I use it and like it. The main attraction for me was just how easy it was to set up as some of the packages require a lot more technical steps. You install it and you can one-click install the engines and databases you want, and just add your chess.com and lichess login for a one-click import of your games. I don't know how it compares with regard to more advanced features, but it does what I need it to do.
En Croissant
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kptom wrote:
Hello! Has anyone played around with En Croissant? Supposedly similar to ChessBase and SCID. I will be downloading it to play around, but looking for others opinions on this software.
Have you played with it yet? We have 2 positive reviews here. Would be willing to know if you are happy with it too. I guess I might start using it too.
Mar 16, 2025
0
#5
A friend mentioned it to me just a few hours ago. Tried it out and am very enthusiastic.
Very simple to use and does everything I need. With 1 click it dl's engines, you can dl a big database, you can import lichess puzzles to train. You can play, analyse and annotate games.
Seems the perfect tool so far. And it's free!
only thing I like more about LUCAS chess is that annotations and analytics is saved into your game/database, that is what I miss in En Croissant, rest, great!!
I uploaded the Masterclass that Francisco Salgueiro gave about En Croissant, during last Maia International Chess Festival. It was presented in Portuguese, but I made an effort to present it with good English subtitles. Not perfect, but I think it's still very useful to have a global perspective about the software, especially for new users.
Here is the link: https://youtu.be/CgxLdaKK3A8
nice, thank you very much!!! great video!!
Thanks for the English subtitles, Underkkover! super helpful
While its strongest point is certainly the ease of use and the lightweight load, saying that it is comparable to Scid or even worse, to ChessBase, means having no idea nor experience of Chess related Apps.
agatti1970 wrote:
While its strongest point is certainly the ease of use and the lightweight load, saying that it is comparable to Scid or even worse, to ChessBase, means having no idea nor experience of Chess related Apps.
Well, I suggest you check the video I have mentioned or at least the chapter list, as it seems maybe you are the one that has not a deep idea about En Croissant features.
I am also an hard core user of Chessbase and there are many things that can be compared and where En Croissant is better, specially if we are talking about ease of use and installation. Also, you can't just ignore that Chessbase is a paid product, while En Croissant is free.
So, you can say Chessbase is better for you as that depends on the things you use and how you use them, but saying that people can't compare them is out of sense.
Does it have a merge games function? I don't think so. It's database functionality is generally very limited.
And en-croissant does not run on Windows 7, btw.
True: Fritz 19,20 also do not and Chessbase 18 probably too. I don't have it.
But Chessbase 17 still runs, although it's not supported officially.
1d3bestbytest wrote:
Does it have a merge games function? I don't think so. It's database functionality is generally very limited."
Well, in fact that s one of the examples shown in the video I have linked. Also about the combability part, one can also say that En Croissant runs in Mac or Linux and Chessbase does not...
I won t comment more, as each has it's preference. En Croissant is there for the ones that want to use it and it's free.
I also use Chessbase everyday and I do think is the best tool for me when working with advanced needs, like deep repertoire preparation, articles, and things that require higher chess understanding and detail. I am 2050 FIDE just as reference.
Most players nowaday come to chess recently are searching for the first tools and there's where being free and easy to use, makes a point in the comparations.
As En Croissant is also Open Source, other apps may also show up to complement it or improve from the core.
Underkkover hat geschrieben:
1d3bestbytest wrote:
Does it have a merge games function? I don't think so. It's database functionality is generally very limited."
Well, in fact that s one of the examples shown in the video I have linked.
No, "merge players" have nothing to do with it.
In Fritz or Chessbase you can select any number of games, then right click "merge selected games" and it will merge all games into one game with all variations included from the selected games.
Any Chess GUI which doesn't offer this important functionality is basically trash for me.
1d3bestbytest wrote:
Underkkover hat geschrieben:
1d3bestbytest wrote:
Does it have a merge games function? I don't think so. It's database functionality is generally very limited."
Well, in fact that s one of the examples shown in the video I have linked.
No, "merge players" have nothing to do with it.
In Fritz or Chessbase you can select any number of games, then right click "merge selected games" and it will merge all games into one game with all variations included from the selected games.
Any Chess GUI which doesn't offer this important functionality is basically trash for me.
Genuinely curious - what does that allow you to do?
Stonewhatnow ha scritto:
Genuinely curious - what does that allow you to do?
I've used myself such function in a number of occasions, including:
1. Building and working on your repertoire.
2. Merging similar games,having different interesting variations
3. Comparing my own analysis done without an engine, with the engine's analysis & verbal commentaries of the same game.
Underkkover ha scritto:
agatti1970 wrote:
While its strongest point is certainly the ease of use and the lightweight load, saying that it is comparable to Scid or even worse, to ChessBase, means having no idea nor experience of Chess related Apps.
Well, I suggest you check the video I have mentioned or at least the chapter list, as it seems maybe you are the one that has not a deep idea about En Croissant features.
I'm not here to discuss anybody's preference, but I'd like to clarify that, several months ago, I downloaded such program, installed, used for quite some time, evaluated it, found it inferior to other Apps, deleted.
I wonder if you have ever used ChessBase? Are you familiar with the number of features it has= Do you even have such App? I would agree on the fact that some of those features are so much advanced that go beyond being useful for 90% of the chess players. Nevertheless they are there.
Ah, last thing: I never speak out of sense. Please pay attention.
agatti1970 wrote:
I wonder if you have ever used ChessBase? Are you familiar with the number of features it has= Do you even have such App? I would agree on the fact that some of those features are so much advanced that go beyond being useful for 90% of the chess players. Nevertheless they are there.
Ah, last thing: I never speak out of sense. Please pay attention."
I use Chessbase daily. I have that software paid. I have used it in a professional way, to prepare analysis for top players and also some articles (which I can't reveal because I am not allowed). I use cloud features and I have used it for team work (this is, when you work on the same files with more than 1 person, to prepare another). Paid works of course. So, in resume, I have learned how to use Chessbase as professional chess players and professional chess coaches use it. Still there is a lot more that Chessbase can do. At the same time, I have used to a point of reaching its limits and having to work around them.
https://encroissant.org/