chessbase 8

What do people think of chessbase9?

Originally posted by mipmcpt
What do people think of chessbase9?

I don't think about it, but I use it every day. It's hard to imagine how I got along without it.

what is so great about it? whats it all about? who needs this expensive software? i am rated 1750 uscf, should i buy ?

Originally posted by likeforest
what is so great about it? whats it all about? who needs this expensive software? i am rated 1750 uscf, should i buy ?

I think some great players managed without it for hundreds of years

there are great players that live to be hundreds of years old? i thought topalov looked like a vamp!

no seriously, whats so great about it?

ITs a great database but...shredderchess.com has a great one and it's free.

Chessbase is pretty kinky if you have/use a lot of databases, I havent upgraded to 9 but here is a nice taste of what 8 can do....


Opening report

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 a6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 d6



B28, 4...d6

229 games in 'Fritz 9 Database'


1. History

Earliest game: Reshevsky,S - Najdorf,M ½-½, Amsterdam 1950
Latest grandmaster game: Guseinov,G - Mariano,N 1-0, Dubai op 7th 2005
Latest game: Pazos Porta,A - Ramon Losada,D 1-0, Ortigueira op 2005


Games played in years (229)


Fashion index - Distribution of games relative to database [%]


2. Players

a) Strong grandmasters who used this line as Black:
Miguel Najdorf Result=1.5/2 1950-1971 Elo-Ø: 2530 games: 2
Leonid Yudasin Result=1/1 2004 Elo-Ø: 2553 games: 1
Michael Roiz Result=0.5/1 2004 Elo-Ø: 2544 games: 1
Aleksander Wojtkiewicz Result=0.5/1 1994 Elo-Ø: 2560 games: 1
Emil Sutovsky Result=0/1 2001 Elo-Ø: 2651 games: 1

b) Other notable players:
Nelson Mariano Result=8/14 1995-2005 Elo-Ø: 2439 games: 14
Tatiana Kosintseva Result=4.5/6 2004 Elo-Ø: 2453 games: 6
Konstantin Yurenko Result=2/4 1999-2000 Elo-Ø: 2347 games: 4
Alla Sahakian Result=2/3 1998 games: 3


3. Statistics

Black scores averagely (43😵.
Black performs Elo 2157 against an opposition of Elo 2207 (-50).
White performs Elo 2244 against an opposition of Elo 2194 (+50).
White wins: 110 (=48😵, Draws: 43 (=19😵, Black wins: 76 (=33😵
The drawing quote is very low. (6% quick draws, < 20 Moves)

White wins are of average length (38).
Black wins are of average length (42).
Draws are short (30).


4. Moves and Plans

a) 5.Nc3

121 games, 1950-2005, Ø=1997
White scores averagely (54😵.
Elo-Ø: 2191, 71 games. Performance = Elo 2202
played by: Ye Jiangchuan, 2677, 1/1; Yudasin, 2625, 0.5/1; Guseinov, 2573, 1/1; Browne, 2500, 0/1; Barua, 2494, 1/1

You should play: 5...Nf6 Click for games

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Browne,W - Najdorf,M 0-1; Yudasin,L - Wojtkiewicz,A ½-½; Koscielski,J - Movsziszian,K 0-1; Gallinnis,N - Roski,F 0-1; Aagaard,J - Sorensen,J 0-1; Sokolov,A - Dvoirys,S 1-0

Main line:

6.Be2 e6 7.0-0 Be7 45%, 2225 10 games
6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 50%, 2206 9 games
6.Bc4 e6 50%, 2179 8 games
6.Be3 62%, 2362 13 games

Critical line:
6.Be3 38 % Black. Click for games

Plans White:
Bf1-e2/f2-f4/0-0/Bc1-e3 (8) Click for games
Bc1-g5/f2-f4/Qd1-f3/0-0-0/g2-g4 (5) Click for games
Bc1-e3/Qd1-d2/f2-f3/g2-g4 (2) Click for games
f2-f4/e4-e5/f4xe5 (3) Click for games
f2-f4/f4-f5/f5xe6 (2) Click for games
Nd4-b3/Bc1-g5/Bg5xf6/Nb3-d2 (2) Click for games

Plans Black:
e7-e6/Bf8-e7/0-0/Qd8-c7 (7) Click for games
e7-e6/Nb8-c6/Nc6xd4/e6-e5 (3) Click for games
e7-e5/Bf8-e7/Bc8-e6/Nb8-c6/0-0/Qd8-d7/Ra8-c8 (2) Click for games
Bf8-e7/b7-b5/Bc8-b7 (6) Click for games
Bf8-e7/Nb8-d7 (13) Click for games
Nb8-c6/Bf8-e7/Nc6xd4 (2) Click for games


