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daverundle

9/30/2005
04:00:33
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Subject: chess programs

Message:
Anyone got any views on Fritz & Shredder? Are they worth the money? Being a bit of a computer novice do you require any special software or hardware to use them?

trond

9/30/2005
13:01:18
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Crafty, Spike and Fruit

Message:
If you are only looking for strong engines to analyse your games, there are many free alternatives to fritz and shredder. If you are looking for functionality, Fritz and Shredder are probably best (I have no experience with them myself).

If you download Arena 1.1, you can get Spike 1.0a Mainz as engine along with it. Spike 1.0a Mainz just won the Computer Chess960 world championship ahead of Shredder and other programs. Crafty is also a good old choice which has a annotation function as well, but this is a bit weaker than the best free engines (rated "only 2600").

Fruit 2.1 is the strongest free engine out there, only beaten by Shredder.

Also see: -> www.computerschach.de under rating list

daverundle

10/01/2005
01:42:14
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chess programs

Message:
Thanks for the advice trond i will have look at the progs you have recommended free is always better than having to pay!!

thepunisher

10/01/2005
08:35:23
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Chess programms

Message:
I have buyed an older version of Fritz for a few Euro. ( vers. 5.02 )
Sometimes its free on a CD of a magazine.
It is very fine to analyze games with it and strong enough
for everyone.
It shows you ( Strong )moves you never thouhgt about.
So it is ideal to train your chess with it.
And it has a good serching engine for games ( also chessbase format !!! )

Interesting is the very, very old Psion chess, one of the
first PC chess Programms ( runs under MS-DOS )

jamesdriggs

10/01/2005
16:35:42
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chess programs

Message:
I have purchased the last release of Fritz (7) & Chessmaster (7000). I got both programs for the same price as the latest & greatest. They are both good programs for me as I am not a master yet.

daverundle

10/03/2005
06:59:01
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programs

Message:
thanks for the advice and help guys all i have to do now is decide which one & if it costs money persuade my wife not to divorce me if i buy one!!

wulebgr

10/06/2005
06:17:45
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divorce is good

Message:
If you cannot spend $40 for quality chess software without risking divorce, then you need to consider very seriously your priorities. Such a wife will likely balk at your GK subscription or that new fly rod that you must have for steelheading. I'd buy Fritz, and get ready to reenter the dating scene.

Free engines are great--I have 64 or so, and Arena--but the GUI that comes with Fritz, Shredder, and the like is well worth the money. For beginners, Chessmaster is a good choice, but steer clear of it if you want serious game analysis, online playing options, decent 2D boards, multi-engine support, and compatibility with the next generation of chess software. Fritz and family is the choice of serious chess players.

daverundle

10/07/2005
03:46:18
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wulebgr divorce

Message:
Sadly one of the disadvantages of living in the UK is that there is no chance of obtaining Fritz for as little as $40 as far as i am aware! I have had a cursory scan of the net & the cheapest i have found it so far is around 90 euros around �60/70. Which is not serious money but obviously the cheaper i can get it the better!!

spugmyers

10/07/2005
04:08:15
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Message:
I've seen copies of Fritz going pretty cheap in GAME (in the UK). I checked the website but it's out of stock:

-> shop.game.net

I guess there might well be a difference between Fritz 8 and FritzChess 8 though. Seems suspiciously cheap.

daverundle

10/07/2005
04:41:46
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spugmyers

Message:
Thanks for the info i have just found Fritz 8 Champ for �39.95 & this seems cheap & i am not sure if Fritz 8 Champ is the same as Fritz 8 i would be delighted if someone can confirm yea or nay before i buy it & have to return to the dating scene!!!

gajolen

10/07/2005
16:14:42
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Message:
It is the same fritz 8, just there are some versions wich have some extra Cd's with kasparov video, but the program and engine is identical.

Btw if you dont know it already there is a new version of Fritz 9, that is being released in a few weeks.

-> www.bcmchess.co.uk

daverundle

10/07/2005
16:16:26
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gajolen

Message:
Cheers thanks for that info perhaps i will wait &see; how much 9 is!

happinessisawarmgun

10/08/2005
01:08:34
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�19.99

Message:
-> www.amazon.co.uk

daverundle

10/12/2005
04:33:27
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programs

Message:
Just to let you know guys i have found some of the free sites mentioned & i have ordered Fritz 9 (19.99 on Amazon) it cost me a new pair of boots as well for my wife ( methinks she got the best part of the deal!) but no divorce!

Thanks for all your advice and suggestions!

Dave

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