It is simple to get into the action. After you subscribe here, ChessNinja.com will send you a link where you can download the Playchess.com software. You install it, launch it, choose a member name and password, and get into the action! Your free ChessNinja Playchess.com membership lasts six months and continues even if you cancel your newsletter subscription! Note: This is a promotional offer and cannot be used to extend an existing Playchess.com account. (Although you can use it for a new account even if you already have access.)

Playing is as easy as installing the software. Everything is point and click, no need to memorize complicated commands. Use the online help files to guide you, and soon we will be posting a quick-start guide here at ChessNinja.com.

There are thousands of players so you can get a game around the clock. There are also many special events for ChessNinja subscribers. You can participate in lectures, play in tournaments, and watch live broadcasts of international tournaments with the world's top players.

You can watch Masters play, or send out a challenge for a game of any time control you like. You'll get your own rating as soon as you finish your third rated game.

There are rooms for beginners, lessons, tournaments, kids, and even a special area where you can play with computer assistance. (Of course if someone does that in the regular rooms the software will detect it and the cheater will have his/her rating deleted!)

The board is completely customizable. Full screen, different types of pieces and boards, anything you like. The graphics are superb, as you would expect from ChessBase.

Playchess.com lets you create a personal profile if you want to tell people about yourself and make chess friends online. It will also keep track of all your games automatically, saving them into a database so you can look at them and analyze them later.

One of the coolest features is the personal rating graph, so you can track your progress.