It has been awhile since my first post on this topic. Since then, I've thought of several other ways to try to rank chess blogs, though many would require time consuming research I haven't been inclined to embark upon.
One relatively easy way (though, as usual, fraught with issues and limitations) is by Google Page Rank (click the link for the wikpedia entry on Page Rank). For purposes of this post, all I'll say is that Page Rank is another derivative measure of the number of links your site has from
other websites. Scaled from 0-10, the higher the number the greater probability that your site will place higher in Google searches (which in turn, might lead to a larger number of visitors finding your site through searches). However, Page Rank is not a measure of visitors, page views or quality.
A Page Rank of zero can have several meanings. If your blog is relatively new it is possible that Google has not yet indexed it. Even if it has been indexed, it is possible that Google has yet to update its Page Ranks, which it seems to do only several times a year. If your blog has been around for 4-6 months or so and still has a zero, then I'm sorry to say that score is probably "earned."
Let's take a look at the numbers, beginning with the currently active Knights Errant:
4 - Blue Devil, Generalkaia, Montse, Phorku, Temposchlucker
3 - CelticDeath, Druss, Funkyfantom, Fussy Lizard, Guru, J'adoube, King of the Spill, Pale Morning Dun, Pawn Sensei, Pomaranch Captain, Salcido, Sancho Pawnza, Smith-Morra, St. Patzer, Takchess
0 - Blunder Prone, Mate in Three, Pendrax
A few of the foreign language chess blogs stand out from the rest:
6 - Tour a tour
5 - Schachblatter
4 - Vaatleja
3 or less - all other foreign language blogs
One relatively easy way (though, as usual, fraught with issues and limitations) is by Google Page Rank (click the link for the wikpedia entry on Page Rank). For purposes of this post, all I'll say is that Page Rank is another derivative measure of the number of links your site has from
other websites. Scaled from 0-10, the higher the number the greater probability that your site will place higher in Google searches (which in turn, might lead to a larger number of visitors finding your site through searches). However, Page Rank is not a measure of visitors, page views or quality.A Page Rank of zero can have several meanings. If your blog is relatively new it is possible that Google has not yet indexed it. Even if it has been indexed, it is possible that Google has yet to update its Page Ranks, which it seems to do only several times a year. If your blog has been around for 4-6 months or so and still has a zero, then I'm sorry to say that score is probably "earned."
Let's take a look at the numbers, beginning with the currently active Knights Errant:
4 - Blue Devil, Generalkaia, Montse, Phorku, Temposchlucker
3 - CelticDeath, Druss, Funkyfantom, Fussy Lizard, Guru, J'adoube, King of the Spill, Pale Morning Dun, Pawn Sensei, Pomaranch Captain, Salcido, Sancho Pawnza, Smith-Morra, St. Patzer, Takchess
0 - Blunder Prone, Mate in Three, Pendrax
A few of the foreign language chess blogs stand out from the rest:
6 - Tour a tour
5 - Schachblatter
4 - Vaatleja
3 or less - all other foreign language blogs
The ranking of Estonian blog Vaatleja seems a bit incongruent, though perhaps all 20 other Estonian blogs in the sphere link to it :).
Among all other active chess blogs, the highest rankings ones are oftentimes expected though occasionally surprising:
6 - About Chess, ChessBase News, The Chessmill
5 - Boylston Chess Club Weblog, Daily Dirt Chess Blog, GM Alexandra Kosteniuk's Podcasts, Magnifichess, Open Chess Diary, Susan Polgar Chess Blog
4 - Chess Game in Colour, Chess News and Events, FIDE Chess in Chicago, Jim Eade's Chess Journal, King's Gambit, Online Chess Blog, OnlineChess.ca, Shakmaty Bereolos, Slugfest, the Ruy Lopez show, The 64 Square Jungle, The Chess Mind, The Kenilworthian
3 or less - everyone else
I don't know how to explain the ranking of The Chessmill, though its archives go back to July 2002 so perhaps longevity is a factor. Magnifichess is one of many blogs that the author interlinks (demonstrating one of the methods by which these rankings can be manipulated). The rest seem consistent with my expectations.
Among all other active chess blogs, the highest rankings ones are oftentimes expected though occasionally surprising:
6 - About Chess, ChessBase News, The Chessmill
5 - Boylston Chess Club Weblog, Daily Dirt Chess Blog, GM Alexandra Kosteniuk's Podcasts, Magnifichess, Open Chess Diary, Susan Polgar Chess Blog
4 - Chess Game in Colour, Chess News and Events, FIDE Chess in Chicago, Jim Eade's Chess Journal, King's Gambit, Online Chess Blog, OnlineChess.ca, Shakmaty Bereolos, Slugfest, the Ruy Lopez show, The 64 Square Jungle, The Chess Mind, The Kenilworthian
3 or less - everyone else
I don't know how to explain the ranking of The Chessmill, though its archives go back to July 2002 so perhaps longevity is a factor. Magnifichess is one of many blogs that the author interlinks (demonstrating one of the methods by which these rankings can be manipulated). The rest seem consistent with my expectations.
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