Category: Computer Chess Page 1 of 2

A Discussion About Electronic Notation Devices

On December 5, 2019

In Computer Chess, Other, Tournaments, US Chess

Strange things are afoot in the chess world…

In March of this year, I had an opportunity to test and review the ChessNoteR, an electronic notation device (END) for chess tournaments created by independent developer Black Mirror Studio. I really liked the device and I have used it in several games. However, ChessNoteR is at the heart of a growing discussion in the chess world about the future of the game and how ENDs fit into the equation.

The Churning Volcano

The US Chess Federation published its reviewed electronic device policy on their website back in September with little deviation from previously understood policies. In general, electronic devices are forbidden from use in tournaments to include music players, cell phones, computers, and others. Only certified devices are authorized. However, the policy grants wide freedom to individual tournament organizers to set additional rules for END use.

The ChessNoteR electronic notation device.

On November 1st of this year, the Continental Chess Association elected to modify their tournament rules and outright ban use of the ChessNoteR device in its tournaments.

> Electronic Scoresheets are usually permitted if approved by USCF or FIDE. However, effective 12/26/19, use of the device ChessNoteR is not allowed. Any player using this device must discontinue use upon request, in which case, assuming no evidence of cheating, there is no penalty.

I have looked and there does not seem to be any specific incident mentioned in forums and in the official USCF groups that explains why this decision was made by CCA other than an arbitrary desire to eliminate ChessNoteR use from their tournaments. As I previously mentioned, this is in line with the revised US Chess END policy. Unfortunately, there is no need for TDs to explain why they enacted a restriction.

My biggest issue with the ban is the arbitrary decision to ban only the ChessNoteR device. I believe that US Chess should clarify in its ruleset that TDs can authorize or forbid use of any END in a tournament. In my opinion, the banning of specific devices and manufacturers sounds suspect.

The Heated Argument

In my opinion, the growing discussion goes much deeper than the perception of security vulnerabilities in ChessNoteR. Instead, I think that this speaks to a larger challenge within the chess community. It is a discussion that has brought strife to nearly every sport, hobby, and human activity throughout history: the old vs. the new.

The Plycounter – a discontinued electronic notation device.

There are many people out there with exaggerated perceptions of the dangers of using electronic devices. In chess, using almost any type of electronic device during a game, whether its approved or not, is bound to raise a few eyebrows. That is because the only time these devices are mentioned by chess media is when they are used for nefarious purposes. Whether it is the GM in the bathroom using Stockfish or the absurd accusations of a playing hiding a chess engine in her lipstick, the general (and older) chess population appear to be hesitant on allowing technology to replace traditional pen and paper.

ChessNoteR remains certified by US Chess, and I do not see that changing anytime soon. Not all TDs may agree with the use of ENDs, but US Chess is right in certifying and promoting these devices. Players and TDs should be given a choice over the use of these devices. Restriction at a national level would be an arbitrary rejection of progress for the game as a whole. While the process remains somewhat clunky, I believe that technology will eventually evolve to where use of ENDs is more convenient and encouraged than traditional methods, but that is just my personal opinion.

A Compromise Solution?

Regardless of the way forward, I believe that US Chess must approach future END endeavors thoughtfully and strategically. I support the right of individual tournaments to ban the use of these devices, but I believe that US Chess should consider:

Promoting and encouraging the use of these devices where appropriate. ENDs can be very beneficial for people with disabilities.
Forbidding the arbitrary ban of specific devices and manufacturers. TDs should be restricted to authorizing or forbidding all ENDs from their tournaments.

I am saddened by the ChessNoteR ban from CCA events, but I understand it. At the end of the day, CCA is following the rules set out by US Chess, which I believe are fair and broad enough to allow TDs to effectively manage the use of these devices. However, as I said before, I believe that these bans should not target specific devices or manufacturers as it sets a bad precedent.

The Awesomeness of lichess.org Studies

By Commander Exorcist

On January 29, 2019

In Community, Computer Chess

Chess has a reputation for being a game of intellgience both on and off the board. In recent years, this has manifested heavily in the realm of information technology development. Chess engines continue to get stronger by the day and programmers of all skills are constantly developing new tools to help players analyze, sort, annotate, and improve their games. One such recent development is a growing feature on the popular lichess.org website called studies.

