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| mrpithers 1/29/2005 21:00:20 [ report this post ] |
 Subject: Chessbase/Chess DatabasesMessage: Can someone who uses Chessbase or chess databases generally tell me how it works, what you do with it and whether it's worth the money? I've got this compulsive urge to buy Chessbase but I'm not sure I'd really use it, and it would help if I knew what it does first . . . . I have Fritz 8 but I never really think to do anything with the games on the database. Thanks! |
| kin_2 1/29/2005 21:27:49 [ report this post ] | Chessbase Message: You can use it to append multimedia stuff to your game (e.g. your opponent's photo, your audio comments, etc). If you are apt, you can create e-books using it (something like what you can download in TWIC and view in Fritz8, or even like those monographs on sale at Chessbase site). Another useful thing you can do which the database function in Fritz8 can't would be to view all your opponents by name. hope this helps. |
| furryfunbundle 1/30/2005 00:55:51 [ report this post ] | Databases Message: Backtrack a little and consider what databases actually are... Repositories for storing lots and lots of information. Implicit within this are in-built "operations" to retrieve the information by a wide number of ways. Data bases therefore do three things (and they do it well) 1) Stores data in high volumes and in such a way the information can be pulled back by a number of criteria, and very quickly. 2) Provides you with the ability to maintain stored information by adding new records, changing existing records or deleting records 3) Provides loads of criteria to help you retrieve the data (for example, date, name, status of some sort etc). So - to chessbase, it stores chess games - lots of chess games, millions of chess games!! It looks after your chess games and helps you pull back your games quickly and easily. It can also (as mentioned by Kin_2) store multimedia information associated with the chess games, information, pictures and sounds. It can store annotations of games (either your own or other peoples). It can import or export (to the web) of other applications you may have. What use is all this? If you are looking to study chess then almost certainly you will want to look at other peoples games - by opening or by middle game position. A chess database allows you to store games either as a huge mega collection of games by the millions or by specific openings or by pretty much and way you want. Commercially, there are hundreds of Chessbase CDs you can buy - for different openings, middle games or even endgames. Additionally, you can search for your chess collections on the internet and download these into your own chess database. You may see references to "pgn" (portable game notation) that allows you to play though/download games by others - check out the CORUS site and look at their PGN View Facility. Is it of interest to you depends on whether you see value in building up a library of games in high volume across many different openings or within your own repertoire of games? Do you have an interest in studying middle game positions and looking to how those positions were handles by grand masters? Perhaps to finish off with, you could have a look across the internet for chess database applications and down load some trial versions. Chessbase themselves do a freebie "chesslight" version which would give you a good level of assurance before you spend your cash :-) |
| mrpithers 1/30/2005 18:02:49 [ report this post ] | Thanks Message: Thanks for the responses. I found the chessbase light and will try that out. |
| fmgaijin 1/31/2005 22:56:40 [ report this post ] | CB Lets You Store YOUR Analysis! Message: Many correspondence players use CB or other database programs to store their analysis. Most let you set up nice hierarchical trees of future variations you've analyzed. That provides a quick and accurate way to remember previous analysis and hence save time on the upcoming moves, and afterwards you have a big jump on analyzing, annotating, and storing your just-completed games. This does not require an analysis engine (which would be illegal to use anyway) or a big database of games, so even the wimpiest bases can be useful provided they allow mouse-controlled move entry and annotation. |
| mrpithers 2/02/2005 22:48:18 [ report this post ] | Thanks Message: Thanks fmgaijin. I'm just getting to the point where I've played enough to recognize recurring themes in my games so I'm sure I should be storing and analyzing my games in order to better learn from prior mistakes (which are many)! I'll try chessbase light and see if it seems worth the investment. |
| rose-quarz 2/04/2005 01:23:44 [ report this post ] | Message: An interesting chess site is chessville.com, which has links to other sites downloads and also has downloads on offer, including ebooks and games you may want to add to your database. |
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