Main
Date: 26 Apr 2006 01:32:48
From:
Subject: Wouldn't this be a great chess engine or database function.
The Chessbase engine interface, like for Fritz 9 and Hiarcs 10, all
have a somewhat useful "Analysis" function (I personally think "Blunder
Check" is better, but for the purpose of explanation, bear with me).

You can select a formidably large database of your games and have them
"Analyzed" -- or Blunder Checked for that matter -- based upon a set of
your specifications. I do this often and come away seeing my mistakes
and identify patterns to work on, i.e. "I seem to be missing a lot of
destroying the guard tactics, time to brush up on those!" I'd argue
this is the best application of chess software to my personal chess
improvement.

Under the "Analysis Function," I have a sometimes used (for me)
database function. Basically it'll dump 2 or so similar games in
similar lines into your game data. Sometimes this helps but mostly not
because you cannot tailor it. You cannot say how many games you want
"dumped," you cannot specify what kind of games (what ratings or
perhaps qualifications like "decisive games" as opposed to "drawish,"
"long games" or "short"). None of that.

I own Chessbase 9 but wouldn't it be great if there was a function
(maybe a "Chessbase 10" function as opposed to "Fritz 10," so there is
no conflict) that automatically analyzed a large body of games and
dumped (appropriate! user defined!!!) 5 or 6 or 10 or 20 GM games in
the same lines into the body of the game data. It's basically already
coded; All Chessbase would need to do is to offer some user control. It
would be like having 30 books in your lines appear instantly on your
computer. And automate and save so much time in comparison to the
standard database method of checking and sorting through games.

I cannot believe this doesn't exist. It could be the single best
feature of a chess program.

Call it a GM Comparison Function. Call it Automatic Master Game
Annotation. Whatever. If Chessbase 10 had this function, I might just
go out and buy it instead of sticking with 9. If newby players heard of
it ... that might give them that added push of laying out the $150.

Thoughts?





 
Date: 30 May 2006 03:42:13
From: chris
Subject: Re: Wouldn't this be a great chess engine or database function.
Hal Terrie wrote:
> On Mon, 29 May 2006 19:09:06 GMT, "Tom Williams"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>

>
> No, you cannot configure this feature. The program looks for
> games that match the opening moves (up to a certain point) of the base
> game and adds them as variations, without regard to what happens later
> in those games. The criteria it uses to select some games but not
> others is not explained in the help file.
>
> If you want to find selected games that match your standards
> of "relevance" you will have to use the search mask.
>
> -- Hal Terrie

Hi

You can achieve most of this, (at least in Fritz 9), by filtering the
database you use for comparison and storing a smaller database with
just those games you would be interestesd in, eg. by eliminating drawn
games or those by lower ranked players.

Chris



  
Date: 30 May 2006 21:26:39
From: Hal Terrie
Subject: Re: Wouldn't this be a great chess engine or database function.
On 30 May 2006 03:42:13 -0700, "chris" <[email protected] > wrote:

>Hal Terrie wrote:
>> On Mon, 29 May 2006 19:09:06 GMT, "Tom Williams"
>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>
>>
>> No, you cannot configure this feature. The program looks for
>> games that match the opening moves (up to a certain point) of the base
>> game and adds them as variations, without regard to what happens later
>> in those games. The criteria it uses to select some games but not
>> others is not explained in the help file.
>>
>> If you want to find selected games that match your standards
>> of "relevance" you will have to use the search mask.
>>
>> -- Hal Terrie
>
>Hi
>
>You can achieve most of this, (at least in Fritz 9), by filtering the
>database you use for comparison and storing a smaller database with
>just those games you would be interestesd in, eg. by eliminating drawn
>games or those by lower ranked players.
>
>Chris

This might help but in CB 9, you would have to remember to
designate (temporarily) the smaller database you created as the
"reference" database, as that is where the program looks for the games
it adds to the notes. Also, I think the original poster was looking
for more than just decisive games between higher rated players - like
specific middlegame plans or structures.

-- Hal Terrie


 
Date: 26 Apr 2006 13:24:04
From: Hal Terrie
Subject: Re: Wouldn't this be a great chess engine or database function.
On 26 Apr 2006 01:32:48 -0700, [email protected] wrote:

[snip]

>I own Chessbase 9 but wouldn't it be great if there was a function
>(maybe a "Chessbase 10" function as opposed to "Fritz 10," so there is
>no conflict) that automatically analyzed a large body of games and
>dumped (appropriate! user defined!!!) 5 or 6 or 10 or 20 GM games in
>the same lines into the body of the game data. It's basically already
>coded; All Chessbase would need to do is to offer some user control. It
>would be like having 30 books in your lines appear instantly on your
>computer. And automate and save so much time in comparison to the
>standard database method of checking and sorting through games.