The study system on lichess is, at its core, a highly advanced PGN creator and annotator. It allows a user to create a new study that can be public or private. New moves, annotations, and other elements are automatically synced with the lichess server and between all of the users with access to the study. This makes studies an excellent utility for chess teachers and exhibitions since users can see, follow, and even provide collaborative comment on a game or position. To use the study utility, simply select study from the Learn menu on the lichess website. A list of available public studies will appear for you to choose from.

If these public studies do not suit your tastes, there are options on the side of the page to create your own studies. This is where I found the study function to be most useful for me.

Using the study tool, I am able to create a private study where I can create an individual chapter for each part of a video series I am following or game I am studying. This way I am able to make annotations, draw arrows or circles, and then share those studies with a highly limited audience if I want. Additionally, the study tool provides the user with an option to download each chapter as an individual PGN file in the format of an annotated game. Or, you can download the entire study as a PGN database to be opened in most chess database programs.

For me, the best part of this system is the collaborative elements. It opens up a world of possibilities for digital interaction between teachers, students, and general chess enthusiasts in an intuitive and easy-to-use way. If you have not tried it out, visit lichess.org and check it out.

Time for New Annotations?

By Commander Exorcist

On January 15, 2019

In Computer Chess, US Chess

This month’s edition of Chess Life has an interesting article advocating for changes to the way that we annotate chess games. The author, GM Andy Soltis, presents his argument on the basis that engines have changed the way games are analyzed in such a way that statements like White has a slight advantage are no longer relevant. I think that he raises some interesting points, but I am not sure that the changes to evaluations brought on by engine analysis warrant such a complete and drastic overhaul.

Humanity’s Slight Advantage

One of the key points in the discussion is the idea that in many situations, X color has a slight advantage can hinge on whether the player does not blunder. Therefore, the annotation is more realistic as X color has a slight advantage as long as they play perfectly according to this analysis. GM Soltis believes that the precision of chess engines allows us more accurately present lines as White wins with X move or Black wins in 37 moves with X.

This precision is compounded with the growing prevalence of tablebases. Recently, lichess.org has started offering an incredible seven (7) piece tablebase. Technological advancement only promises a future where we could surpass a ten (10) piece tablebase. That accuracy lends some credence to GM Soltis’s argument.

Despite these advances and despite my passion for technology, I believe that there are artistic and strategic elements in chess that computers might never understand or utilize. Stockfish can analyze millions of combinations in hindsight and state unequivocally that white can win in 37 moves without a blunder, but humans are not capable of that kind of analysis. With humanity, there is always a chance of blunder, mistake, or other factor that can affect a game’s outcome.

Room to Grow

GM Soltis makes some excellent suggestions with regards to these engine analysis comments, however. Specifically, using ~ versus !? because it more accurately reflects the nearly infinite possibilities presented in post-game analysis by a strong chess engine. Such a change might take some time to catch on, but it would make reading an in-depth analysis easier for newer generations that have grown up in the age of the hashtag, markdown format, and other digital mediums.

As a medical professional who spends his time pouring over spreadsheets and other electronic data, it would be nice to see more of the standard notations from large data sets and relational databases make their way into chess annotation because, curiously, it’s more in line with what is increasingly becoming a common language in the digital age.

TCEC Season 10 Underway

By Commander Exorcist

On October 19, 2017

In Computer Chess, Tournaments

The Top Chess Engine Championship (TCEC) Season 10 started on October 14 to determine which engine has the skill to claim bragging rights for being the best out there. According to Chessdom, Season 10’s participants are among the highest rated engines to ever participate in the event.

List of Participants

Andscacs
Arasan
Bobcat
Booot
Chiron
Fire
Fizbo
Fruit
Gaviota
Ginkgo
Gull
Hakkapeliitta
Hannibal
Houdini
Jonny
Komodo
Laser
Nemorino
Nirvana
Rybka
Stockfish
Texel
Vajolet2
Wasp

Click here for more information about the Season 10 Tournament.

Click here to view the TCEC live games interface with analysis.

