ChipGuide Member Value Enhancement Announcement

CCA.SM.Director

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[Sorry for the delay in posting this here. Had some access issues to resolve.]

To enhance value for our members, the CCA Board of Directors has decided to make the advanced features of the ChipGuide a member-only benefit.

Effective August 1, 2025, ChipGuide users will need to be logged on to access the advanced features.

ChipGuide accounts are available to all current CCA members at no charge, including regular, associate and lifetime members.

For a detailed explanation: https://www.ccgtcc.com/documents/1386/news/ChipGuide-Member-Value-Enhancement
 
Well, this will help with the CCA’s popularity.
 
Seems the club is taking a roasting in regard to this announcement. Many of us have tried to unite the singles/sets communities to no avail.
Monetizing the Chip Guide probably not the best idea in its current condition.
 
Well, this will help with the CCA’s popularity.
I think the request to the city of LV to award Kaplan with a chip guide day was a ploy to make him more popular even though we all know who and what he is yet not only is he still there he is now on said board.

Just when you think there’s hope.
 
I think the request to the city of LV to award Kaplan with a chip guide day was a ploy to make him more popular even though we all know who and what he is yet not only is he still there he is now on said board.

Just when you think there’s hope.
The award was given as an acknowledgment of the Chip Guide’s 25th anniversary. It was presented to Charles as the MOGH chair. It was not a “Charles” award, although he deserves a lot of credit for the site and database that we all get to take advantage of.
 
C’mon. This isn’t about that. It’s a nice recognition of a great asset. Yes, Charles is in the picture. Yes, he’s the MOGH chair. Who else would you expect to receive the acknowledgement? I’m aware of the animosity between you, but I am begging you (all) to focus on the positives in the hobby, have fun, enjoy the company of those you like and leave the negativity out of all this. I didn’t want to have to get all Rodney King on ya, but can’t we all just get along? (That wasn’t a question you need to reply to. I’ve read your response already elsewhere).

I look forward to see you soon. Sorry I missed all the poker fun this year. Duty called.
 
Is Charles the one who follows people around message boards complaining when they use the worthless pictures on the now worthless monetized ChipGuide? If so, that guy sucks and should be reminded that he sucks as often as possible.
 
Also, whoever decided to put half of the ChipGuide behind a paywall should be beaten in the testicles with a fungo bat.
 
Also, whoever decided to put half of the ChipGuide behind a paywall should be beaten in the testicles with a fungo bat.
Ok. That was too harsh. A wiffle ball bat is more appropriate.
 
Why don’t you attend to the board meeting on Monday and get the scoop on the financial needs of the club? It might change your perspective on why the Chip Guide was monetized.
 
If putting the chipguide behind a paywall generates any significant increase in CCA membership, I’ll eat a poker chip.
 
If it does, I’ll provide one of those chocolate poker chips for you to eat those words more comfortably.

If it doesn’t, then either the Chip Guide is of no value to non-members or the CCA hasn’t made enough featured members-only, which will probably cause them to tighten the screws further and then provide us both with another opportunity for poker chip consumption, right?
 
Or the whole idea is stupid and off putting and makes people like me even less likely to join the CCA. You aren't "enhancing" membership value by giving CCA members something they already have but taking it away from everyone else. That's disingenuous at best, and it's a damned dirty lie at worst.

After I went to the convention, I was going to join CCA (despite half the folks there looking down their noses at me because I was one of those "set people"). After this, no thanks.

If you want to grow your membership, trying outreach to the set collecting community instead of telling them everything they do is somehow endangering the hobby when all they want to do is play games with their chips. Try putting up a website that doesn't look like it's from 1998. Maybe don't make old men who yell at clouds the spokespeople for your organization. Maybe encourage your members not to act like teenagers fighting over stupid shit. And if you need to cut expenses, maybe cut that stupid printed newsletter/magazine thing that is completely unnecessary in a digital age.

Or you can continue not to listen to people who've told you again and again why they don't join the CCA and instead try to hold them hostage with the ChipGuide, something that is supposed to be a digital gaming museum.
 
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I remember when I downloaded different apps back in the day. No ads, unlimited features, and lots of cool new stuff coming out on the regular making them fun/easy to use. Fast forward and everything has ads, in-app purchases, and features I used to take for granted are now part of their paid "experiences". I get it. That's how they make money. Either be happy with the free version or upgrade.

With regard to the Chip Guide, there's no profit motive, but there are expenses. And advertising isn't allowed (apparently). So, taking away something from those who are not supporting it IS providing a benefit to those who are. And if those that aren't supporting the cause can be content with the free version, cool. If they find the CG to be a worthy resource, then $3+/mo isn't that much to ask in my view. A heckuva lot cheaper than Netflix.

