Rybka 4 or Fritz 12?

 LOL :D

Thanks you guys, I already got Fritz 12. It's really good!

WinBoard and Houdini 1.5.   That's all you really need.  Both are free.

I get more mileage out of this GUI and this engine than all of my other GUIs and engines, which include, the Fritz12, ChessBase 11, Arena, ChessBase Light, Stockfish, Deep Rybka 4.1, Naum, Zappa and Zappa Mexico, Deep Sjeng, Shredder, and a dozen or so other strong engines too numerous to mention.

In every engine tourmanemt I've run so far, using all sorts of different time controls, and different opening setups, Houdini 1.5 has come out on top every single time, often far above it's nearest competitor.  (Usually, that's Deep Rybka 4.1.  A year ago Rybka was easily my strongest engine.  Obviously not any more.)

The one nice thing I do like about Fritz12 is that I can run an engine tournament and the software can automatically publish the results to my website.  Thus, I can run a tourney at home and peek in and see how it's doing while at work.

 I have downloaded Fritz 12 demo and it got destroyed by my old Chessmaster. Is demo weaker than the payed for version? And can I save a game and open it next day and continue?

What were the match conditions? Chessmaster usually gets clobbered by Fritz, except when both programs are running on the same computer without certain precautions: then CM hogs all the RAM in order to win.

Yes, both were on the same computer, will try it  on a seperate ones

well then, there ya go.  spend a load of cash unnecessarily.  :D

I suppose if you are looking just to play, maybe Rybka 4. But Fritz 13 is now out and I love analyzing with it. It's worth buying.

You don't like downloading? So you prefer buying programs that you don't need when you can download Houdini, Firebird and Stockfish for free? I have Fritz 12 and I'm sorry I WASTED MONEY on it, but at the time I didn't realize I could download the free chess engines listed above and also plenty of FREE chess programs to run these AWESOME FREE engines in.

If you're worried about viruses just do what I do: scan EVERY SINGLE download without fail prior to opening it, no matter if it is a exe, pgn, gif, txt or whatever type of file.

PS: Fritz is now up to F13 if you absolutely, positively have to have the latest and greatest program that will not be anymore useful or helpful than much cheaper versions such as F10, 11, 12 or even some older version of ChessMaster. BUT, if you don't believe me, suit yourself.

How can something free be any good? Have you checked all the features of commercial products?

There are plenty of quality free products.  There are entire communities built around one particular class of them, and arguably even an "industry":

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13505_3-9944923-16.html

Before buying Chessmaster, read this comparison: http://chessskill.blogspot.com/2009/12/chessmaster-versus-fritz-analysis.html

The strength of the engine is not the only concern when purchasing chess software. Chessmaster is awkward to use, and supports only The King engine. The manufacturer occasionally claims that the CM GUI supports UCI, but I've never seen an account of anyone successfully installing Stockfish, Houdini, or any other UCI engine in Chessmaster.

I've been using Chessmaster since 1989 (22 years), and I have CM 10th edition. It's almost worth the $20 that I paid for it. OTOH, compared to the $60 I shelled out for Fritz, CM is overpriced. Ten years ago, CM became the program that I have and no longer use. I bought a couple of more versions just to keep up on the changes. It is a neglected program put out by gamers, and is no longer developed by chess professionals.

Yes, they have lessons by titled players. These were created under contract: even gamers can hire chess professionals to produce content. However, this content was not carefully edited. One of the lessons concerning elementary checkmates with heavy pieces has a quiz where the fastest checkmate is deemed a wrong answer. (Of course, such editing errors are a characteristic of Bruce Pandolfini's printed books, too.)

If you buy Fritz12 just to play with the engine, then I agree it's wasted money since you can have plenty of free engines. The most interesting of Fritz are as a matter of fact its features:

- Sparring style of play: the computer completely crushes you psychically, but it "accidentaly" leaves bad moves on the way, so you have to find them under pressure.

- Friendly game: the computer gradually adapts to your level as you progress.

- Different styles of play (agressive, pawn eater, positional, rook lover, etc).

- Openings, middle game and endgames training.

- Brainstorming. The computer not only gives you the best move, but suggests some plausible ideas you can try in the position.

...and much more. Sorry, it really sounds like I'm advertising it, but I really think the best of Fritz is not the engine (which is awesome), but the GUI features. There lies the main difference between Fritz and other free programs, in my humble oppinion.

Take care.

^This! +1

Can you use Stockfish with the ChessDB interface? I can't seem to figure out how to do so...

I guess you can with no problem. Just download the engine (an .exe file I guess), and then in Fritz GUI go to "Engine" ribbon, and click on "Create UCI engine". Just browse to the .exe file, and the engine will be loaded.

If you are arguing strength than Rybka 4, but Houdini is stronger than both of them and its free