Some Reflections From My Experiences This is Chronicle no. 56. I initially thought this marked the five-year anniversary of the column, but that is not the case. Anyway, I had already made up my mind what to write for this occasion, so you get it a bit early. During these (almost) five years I have tried many openings in more than 350 games and achieved plenty of experience. Therefore, I have assembled my top pieces of advice for you from this period: 1) Chess engines can be divided into two groups: fast and slower. In the first group we have Houdini, Fritz, and others. In the slower group we have Hiarcs, Rybka, and others. Engines in these groups function differently. Fast engines … [Read more...]
Make Your Own Database
Make Your Own Database by Bo Bredenhof During the weekends I set aside some time now and then to build myself a new up-to-date database (DB) for CC searches. I seldom use a DB package, outside of what comes bundled with other software, but make my own every few years. Maybe it is because I am stubborn; or more likely because I want to create something myself. This time I started with the best chess engine DB I had: the Houdini4 Pro DB from 2013. It contained games from late fall 2012. In order to update the OTB part of it, I went to the website "The Week In Chess" (TWIC). They are kind enough to have an archive of weekly OTB files covering all important games played in tournaments … [Read more...]
How to Answer 1.d4 in CC
How to Answer 1.d4 in CC by Bo Bredenhof Last month I discussed my experiences in how to answer 1.e4. This time I will talk about different answers to 1.d4. I have tried many different opening variations over the years. I believe I started with 1...d5, with the Tartakower Defense as my main variation. This is very solid, and GM Adams has had a lot of success with it in OTB games. There is a problem of course; White do not have to comply. He often chooses the Exchange variation or the Bf4 QGD, just to mention two common alternatives. Both of these can be very difficult for Black to handle; and are more solid for White. The winning chances for Black are small in these variations. I … [Read more...]