChessVideos.tv</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7524543879186900979.post-11254094849992514722010-02-26T10:33:00.003-05:002010-02-27T01:26:25.274-05:00ChessJam 3.0 Available!We just posted ChessJam 3.0. This release enables a lot of cool stuff that we are turning on this weekend.<br /><br />Stay tuned for all of the details.<br /><br />Your current version should auto-update to 3.0. If not, simply re-install from the home page at <a target="_blank" href="http://chessjam.com">http://chessjam.com</a><br /><br />UPDATE: 3.0.1 has been posted - we discovered some new bugs in 3.0 that we needed to nip in the bud.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7524543879186900979.post-16388759373925403232010-02-10T18:20:00.004-05:002010-02-11T09:48:47.679-05:00ChessJam 2.7 released!We just rolled out ChessJam 2.7. Changes include:<br /><ul><li>Sounds now have 3 settings - Normal, Minimal and None. The button is near the top-right of the app. Minimal eliminates many sounds during game play.</li><li>There were some reports of games being out of sync with what was observed. This is now fixed.</li><li>Posting your game-end board position to facebook sometimes posted the board one move prior to the end. This is now fixed. (Facebook integration was introduced in 2.6 - see blog for details)</li><li>We have added features to support two new types of games - Turbo Tournaments and Crazy Games - these will be enabled very soon so stay tuned!</li></ul>If you find any issues with this version, please notify us in the forums or via email at chessjam@gmail.com.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7524543879186900979.post-46924727475714101572010-02-04T14:54:00.005-05:002010-02-04T15:08:58.961-05:00ChessJam 2.6 - Facebook Integration!We just released ChessJam 2.6. Here are the changes:<br /><ul><li>Fixed a bug that sometimes caused abandoned games to flag the remaining player as the loser.</li><li>Players can now only offer a draw when it is their turn and only once per turn.<br /></li><li>Facebook support!</li></ul><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Facebook support?</span><br />When you finish playing a game, you now have the option to post the results along with a screenshot to your facebook wall. You choose this on a game by game basis.<br /><br />To enable this, you first must go to your PROFILE and enable facebook support by clicking the facebook button. You will get this dialog:<br /><center><br /><img src="http://gallery.tigeraerial.com/photos/780947371_m2QdY-O.png" /><br /></center><br /><br />Click the LOGIN button. You will then see a login dialog from Facebook:<br /><center><br /><img src="http://gallery.tigeraerial.com/photos/780947358_RFnGb-O.png" /><br /></center><br /><br />NOTE: This dialog is directly from Facebook. ChessJam does not capture or store your facebook credentials. The login simply enables a session with Facebook specifically for wall posts that you designate.<br /><br />At the end of game, the GAME OVER dialog now has a "SEND TO FACEBOOK" option!<br /><br />Here is an example:<br /><center><img src="http://gallery.tigeraerial.com/photos/780947343_vzpA8-O.png" /></center><br /><br />The screenshot is uploaded to a new album called ChessJam Photos. Here is the full-size photo:<br /><center><img src="http://gallery.tigeraerial.com/photos/780947338_BAwXP-O.png" /></center><br /><br />We are already putting the final touches on version 3.0 that introduces a new tournament type as well as a few surprises and bug fixes.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7524543879186900979.post-52044117825715199372010-01-31T00:25:00.000-05:002010-01-31T00:25:53.789-05:00Newsletter for January 29, 2010In case you missed it in your email, here is Friday's newsletter - http://chessjam.com/newsletter/2010-01-29.htmlChessJamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07587466248652047570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7524543879186900979.post-55850576209735220142010-01-07T10:09:00.001-05:002010-01-07T10:11:07.323-05:00ChessJam 2.4.1 now availableChessJam 2.4.1 is now available. Your existing version should auto-update.<br />
<br />
Changes:<br />
<ul><li>Challenge dialog now has the rating and wins/losses/draws of the challenger<br />
<li>When deleting messages, you are no longer prompted "Are you sure"<br />
<li>Minor cosmetic improvements throughout<br />
<li>BUG: Abandoned games sometimes didn't award the win to the remaining player - now fixed<br />
<li>BUG: Observing games between a human and robot didn't work correctly - now fixed<br />
<li>BUG: Players sometimes saw double-moves and clock errors, especially when playing someone with a lot of network lag - now fixed<br />
<li>BUG: The buddy list in the courtyard didn't scroll correctly - now fixed<br />
<li>BUG: After logging out, an old informational dialog appeared - now fixed<br />
<li>Overall improved performance and game play<br />
</UL>This is a required update. You will no longer be able to login using anything prior to version 2.4.1.<br />
<br />
If you find bugs, please report them in the forums - thanks!ChessJamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07587466248652047570noreply@blogger.com3