ChessBase Reviews

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CDs, DVDs, Software Part 2

I had planned to return to highlighting some of ChessBase 7's functions for this issue but as I sat down to think about it I received news that ChessBase 8 is due out at the end of August/beginning of September.

I have therefore decided to leave that until the next issue when I can start etting you know about the latest features on this top class software. In the meantime if you have any questions on ChessBase products then you can post a message on our Message Board at our Web site and I will answer them ASAP. For those of you who don't yet have access to the Web then either drop me a note or give me a call. If I don't know the answer I will find out and get back to you.

Instead for this issue I will again let you know about some of the new CDs from ChessBase since our last Magazine.

On the playing Program front Deep Junior and Young Talents have appeared. Deep Junior is an enhanced version of Junior 6 designed to run on dual processor machines and will therefore produce a significant improvement in performance. I have difficulty trying to keep up with the single processor version but for connoisseurs this is the one to go for.

Young Talents looks identical to Fritz 6 since it uses the same interface, but has seven different chess engines to choose from. A new generation of programmers each with their own style have written the engines and the playing style can vary quite a lot compared to Fritz and friends. The engines on the CD are:

GOLIATH LIGHT by Michael Borgstädt GROMIT 3.1 by Frank Schneider and Kai Skibbe IKARUS V0.18 by Munjong and Muntsin Kolß PATZER 3.11 by Roland Pfister

PHALLANX XXII by Dusan Dobes SOS von Rudolf Huber AnMon 5.07 von Christian Barreteau

Most players should find one of these engines which they will enjoy playing against. It is also worthwhile simply changing them every time you decide to have a game. After all how often do you have to play against different styles when playing against human opponents.

The Opening experts have been busy with three new additions. Rainer Knaak has produced "Trompowski Attack" whilst Knut Neven has produced "French with 3.Nc3" and Dorian Rogozenko has produced "Sveshnikov Sicilian".

The Trompowski Attack has a database of 6000 games as well as a smaller database containing training questions. This opening (1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5) seems to be increasing in popularity amongst a number of Correspondence players. I know of a few who like to get the Bishop to g5 as soon as possible. The author deals with the opening from White's point of view. Database texts give clear explanations of the most important and critical positions. Even if you don't intend to play this as White the CD should help you get an idea of what your opponent is up to when you face this opening.

The French with 3.Nc3 covers a much larger subject with the author covering all variations after 1.e4 e6 2. d4 d5 5.Nc3. The main database contains over 44,000 games and over 1000 of these are annotated. Through the use of 15 database texts the author explains the most important variations, themes and plans. Good links allow you to immediately play through relevant sample games. The CD also has a theme key, a large variation tree and a database with training tasks.

The author of the Sveshnikov Sicilian (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5) believes the opening is easy to learn and sets about proving this with a thorough investigation involving some 27 chapters. Of the 12,000 games database more than half the games have been played in the last six years so this is cutting edge stuff. Again the CD contains a training database and I wouldn't be surprised if I saw a few more Sveshnikovs appearing in the games column next season as a result of this CD.

As Jim Anderson can testify, I have a knack of completely messing up endgames. With this in mind I was delighted to see Evgeniy Solozhenkin bring out "Opposite Coloured Bishop Endgames". Apart from the theory of elementary endgames with opposite-coloured bishops, the CD deals with the fascinating variations which can arise if queen, rook or knight are added on both sides. The CD has 30 texts and more than 150 sample games. The Russian grandmaster systematically examines the important criteria for the treatment of these endgames. Topics answered include:

When does a positional advantage guarantee victory despite material equality? Why can the stronger side not win although one is more pawns up? How relevant are factors like an exposed king, possession of the seventh rank or a central square? Which pawn structure requires which strategy? How to profit most from a passed pawn?

Then finally you can sweat it out and check your freshly acquired knowledge in 17 selected test games playing against the clock. An example of an opposite coloured bishops test position, involving rooks, from the CD, is as follows:

In this position the solution lies in the fact that White has a queenside pawn majority. The next move is therefore b4-b5. The game contains a further three test positions.