"BLUNDERS"-Dec 1-TOPIC #5: When should you invest in chess software?

   I have quite a bit of chess software on my CPU, actually, the only entertainment software on my hard drive is chess related.It's a pretty decent list starting with Fritz 12 and Chessmaster 10. Along with Chessbase Light, SCID, ChessPad2 and a few other programs/engines. I really only use CB to see my openings databases.

   I'm nowhere near what Danny and David think are the required levels to use probably any of this software, but I have noticed improvement in my playing since having them on my CPU. Yes some of the analysis is 700 feet over my head and I can't program my mind to see such and such many moves ahead, but it is enjoyable, and that has to stand for something. 

   -Mark

I use Fritz to analyze my games, I find it mostly useless except for pointing out tactics I missed.  Some of the lines it recommendends I would never play & I try not to put too much stock in it's numerical evaluations.  It seems useless at openings also.  I had it sit on the Nxf7 move in the Traxler in the 2 Knights for over an hour & it still thought white was way ahead (2 pawns or so) when it's actually analyzed out by human GM's to a draw with best play (which is why I play 5. Bxf7+ with 1-0 to follow).  I'm rated 1920.

Again, I ask, please somebody respond.  Do any of these chess engines "explain" why a move is a good, bad, inaccurate, mistake, or do they not?  The chess analyzer on Chess.com I do not feel is very helpful (to me).  Yes, when I make a complete blunder I can go back and see why this is a blunder, but for "innaccuracies" and "mistakes", I wish I got a better explanation why certain moves are better than others.  The Chess.com analyzer suggests what might be a better move, but I'd like an explanation why....I can't see how my game could be hurt by these engines, but I'd like to know what I may be getting into if I sink a couple hundo into them.  Thanks for the help.

TheBone1, Try Chess Mentor here on chess.com. It's like tactics problems (some strategy problems in the same vein) but with explanations on each move. Give it a shot for a few problems and see how you like it. Every commercial engine I know of (fritz, rybka, etc) will only give you sample lines, not actual explanation. This is one of the other big arguments for getting a chess coach with the money you might have used on a program.

there is no computer engine (that i know of, and i really doubt there is yet) that can explain the reasons behind good moves and bad moves. they just provide variations. unless you are 2200, you have basically no chance of interpreting those variations in a useful way towards improving your game. i absolutely suggest you do NOT use any engines.

what is useful is chessbase (or some other database program). it allows you to save your games, insert comments on them, email them around with pgn to other people, get their comments, search through them easily, etc... very useful stuff. danny and i were pretty much agreeing that this starts to become somewhat useful at around 1200(uscf) level, though it only becomes more necessary at 1800-danny or 2200-me. basically it's value and importance grows steadily from 1200 (you can find some uses, but it would be a small part of your training) up to 2400+ (you would do 50-75% of your chess work using it)

@Fezzik -- I believe CT-Art is a great program... Difficult at times, but the format is great and rivaled only by (in my opinion) our Tactics Trainer...

@NN28 -- Please don't promote illegal software pirating on our site!

@thebone1 -- Yeah, like NN28 said in his next post, Fritz will sometimes give a very "monotone" explanation for why something is bad, but there aren't any real explanations of patterns or positional ideas... Until computers become so artificially intelligent that this is possible -- the best remedy is a real chess coach. Our Chess Mentor is great, but not something that goes over your games.

Database programs, with the proper knowledge and guidance of how to use them, are the best study tool you can get...

I play against chess engines for one reason:  They are the only opponents I can find willing to play long games at traditional tournament time controls !

Amy

I've seen references to databases downloadable for free, but no links... anybody know if there is a legal, free, safe, database available? (I mean a good size one.)

Chessgames.com lets you download their entire database with in one shot for $30 monthly fee... .5mil games. Does Chess.com have a slick way to download large game files for premium members? The way I've been doing it... like 10 games at a time, just doesn't cut it!

Thanks!

PGN Mentor

   I've gotten most of my PGNs from that site 

   -Mark