Which Chess software to buy?

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Date: 23 Nov 2006 12:18:18
From:
Subject: Which Chess software to buy?

I would like to know which is the best Chess playing software on the
ket these days. My requirements are such:

1. Ability to play a very strong game and that can be adjusted for
lower levels
2. A training feature that allows a player with between 1700 and 2100
rating strength to improve on their middle game and tactics.
3. The ability to analyze one's game and indicate tactical training
opportunities. Provide useful comments.

Date: 27 Nov 2006 13:26:51
From: David Richerby
Subject: Re: Which Chess software to buy?

<[email protected] > wrote:
> I would like to know which is the best Chess playing software on the
> ket these days. My requirements are such:
>
> 1. Ability to play a very strong game and that can be adjusted for
> lower levels

Any of the top engines will beat any but the top GMs. Strength is
largely irrelevant for the amateur; ability to dumb down is much more
important. Fritz can dumb itself down to the range you suggest.

> 2. A training feature that allows a player with between 1700 and 2100
> rating strength to improve on their middle game and tactics.

Fritz will do this.

> 3. The ability to analyze one's game and indicate tactical training
> opportunities.

Any good program will indicate tactical misses. Fritz can insert them
into your games as puzzles.

> Provide useful comments.

No engine does this. Engines don't know why moves are good: they just
know that they score better on the evaluation function. Fritz will
occasionally make a comment like, ``Taking control of g4'' but it
won't tell you why (or, indeed, if) taking control of g4 is a good
idea in that position.

I assume that all the Chessbase programs will behave in much the same
way as Fritz here.

Dave.

--
David Richerby Permanent Puzzle (TM): it's like an
www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~davidr/ intriguing conundrum but it'll be
there for ever!

Date: 24 Nov 2006 15:39:52
From: Inconnux
Subject: Re: Which Chess software to buy?

tOmmetje wrote:
> > > 2. A training feature that allows a player with between 1700 and 2100
> > > rating strength to improve on their middle game and tactics.
> >
> > Get CT-Art
>
> How good is CT-Art 'cause although I've already heard of it, I don't
> really know it. Is it a really good teaching tool? (compare it with
> CM10k his lessons and "trainings" if possible, since I know and use
> those)

CT-Art is very good. It just focus's on tactical problems so there
isnt any
'lesson's. I would compare it to a book on tactical problems.

Date: 25 Nov 2006 16:31:32
From: Joe888
Subject: Re: Which Chess software to buy?

Inconnux Wrote:
> tOmmetje wrote:---
> 2. A training feature that allows a player with between 1700 an
> 2100
> rating strength to improve on their middle game and tactics.-
>
> Get CT-Art-
>
> How good is CT-Art 'cause although I've already heard of it, I don't
> really know it. Is it a really good teaching tool? (compare it with
> CM10k his lessons and "trainings" if possible, since I know and use
> those)-
>
> CT-Art is very good. It just focus's on tactical problems so there
> isnt any
> 'lesson's. I would compare it to a book on tactical problems.

Shredder 10,that just came out a few months ago,has everything yo
need.It has been the world chess champion many times and had beaten
fritz programs many times.I have personally played fritz agains
shredder 10 and it "shreds" up fritz more than not.Of course,dua
processors and a very fast computer are necessary for the "best" pla
from the program.. Of course, "Deep Shredder" program is th
Ultimate.The program costs over $100 dollars US however.Shredder an
Deep Shredder can be programmed from beginner levels to GM levels an
there are automatic online engine upgrades and help once you registe
online according to the instructions

--
Joe888

Date: 24 Nov 2006 15:02:00
From: tOmmetje
Subject: Re: Which Chess software to buy?

> > 2. A training feature that allows a player with between 1700 and 2100
> > rating strength to improve on their middle game and tactics.
>
> Get CT-Art

How good is CT-Art 'cause although I've already heard of it, I don't
really know it. Is it a really good teaching tool? (compare it with
CM10k his lessons and "trainings" if possible, since I know and use
those)

Date: 24 Nov 2006 11:19:46
From: Inconnux
Subject: Re: Which Chess software to buy?

[email protected] wrote:
> I would like to know which is the best Chess playing software on the
> ket these days. My requirements are such:
>
> 1. Ability to play a very strong game and that can be adjusted for
> lower levels

Both chessmaster and fritz are good for this although in the 'rated
games' you can only get fritz to play at a minimum of 1620

> 2. A training feature that allows a player with between 1700 and 2100
> rating strength to improve on their middle game and tactics.