20 Years Later, Garry Kasparov Loves the Machine

By Commander Exorcist

On June 15, 2017

In Community, Computer Chess, Fun Stuff, History

Just over 20 years ago last month, former World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov played a dramatic six-game match against an IBM supercomputer called Deep Blue, the second of two matches the grandmaster played against the technological behemoth. Up until that point, computers were very strong in their chess abilities but had yet to beat some of the game’s greatest players. Kasparov was determined to prove that machines lacked the beauty of truly deep chess thinking and simply could not beat him. Kasparov’s subsequent crushing defeat was merely a harbinger of things to come. The rise of the machines (chess and others) would come much swifter than almost anyone could have predicted.

(Credit: FOX)

Recently, Kasparov gave an incredible TED talk about the rise of intelligent machines and the need for humanity to embrace, not fear them. Obviously, he took the time to assure the audience that his defeat by Deep Blue overshadows the fact that he won the first match. Kasparov’s talk is deeply inspiring for those who can appreciate the beauty of chess and technology; its definitely worth watching if you are a fan of TED talks in general, technology, chess, or just curious how one of the world’s greatest minds sees the future under the influence of intelligent machines.

As technology leaps forward, the world’s greatest game has regularly been there to help it shine. If you need proof, then check out the recent fiasco with the Chess.com iOS app in which the 32-bit version stopped working because the site’s 2.1 billion games exceeded the necessary math. Chess has always been a key component of technological evolution (and revolution) and Kasparov obviously sees that there is no reason to fear the rise of the machines.

Comprehensive coverage and review of the TED talk is available on Chessbase.

Mac and Chess – Still Such a Sad State?

By Commander Exorcist

On June 3, 2016

In Computer Chess

I never imagined when I wrote The Sad State of Chess on Mac in January of last year that it would become one of the most popular articles in the blog’s history. I wrote the entry in response to my personal frustrations with trying to run Chessbase and other database software on my MacBook. I have heard rumors that Chessbase offered an OS X version of its database software, but the demand was not capable of sustaining the product. Of course, Chessbase is not the only chess database software out there. ChessOK also offers a program called Chess Assistant, but it is also confined to the Windows environment. Much of that article was done through basic research into Mac chess software, so I thought it was appropriate at this point to re-examine the state of chess on the OS X environment and see if anything has changed, if I have learned some new tricks to share, and theorize what the future might hold.

New OS Every Year

Apple shook up the software world a few years ago by pledging to maintain an annual upgrade cycle of its OS X software, which I believe made it the world’s first proprietary operating system to be offered for free. As mentioned on the linked Cult of Mac article, a yearly upgrade cycle created some initial havoc and has been a sore spot for some developers. Yearly upgrade cycles almost guarantee a need for developers to review and update their software on the same cycle, which might not be economical or practical for operations like Chessbase or ChessOK. The Sad State of Chess on Mac was written during the Age of OS X Yosemite while this article was written on and in the Age of OS X El Capitan. Despite the anxiety and challenges created by the annual upgrade cycle, it has strengthened the core of the OS by ensuring that the software the completes the Mac experience remains a forethought of its creators and is as secure as possible.

Native OS X Applications

Unfortunately, it seems as though no new applications have emerged (that I can find) that can fill the category of native chess applications for OS X. Of those applications that are still out there, only one of them has been consistently updated and improved.

The despicable OS X Chess application remains a mainstay within the OS’s default offerings. It is a casual chess program that I advise against using unless it is the last chess program on earth. Try a free account on one of the major chess websites before using that program.
XBoard is a port of the popular Winboard application and can be used with any UCI engine. Like many open source programs, it could benefit from some aesthetic care, but it functions well and is great for a casual game or facing an engine head-on.
Shredder Chess for Mac was reviewed in the original Sad State article and nothing has changed since then. It remains at version 12 and the iOS app has not seen a significant update in quite a while either.

HiARCS Chess Explorer in OS X Yosemite (Credit: Campfire Chess)

HiARCS Chess Explorer as emerged in recent years as a force to be reckoned with in the world of digital chess. As I wrote about in Sad State, HiARCS contains the best native chess interface of any program on OS X. This is true today just as it was over a year ago. The HiARCS team has consistently delivered updates to the software to make it more stable and to take advantage of new technologies that improve the efficiency of the engine. I only wish that it could open and manage Chessbase files.

Virtual Machines and Virtualization

Virtualization technology has come a long way in recent years. What was once a clunky, frustrating, and resource-hogging effort can be done on a Mac with little effort and even less money. First, we will start with the free stuff.

