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Chessville
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Chessbase Opening CDs Reviewed by Kevin Fonseca (from the editor...The
following reviews have been excerpted from Forum Host Kevin Fonseca's
postings at The Chessville/Chess.FM Forum.) By my last count, Chessbase has 29 opening CD's. I do not count the recent treatise on Isolated Queen Pawns. The way to approach this is to consider the Chessbase company a publishing house. This way you can compare one author's work to another. Added to this is the fact that some of the earlier formats were as described...database dumps. The later ones, the Bird in particular, are formatted to consider specific tactical and strategical positions common with the opening. The CDs that utilize this format are, in my opinion the best. I considered it the same as buying books. Only these books I began to use more than the printed ones. I have many more of their products and have completed some six full CDs. I use my Chessbase 8 nearly each time I log on to my computer. The versatility of the stand-alones, when used inside the Chessbase 8 program, is awesome. I do not know of another program that can compare. Also, each of the stand-alones were created with Chessbase 8. Index of CDs 1. Dutch by Boris Schipkov: Two databases 1.) 14,520 games. This is inclusive of the instructional text. It lists 17 chapters, and claims to give strategic and tactical ideas. The games referenced to in the text were not well annotated with either text or graphics. 2.)The twenty game training database appears to be standard. 2. Budapest Gambit by Dimitrij Oleinikov: Five databases 1.) 4.088 games 2.) Instruct 166 games with medals. Well annoted with text and graphics explaining the ideas and plans. the other databases are training databases 3.) Strategy 4.) Tactics 5.) Traps. These databases have 20 games each. This one is very nice. 3. Modern Benoni by Jean Hebert: Two databases 1.) 13,033 games This is inclusive of the instructional text, and has a good use of graphics. 2.) 28 training games. Even though the format is only two databases, the text uses well annotated games as examples. These games are annotated with text and graphics. 4. Sveshnikov Sicilian by Rogozenko: Two databases 1.) 12,816 games. This is inclusive of the instructive text. 2.) Training 22 games. Good use of graphics. 5. Chigorin Variation by Martin Breutigam: Three databases. 1.) Instructional with 100 games. Well annotated games, not much use of graphics in these games. The disc also provides a short biography of Chigorin, with a picture. Nice touch. 2.) 4,328 games. 3.) Training, 20 games. 6. Kings Indian f5 f4 by Andre Schulz: Two databases 1.) 3,269 games and instructive text. This was one of their first cd's. It has the database broken into theme keys. The text explains very well, but not many graphics. The useof the annotated games is, ok. 2.) 20 training games. 7. Kings Indian Attack by Don Maddox: Two databases. 1.) 20,958 and instructive text. Excellent use of annotated games and audio instruction. Short bios and representative games of 13 of the worlds great players. In each of the game variation chapters they give statistics as well as discuss moves and plans. This is an excellent format. 8. Kings Indian Defense w/ 3. h3 by Martin Breutigam: Three databases. 1.) 10,452 games. 2.) 150 games and intructional text. Well explained with view points from both White and Black listed separately. Good use of graphics. 3.) 20 training games. 9. Nimzo-Indian a3 and f3 by Vadim Milov: Two databases. 1.) 6,962 games and instructive text. Good use of graphics and links with keys. The annotated games appear to be mostly variations, little to no text. 2.) 20 training games. 10. How to play the Nimzo-Indian by Rheinhold Ripperger: Four databases. 1.) Big Nimzo E20-E39 26,314 games. 2.) Big Nimzo E40-E59 21,445 games. 3.) 345 games and instructional text. Brief bio and picture of Nimzovich. 12 chapters discussing the concepts such as mobile pawn center, blockade and the other Nimzo favorites:) 7 more covering the specific systems. eg Modern, Rare, Classical. In an apparent misprint of sorts The last four of these are missing the "key" link to the games. These would be E30-E31 The Lenningrad system, E32-E39 Classical System, E40-E49 Rubenstein System and E50-E59 Modern System. This is not too much of a problem. The games can be accessed easily by 'filtering' (search) the database for these ECO codes. This particular database has only the 345 games, so the search is easy and goes directly to the pertinent games. 4.) 35 training games. 11. Opening Repertoire for White by Alexander Bangiev: This one may be formatted for the players a bit more advanced than I. 10 databases. 1.) Introduction- Text only, explaining the concept of the cd and listing the five main (ECO A B C D E) lines to be explained. 2.) Training database with 22 games. 3.) Alekhine 2,208 games and 8 variations. 4.) Caro-Kahn 14,112 games and 21 variations. 5.) French Advanced 20,919 games and 22 variations. 6.) French f4 917 games and 5 variations. 7.) Pirc 2,107 games and 8 variations. 8.) Scandinavian 2,450 games and 4 variations. 9.) Sicilian Grand Prix 12,718 games and 49 variations. 10.) Vienna Gambit 5,008 games and 34 variations. These databases use opening keys a lot. The explanations are a bit deep and narrow in scope. 