The magazine is a hot topic right now and we are looking into alternative delivery methods as well as cheaper production methods for the print version. A recent survey proved that a large percentage (not a majority, but still large compared to my preconceived idea) of members really really like getting the hardcopy magazine. Another largish percentage like it and would prefer it but would accept an electronic delivery. Together, those 2 groups represent a majority of members (well, responders). We can't ignore that, right? To continue making the print version available, we need to raise more money (memberships, donations) or cut costs (even the low-cost companies are increasing prices each year). If it becomes absolutely untenable, then we will be forced to go with electronic delivery regardless and yes, that would save the club a ton of money.

On the topic of set collectors being looked down on by individual collectors, I apologize for that behavior. You won't see it coming from me and I'll do my best to address it if/when I see it. I guess I could see collectors of individual chips getting upset if a chip they want is locked up in a set, but c'mon. Tough noogies. The set collector got them first. And no, they don't have to sell one to anyone else just to help them check it off their list. I have a set myself from Smith's North Shore Club. Pristine chips in a carousel. Not racks and racks, but still a cool, playable set for a small home game.

I don't know your real name so I don't know if we bumped into each other at the show (I tried to get around to talking with all the dealers and as many attendees as I could). I'm glad you came and hope you found some items you wanted. I'm available to talk. I'll DM you my ph# if you're interested in typing less and discussing more.

There's definitely a shortage of set collectors at the show. Both in the dealer realm as well as the seminar/presenter side of things. Perhaps we can make an effort to get more set dealers and presenters at next year's show. It's also very lopsided toward chips in general. We've seen more variety with slot machines, trade stimulators, slot glass, silver strikes, art (casino cards cut into balloon decorations), etc. There are so many categories to gaming collectibles and chips (individual or sets) so there's something for everyone, but no reason for one group to look down on another. Likely that it's just certain personalities being petty about what they collect, like Ford vs. Chevy (stickers with Calvin taking a leak on the other guy's logo).

I think I asked you about your website comment a while back. Which site are you referring to? The club website (ccgtcc.com) has been revamped and definitely doesn't look old. The message boards are not as nice as this one but not the old Greg Susong software the Chip Board is still using (that's a privately owned site - not CCA at all, even though mostly CCA members use it).

The most common reason that I've heard for people not joining the CCA is, they don't feel they need to. They almost always cite the chip guide as something they use, whether often or not, and since it was free, "why buy the cow?" as they say.

Well, the cow is no longer "free", but it is cheap. And I would argue, an excellent value (but that's subjective, of course). They often assume the Chip Board is part of the CCA, and state that they can participate there with no cost as well. However, the Chip Board IS allowed to have advertising whereas the Chip Guide is not. And it's literally just a website with no stated mandate. Just a place to hang out, just like this board. Cool beans there.

As for old men yelling at clouds, am I that guy? I'm 61, so I'll admit to the old bit (sorry, fellow sextenarians and above). As for people acting like teenagers over stupid shit, I think you've seen that I AM that guy, trying to keep peace, build relationships, and get the negativity out of our conversations. You can be the judge of whether I'm doing ok on that front or not.

Send me some ideas of how the CCA can help set collectors and I'll lend a friendly ear. I hope to get you back to the point of making a decision to join the club. Sounds like you were close, so let's work on it, ok?

Thanks for letting me rant here.

Barry Sherwood, CCA President
 
I’m a glue sales man that wanted Gulfports, so I made some shitty illustrator files and sent them to Tina. Somehow they made it into the wild…
BRAVO!!!! Most of us, are more than poker players buying chips from closed casinos! (Actually, I think we all do that, sets or singles)

There's definitely a shortage of set collectors at the show. Both in the dealer realm as well as the seminar/presenter side of things. Perhaps we can make an effort to get more set dealers and presenters at next year's show.
Again Bravo! I thought last year Myself, @cpiaaq @jackstraw @41pickup @AfterTheFact along with others made a valiant effort with the active theme of uniting the hobby and while there was many who looked on with praise that an original set from a historic casino was put together and understood that we love to actually play cards with these chips and be interactive with them some didn't understand or simply avoided the display or looked on worrying that they be be seen as interested.

I think I asked you about your website comment a while back. Which site are you referring to? The club website (ccgtcc.com) has been revamped and definitely doesn't look old. The message boards are not as nice as this one but not the old Greg Susong software the Chip Board is still using (that's a privately owned site - not CCA at all, even though mostly CCA members use it).
The chip board is definitely ancient and insecure. It's functionality and organization is odd or non existent especially when trying to memorialize a chip or casino item image, they simply get lost or buried in the fodder. The new CCA site is much improved and I believe somewhat similar and even a hybrid between the XF platform (Here and PCF) and the CB. I get that as we get older we hate change more and more and it really disappoints when I hear by great friends like @Cuban1947 say they don't want to go to school to learn the workings of our sites as they're actually very easy to navigate and use. I for one will always take advice on features and options and always offer this site to ALL hobbyists free of charge. I would say that the new message boards shouldn't have chosen the "free" or least expensive version to offer but looked at what was working or lets say "universal" with those in the hobby as the XF platform is the standard in the sets end.