If I understand correctly what you are asking for, then CB 9
already has what you want. First, while you have open a game of
interest (one of your own, for example) at any desired point you can
press the keyboard combination CONTROL/SHIFT/R and CB will copy
several games that it considers relevant into the game as variations.

On the other hand, if you want to collect ALL the games that
match a given position, just click on the "reference" tab above the
game notation. CB will switch to a view showing all games matching
that position, plus some statistics. To copy them all to the notation,
right click on any game and choose "select all." Then right click
again and select "copy to notation." You will be returned to notation
view and all the games will be added to the original game as
variations.

If you are looking for a more selective set of criteria (such
as the same plan or pawn structure for example) being used in all the
added games, you are correct that CB does not have a feature to do
this automatically. You would have to define the criteria you want and
then use the search mask. However, those search mask criteria can be
used to create special theme keys. You could then collect a bunch of
games in a given opening and just click on the theme tab in the games
list - all the games that match your criteria would be displayed, and
each would open at the point where all the criteria you set were met.
This technique requires a little initial labor on your part to get the
right search mask criteria and create the key but would thereafter
produce very fast results.

-- Hal Terrie


  
Date: 29 May 2006 19:09:06
From: Tom Williams
Subject: Re: Wouldn't this be a great chess engine or database function.

"Hal Terrie" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On 26 Apr 2006 01:32:48 -0700, [email protected] wrote:
>
> [snip]
> while you have open a game of
> interest (one of your own, for example) at any desired point you can
> press the keyboard combination CONTROL/SHIFT/R and CB9 will copy
> several games that it considers relevant into the game as variations.
>

Is there a way to tell CB9 which kinds of games, in general, it should
"consider relevant"? Thanks




   
Date: 29 May 2006 22:37:16
From: Hal Terrie
Subject: Re: Wouldn't this be a great chess engine or database function.
On Mon, 29 May 2006 19:09:06 GMT, "Tom Williams"
<[email protected] > wrote:

>
>"Hal Terrie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> On 26 Apr 2006 01:32:48 -0700, [email protected] wrote:
>>
>> [snip]
>> while you have open a game of
>> interest (one of your own, for example) at any desired point you can
>> press the keyboard combination CONTROL/SHIFT/R and CB9 will copy
>> several games that it considers relevant into the game as variations.
>>
>
>Is there a way to tell CB9 which kinds of games, in general, it should
>"consider relevant"? Thanks
>

No, you cannot configure this feature. The program looks for
games that match the opening moves (up to a certain point) of the base
game and adds them as variations, without regard to what happens later
in those games. The criteria it uses to select some games but not
others is not explained in the help file.

If you want to find selected games that match your standards
of "relevance" you will have to use the search mask.

-- Hal Terrie




  
Date: 29 Apr 2006 21:38:04
From: Simon Waters
Subject: Re: Wouldn't this be a great chess engine or database function.
On Wed, 26 Apr 2006 13:24:04 -0400, Hal Terrie wrote:

> If I understand correctly what you are asking for, then CB 9
> already has what you want.

SCID has opening report that spits out an ECO style page on the current
position from its database, including basic opening theme statistics.

The feature I'm missing is one that tracks down games of a named
player (and all misspellings of that name) from the Internet and other
archives. Some of the search engines nearly have it....


 
Date: 26 Apr 2006 10:43:02
From: Peter Diosi
Subject: Re: Wouldn't this be a great chess engine or database function.
Hello,

<[email protected] > schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:[email protected]...
> The Chessbase engine interface, like for Fritz 9 and Hiarcs 10, all
> have a somewhat useful "Analysis" function (I personally think "Blunder
> Check" is better, but for the purpose of explanation, bear with me).
>
> You can select a formidably large database of your games and have them
> "Analyzed" -- or Blunder Checked for that matter -- based upon a set of
> your specifications. I do this often and come away seeing my mistakes
> and identify patterns to work on, i.e. "I seem to be missing a lot of
> destroying the guard tactics, time to brush up on those!" I'd argue
> this is the best application of chess software to my personal chess
> improvement.
>


There is a blunder check function in Arena:

http://www.playwitharena.com



Best,
Michael