Wednesday, May 30, 2007

200,000 Page Views

Well I might as well celebrate it. But the other night, after some shameless self-promotion on other more famous blogs, I managed to hit an important milestone. We achieved 200,000 pageviews! That took a little while - just under 2 years since we opened for business and I'm quite happy about that.

Page views, however, are not as important. In terms of visits per day we get just a tad above 200 by both new and repeat visitors. (The highest I ever got I think was nearly 1000 during last year's Olympiad, but then again that was thanks to you-know-what). Two-hundred plus or so is nice - it's just right and well exceeds my initial expectations.

Anyway, I'm talking about all this because, well, here I am sitting here with a nice glass of Printhie Cabernet Merlot (from Orange), my mind is racing, it's 9PM at night and, believe it or not, still working away (I work from home at night). You know, I'm finding myself quite busy with work that I just have so little time now for blogging. And I'm seriously taking up a new hobby - well, an old one actually but only more seriously this time. Photography! I'm thinking maybe it's time to close down TCG. I only mentioned that to a couple of guys during the SIO, but now I'm telling you.

I should make it to my 2-year anniversary and then we'll see what happens after that.

What do you reckon boys and girls?

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Shut down your blog?
Are you serious?
How the hell are we going to find out whats REALLY happening in australian chess?

Maybe take a few breaks to recharge the batteries might be in order. You should be aiming for a million page views. hehe.

Tom Panelas said...

Congratulations, and please keep blogging -- all the more so as you rediscover photography. A few nice images -- or many -- add something excellent to a blog, so you can fill up posts with fewer words.

There is still progress to be made in art of chess photography. Too much of it (including my own) is cliched and tired, but a well-composed photo of players in the thrall of the chess struggle is a fine thing to behold.

Your success is an inspiration to the rest of us bit-stained wretches. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Thats impressive number, actually! Congrats and I hope we see a million very soon :)

I enjoyed reading TCG since the very first post and I love your sense of humor.

Keep it going :)

Ryan said...

It would be a big loss to chess blogging if you were to call it a day. But of course the decision is yours and I'm sure we all appreciate (especially fellow bloggers) just how time consuming it can be. It's easy to forget sometimes that there is a life outside blogging!

How about posting less frequently rather than simply stopping? You could focus on chess issues that most interest you.

Whatever you decide, I hope you have some more posts for us for a while yet!

Anonymous said...

Sell yr blog 2 acf. They could turn it into a frigging freak show like chesschat is now. Seriously tho this is 1 of the only places not infected with acf assholes. If you drop tcg betta make sure some 1 with guts nuff to buttfuk the acf takes it over 4 u.

cheers big ears %}

fogot to NICE JOB

Anonymous said...

If you shut down this blog there is nothing online for the chess enthusiast. I saw another site a while ago, chesschat it was, I think. It was putrid. I hope chess players start a worthy replacement.
Where else can you find news about chess in our Asia Pacific region rather than chess in Croydon (sic).

Anonymous said...

you're shutting down this blog? if that's the case then why doesn't that pathetic 30 member, peurile code of conduct declaration required, you can't join unless you are someone real, kick chesschat yet stand behind it with a shovel waiting to collect its droppings to keep its own fire going A C C F site show you some respect and shut down first?

best of luck whatever your decision ;)

Anonymous said...

AR - you are just fishing for compliments. You know we can't do without you. :)

If it is becoming too much work - maybe just reduce what you put up?

Jenni

Anonymous said...

TCG, I would be saddened if you decide to close down your blog. You provide a valuable service, in particular as a forum to raise problems with the incompetence of the NSWCA in running NSW chess. Unfortunately anyone who complains about the incompetent way NSW chess is run by the NSWCA has to do so anonymously [myself included] as you do not get a fair hearing on Chess Chat since Bill Gletsos became a moderator and Sweeney's blog is dead [and the resrtictions on joining Sweeney's blog are ridiculous and cumbersome] and people are scared to publicly criticise the NSWCA after what has happened to Matthew Sweeney. Yet it is not that I want to run NSWCA into the ground. As a NSWCA member I just want it to:
1. Not run at a large [relative to its assets] loss of $11k a year and thus fritter its nest egg away which is supposed to go towards buying a chess centre in Sydney.
2. Promote and organise its tournaments properly [like the Brian Jones run SIO].
3. Not make a loss of $3600 on an Open tournament [which non-members can play in and therefore benefit from].
4. Stop vinictive behaviour towards people who disagree with NSWCA [like shifting the goal posts with Matthew Sweeney].
5. Get off their backsides and liaise/cooperate with Peter Parr about getting the Aussie Champs in Sydney this Summer.
6. Promote chess in NSW as they are supposed to do.

Tom Panelas said...

Jenni wrote:

If it is becoming too much work - maybe just reduce what you put up?

Or consider bringing the odd guest blogger on board from time to time, as a homeowner with a crushing mortgage might take on boarders to defray the monthly payment.

This thread alone would appear to have a few worthy aspirants.

The chess nut said...

What???? the best chess blog to close down????? No!!! Surely not.

Anyhow good luck with whatever you decide Amiel!

Anonymous said...

You cannot give up blogging TCG.
You owe US.

We hit 200,000 times to make you famous. We contributed so that the BLOG became the 'must see' at the beginning of each day. We leaked stories for you to get the nickname Scoop. We provided the controversy so that the spotlight came on your patch.

You owe US.

You can't resist our blandishments.
You can't resist the fame.

David Evans said...

I'd be sorry to see you shut down though I can only guess at the amount of time it takes for you to present a blog of this excellence.

Congrats on your milestone and thanks for adding a unique perspective to Oz Chess.

It's a world class blog and I hope you'll be able to keep it going, even if in a less time-consuming form.

Anonymous said...

Your a chess addict Ameil. You always have been and always will!

So i am 100% certain you cannot stop writing your blog. Your addicted mate face it.