Basically a free membership is designed to try out the site. It's not too much to ask for nonmembers to pay the measly 28 bucks for Rook or 18 for Knight for a year. That's basically a couple of dinners out, or 7 packs of smokes, or 9 Northwest lattes...and it lasts a year. Can't afford it? Buy the 1/2 year. Ten bucks for 6 months...that's all. Try it out, if you like it, support it. The idea that someone might not be able to "afford" a paying membership makes me wonder how they can afford their online service? It's a matter of priorities IMO.