Tuesday, October 17, 2006

And in the end...

Dennis Monokroussos has made it official. The Chess Mind is no more.

J'adoube's grassroots campaign? It generated one comment of support... well two, if you include his original post announcing the campaign... ok maybe three, if you include my post pointing to J'adoube's post... but we are really stretching things now. So Dennis' audience which is several times larger than the one here at BCC Weblog could generate only one to three voices of encouragement for him to continue on -- a fairly sobering statistic, I think. Sure, people are leaving comments now, but that's like joining the Army after the war is over.

I've said before that in the chess blogging business the benefits one accrues need to be internally generated. There's no money in it after all; no chess blogger groupies are begging to hang out with you; and no chess players agree to draws in superior positions because of your status as a chess blogging star. So, when one reaches the point where further blogging no longer addresses some personal need, I suppose it is time to go. Dennis surely entered the 'sphere for all the right reasons, but two years later he apparently is able to walk away with those needs addressed. As a counter example, consider this chess blogger who looks more likely to quit in disgust, than in satisfaction.

I've expressed my praise for Dennis' blogging efforts several times previously, so I won't repeat it again here. Besides, my views should be evident from the fact that from this point forward you will find the link to The Chess Mind listed under Classic Chess Blogs.

Godspeed Dennis!

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