Get CT-Art

> 3. The ability to analyze one's game and indicate tactical training
> opportunities. Provide useful comments.

Fritz is the best option here :) I really dislike CM10ks 'analysis'

There really isn't one option for these specifications, but personally
I would go with Fritz and CT-Art.

Arena is also a good option if you are on a budget :)

Date: 24 Nov 2006 08:25:39
From: tOmmetje
Subject: Re: Which Chess software to buy?

Michael Vondung schreef:

> On 23 Nov 2006 12:18:18 -0800, [email protected] wrote:
>
> > 1. Ability to play a very strong game and that can be adjusted for
> > lower levels
>
> Chessmaster 10 is really good for that kind of thing. Allegedly, Fritz 10
> has a "Friends" feature that will play at the user's strength, but even
> though I have the software sitting here, I have not yet looked at it. (I do
> prefer Chessmaster 10 for playing, if only for the better interface and the
> fact that it displays your progress/decline as a graphical chart.)
>
> > 3. The ability to analyze one's game and indicate tactical training
> > opportunities. Provide useful comments.
>
> That's Chessmaster's weakness, and something I would use Fritz for.
>
> Well, you can get the two programs for about/less than $50 each, so I think
> getting both of them is a viable option. Fritz plays a stronger game, but
> Chessmaster comes with quite a bit of educational material. I think they go
> nicely together.
>
> M.

I agree, I have them both too. Chessmaster for playing games against
the computer, Fritz for playing online and for the analysis

Date: 24 Nov 2006 16:58:48
From: Michael Vondung
Subject: Re: Which Chess software to buy?

On 23 Nov 2006 12:18:18 -0800, [email protected] wrote:

> 1. Ability to play a very strong game and that can be adjusted for
> lower levels

Chessmaster 10 is really good for that kind of thing. Allegedly, Fritz 10
has a "Friends" feature that will play at the user's strength, but even
though I have the software sitting here, I have not yet looked at it. (I do
prefer Chessmaster 10 for playing, if only for the better interface and the
fact that it displays your progress/decline as a graphical chart.)

> 3. The ability to analyze one's game and indicate tactical training
> opportunities. Provide useful comments.

That's Chessmaster's weakness, and something I would use Fritz for.

Well, you can get the two programs for about/less than $50 each, so I think
getting both of them is a viable option. Fritz plays a stronger game, but
Chessmaster comes with quite a bit of educational material. I think they go
nicely together.

M.

Date: 24 Nov 2006 15:43:16
From: Ruud
Subject: Re: Which Chess software to buy?

<[email protected] > schreef in bericht
news:[email protected]...
>I would like to know which is the best Chess playing software on the
> ket these days. My requirements are such:
>
> 1. Ability to play a very strong game and that can be adjusted for
> lower levels
> 2. A training feature that allows a player with between 1700 and 2100
> rating strength to improve on their middle game and tactics.
> 3. The ability to analyze one's game and indicate tactical training
> opportunities. Provide useful comments.

If u download Arena - platform (free), and then download some chess engines
(different elo-strenght, from 1300-2800, also all free), u can pick and
play, or analyse, at any level u want.

Arena: http://www.playwitharena.com/

Engines: http://www.uciengines.de/UCI-Engines/uci-engines.html
Engines: http://wbec-ridderkerk.nl/html/enginesindex.htm

Elo-list: http://wbec-ridderkerk.nl/html/BayesianElo_ed13.htm

Of course, a purchase of software gives more beautifull graphics, etc., but
it's just another option., free :).

Date: 24 Nov 2006 06:18:30
From: tOmmetje
Subject: Re: Which Chess software to buy?

I think Chessmaster 10 is a great piece of software. It has lot's of
characters each with different elo ratings, ranging from 20 or so up to
grandmasters and Chessmaster himself. A great tool for playing at
opponents of your strength or a bit stronger! It also has lessons,
annotated games, etc which I find very usefull (but I'm still far from
1700-2100). It has the option to analyse your chess games, but I'm not
sure if it provides very usefull comments.
Chessmaster is thus good for no.1, ok for no.2 (now I'm maybe a bit
optimistic) and I don't know about no.3.