Alternative: 5...e6
Kurniawan,B - Yudasin,L 0-1; Zaw,W - Mariano,N 0-1; Repkova Eid,E - Szekely,P 0-1; Hatanbaatar,B - Mariano,N ½-½; Shukurova,M - Kosintseva,N 0-1; Barbosa,O - Mariano,N 0-1
no valid Text b) 5.c4

55 games, 1951-2005, Ø=1996
White scores well (72😵.
Elo-Ø: 2220, 38 games. Performance = Elo 2390
played by: Svidler, 2672, 1/1; Galliamova, 2502, 0/1; Yemelin, 2500, 0/1; Yandemirov, 2481, 1/1; Ganguly, 2456, 1/1

You should play: 5...Nf6 Click for games

no valid Text

Yemelin,V - Yurenko,K 0-1; Sznapik,A - Stohl,I ½-½; Sievers,S - Heinemann,T ½-½; Arakhamia Grant,K - Sadiku,B 1-0; Yandemirov,V - Yurenko,K 1-0; Palkovi,J - Orso,M 1-0

Main line:

6.Nc3 e6 7.Be2 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Be3 Qc7 67%, 2338 6 games
6.Nc3 e6 7.Be2 Nbd7 8.0-0 70%, 2467 5 games
6.Nc3 Nc6 70%, 1990 5 games

Critical line:
6.Nc3 e6 7.Be2 Nbd7 56 % Black. Click for games

Plans White:
..(Ng8-f6)/Nb1-c3/Bf1-e2/0-0/Bc1-e3 (20) Click for games
Bf1-e2/0-0/f2-f4/ ..(b7-b6)/Be2-f3 (3) Click for games
0-0/Qd1-d2/Ra1-c1/b2-b3 (3) Click for games
Bf1-e2/Qd1-d2/Be2-f1/Qd2-f2 (2) Click for games
0-0/f2-f3 (8) Click for games
0-0/Nd4-c2/Nc2-e3 (2) Click for games

Plans Black:
e7-e6/Bf8-e7/0-0/Nb8-d7/Qd8-c7/b7-b6/Bc8-b7 (7) Click for games
Nb8-d7/Bf8-e7/0-0/Ra8-c8/Nd7-e5 (2) Click for games
Nb8-d7/Bc8-b7/Rf8-e8/Nd7-c5/Bb7-c6 (2) Click for games
Bf8-e7/Qd8-c7/Qc7-b8/Be7-d8 (2) Click for games
e7-e6/0-0/e6-e5 (4) Click for games
g7-g6/Bf8-g7/0-0 (5) Click for games

no valid Text c) 5.f4

3 games, 1990-2004, Ø=1998
White scores excellently (83😵.
Elo-Ø: 2459, 2 games. Performance = Elo 2609
played by: Fedorchuk, 2569, 0.5/1; Mallahi, 2350, 1/1

You should play: 5...Nd7
Fedorchuk,S - Hautot,S ½-½


no valid Text d) 5.Be2

15 games, 1980-2004, Ø=2000
White scores below average (50😵.
Elo-Ø: 2198, 8 games. Performance = Elo 2361
played by: Nisipeanu, 2678, 0.5/1; Lahno, 2435, 1/1; Milagrosa, 2245, 0/1; Nilsson, 2200, 0/1; Seps, 2095, 0/1

You should play: 5...Nf6
Seps,M - Kosintseva,T 0-1; Nilsson,L - Madsen,P 0-1; Sondresen,P - Limberg,S 0-1; Kreie,G - Pinnow,M 0-1; Carraro,D - Lin,D 1-0; Bakalar,J - Fabus,M 1-0

Main line:

6.Nc3 e6 7.0-0 50%, 2261 11 games


Alternative: 5...e6
Milagrosa,A - Mariano,N 0-1; Lahno,K - Kosintseva,N 1-0; Ernst,M - Hahlbohm,M 0-1; Nguyen Khuong Duy - Astillero,R 1-0
no valid Text e) 5.Bc4

9 games, 1986-2005, Ø=2000
White scores well (67😵.
Elo-Ø: 2298, 2 games. Performance = Elo 2564
played by: Cain, 2310, 0.5/1; Mari Arul, 2286, 0.5/1

You should play: 5...e6
Mari Arul,S - Mariano,N ½-½; Dinc,R - Onez,C 1-0; Lopes,P - Cavadas,J 1-0; Weddeling,F - Gaebler,H 1-0



Alternative: 5...Nf6
Cain,C - Myo Naing ½-½; Agudo Tena,A - Martinez Martin,I 0-1; Kasap,A - Sahakian,A 0-1; Oberholzer,R - Enayatullah,B 1-0
no valid Text f) 5.Be3