VirtualBox began in 2007 as a project published by German software firm Innotek before being acquired by Sun Microsystems in 2008 and Oracle in 2010. VirtualBox is free for Windows, OS X and Linux. For chess users, it will allow them to run a legitimate copy of Microsoft Windows in a virtual machine on OS X, which in-turn allows you to run the myriad of Windows chess applications like Chessbase and Chess Assistant.
Parallels is a popular commercial virtualization system that I had not used when I wrote Sad State. Since then, Parallels has been my go-to virtualization program for running chess applications on OS X. My favorite part of using it is that it does not require a user to function exclusively within a Windows or other operating system environment. Coherence mode enables the software to hide the Windows desktop and give the appearance of running the application natively in OS X. In my opinion, this is the best option for Mac users looking to balance usability, security, and stability.

MacBook Air Running Windows 10 in Parallels (Credit: Paul Thurrott)

Wine Bottlers are virtualization wrappers that enable a Windows application to run in OS X by building a pseudo-native application that contains bare essentials to run the program and the executable file itself. This gives the appearance of creating a native OS X application through the use of wrapper technology.
- Wine technology works for many Windows-based applications, but there are some drawbacks. The application wrappers are considerably large and not all windows applications are compatible. Chessbase Reader is compatible with Wine and will run, but is highly unstable. Chessbase will not install under any iteration of Wine that I have found, which includes Crossover by Codeweavers.
- Tarrasch Chess GUI is a lightweight program that is designed exclusively for chess study and analysis. It runs very well under a Wine wrapper, although the program goes quickly from a meager 4.5MB download to almost 100MB in size once the dependencies are installed in the wrapper. Performance wise, this is a good option for chess study, but the size of the Wine installation is somewhat of a turnoff.
- ChessOK Aquarium also runs decently under Wine, but can be unstable and clunky. It does not help that this program’s interface is sorely outdated, but the responsiveness of the interface is affected significantly when ran inside a Wine wrapper.

ChessOK Aquarium in Windows 10 (Credit: Campfire Chess)

Chess in the Cloud

It is safe to say that chess led the cloud revolution. Chess players were competing and sharing their games with each other on the internet long before people were finding ways to replicate the display of Word Documents and share videos across the globe. Before the IT world adopted the term cloud computing, the chess community was already there. Major advancements in web technology including JavaScript, PHP, HTML5 and others have enabled the chess community to take cloud chess to the next level. In my opinion, it could be that the best chess programs for OS X and soon to be for Windows might be accessed in the same program we used to relentlessly check Facebook and Twitter…the browser.

In the interest of full disclosure, I am not paid or supported in any way by Chess.com, but it is my drug of choice when it comes to online chess. Having tried a few other online options I have found that it is the best environment for me to explore, analyze, and learn. Over the last few years, Chess.com has added a myriad of tools and resources to its arsenal that essentially make it one of the most powerful online chess services in the world, rivaled only by the King of Digital Chess, Chessbase. Although free live chess at almost any time control imaginable is Chess.com’s major selling point, there are other tools on the site that make it a powerful research and analysis tool.
- The full-featured analysis board enables a player to input moves and have them analyzed by the server in addition to supporting game comments and exporting to PGN files.
- The games explorer allows you to search through countless master-level games by moving pieces on the board. Great for visual learners and is an excellent companion to the site’s opening reference tool.
Chessbase has been around almost forever. What started out as a project to help Garry Kasparov take advantage of emerging technology has turned into a vital resource for chess players around the world. Recently, Chessbase took its massive library and resources to a new level by moving to the cloud and creating the Chessbase Account program. The power of Chessbase is now accessible through a web browser to provide opening references, analysis, commentary, and many of the other features found in the full version of Chessbase.
- My favorite part of the Chessbase Account program is the massive online database. Written largely in JavaScript, the interface is highly familiar to anyone who has used Chessbase throughout the years. The database allows the user full access to Chessbase’s massive game archives and allows the user to annotate their own games using uploaded PGN files or games played online.
  - On a side note, I know this feature exists and is highly emphasized, but I have never been successful with uploading a PGN file to the Chessbase Account program. Any PGN file with more than 1-2 games in it simply refuses to load in any browser I have tried. If you have a suggestion on how to fix this problem, PM me on Twitter @CampfireChess or email admin@campfirechess.com to share your secret.
- Chessbase Account also includes the venerable Fritz chess engine online for users to challenge.
- The Chessbase Account Openings Trainer is second to none. It functions much like the openings explorer on Chess.com but includes the raw computing power of the Chessbase servers in Germany and cross-references with the online live book and games archive.