12. Philidor Defence by Alexander Bangiev: Two databases. 1.) 13,421 games with instructional text. Good explanations, uses the opening theme keys. Gives a list of players considered expert in the opening and suggests study of their games. 2.) Training with 8 games. *this is better than the one above by the same author, in that it is dedicated to just one topic. The repertoire disc was spread too thin.* 13. Scandinavian Defence by Curt Hansen: One database with 28.872 games with instructional text. 62 variations and gives a history of the development of the move order. It is a database dump, not even a training database. 14. Pirc Defence by Aleksi Lugovoi: Four databases. 1.) 124 games with instructional text. Use of graphics and games with text annotations is low. 2.) B06-Base 23,699 games. 3.) B07-Base 31,518 games. 4.) B08-B09 Base 25,079. Again not even a training base. 15. Reti Opening by Don Maddox: Two databases. 1.) 31,933 games with instructional text. Again, audio as well as written text explanations. Excellent use of graphics as well as games with annotated text. He also has a text expalantion of the training games database. He discusses basic principles, advanced praxis and transposition. 2.) Training with 79 games. 16. Bird Defence by Oleinikov Dmitrij: Four databases. 1.) 214 games and instructional text and a short bio. Excellent use of graphics and annotated games. Excellent explanations of tactical and strategical ideas. 2.) Training 1- 23 games illustrating just tactics. 3.) Training 2- 23 games illustrating just strategical ideas. 4.) 15,093 games. *the name was taken right off the disc- I think it is transposed, but I am not versed in the Russian language, apologies extended* 17. Kings Gambit by Alexander Bangiev: Two databases. 1.) 16,766 games and instructional text. 35 chapters with good game links. 2.) Training with 24 games. 18. The Meran Variation by Alexey Dreev: Three databases. 1.) 952 games and instructional text. Excellent use of annotated games. Has audio clips inserted in annotated games as well. Explains five different systems on top of the variations. 2.) 5,471 games. 3.) Training with 19 games. 19. Queen's Gambit Accepted (D20-29) by Boris Schipkov: Two databases. 1.) 20,797 games and instructional text. Good use of links and the ideas are explained well in the 19 chapters. 2.) Training with 30 games. 20. Queen's Gambit (D37) by Rustem Dautov: Two database. 1.) 3,670 games and instructional text. 12 chapters with good games links. Moderate to low use of graphics and games annotated with text. 2.) Training with 20 games. 21. Franco-Benoni by Don Maddox: Two databases. 1.) 13,598 games and instructional text. Excellent use of Graphics and annotated games. Excellent format. The games can beaccessed through the use of keys. 2.) Training with 35 games. This disc has a section about the Master player experts of this opening. You cannot access the playerbase (those are the pictures and bios). This is irksome. 22. Classical Sicilian by Tony Kosten: Three databases. 1.) 942 games and instructional text. Five chapters with 19 variations. 2.) 9,316 games. 3.) Training with 26 games. 23. The Dragon for Experts by Attila Schneider: Two databases. 1.) 70 games and instructional text. 2.) 9,316 games. 3.) No Training database, but 70 games each discussing a particular line. Yes, this is for experts! It is not for beginners. 24. The Accelerated Dragon by Minzer and Albarran: Three databases. 1.) 9,800 games and insrtuctional text. Excellent use of audio clips. Games of the Master experts in each line. Pictures of these experts. Minimal use of graphics. 2.) Middlegame 303 games and instructional text on the following: Pieces in the pre-endgame theme, Middlegame and endgame themes, Tactical blows, Possible breakthroughs, Manuvers, and Pwan weaknesses. Excellent use of graphics. 3.) Training 20 games. This would be one to get! 25. Modern Ways of Playing the Sicilian by Amador Rodriguez: Two databases. 1.) 5,820 games and intstructional text. The instructional text is given whole first in English, then again, in Spanish. Games can be accessed through keys. The written annotation in games are some in English and some in German. 2.) Training 20 games. A poor format. 26. Slav Defence byDorian Rogozenko: Two databases. 1.) 31,906 games and instructional text. 87 lines are explored and accessed through keys. Limited use of graphics. 2.) Training with 22 games. A comprehensive work, not ideal for beginners. 27. Trompowsky by Knaak: Three databases. 1.) 100 games and instructional text. Excellent use of graphics and audio clips. 2.) 6,017 games. 3.) Training 16 games. This one is one to get. The next two are by Knut Neven. They are the French w/o Nf3 and the French w/Nc3. They compliment each other very well. I would get them together. 28. French w/o Nf3: Four databases. 1.) 29,035 games with instructional text. Well explained. Not much use of graphics. This one is not overwhelming though. 2.) This one has 16,334 games and instructional text on the Advance Variation. 3.) The Tarrasch Variation 27,625 games and instructional text. 4.) Training with 37 games. 29. French w/Nc3: Two databases. 1.) 44,702 games and instructional text. It is the same format as the one listed above. 2.) Training 23 games.
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