PCF boasts publicly they have almost 16,000 members (We know this is untrue) but here we are at almost 1000 members and there most likely 2000 actives. A unity move would have been to use the platform that would entice the sets collectors and that also presented the singles to upgrade to a modern platform much better than the DOS, commadore 64 feel of the CB and enter the modern more secure versatile platform. The older membership of the club is practicing forced compliance on the CCA in this regard as seen by the low almost non existence of usage of those CCA boards. Both PCF and PokerChipper offered exclusive sections to the club, Free at chipper not sure about PCF that also went mostly un used other than for a certain someone to draw the pitchforks by inciting the sets community instead of taking suggestions and opinions deepening the divide. No other CCA members other than myself and a few others tried with comments to settle this deepening divide with little to NO interaction. The true mission of the CCA should have seen members posting their accolades and reasons to belong the the CCA and promote the club on all platforms not just a few of us that get worn down and simply retreat. Opposing opinions should settle into a common ground conversation.

The most common reason that I've heard for people not joining the CCA is, they don't feel they need to. They almost always cite the chip guide as something they use, whether often or not, and since it was free, "why buy the cow?" as they say.
Just poor execution here. Instead of claiming it was a great membership asset and now a member only benefit there wasn't enough "other" reasons stated as to the benefits of club membership just an over reliance on the importance of the guide. If the chip guide is the best thing about membership you're missing the mark and should have been entirely a member benefit only. Every CCA member should be at all the platforms promoting membership and its benefits but when asked I have a hard time boasting the benefits of membership and have no one in a discussion thread backing anything up. The chip guide alone isn't reason enough in todays day and digital age. There is 1000 places to learn the history of a casino or chip with much better images etc.

There has been many, some started by myself, threads discussing the benefits of membership to the club that go unanswered by club members and simply devolve into criticism of the club and its leadership as NO ONE (almost, you've been a great advocate so far @dagwood777 )comes out to promote and represent the CCA and educate us neanderthal sets collectors on the issue. I believe that a lot of singles collectors joined PokerChipper when we launched it hoping for some unity but were followed by certain antagonists (both sides) and stopped to avoid drama. THIS ISNT US vs THEM or at least shouldn't be.

They often assume the Chip Board is part of the CCA, and state that they can participate there with no cost as well. However, the Chip Board IS allowed to have advertising whereas the Chip Guide is not. And it's literally just a website with no stated mandate. Just a place to hang out, just like this board. Cool beans there.
It is what it is, The CB is old and disorganized with limited features and owned by an anti sets collector who obversly has no problem selling chips to the sets guys to make money. That's an easy one to figure out, if they cant get the real thing they'll have to buy my CPC chips so its only natural to fuel the divide sets/singles, obviously a bad decision as the company had to be sold off. If one was promoting of the hobby and all it's resources they would sell on all platforms or if truly excited about promotion of the club, instead of selling exclusively at 1 sets community site and opposing another, driven them to buy at the clubs site (the NO SELLING thing at the CCA sites is BS and I believe only in place to drive the chip board) Selling between members violates no mandate of the club or its mission and anyone stating legal issues is either lying or misinformed.

As for old men yelling at clouds, am I that guy? I'm 61, so I'll admit to the old bit (sorry, fellow sextenarians and above). As for people acting like teenagers over stupid shit, I think you've seen that I AM that guy, trying to keep peace, build relationships, and get the negativity out of our conversations. You can be the judge of whether I'm doing ok on that front or not.
HaHa you're older than me!!! LOL! or 😂 😂 But you're great!

Send me some ideas of how the CCA can help set collectors and I'll lend a friendly ear. I hope to get you back to the point of making a decision to join the club. Sounds like you were close, so let's work on it, ok?
Never been done, my last BRAVO!!! I hope this spars a good discussion!!!!!!

hope to get you back to the point of making a decision to join the club
Golden opportunity to let all listening hear YOUR (and other CCA members) give the sets community all the benifits of the club membership aside from mentioning the chip guide and the convention, those 2 things are a given but not as important as you might think. We are here to listen also!
 
The club can be so much more in a united hobby co operating with each other. Pokerchipper at 700+ has almost as many members as the club in total and imagine if PCF has even 25% of the members its front page claims?? And we’re already in the hobby, no need to get us interested.
 
The hobby has veered of into a profit making opportunity for many. That’s one of the disappointing aspects that is ignored for obvious reasons.
 
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