Chessbase Cloud Database (Credit: Campfire Chess)

If I were to evaluate each of the online chess services out there, this post would end at around 50,000 words and 300 pages of text. Since I have crossed the 2000 word mark and to avoid losing my audience, I am going to simply offer a list of other websites that offer the same services although most of them are new or have chosen to specialize in areas of chess that do not have the comprehensive offerings of Chess.com and Chessbase.
- Chess24: Offers free online live chess, streaming tournament coverage, and Grandmaster lessons for premium members. Chess24 has a special place in my heart for being one of a few websites to defy the Agon directive for the 2016 Candidates Tournament in Moscow. It is also home to my two chess crushes: Anna Rudolf and Sopiko Guramishvili.
- The Internet Chess Club is one of the oldest chess servers in the world. I have a premium membership there, but plan to let it lapse. It offers many of the same options as Chess.com although through an inferior interface.
- LiChess.org is another online chess server that offers free live games and some reference material.

Final Verdict – And Moving Ahead

Chess.com and Chessbase Account both have countless video lessons, puzzles, and tactics available for premium members to access. I believe that these options, combined with the specifics I mentioned previously clearly show that the future of chess databases is in the cloud. With migration to the cloud, I predict that the need for native Windows and OS X applications to manage personal databases will diminish in the coming years. Will everyone be able to access and use these applications? Certainly not, which is why I hope that Chessbase and other software developers will continue to offer native applications to support those people who might not have access to high speed internet connections or prefer to take their collections with them to remote locations. I know that my Carnival Cruise in April of 2015 was fantastic because of my Chessbase collection on my tablet that removed any desire to connect to the internet.

I think that the opportunity for chess programs to make leaps and bounds into the OS X community has come and gone. Open Source alternatives that were mentioned in the original Sad State are still around, but they depend exclusively on volunteers who are passionate about their projects and about chess. When that passion runs dry or other demands take precedent, the project often suffers from lack of updates or cancellation. Instead, the future of chess on OS X is already here…in the cloud. I am happy to embrace the new paradigm because cloud-based chess programs increase the availability of chess knowledge by reducing the overhead for creating software on different platforms. The future is bright, but no shades required.

Unimpressed with Apple’s Loop-In Event

By Commander Exorcist

On March 22, 2016

In Computer Chess

So, you might be wondering what an article about Apple is doing on a chess website (or you may not). In addition to chess, a long time passion of mine has been technology and Apple products in particular. Growing up in the 80s led to great exposure for me and my classmates to Apple IIe computers and eventually to the Macintosh desktop. Since then, almost everything that I do, including the writing, design, and administration of Campfire Chess is accomplished using a Mac. That being said, I typically look forward to their keynotes to announce new products because there is always a chance that something new will catch my eye, but yesterdayís event was one of the worst presentations I have ever seen.

Chess.com app on iPhone 5 in 2014. (Image Credit: Campfire Chess)

$ize Does Matter

The old adage that size does not matter is a blatant lie, whether it speaks to cell phones or genitals. In this keynote, Apple introduced a series of new products that essentially downsized products that already existed in their inventory. A 4″ iPhone called the iPhone SE, which has a somewhat creepy Windows ME feel to it. After playing and watching chess on my beloved iPhone 6, I cannot image ever wanting to reduce the size of my phoneís screen.

The next entry was a series of bands for the Apple Watch. Yes, I own one of those as well, but I doubt that I will be in a hurry to run out and purchase one of the spiffy new woven nylon bands released during the keynote. It might just be me, but I cannot remember ever wearing my watch and thinking: I need something that absorbs the sweat on my wrist better than this plastic composite band.

Yuck. (Image Credit: Cult of Mac)

The final release of consequence was a smaller version of 2015’s 12″ iPad Pro. The smaller device, also dubbed iPad Pro, is a reduction in physical size, boost in specs, and addition of a feature called True Tone Display in which the color of the display changes based on the light temperature in the room.

