Checkmate—There’s Money In Online Games

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CrowdChess.com is a high profile social gaming site that has received a fair bit of media coverage lately.

Well, the site is now for sale with a minimum bid of $50,000 and a Buy It Now price of $100,000.

While the concept of playing chess on the computer is not new, what makes CrowdChess different is its approach to team games — rather than your standard one-on-one fare, games of chess are played by groups of people who vote each hour, digg-style, on the next move to be played. In what some consider to be the ultimate duel of the mind, this popular web application is also the ultimate test of whether the “wisdom of the crowd” can improve or hinder the decision-making process.

In fact, the featured game on CrowdChess at the moment is between Grand Master Gawain Jones and everyone else. By that, I mean that literally anyone can become part of the team and cast votes on the moves made against this high profile opponent. If you’d like be to be part of the team that defeats (or loses to) a grand master, it’s not too late to get in on the action.

CrowdChess’s sellers are offering to include a business plan as well as consulting to ensure a smooth transition to the successful buyer. If you’ve got a mind for this kind of duel (and a cheque book to match) then check out the auction page.

Matthew MagainMatthew Magain
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Matthew Magain is a UX designer with over 15 years of experience creating exceptional digital experiences for companies such as IBM, Australia Post, and sitepoint.com. He is currently the Chief Doodler at Sketch Group, Co-founder of UX Mastery, and recently co-authored Everyday UX, an inspiring collection of interviews with some of the best UX Designers in the world. Matthew is also the creator of Charlie Weatherburn and the Flying Machine.

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