What's the Best Chess Software?

`I received an e-mail the other day from a reader asking what chess program I recommended. The answer, I suppose, depends on what you want to use it for and how much you want to spend. I have several programs on my laptop: Chess Aquarium 2014, Ches Aquarium 2020, Chess Assistant 18, Fritz 12 and Fritz 17 and SCID vs. PC. 

    For my chess Blog I originally did all of my analysis using Fritz 12 and posted the games using various online sites, most of which are now defunct and so the games on the Blog posts are no longer visible..

    The next way to post games was to analyze with Fritz 12 and post them with Aquarium 2014. When I got Aquarium 2020 there were problems posting the games, so it was back to the 2014 version. 

    Then Fitz 17 came along and all the problems associated with analysis and publishing game on the Blog disappeared. Today Fritz 17 is all I ever use. Personally I think Fritz is more user friendly than Aquarium. Both have pleasing and customizable layouts. The latest version of Aquarium is 2024 and it can be download for around $50.00. 

    While the functions overlap, Fritz is basically a program you can play against and use for analysis. ChessBase is a database management program. 

    Both programs let you access a database in either ChessBase or PGN, format. The ChessBase format is designed to save a huge amount of game related data.

    When playing against Fritz you can adjust the level, it will give you hints and talk to you. You can also do a full analysis (including adding alternate opening lines with the game’s final results) plus you can add your own notes. 

    The current Fritz 19 comes in three versions. The Basic version has some specialized opponents: Attacker, coward, swindler and an endgame wizard. Cost: about $98. 

    Fritz with Fritz Powerboo which contains 25 millions opening positions. Cost: about $150 

    Fritz with Opening Encyclopedia which is more sophisticated and offers a number of other features. Cost: about $217. 

    ChessBase performs searches of games based on players, exact positions, tournaments or material. It also will create Opening trees of variations, tell you how successful particular lines have been and it will enable you to do training exercises. Unless you are a professional or just wants a top of the line program this one may be overkill. Cost: about $272 

    Chess Assistant 24 is a program for managing games and databases, playing on the Internet, analyzing games, or playing against the computer. To be honest, it’s my least favorite program and I have never used it. Also, I am not crazy about the appearance of the interface. 

    Chess Assistant includes several databases: the HugeBase with over 5 million games. a Guru database which includes games of top players and a Correspondence database of games between notable correspondence players. There is also an Openings database in particular is the Openings database. Chess Assistant 24 (download version) costs about $95, but at the time of writing it’ on sale for about $75. 

    For those looking for something free then Shane's Chess Information Database is unquestionably the best free program available. It can can create databases, run just about all engines and you can play against it or online.