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Computer Software for Mac

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iceman073
Is there a good chess software for Mac that lets me upload PGN after I finish my Chess.com games and run the analysis?
JoeyTroy

iceman, you maybe better off loading widows using https://www.parallels.com or bootcamp if Apple still offers it. I finally got rid of all my Apple hardware as Windows offers way better options with ChessBase, Fritz, etc.

liml

In addition to JoeyTroy's suggestions, you can also try virtual machines and Windows emulators. I am primarily a Windows and Linux user, so I am not sure which are the best options for virtual machines and Windows emulators for Mac. 

JoeyTroy

There is also VirtualBox which is supported by OSX I forgot about and that is free.

 

https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

iceman073

I'm the Apple guy.  I used to use Windows for years then switched to Mac 10 years ago and have not looked back then.  I just saw the ChessKing web site but not sure if their software is good.  I can take a look at SCID.  I only want the software to analyze the games that I have completed and explain why I made bad moves.  I also want to practice puzzles and end games.    Thanks for making the suggestions!

Rsava

Watch put for Chess King. They say they have Mac software but it is really Windows software that runs in a Wine Bottle.

When I confronted them about it (after I bought it and figured it out) they denied it until I threatened to take legal action. Then they finally gave me my money back.

iceman073
Rsava wrote:

Watch put for Chess King. They say they have Mac software but it is really Windows software that runs in a Wine Bottle.

When I confronted them about it (after I bought it and figured it out) they denied it until I threatened to take legal action. Then they finally gave me my money back.

 

Thanks for the FYI.  That's really too bad.  

DominantLight
I use HIARCS for my mac. I don’t think there is a better match available. Thanks.
iceman073

Ok!!  I'll check out HIARCS.  Is Stockfish a good software also?

Miraculous_Mate

Yes Stockfish is good, really provide quality analysis.

1e4

I um’d and ah’d and priced up everything and read all the reviews... 

I ended up getting Hiarcs Deep... waaaay, way, way cheaper than ChessBase (and that’s before you add a Windows license into the mix & assuming you go VirtualBox and not a paid VM solution)...

I’m really happy with it. Really happy. 

JamesCoons
ChessX is a lot like Hiarcs except it is free
Bfighter4935

Hello there,

There are alternative softwares on mac but honestly no one can stand the comparison to chessbase products. Stockfish OS X is ok, simple and clean, but a little too basic. Shredder was in some aspect a respectable one but with merely no content at all.

Personally have tested many, many products. I am not an expert but eventually, most of the time I use my old Fritz 11 (for analysis & database) and Chessmaster GME (for casual playing/learning) through Crossover/Wine. Only those two soft can give me a satifying experience.

Recently I came to use Lucas Chess (also through Wine) which is suprisingly very pleasant to use and a very nice training tool.

 

Nowaday many chess player own a Mac, and it's a pity that powerfull machines can't benefit of the Chessbase environment. I really think ChessBase could boost theirs sells by offering a real Mac OS X version of their products.

iceman073

Shouldn't we write to ChessBase?  Doesn't ChessBase offer training via their own website?

AWookieAteMyPawn

Don't waste money on 'deep' hiarcs, single core is all you need. I use a combination of Scid and Hiarcs. Really I don't think there is anything hiarcs can do that Scid can't, but Hiarcs UI is much nicer. ChessX is good as well, but a bit buggy IMO. 


I would honestly just try Scid first, and if the UI drives you crazy, look into Hiarcs.. though fair warning, Hiarcs UI can drive you crazy as well.. No right-clicking anything, no analysis while playing a match against the engine, etc..

 

You can of course run Fritz or whatever Chessbase app in a Windows VM. It's more full featured than SCID or Hiarcs, but Fritz has been a buggy POS since it was released. They keep adding more feature without fixing the underlying codebase. 

 

If you're just looking for analysis, the computer analysis on Chess.com is simple and good. You're just stuck with Stockfish. If you prefer something else (I like Komodo), you're out of luck.

JamesCoons
Try https://app.box.com/v/chessx/file/273901018836
JamesCoons
www.box.com/chessx for a recently built dmg file
JamesCoons
It would take years to port chessbase to the Mac. The code is likely very brittle and buggy given its age and heavily windows dependent.