I Swapped to Lichess for 30 Days: Here's What I Found.

Summary

This video compares the user experience of two popular chess platforms, Chess.com and Leechess. It highlights Chess.com’s superior puzzle system, user interface, and customization options, earning it a rating of 32/40. In contrast, Leechess is praised for its free access and puzzle accuracy but falls short in UI design and ease of navigation, receiving a 31/40. While both platforms have their strengths, Chess.com is recommended for its polished, user-friendly experience, especially for those who value a smooth interface and customization, though Leechess remains a solid choice for budget-conscious players.

Takeaways

• 😀 Chess.com is praised for its user-friendly interface, with a clear central game board, intuitive navigation, and extensive customization options, earning it a 10/10 rating for UI.
• 😀 Lichess, while free, has a less polished UI with crammed game notations and clunky features, resulting in a 6/10 rating for its user interface.
• 😀 Chess.com's puzzle system is solid but inconsistent in difficulty at higher ratings, earning it a 7/10 rating for puzzles, while Lichess scores slightly higher with an 8/10 for puzzle quality.
• 😀 Chess.com offers extensive customization options including board themes, piece animations, and sound packages, making it highly personalized for users.
• 😀 Lichess’ default design is described as dull and uninspiring, with limited customization compared to Chess.com, impacting its overall user experience.
• 😀 The taskbar on Chess.com is on the left side of the screen, making navigation smoother and improving the use of page space, unlike Lichess, which places it at the top and feels inefficient.
• 😀 Lichess lacks prominent features like game analysis and has a cluttered, inefficient layout, with some features buried in corners or hidden behind scrolling.
• 😀 Despite Lichess being free, it is criticized for not offering a well-organized or intuitive UI, which may make it less appealing to some users, especially those used to Chess.com's polished design.
• 😀 Chess.com’s user interface includes clearly visible clocks, game results, and profile information, contributing to a smooth overall user experience.
• 😀 The video emphasizes that the review is based on the experience of a Chess.com user of 3 years and a Lichess user for only 1 month, suggesting that the review might be influenced by familiarity with Chess.com.

Q & A

What are the main differences between chess.com and leeches in terms of puzzle ratings?

Chess.com has a stricter rating system for puzzles, which is more noticeable at higher ratings. Leeches, on the other hand, has a more relaxed rating system, making it easier for lower-rated players to solve puzzles and gain rating points.

Why does the YouTuber give chess.com a higher rating for its puzzle system compared to leeches?

The YouTuber gives chess.com a 7/10 for its puzzle system due to some flaws that become apparent at higher ratings. While the puzzles are still useful, they may not be as varied or dynamic as those on leeches, which the YouTuber rates 8/10 for having a more lenient rating system.

How does chess.com’s user interface (UI) stand out from leeches according to the video?

Chess.com's UI is described as clean, intuitive, and user-friendly. Features like the game analysis button are easy to access, the layout is efficient with a taskbar on the left, and it offers extensive customization options such as themes, sounds, and animations, which leeches lacks.

What are the key criticisms of leeches' user interface?

Leeches' UI is criticized for being clunky and inefficient. Game information, such as notations, is cramped and requires scrolling. The left side of the screen is underutilized, and the color scheme is dull. Customization options are limited, and certain features, like clocks, are not as visible as they should be.

What does the YouTuber think about the default color scheme on leeches?

The YouTuber finds the default color scheme on leeches to be unappealing, describing it as dull. This lack of visual interest detracts from the overall user experience, especially compared to the more vibrant and customizable options available on chess.com.

How does the puzzle system on leeches benefit lower-rated players?

Leeches offers a more relaxed puzzle rating system, which allows lower-rated players to complete puzzles and gain points more easily. This makes the platform more accessible for beginners and intermediate players, in contrast to the stricter system on chess.com.

Why is the position of the taskbar on chess.com considered a positive feature?

The taskbar on chess.com is located on the left side of the screen, which the YouTuber finds advantageous because it allows for smoother navigation and saves vertical space on the page. This makes browsing through different pages more efficient.

What is the main reason the YouTuber started using chess.com over leeches?

The YouTuber started using chess.com because of its superior user interface (UI). The dull and clunky UI on leeches, along with its less accessible features, were significant factors in choosing chess.com instead.

What does the YouTuber think about the availability of game review features on leeches?

The YouTuber notes that leeches has a game review feature, but it is hidden away in the bottom corner of the screen and requires scrolling to find. Given how useful this feature is, the YouTuber believes it should be more prominent and easily accessible.

What is the overall rating comparison between chess.com and leeches in the video?

Chess.com received a solid 32/40, with its user interface being its strongest point, while leeches scored 31/40. Despite the close score, chess.com excelled in terms of UI and customization options, whereas leeches lagged in these areas.