ChessBase Reviews

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CDs, DVDs, Software Part 35

ChessBase 10 By ChessBase

When I first looked at this program I thought this is the easiest review ever. Put simply, Best Software Ever, Buy It. Job done. Still for those of you who haven’t seen or heard of it yet I suppose I should write a bit more.

I would imagine that most computer Correspondence Chess players will be familiar with the various incarnations of the Chessbase database program over the years as it has always been an invaluable tool in organising our games and research material. It is hard to believe that it could be improved on, yet those geniuses at Chessbase have done it again.

One of the great features of Chessbase 10 for our members is that it gives direct access to the ICCF web server. This allows you to manage and send your moves for any games played on the server directly from Chessbase 10. You can also send messages along with the moves. All in all a lot easier that using separate email programs and having to type in the moves. The software also takes not of the time controls and the time you have used. There are plans afoot to allow more Scottish Correspondence Chess Association games to be played using the ICCF server so Chessbase 10 could be just the ticket for our members.

New in ChessBase 10.0: New integrated online database with millions of games, kept topical and up-to-date by ChessBase; split-second online search results (DSL); automatic update of your local reference database (Big or Mega) with the weekly instalments of games; display of games and moves with statistics in tree style; optional restriction to quality games in all searches; openings references include an overview of common variations; new search booster for super-fast results; openings books with instantaneous display of replies; fast-and-easy preparation for any specific players, with tree display and games; player dossier with improved openings references; direct access to the ICCF server for correspondence chess games; new engine functions, e.g. display of discarded lines; new functions for the chess server: e.g. online database accessible for kibitzers, ECO codes in the games lists, tactics training, full Chess 960 support. In addition: new look with high-resolution pieces, improved window management.

Rybka 3 - Pawns, Pieces & Plans By Vasik Rajlich

Rybka 3 – Computer Chess World Champion. Rybka 2, the world’s strongest chess program, leads all ranking lists clearly, with ratings well above Elo 3000. Now Rybka 3 is here, with a dramatic improvement of at least 80 Elo points.

Rybka, which translates to "little fish", is the shooting star of computer chess and the reigning world champion, having won its title in Amsterdam 2007.

But strength is not everything. Today the main use of chess software is interactive analysis. Rybka's superior playing strength helps you to quickly assess a position. But analysis with Rybka 3 is much more than just evaluations and best moves. In the user interface designed by ChessBase, Rybka 3 introduces several ground-breaking new analysis features:

Monte Carlo Analysis yields precise evaluations by playing thousands of ultra-fast games in a few minutes in a given position. This is very much like using game result statistics, something human players do when choosing their opening variations. Monte Carlo Analysis can be used in any position, but generally it's most useful in two types of positions:

• Endgames – engines often give high scores to drawn endgames (and sometimes low scores to winning ones). Monte Carlo recognises fortresses and other no-progress situations. It's also good in rook endgames, which are another computer problem.

• Positions where one side has made a big material sacrifice for slow compensation (i.e. not just tactics). For instance you can find lots of piece sacrifices in famous grandmaster chess games which no computer will correctly appreciate and which Monte Carlo gets right.

Rybka 3 - Book By Jeroen Noomen

The Rybka 3 opening book is a high-class compilation of opening theory. It was developed for the world’s strongest chess program Rybka 3 and will maximize the program’s playing strength. The choice of variations in the book is well suited to the style of the program, and the book has been fine-tuned and checked in thousands of games.

The author of the Rybka 3 book is Jeroen Noomen, one of the world’s leading experts in computer opening theory. Jeroen Noomen has been on the Rybka team since the very start, and his preparation is used in all official events, including the World Championship 2007 which Rykba won. In his long career as an opening analyst he has achieved many fine novelties in top computer chess events.

Number of positions in the Rybka 3 book: 3,387,966. Size 260 MB. The book runs on any recent ChessBase software.

Viswanathan Anand: My Career

My Career Vol. 1

The first DVD with videos from Anand's chess career reflects the very beginning of that career and goes as far as 1999. It starts with his memories of how he first learned chess and shows his first great games (including those from the 1984 WCh for juniors).

The high point of his early developmental phase was the winning of the 1987 WCh for juniors. After that, things continue in quick succession: the first victories over Kasparov, WCh candidate in both the FIDE and PCA cycles and the high point of the WCh match against Kasparov in 1995. 3:48 hours playing time.

My Career Vol. 2

The second DVD begins in 2000, when Anand became FIDE World Champion, and it ends with his victory in the 2007 World Championship in Mexico.

Anand not only analyses his best games, but casts a look back at the World Championshp in Delhi/Teheran in 2000 and the years before, he discusses the situation in the Bundesliga and Kasparov's retirement from tournament chess. 4:28 hours playing time.

Corr Database 2009

Corr Database 2009 is an extensive collection of correspondence games, featuring classical correspondence games played by mail as well as email games.

The CD contains 670,471 games from 1804 until 2008 including all games of the correspondence chess world championships 1-18, correspondence chess olympics 1-15.

Corr 2009 also features a correspondence chess playerbase, which includes about 65,000 names. A must for every player of correspondence chess!