Fritz9 is a very powerfull chess program. Although I kinda dislike it
for normal playing since it's simply too stronge for me. It ranges from
1600 elo and up. And sincd i'm still a 1300 player... you get the idea.
But's it's possible to load different engines with different playing
strengths, so I guess I could just simply install a different chess
engine instead of the default Fritz9 engine. It also supports give-away
chess which is fun to play from time to time. Anyway, I thus guess it's
ok for no.1 if you install a different engine for the lower levels.
I don't have Fritz that long yet so I don't know about training
features that much, but I think it has better trainings but no lessons
from grandmasters (don't shoot me if I'm wrong!!) Mostly because I
bought a DVD on which it said that it had lessons on it, but I simply
can't find them!!
Anyway, that is of no importance here. Fritz9 is claimed to be superb
when it comes to analysing games, but I already let him analyse some of
my games and I sometimes get stuff like this:

white moves and Fritz says: White has a great advantage (losely
translated from the dutch phrase)
black moves and Fritz says: Black has a great advantage
white moves again: White has a great advantage
black moves and Fritz says: Black has a great advantage

Do you get the idea? It might be a very great analysis tool, but I
don't like those comments, heh... they are just nonsense. That or I
have a very strange way of playing chess, hehe

On 23 nov, 21:18, [email protected] wrote:
> I would like to know which is the best Chess playing software on the
> ket these days. My requirements are such:
>
> 1. Ability to play a very strong game and that can be adjusted for
> lower levels
> 2. A training feature that allows a player with between 1700 and 2100
> rating strength to improve on their middle game and tactics.
> 3. The ability to analyze one's game and indicate tactical training
> opportunities. Provide useful comments.

Date: 25 Nov 2006 00:22:55
From: Ivan Baricevic
Subject: Re: Which Chess software to buy?

"tOmmetje" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I think Chessmaster 10 is a great piece of software. It has lot's of
> characters each with different elo ratings, ranging from 20 or so up to
> grandmasters and Chessmaster himself. A great tool for playing at
> opponents of your strength or a bit stronger! It also has lessons,
> annotated games, etc which I find very usefull (but I'm still far from
> 1700-2100). It has the option to analyse your chess games, but I'm not
> sure if it provides very usefull comments.
> Chessmaster is thus good for no.1, ok for no.2 (now I'm maybe a bit
> optimistic) and I don't know about no.3.

CM 10 is good for playing but Fritz too can be used for internet play. The
good thing about CM is that you can set very very slow time controls that
are very hard to be found on the net against real opponents.

> Fritz9 is a very powerfull chess program. Although I kinda dislike it
> for normal playing since it's simply too stronge for me. It ranges from
> 1600 elo and up. And sincd i'm still a 1300 player... you get the idea.
> But's it's possible to load different engines with different playing
> strengths, so I guess I could just simply install a different chess
> engine instead of the default Fritz9 engine. It also supports give-away
> chess which is fun to play from time to time. Anyway, I thus guess it's
> ok for no.1 if you install a different engine for the lower levels.
> I don't have Fritz that long yet so I don't know about training
> features that much, but I think it has better trainings but no lessons
> from grandmasters (don't shoot me if I'm wrong!!) Mostly because I
> bought a DVD on which it said that it had lessons on it, but I simply
> can't find them!!

Open Fritz > hit F12 > open database > ...browse to your DVD, folder
multimedia, multimedia.cbh (database)
There should be video tutorials.

> Anyway, that is of no importance here. Fritz9 is claimed to be superb
> when it comes to analysing games, but I already let him analyse some of
> my games and I sometimes get stuff like this:
>
> white moves and Fritz says: White has a great advantage (losely
> translated from the dutch phrase)
> black moves and Fritz says: Black has a great advantage
> white moves again: White has a great advantage
> black moves and Fritz says: Black has a great advantage

You said you are far from 1700. Fritz adds these comments because both you
and your opponent are missing something very important and you are playing
not substandard but very bad moves that makes Fritz evaluation graph jump up
and down.

> Do you get the idea? It might be a very great analysis tool, but I
> don't like those comments, heh... they are just nonsense. That or I
> have a very strange way of playing chess, hehe
>
> On 23 nov, 21:18, [email protected] wrote:
> > I would like to know which is the best Chess playing software on the
> > ket these days. My requirements are such:
> >
> > 1. Ability to play a very strong game and that can be adjusted for
> > lower levels
> > 2. A training feature that allows a player with between 1700 and 2100
> > rating strength to improve on their middle game and tactics.
> > 3. The ability to analyze one's game and indicate tactical training
> > opportunities. Provide useful comments.
>