ICS Courses, Reformed!

Hi all!
I wonder if you still visit ICS website. If you don't then you may never know that there was a change in their curriculum. The original Year 2 and Year are merge into one. No more yearly course of course. And the biggest change is the additional course called Strategy Puzzles. Come check it out for yourself.

I think the changes are somewhat more moderate.  1.) There is a new course consisting of four sets of strategy puzzles, and 2.) The third year course apparently can now only be purchased one month at a time.

Otherwise, the original three courses appear to be unchanged.

Interesting! 120 puzzles in 4 groups of 30 graded for beginner, advanced, master, and IM.

All of the puzzles are analyzed according to the plan given in the Month 1 "Positional Evaluation" lesson. So each puzzle solution includes an assessment of all of the six factors in the lesson. This seem to be a good way to reinforce the thinking procedures espoused in the course.

Pricy, but a great fit with the Grandmaster course. I was hoping they would offer something like this.

Hi PC,
Did you subscribe to the puzzles?

Yes, but it's really a purchase, not a subscription. For the price you get all of the puzzles at one time.

Cost is really high compared to other options like Nunn's Chess Puzzle book, but the ICS puzzles are a good companion for me since I am currently working my way through the course (again).

I would continue to come here, but the site itself is its own worst enemy.

The reason that nobody posts here is probably the same exact reason that I haven't posted in 2 months. Every month or so, the site seems to "log you out" and stop sending notification e-mails on tracked or new topics. For all intents and purposes, the site goes dark. Out of sight out of mind. The site basically abandons all of it's members.

As a result, this forum, which is also seemingly bereft of admins and moderation, will never succeed.

I was thinking BorgQueen started this site??! Not sure where I got that. It is certainly not the ICS folks.

I believe Dark Blue Knight started this site in 2009. He seems to have set up all the topics and has a huge number of posts. However, he hasn't visited in over a year. Look him up using the Memberlist button at the top of the page.

I don't know who set it up, but it is just messed up now. A great pity. And no, it wasn't me.

I am tempted to launch another one and invite everyone, but I don't want to tread on any toes.

My apologies, but I got the name of our presumed founder wrong. Blue Devil Knight (quoted by BorgQueen) is the name I wanted to suggest ('Dark Blue Knight' was the recollection of an aging memory). Perhaps he has grown weary over the years and would be willing to give the mantle of leadership to a successor who could then just modify and continue this blog. There is a button after his name in the Memberlist for sending him a private message.

Agreed, but two problems. One is the PMs are disabled. Two is that I have sent him at least 3 e-mails to his private address and he has never responded once. I get the impression that he is saying a bit "screw you" to this small community.

Just type in blue devil knight from your browser and you might find his new and active chess blog site. I have put a comment there about ICS forum but never get any response. Maybe Borg Queen is right.

His blog is where I got his personal e-mail address. E-mails don't bounce from it, they just get ignored... at least ones I have sent him have been.

I rechecked BDK's chess blog and I have to correct my post above. He did in fact post a response dated April 2 on my comment a few months ago. He said he 's wanting to hand over this forum to other active member.

Well that's good. Now all we have to do it get him to do it!

I can't find the comment you are mentioning Ernest. Can you link me or guide me?

Maybe he isn't saying "screw you" to the community, but to me?

Try this: https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=11952403&postID=5843759881029111791

Or this: http://chessconfessions.blogspot.com/ then click on 7 more comments below the Smith Morra Mayhem article. The last comment was his reply to me dated April 2.

Ah, thanks.

I posted on there... but I get the feeling he'll ignore it since he has ignored all my e-mails.