Chess Connection?

As I stated earlier, I love Apple products but I gave up using an iPad as my primary work device several months ago in favor of a Microsoft Surface. Obviously, Chessbase runs exclusively on Windows, but Windows offers a much more efficient file management system on tablets than iPad. This makes managing large chess collections and improves my personal productivity.

I hope to finish a review of the Surface 3 in the coming months to show how I have used it both as a productivity tool and as a portable chess machine. Unfortuately, Apple continues to keep me at bay from returning to iOS for pure work productivity. The addition of the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard to the 10″ iPad is a nice start, but there is still a long way to go.

Never Say Die: A Chess.com Tournament Experience

By Commander Exorcist

On January 5, 2016

In Computer Chess, Fun Stuff, Tournaments

May 24 will mark the second anniversary of my dedicated attempts to improve at chess, but I noticed over the holiday season that I have yet to participate in a time-honored tradition enjoyed by countless chess enthusiasts around the world: a tournament. I have passed on several opportunities to play in local tournaments with the San Antonio Chess Club and playing with that group is the closest I have come to developing a 2016 New Year’s Resolution. Earlier this week I was about to play a 15-minute slow game on Chess.com when I noticed that a tournament for the same time control was starting within 10 minutes. I joined the tournament and spent the next 2 and 1/2 hours playing in my first chess tournament! I was skeptical of the online tournament format but was pleasantly surprised by the energy of the players and the fierceness of the competition. I finished 2nd overall with a 4/5 score. The loss was disappointing but it strengthened my resolve to play through.

I was thrilled to see that many of the games played in this little tournament were exceptional. Games where White or Black was winning with an enormous amount of material and excellent positional play were turned upside down with smart tactics and devastating blunders. It was during the first round as I watched a game in progress where Black was steamrolling his opponent until the chess gods intervened…

Suffice to say that all of the kibitzers in the room were excited about this game and I felt a little nervous knowing that a player like tg-13 was in the mix and able to turn the tables on a dime. I copied down the ID number for the game and stored it in a text file called Never Say Die so that I could come back post-tournament and write this entry. Unfortunately the psychological effect of that game caused more harm than good as I faced tg-13 in the second round and was lured into an early trap, lost my Queen, and the game soon afterwards. The next exceptional game came in the second round.

Black was in control of the game but missing a simple tactic cost him bigtime. It was fun to watch magab001 in his other games because he played some very complicated and nailbiting positions. I had planned not to annotate any of my own games from the tournament but the next game was too good to pass up.

I chose to annotate that game mostly because of 26.Nb6 because it was a high-stakes gamble that paid off in dividends. This was in the third round immediately following my earlier defeat so it helped to boost my confidence and carry me on to the end. The final game I want to show was played near the end of the tournament around the time that my eyelids were growing heavy and the fight for the top three positions had come down to the wire. It features magab001 from the one of the earlier annotated games.

So, what’s the verdict on this tournament and the whole of chess tournaments on the site? I found the Chess.com tournament experience to be much more pleasant than I had expected. The kibitzing with other participants was a lot of fun and it took a lot of the emphasis away from ELOs and put all emphasis on individual performance. A 900 ELO player could defeat a 1200 ELO player and vice versa, so tournaments on Chess.com are an excellent way to wade into the world of competitive chess. Besides, it is free to enter these tournaments and there are even some cool trophies to display on your Chess.com profile page.

Final Tournament Standings

Rank	Player	Rating	Record	Tie
1	TheChessierGuy (16)	1014	5/5	8.5
2	AmishHacker (5)	1151	4/5	7
3	AestheticFit (6)	1134	3/5	4
4	yanakap (17)	965	3/5	3.5
5	magab001 (3)	1126	2/5	1.5
6	ChronoTheCode (10)	1069	1.5/5	0.25

View these games on Chess.com.
- Game #1: tg-13 (1182) vs. JakeBoz98 (1075)
- Game #2: AestheticFit (1144) vs. magab001 (1139)
- Game #3: AmishHacker (1135) vs. yanakap (905)
- Game #4: magab001 (1146) vs. ChronoTheCode (1088)(1088)

Fawning Over The Chess.com App

By Commander Exorcist

On March 15, 2015

In Computer Chess, Personal Reflection, Reviews

Several months ago I wrote an article where I examined some of the best that iOS has to offer in the way of chess apps. One of those was the official app for Chess.com, where I spend much of my time reading and learning as much as I can about chess. At the time of that article, the Android app had spent quite a long time ahead of its iOS counterpart. Now, Apple users can rejoice because after months of beta testing, the official app has been updated to reflect changes that have been in the works for Chess.com for the past year.