7 games, 1967-2005, Ø=1999
White scores badly (43😵.
Elo-Ø: 2296, 4 games. Performance = Elo 2114
played by: Paragua, 2500, 0.5/1; Paehtz, 2396, 0.5/1; Kloke, 2146, 0/1; Hugyecz, 2145, 1/1

You should play: 5...Nf6
Paehtz,E - Kosintseva,T ½-½; Hugyecz,A - Farkas,L 1-0; Roca,A - Castro Caaveiro,A 0-1; Hornicek,O - Novotny,V 0-1; Bugar,A - Merten,M 1-0

no valid Text g) 5.Bd3

10 games, 1984-2005, Ø=1998
White scores badly (40😵.
Elo-Ø: 2169, 6 games. Performance = Elo 1975
played by: Horvath, 2412, 0/1; Llorens, 2294, 0/1; Calzetta Ruiz, 2254, 1/1; Mauro, 2222, 1/1; Wiese Jozwiak, 2125, 0/1

You should play: 5...Nf6
Horvath,A - Volokitin,A 0-1; Wiese Jozwiak,M - Szekely,P 0-1; Llorens,M - Magas Varas,R 0-1; Calzetta Ruiz,M - Yildiz,B 1-0; Knickel,J - Zichler,W 1-0; Marzahn,H - Mayer,H 0-1

no valid Text h) 5.a4

5 games, 1999-2005, Ø=2001
White scores badly (40😵.
Elo-Ø: 2134, 2 games. Performance = Elo 1959
played by: Bazaj Bockai, 2147, 0/1; Hlavacek, 2121, 1/1

You should play: 5...Nf6
Bazaj Bockai,S - Jelica,M 0-1; Hlavacek,K - Ruzicka,A 1-0; Canos,A - Toledo,J 0-1; Joya,R - Toledo,J 0-1

no valid Text 5. Opening keys

Key: 4.... a6 5.--- KeyLink

Opening report


1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6



B28, 7...a6

7711 games in 'Fritz 9 Database'


1. History

Earliest game: Sellman,A - Bird,H 0-1, London 1883
Latest grandmaster game: Volokitin,A - Van Wely,L 1-0, ESP-chT Honor 1 49th 2005



Games played in years (7711)


Fashion index - Distribution of games relative to database [%]


------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Players

a) Strong grandmasters who used this line as Black:
Vladimir Kramnik Result=24/46 1990-2005 Elo-Ø: 2728 games: 46
Peter Leko Result=16.5/29 1996-2005 Elo-Ø: 2726 games: 29
Alexei Shirov Result=11.5/18 1992-2005 Elo-Ø: 2702 games: 18
Teimour Radjabov Result=10/18 2002-2005 Elo-Ø: 2660 games: 18
Veselin Topalov Result=6.5/13 1993-2005 Elo-Ø: 2727 games: 13
Garry Kasparov Result=6/7 1987-2005 Elo-Ø: 2798 games: 7
Alexander Khalifman Result=4.5/8 1998-2005 Elo-Ø: 2657 games: 8
Vassily Ivanchuk Result=4/8 1988-2003 Elo-Ø: 2696 games: 8
Alexander Moiseenko Result=3/4 2003-2005 Elo-Ø: 2653 games: 4
Boris Gelfand Result=3/5 1998-2003 Elo-Ø: 2696 games: 5

b) Other notable players:
Michal Krasenkow Result=31/48 1988-2004 Elo-Ø: 2603 games: 48
Valerij Filippov Result=25.5/42 1995-2005 Elo-Ø: 2583 games: 42
Yuri Yakovich Result=24/41 1989-2005 Elo-Ø: 2545 games: 41
Luke J McShane Result=23.5/35 1998-2005 Elo-Ø: 2538 games: 35
Anatoli Vaisser Result=22/30 1982-2003 Elo-Ø: 2540 games: 30
Andrei Kharlov Result=18.5/29 1990-2004 Elo-Ø: 2551 games: 29
Joel Lautier Result=18.5/34 1994-2005 Elo-Ø: 2650 games: 34


------------------------------------------------------------------------


3. Statistics

Black scores averagely (46😵.
Black performs Elo 2313 against an opposition of Elo 2342 (-29).
White performs Elo 2364 against an opposition of Elo 2335 (+29).
White wins: 2782 (=36😵, Draws: 2747 (=36😵, Black wins: 2181 (=28😵
The drawing quote is Average. (7% quick draws, < 20 Moves)

White wins are of average length (42).
Black wins are of average length (41).
Draws are shorter than average (35).


