Originally posted by huckleberryhoundThe CM10 DB is bad from what I hear. It'll improve your openings...in a way. You can copy the openings from top players, and thus memorize those line from playing them, but they won't tell you the ideas behind the moves (unless you can figure the out). They'll probably help increase your RHP rating though. Here's a free one
I don't use them, you can probably tell from my rating, although i am told my CM10th has one.
Should i use it, and in what way would it improve my game ?
www.chesslive.de
starting to use a database didn't do anything to my rating at first. but over time my openings have improved quite a lot. many non-users think it'll miraculously give people hundreds of rating points, but as any db-user knows, it won't. it's a valuable learning tool but not a miracle cure.
you should process even the database moves, pretty much like you would do studying a master game. otherwise you'll gain a lot less than you could.
I don't think it makes a lot of difference what db you use (on our level). even the best db needs to be used critically, otherwise you'll just get thrashed for blindly following 'the best' moves. all games contain errors and missed opportunities, and even the 'best move' for a GM might be losing to you because you don't have the technique/skill to pull through the continuation. -just like a tactical puzzle that's far above your level: even though you know there's material to be won, you just can't find the combination no matter how hard you try. the same applies to following db-games, only there usually isn't anything so obvious as material gain to be found. and if you can't see that advantage, whatever it is, you're obviously not going to be able to use it.
so, use databases as a guide for how openings should be played, but avoid getting lazy and following the moves blindly. it takes a lot of dicipline and effort, especially if you're playing too many games.
Originally posted by huckleberryhoundThe CM X database has 1/2 million games, including a fair sampling of the classic games of Anderssen, Morphy, Staunton, Bird, Steinitz, Tchigorin, etc. and many by current GMs up to a few years ago.
I don't use them, you can probably tell from my rating, although i am told my CM10th has one.
Should i use it, and in what way would it improve my game ?
The selection is excellent; the database game viewing platform and search structure is poorly thought out. It is not noticably different than earlier versions. I used CM 7000's database extensively for a couple years, and revolutionalized my approach to studying openings. About 2001, I started using ChessBase light, which is far better than Chessmaster, except that it is limited to dbs of no more than 8000 games each.
As for how to use:
Feed into the search board the first moves from your latest finished game, 1. e4 c5 2. Ng1f3 Nb8c6 3. Bf1c4 e6 4. Nb1c3 a6 5. O-O Nc6a5 6. Bc4e2 Qd8c7
7. d3 h6 8. Bc1e3 b5 9. g3 Bc8b7 10. Be3f4 Bf8d6. Then search for games that began this way. If none are found, back up a few moves and search again. Alternately, search by ECO code (B30).
Once you've located some games, and you should turn up at least one from the historic 1834 McDonnell-LaBourdonnais match, play through them looking for ideas.
Done repeatedly, and often enough, you can get a feel for the ideas inherent in certain openings simply by playing relatively rapidly through many that were played by masters. Systematically comparing your own games to those of stronger players may reveal a pattern of uncommon moves, and may reveal errors or weaknesses that you can correct.
All of this is much easier with Fritz, of course. But, you can use Chessmaster's database for a lot of training.
Originally posted by huckleberryhoundGet Winning Chess Openings by Yasser Seirawan. It is like a database and it explains the stuff behind the moves.
I don't use them, you can probably tell from my rating, although i am told my CM10th has one.
Should i use it, and in what way would it improve my game ?
Originally posted by huckleberryhoundI use them in a fraction of games, but train with them almost daily.
so, does everybody here use databases ?
I thought it was like using a calculator, or something . .y'know. . cheating a bit .
What is black's best move here?
The position is from Chess Informant 95 -- Best Games from CI 94. Korchnoi's move in this position is given the annotation "only move".
Of course, this sort of database (electronic editions of Chess Informant) is far superior to anything you'll find in Chessmaster, and the use is that you would make of any well annotated game in a book. Nevertheless, it helps make the general point that one's own game improves as one studies games played by others.