Chess Assistant 8.1 is one of the best Chess Database management systems today.
Nowadays, it is impossible to work on chess seriously without having such a programm.
In this short article, we cannot mention all possibilities that this programm offers to users.
The name of this programm correctly describes its purpose.
This programm was made in 2005 in Russia by a group of excellent programmers. The first purpose
of the programm was database management. Today this programm has multiple purposes: 1. Database
management, 2. Playing chess through the Internet (for free), 3. Analyzing games, and 4. Playing
chess. Let’s explain these possibilities.
1. Database managment
Chess Assistant 8.1 has database of 2.710.000 games (by January 1st 2005).
Registered users of this programm can update the database every week – the newest games (for free).
This programm is very EASY TO USE.
On the above picture we can see a classic interface: On the top we can see the icons of all important options; on the left side we can select a database; the board is beautifully designed and its size could be changed simply; below the board we can see the dates of the game we watch; on the right side we can see the game moves; above the annotation we can see the list of the games played like the game we watch with statistics.
We can search for: players, openings, tournaments, pawn structure, etc, etc. It should be mentioned that this is one of the MAIN ADVANTAGES of this programm. We can say: ALL TYPES OF SEARCH ARE POSSIBLE.
The database has about 26.000 annotated games. It should be mentioned that it is very easy to add new games to the database.
2. Playing chess through the Internet
Accessing the Internet with Chess Assistant is very easy: we just clik the internet button on Chess Assistant’s main toolbar which launces the Internet chess assistant club client application. We can play games/tournaments, chat, have chess lessons, etc.
3. Analyzing games
This possibility is one reason this programm is necessary to every chess player. It is easy to comment games with Chess Assisstant 8.1. We can use standard chess simbols, we can also insert any text in the notataion, we can comment a move with a variation, we can use color markers, etc.
On the picture above we can see Color markers setup which is simple to use.
Also, we can very simply insert games from the main database in the game we comment. When annotating games in View mode, you can add the multimedia annotations (images, video and audio) to the moves.
4. Analyzing games and playing chess
Besides above mentioned possibilities, Chess Assisstant offers to users to analyze games by using some of the programms from their packet, or to play a game.
For analyzing endings it is very useful to have The Nalimov’s tablebases.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: To use Chess Assisstant 8.1 you will need the following:
Essential: IBM-compactible PC, 128 MB RAM memory, HDD (1 GB of free disk space), VGA graphics, Windows 2000/NT/ME/XP, CD-ROM drive, Microsoft compactible mouse.
RECOMMENDED: 256 MB RAM or more (according to my experience, at least 512 MB is needed for a comfortable work), 2 GB of free disk space for the databases and trees, SVGA graphics with 16 bit colors and 1024x768 screen mode, DVD Drive.
Instalation is very simple to do.
In the packet there is a very detailed manual which makes it easier to use this programm.
The program could be bought in two forms:
Chess Assistant 8.1
- Chess Database management system
- Comprehensive Chess Openings 2005
- 2.710.000 games (by January 1, 2005)
- Top playing programs: Chess Tiger 2004, Ruffian and Delfi
- ICC support
- Game service 2005-2006: 2.500 games free every week
Mega packet (I recommend this packet)
- Correspondence Database with 260.000 games
- Endgame Tablebases on 3 DVDs
- Commented game service 2005-2006
Contact:
Producer: Convekta www.convekta.com . You can order this programm on this site.
CONCLUSION
The conclusion is: Chess Assistant 8.1 is NECESSARY to every chess player.
My assessment of this programm: *****