ChessReviews.com FAQ
Revised 11/18/03
Who writes these reviews and runs the site?
My name is Bob Pawlak, and I have maintained this site since 1996 or so. My USCF rating is about 1700, so caveat emptor! Furthermore, I am not responsible for divorce related to excessive software purchases :-).
Which program is the best?
My mantra has always been that you should pick the program that is best for your needs, and there are very few programs that I could recommend as fitting everyone's exact requirements. One of the major reasons I wrote the Chess Software Sourcebook is to help you decide which program is best for you.
Which program is the strongest?
This is a difficult question to answer. Unless you are an IM/GM (or similar strength player), you don't have to worry that your chess playing program will be able to beat you. Commercial (and a number of freeware/shareware) programs are so strong now that they will mercilessly bludgeon you game after game.
Your best bet is to pick a program that has the features and playing style that you like. My current personal favorites (as far as playing style goes) are Shredder, Rebel, Hiarcs 7.32 and Fritz 6. I would suggest that you do a little research and look at some sample games for the program you intend to purchase.
How accurate is program XYZ at estimating my ELO?
All ELO estimates provided by chess programs are suspect. They are nothing more than a way to measure your relative progress and are not absolute measures of playing strength.
How good is program XYZ at playing at a specific ELO?
Well, this is a difficult question. Sometimes a player with a lower rating can regularly beat someone with a higher rating. Such is the case with computer programs also. Furthermore, ELO estimates change over time. So for instance, there is no 'benchmark' 1800 player, and this makes the calibration of a playing program difficult. Even if there was such a player, accurately calibrating a program would require that it play many thousands of computer vs. human games, and this is not feasible.
If you want to know how good you are (in absolute numbers), then the only way is to play in over-the-board tournaments and get a rating. Online ratings are only a crude indicator of playing strength.
I'm getting beaten all the time by my software, what should I do?
If the program contains an ELO handicapping feature, I would suggest that you use it to reduce the program playing strength. There are also a number of other methods for reducing playing strength that I discuss in my book.
Where can I get the version of CBlite based on CB 7?
This version of CBlite is only distributed with certain Chessbase commercial products. If you want this version, your best bet is to buy a Chessbase opening CD.
Do I need a chess database?
The answer to this question is not always easy. If you are serious about improving your game, then I think a chess database can be a big help. If you never want to analyze your own games, then don't bother buying a database. Once again, I would suggest you look at my book, it will help you decide.
Why don't you give numerical ratings to each program?
At one time I did, on a five-point scale. But it got to be a problem to maintain. I noticed that as shortcomings in particular programs were addressed, I wanted to give them 5 points. So the rating system is not a static thing, it needs to be continually updated as programs improve. If I used the same criteria for judging programs that I did four years ago, then just about every one would get 5/5. Furthermore, I think that assigning a simple number to a particular program is a terrible over-simplification.
Given that I have a day job that actually pays my bills, I only have a limited amount of time for these reviews - so I don't have time to continually think about and update program ratings.
Why don't you mention compatibility problems?
Compatibility is very difficult to test. Sometimes the problems you see posted on USENET that appear to be compatibility issues are really problems with someone's software (and not the program in question) or hardware. In fact, I would estimate that a large percentage of these problems fall into this category. I would recommend that you check compatibility at the manufacturer's website before you buy.
I lost my program CD, can you send me one?
No.
Why do you do this?
When I started buying chess software some years ago, I quickly discovered that you can spend a significant amount of money on this stuff. So I started this page to help others spend their money wisely, and hopefully get a program that fits his/her particular needs. The amount of money I make doing these reviews amounts to working for pennies per hour. So I don't do this for the money.
Are you working for company XYZ?
At the time the software reviews were written, I was not working for any software companies. Now I work with (not for) Convekta.
Why don't you review free software?
It takes me a lot of time to write a review of a program. If there is a free version, then you can see for yourself if the program fits your needs.
Why don't you review program XYZ?
There could be any number of reasons. First off, I do get review copies of some software, so these get first priority for review. Then there is software that I have purchased myself. If that software is really good or bad, it will get a review also. But I am not a rich man (at least by my standards), so I cannot review every program.
I've got a problem with company XYZ - their program ABC sucks or it crashes all the time on my machine!
or
I've got a problem with company XYZ' technical support!
In the event of problems with a particular program, the first step you should take is to make sure that it is not your computer that is causing the trouble. If everything else on your PC is working fine, with the exception of this one program, then it is probably a good bet that program ABC is the culprit.
You should also make sure that your system meets the minimum requirements, as published by the software manufacturer.
If you've narrowed down the problem to your new program, then you should contact company XYZ's tech support. I would suggest that you do so in a friendly fashion. People do not tend to respond well when you treat them poorly right off the bat. Also realize that some of the people working for these companies speak English as a second language, and it may take a while for them to respond. Word your questions properly and clearly, while providing enough detail to help them figure out what is wrong. This is not always easy, but doing so will help everyone concerned.
Also make sure that you've registered your software. Many times companies get requests for support from people that have simply pirated their programs. So registering might get you a better response, and it can't hurt, since you will be notified of program updates. I have not had a problem with any manufacturer spamming my mail account.
If you've made every effort to contact a company several times, and they have not responded in a week (or maybe two), make sure that you have the proper return address entered in your e-mail client. If you are e-mailing them from work, make sure that your corporate e-mail server is not blocking e-mail from company XYZ. If you expected a response to your e-mail, and were not just reporting a bug, make sure that you make it clear in the body of your e-mail message.
You should also realize that many of these chess software companies are quite small. Typically, they do not have an army of tech support people standing by. If someone gets sick, then that can really affect the company' ability to respond to your e-mail. So try and make some allowances.
If you' taken all the above steps, and you are still having a problem, then ask for your money back.
While I am not a consumer advocate, and cannot help you resolve disputes with a particular company, I am still interested in hearing if you've had trouble with their tech support.
I should also mention at this point that technical support for Mindscape and Ubisoft games has now improved, thanks to the tireless efforts of the head of the Chessmaster development team (John Merlino).
Can you send me a copy of program XYZ?
No.
