chess databases

Originally posted by Wulebgr
Yep. I keep a stack of 'em--right next to my computer. Mostly Faulkner, and some good poetry. But also Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, a few issues of New in Chess, some Informants, and Lasker's Manual of Chess.

Are you referring to the 5 volume set of the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings? An expert player at an OTB tourney I was at over the weekend scoffed at my MCO and said I need to pick up the Encyclopedia but 5 volumes is a bit pricey if the upgrade from MCO isn't that great. What are your thoughts?

Can some people clear something up for me. i know you can't get advice on moves but could you enter your postion on fritz with your opponent as the computer and play out the game while the game is still going its not very clear on this? I havent done it but thought it would be a way to help see how the game might go but i could see how it could be considered cheating but then again it seems kind of similar to looking at databases, but of course the computer might(and prob would) move diffrently from the opponent.

Originally posted by Will Everitt
Can some people clear something up for me. i know you can't get advice on moves but could you enter your postion on fritz with your opponent as the computer and play out the game while the game is still going its not very clear on this? I havent done it but thought it would be a way to help see how the game might go but i could see how it could be cons ...[text shortened]... t databases, but of course the computer might(and prob would) move diffrently from the opponent.

No.

everything is allowed. (http://chess.mkgalaxy.com)

Originally posted by nkhanchandani
everything is allowed. (http://chess.mkgalaxy.com)

Not here it ain't.

Originally posted by no1marauder
Are you referring to the 5 volume set of the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings? An expert player at an OTB tourney I was at over the weekend scoffed at my MCO and said I need to pick up the Encyclopedia but 5 volumes is a bit pricey if the upgrade from MCO isn't that great. What are your thoughts?

Yes, that's what I'm referring to. I bought them before I had ChessBase, which I now use more frequently. With ChessBase, I can look at percentages and trends, and quickly link to entire games. Still, the evaluations in ECO are invaluable.

MCO-13 mostly gathers dust on my shelves, which is why I never bought MCO-14. A lot of players I know tell me NCO (Nunn's Chess Openings) is better than MCO, and it looks better to me from my cursory glances.

ECO also has a one-volume version. See http://www.sahovski.com/products/seco/index.php

The full version of ECO is pricey, but it was a good investment when I bought it. The electronic version might get more use if I had it, but it costs as much as the printed.

Originally posted by Wulebgr
Yes, that's what I'm referring to. I bought them before I had ChessBase, which I now use more frequently. With ChessBase, I can look at percentages and trends, and quickly link to entire games. Still, the evaluations in ECO are invaluable.

MCO-13 mostly gathers dust on my shelves, which is why I never bought MCO-14. A lot of players I know tell me NCO ( ...[text shortened]... it. The electronic version might get more use if I had it, but it costs as much as the printed.

The second edition of NCO was quite good when it first came out, but that was a long time ago (for an openings encyclopedia) so it's several years out of date. I used to take it to all my OTB tournaments. If they brought out a third edition, I would probably buy it.

I believe that MCO is also a few years old, so dangerous to use as a main reference.

Chessbase is great, but you have to keep your database up to date by downloading games on a regular basis (I use TWIC every week).

There's no easy answer. Keeping up to date with chess theory is very difficult.

Originally posted by David Tebb
I believe that MCO is also a few years old, so dangerous to use as a main reference.

I've had a few game in the Be3/f3 Najdorf line on this site (me as black) which have gone wrong very quickly either shortly after my opponent diverged from, or very shortly after the end of, the book line. Although most of those game were against strong (2000+) players so it could be that I was just getting it wrong.
Also the 6th black moves on p.487 (Colle system, Reversed Stonewall etc.) are missing - which was a real problem one time...
I think generally, depending on how seriously you want to take this, you need to look at several sources to make a descision about what the best line is.

Edit - Incidentally one of the book lines I had refuted on me recently came against Biaze ... good work!

Originally posted by David Tebb
The second edition of NCO was quite good when it first came out, but that was a long time ago (for an openings encyclopedia) so it's several years out of date. I used to take it to all my OTB tournaments. If they brought out a third edition, I would probably buy it.

I believe that MCO is also a few years old, so dangerous to use as a main reference. ...[text shortened]... very week).

There's no easy answer. Keeping up to date with chess theory is very difficult.

MCO-14 was published in 1999, so I guess it is somewhat dated. When I analyze lines with it, however, I always use it in conjunction with on-line databases. Still, I probably could use a more recent one volume set as I really don't want to go all out and buy Chessbase or spend close to $200 on the entire ECO (I'm cheap). Anybody got any recommendations on a one volume, general opening guide?

Originally posted by no1marauder
MCO-14 was published in 1999, so I guess it is somewhat dated. When I analyze lines with it, however, I always use it in conjunction with on-line databases. Still, I probably could use a more recent one volume set as I really don't want to go all out and buy Chessbase or spend close to $200 on the entire ECO (I'm cheap). Anybody got any recommendations on a one volume, general opening guide?

BCO. It's a little out of date but still invaluable.