The User Interface

First and foremost, the app’s user interface has been updated to take advantage of Apple’s gorgeous retina displays and includes some beautifully crisp themes to spice things up. The individual themes and the ability for the user to mix and match elements of each theme has been a major selling point for the Chess.com V3 project since it was announced over a year ago. Standards these days for presentation are quite high on mobile devices and it is apparent that Chess.com has taken this into account when implementing the user interface. When a user installs the new update, the default theme is used which is the traditional gray background and green/tan or brown/tan chessboard. I am partial to the default colors, so the opportunity to change the themes seems like something that I would rarely use.

In the previous app version, there were only a few navigation options available whether you were a free or a premium member of the site. These options were essentially limited to live chess, correspondence (online) chess, and video lessons. In this update, most of the functions available on the main website are now available to mobile users. This is a huge benefit for iOS users since the limitations of the app effectively eliminated many of the site’s premium features. Now, the app is set up to feature the same feature and navigation elements of the homecoming site redesign.

The navigation setup is very straightforward and makes accessing the massive database of features on Chess.com much more intuitive. All of the app features are stored on the left navigation bar. After selecting the desired function, the user is directed to a new screen where additional functions are available depending on the user’s subscription level and the function of the feature. Overall, the revamped user interface makes the official Chess.com app the most comprehensive and aesthetically pleasing chess apps on the App Store.

The Content

Content is one of the features that has made Chess.com once of the best and most popular chess sites on the web. Sure, the site boasts a census of eleven million members, but while many of those accounts are most likely zombie or abandoned accounts, something other than a place to play chess has to draw in the crowd. With the new app, these content elements are all made accessible to native iOS users. Video lessons by some of the world’s top Grandmasters are regularly posted as well as written lessons and weekly articles. The articles and puzzles are free while the video lessons are benefits of site membership.

When users first open the app they are greeted with a home screen that enables them to complete the daily puzzle and to engage in training lessons that represent their skill range. With a few short clicks, the user can access live or correspondence (online) chess. As games are completed, the site maintains an exceptional record of those games that can be converted into detailed statistical analysis reports for premium members.

The Chess

The chess interface on the new app is its most beautiful and fulfilling feature. AfteAfter all, playing chess is the whole reason that the app (and this blog) exists. In the redesigned app, the live chess board takes on the visual and auditory characteristics of whatever theme the user has selected in settings. For screenshot examples on this review, I decided to include shots of the default dark theme and the beautiful nature theme.

Chess can be played against the site’s online engine or live against players from all around the world. I prefer playing against human opponents since it is better practice for tournament play and also because the online engine has made some incredibly unrealistic moves and seems rather worthless at times. The app algorithm will select an opponent of comparable strength based on variables the can be customized by the user. Once a match is made, the user is taken to the main chess screen and the game begins. This is another area that Chess.com excels in general over other chess sites. The average time to obtain a suitable match for a game is extremely short compared to other chess websites. On sites like Playchess I have had to wait up to 2-3 minutes for the server to obtain an appropriate opponent, but rarely do I wait more than a few sections for one on Chess.com either using the web-based interface or the app itself.

In short, playing chess on the new Chess.com app is a wonderful experience. The new themes add long overdue customizable options to the program and allow users to take greater control over the aesthetics of their chess experience.

Not All Moonlight and Roses

Unfortunately, not everything about the Chess.com app on iOS is as elegant and worthwhile as the live chess and articles. As with any software package there are some inherent flaws that make the experience unpleasant and sometimes completely useless. In the case of the new app, the only area that I found to be essentially worthless were the chess video lectures when used on a retina iPad or iPad Mini. Although Chess.com has updated the app to take advantage of retina display technology, the videos are still rendered in low-resolution and are immensely blurry, which makes them almost impossible to follow during the lectures. Perhaps the designers could have alleviated some of these problems by creating a display page similar to what is used on the main Chess.com web interface to encapsulate the videos and reduce their size. The full-sized, low-resolution videos are downright horrible and take away significantly from the learning experience.