------------------------------------------------------------------------


4. Moves and Plans

a) 8.Na3

7103 games, 1883-2005, Ø=1998
White scores averagely (54😵.
Elo-Ø: 2348, 6091 games. Performance = Elo 2370
played by: Kasparov, 2813, 6/8; Kramnik, 2755, 4.5/6; Anand, 2737, 24.5/42; Shirov, 2720, 11/21; Karpov, 2718, 4/5;

You should play: 8...b5 Click for games

no valid Text

Shirov,A - Kasparov,G 0-1; Anand,V - Leko,P 0-1; Polgar,J - Kasparov,G 0-1; Svidler,P - Kasparov,G 0-1; Anand,V - Topalov,V 0-1; Leko,P - Kramnik,V 0-1

Main line:

9.Nd5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c3 0-0 12.Nc2 Bg5 54%, 2359 861 games
9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nd5 f5 11.Bd3 Be6 54%, 2397 1058 games
9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nd5 Bg7 53%, 2356 1413 games

Critical line:
9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nd5 f5 11.g3 Bg7 44 % Black. Click for games

------------------------------------------------------------------------

b) 8.Bxf6

603 games, 1898-2005, Ø=1995
White scores below average (47😵.
Elo-Ø: 2235, 358 games. Performance = Elo 2218
played by: Mecking, 2620, 0.5/1; Adams, 2615, 3/7; Ljubojevic, 2610, 0.5/1; Karjakin, 2591, 0/1; Chandler, 2590, 1/1;

You should play: 8...gxf6 Click for games

no valid Text

Karjakin,S - Leko,P 0-1; Sulskis,S - Van Wely,L 0-1; Quinteros,M - Ljubojevic,L 0-1; Adams,M - Granda Zuniga,J 0-1; Browne,W - Adorjan,A 0-1; Sulskis,S - Nedev,T 0-1

Main line:

9.Na3 b5 10.Nd5 f5 11.Bd3 Be6 12.0-0 56%, 2445 540 games
9.Na3 b5 10.Nd5 f5 11.c3 Bg7 12.exf5 Bxf5 13.Nc2 52%, 2375 1023 games
9.Na3 b5 10.Nd5 Bg7 11.Bd3 Ne7 12.Nxe7 Qxe7 57%, 2430 469 games

Critical line:
9.Na3 b5 10.Nd5 f5 11.g3 Bg7 44 % Black. Click for games

Plans White:
Nb5-a3/Nc3-d5/c2-c3/Bf1-d3/Na3-c2 (65) Click for games
Nb5-a3/Na3-c2/Nc2-e3 (107) Click for games
Nc3-d5/e4xf5 (138) Click for games
Nb5-a3/Na3-c4/Nc4-e3 (19) Click for games
Na3-c2/Nc2-e3/Bf1-d3/0-0 (10) Click for games

Plans Black:
b7-b5/f6-f5/Bc8xf5/Bf8-g7 (106) Click for games
f6-f5/Bc8xf5/Bf5-e6/0-0 (27) Click for games
b7-b5/Bc8-e6 (146) Click for games
f6-f5/Bc8-e6/Be6xd5 (47) Click for games
f6-f5/Bc8-e6/f5-f4 (44) Click for games
Bf8-g7/0-0 (152) Click for games

no valid Text 5. Opening keys

Key: 7.Bg5 --- KeyLink

You could get all this information without using CB to generate it, but that would probably take days if not weeks of manually looking through databases.

The normal reports come with may more boards and graphs, RHP cant do more than one board per a post?! and no chance of posting the graphs either 🙂

I have it and have used it a fair bit but i find shredder database more convenient (www.shredderchess.com). The opening reports in CB take 10-20 minutes on my machine which is way too long for me, normally i'm only after a quick reference anyway...

Chessbase automatically gives you hundreds and thousands of games and all it takes is 4 clicks to ask for it. Copy the PGN, press control v, than search and it gives you all the games. I can assure you every player in the top 25 that is honest, has some sort of data base program.

The thing is a little pricey, if you get chessbase mega database that has 4 million games, it will cost you about $300-$400 but if you shop around :cough: :cough: you can get it, quite cheap.


edit for spelling

Id like to add you also learn alot from it, there's a function that sorts all the rankings, and you can tell how good the line is by the result of the top players. You also get ideas on what kind of attack you want to set up on your opponent as there are plenty of examples you can use from the top players and see what they're plan of attack was. Also you can download alot of books if you already own them, and read them on the chessbase, plus there's alot of software that you can buy that only works with chessbase that you can buy to improve your game.

thanks bedlam, those orts were mighty tasty

I use CB 8 to look for games by a particular player, games from a specific tournament, openings, endgames, and middle game ideas. Suppose I want to find examples of mating with two bishops, CB 8 allows me to search my database for such games (this particular search--two minor pieces--is built into the endgame keys, so it is already done when the key is installed).

I've also used CB 8 to help build webpages. I've taken down most of what I had up two years ago, but here's a fragment of the sort of thing that is easy with the program: http://www.angelfire.com/poetry/wulebgr/mate.htm

I use CB 8 daily for my own training, and in the search for training exercises for the kids I teach.