I'm not sure how specific to get. You can import a game as a pgn file, a position as a FEN position, or simply enter the moves manually (click on the Edit button first).
The Help index lists the topics "Analyzing", "Analysis lines", and "Automatic analysis".
Another approach would be to just start clicking on stuff and see what happens. :)
BobbyT has a good point, unless you bought only the Houdini engine and nothing else. If that's the case, you might want to also check out Lucas Chess. I don't really use it, but others have mentioned that its analysis features are pretty good for us novices.
http://www-lucaschess.rhcloud.com/
If you bought Houdini, why are you using Arena? The commercial Houdini comes with a slimmed down ChessBase interface that is much easier to use than Arena.
I just bought Houdini, and as far as I know I needed an interface, so I took Arena because it is for free. But I will check Lucas Chess, as EscherehcsE wrote.
I just bought Houdini, and as far as I know I needed an interface, so I took Arena because it is for free. But I will check Lucas Chess, as EscherehcsE wrote.
Is this what you bought? http://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/houdini_5_pro_multiprocessor_version
Yes
Why did you buy Houdini? LOL
What do you mean? Do you not like Houdini? Or do you think there is something better?
I just bought Houdini, and as far as I know I needed an interface, so I took Arena because it is for free. But I will check Lucas Chess, as EscherehcsE wrote.
Is this what you bought? http://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/houdini_5_pro_multiprocessor_version
Yes
OK, that comes with the Fritz 15 GUI, so as long as you don't have a problem with the Fritz GUI, you don't really need Arena or other GUIs. (Although it can't hurt to have more GUIs than you need. :))
I just bought Houdini, and as far as I know I needed an interface, so I took Arena because it is for free. But I will check Lucas Chess, as EscherehcsE wrote.
Is this what you bought? http://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/houdini_5_pro_multiprocessor_version
Yes
OK, that comes with the Fritz 15 GUI, so as long as you don't have a problem with the Fritz GUI, you don't really need Arena or other GUIs. (Although it can't hurt to have more GUIs than you need. :))
Okay, I see this now in the Houdini 5 Chess Engine User's Manual. I didn't go though the whole manual (who does this?), I just read following information in the chapter "Running Houdini in a graphical chess environment", where they say "you will need to install a graphic chess environment like Arena (etc), and took the Arena; it was a mistake.
Now I have to figure out how to install this Fritz GUI. Probably I have to download Houdini again; I hope I can do this.
Oh, and an added bonus for using the included Fritz GUI, they give you 6 months on the Playchess server.
I just bought Houdini, and as far as I know I needed an interface, so I took Arena because it is for free. But I will check Lucas Chess, as EscherehcsE wrote.
Is this what you bought? http://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/houdini_5_pro_multiprocessor_version
Yes
OK, that comes with the Fritz 15 GUI, so as long as you don't have a problem with the Fritz GUI, you don't really need Arena or other GUIs. (Although it can't hurt to have more GUIs than you need. :))
Okay, I see this now in the Houdini 5 Chess Engine User's Manual. I didn't go though the whole manual (who does this?), I just read following information in the chapter "Running Houdini in a graphical chess environment", where they say "you will need to install a graphic chess environment like Arena (etc), and took the Arena; it was a mistake.
Now I have to figure out how to install this Fritz GUI. Probably I have to download Houdini again; I hope I can do this.
There should be instructions somewhere for installing the Fritz GUI. In the olden days (
) when you bought actual DVDs, usually just inserting the DVD into the PC would start the GUI installation process.
Why did you buy Houdini? LOL
What do you mean? Do you not like Houdini? Or do you think there is something better?
If you just got the engine then yes, the latest version of Stockfish is much better. And free too.
I've bought a few, but it was usually to get an engine that would play a reasonably human game in "dumbed-down" mode.
If I would be some sort of computer chess enthusiast who would be interested in engines with different style, I would maybe be willing to spend a maximum of 15€ and that is if the engine is really the strongest without any close competitor. But it is not even that and the price range is between 80-100€... a straight and shameless rip-off lmao.
You can also be pretty sure that some ideas were stolen from Stockfish code since that is open source and available to everyone. Note that Stockfish is still the strongest chess engine because it has a good testing framework with multiple people sharing their computing resources and new ideas (for free).
Now I have to figure out how to install this Fritz GUI. Probably I have to download Houdini again; I hope I can do this.
You should have created an account when you purchased from the Chessbase shop...log in again and on the left click on Downloads.
Download and run the set-up file and the Houdini engine should be installed along with the Fritz GUI.
You can also download the Openings Book and Database.
I fill stupid to ask this here, but there we go. I bought Houdini and installed in Arena. Now: how do you usually enter the moves and analyse them? I did not find this simple information from the "Help" in Arena, and just trying around did not help me.