The bottom line with the new app is that Chess.com has done an excellent job of finally bringing its iOS mobile software product in line with its Android app and upcoming site redesign. The app itself is free to download and requires a Chess.com account, which is also free. I am definitely looking forward to more innovation as Chess.com’s designers design and implement new features in the future.

More screenshots…

Exploring the Master Class – Bobby Fischer

By Commander Exorcist

On January 18, 2015

In ChessBase, Computer Chess, Famous Players, History, Literature, Personal Reflection, Reviews

Garry Kasparov and Magnus Carlsen hold much higher ELO ratings and have won more World Championships than he ever did, but Bobby Fischer is still considered one of the greatest chess players in history. This is due in large part to his absolute domination of the chess world and his single-handed defeat of the Soviet chess machine in 1972. Some of us, who grew up hearing the stories of Bobby and watching the world as the Cold War came to an end attribute the fall of the Soviet Union to cultural icons such as Bobby Fischer and Rocky Balboa to winning the war more than politics or diplomacy. Bobby’s victory that year in Iceland was as much a Cold War event as the Cuban Missile Crisis because the honor and intellectual supremacy of each nation. These days, you would be hard-pressed to find a hobby or club-level chess player that has not studied Bobby’s games and game theory. His depth of knowledge on openings and his talent in the endgame remain legendary among the world’s top players. His book My 60 Memorable Games (download games: PGN | ChessBase) is a staple in most chess player’s libraries.

To take things to the next level, ChessBase has a special DVD called Master Class: Bobby Fischer. Featuring five hours of video instruction from world-class chess players such as GM Dorian Rogozenco, GM Mihail Marin, IM Oliver Reeh, and GM Karsten Mueller. The DVD covers almost ever aspect of Fischer’s games including extensive insight on opening preparations, tactics, strategy, and deep analysis of his endgame. As with all ChessBase DVDs, the course is interactive with a responsive chessboard and notation to keep the viewer engrossed in the world of Bobby Fischer’s chess. The tactics on the DVD are presented as interactive puzzles that provide responsive feedback to help sharpen your game and bring Fischer’s games to life.

The Good

There is a lot to love about this DVD. ChessBase has long been a pioneer in developing interactive software and the integration with the ChessBase database software or the reader software is excellent. I use ChessBase 12 for my analysis and DVD play, but the free ChessBase Reader software will allow anyone with a windows computer to use Master Class: Bobby Fischer without having to own the full ChessBase Software.

The instruction on the DVD is first-rate. There is a wealth of information ranging from the cross tables and tournament information to a full biographical history on Bobby Fischer. All of this comes together to bring the user a comprehensive picture of Bobby Fischer as a man and as a chess player. In addition to the training, there is an exclusive database included with the software that holds all of Bobby Fischer’s games along with many additional cross tables and annotations. Perhaps one of my favorite features in the software are the trees. Fischer’s games as black and white have been divided into two book trees that can be reviewed and analyzed using the ChessBase software. This is a valuable resource for someone wanting to explore the themes in Bobby’s games.

The Bad

Because of the diverse nature of the chess world, I try to give as much leeway as possible when reviewing a product. Therefore, many things that others may call annoyances or problems with a piece of software, book, or DVD, can often be attributed to a simple cultural, language, or other variation. In Master Class: Bobby Fischer, the only drawback I could find comes in the form of the opening analysis with GM Dorian Rogozenco. Although that part of the DVD is supposed to be an in-depth look at Bobby Fischer’s openings, GM Rogozenco skips most of the moves and proceeds directly to where the opening transitions more into the middle game. He does comment on the fast moves in these game reviews by stating that these are easy moves and that they have been made hundreds of times, but dismissing many of these opening moves, regardless of how mundane it may seem, does devalue the lesson in some respects. Bobby Fischer was a master of chess openings and I believe that more attention should have been paid to why he chose to play certain openings and opening variations.

Back to Class

Master Class: Bobby Fischer is an excellent product for anyone interested in chess history, the story of Bobby Fischer’s games and his life, or a person looking to expand their knowledge and skill at chess. This five hour DVD includes some invaluable knowledge and insight into Bobby’s thinking that could possibly change the way that you view and play the game of kings.