Several weeks ago, House of Staunton had finally stocked the 2019 version of Fritz Powerbook and had a closeout price for the DVD version of Fritz Powerbook 2018. If I recall, it was $9.99. So I grabbed a copy. Even then I was thinking how lucky I was.
So today I was browsing HoS and the download version is still being sold for $79.95. Dang.
-Why anybody would actually buy it when the 2019 version is being also sold for $79.95…
But it is curious that HoS is still selling last year’s version at all.
I posted a while ago that I didn’t think the Chessbase 15 was a huge upgrade to 14, and I’m still using Chessbase 11. But over time, more articles on Chessbase.com have been highlighting some more nuanced improvements that, for me anyway, looks like it might be time to finally upgrade… Perhaps this autumn, and call it an early Christmas present.
Just MHO, but ChessBase 16 is bound to have upgrades over 15. You’d might as well wait until November if you’re already waiting until autumn and buy that.
Unless you have insider knowlege, Chessbase is usually upgraded every 2 years.
In any event if I can save up enough $$ I’d go for the premium version, pricey but a huge savings since I’m particularly interested on the Corr database. Which I would never get as a seperate, but OMG pricey, database.
In any event, unless a newer version had some feature that knocked my socks off, I should get at several years, at least 6 or more, before needing an upgrade.
FYI… in my opinion, Chessbase is a great reference tool, but there are better programs out there for improving your chess skills.
Used in conjunction with other training software, it’s pretty useful. I suppose if your over 2100, it’s essential, but for the other 85 to 90 percentile or less chessplayers, there are lots of good training programs out there.
Notwithstanding that Chessbase is getting more focused on features for training, so a newer version would be even more useful.
-I suspect Chessbase, as a company, will focus future editions of Chessbase more on stuff for training. Chessbase 15 seems like it’s primary focus compared to version 14 was on stuff useful for helping people improve their chess skills. Most of the earlier editions did offer some new training features, but not neccessarily it’s main focus.
You are correct. ChessBase 16 will come out in 2020. Fritz 17 will come out in November.
You can get your best ChessBase deals through Amazon. HoS/USCFSales sells almost everything cheaper there.then they do directly to the USCF members at their site But they are not the cheapest or best value at Amazon …
I’ll have to wait till autumn to worry about pricing the stuff. Chessbase usually has a huge, very limited time sale in the Autumn. But on the flip side, House of Staunton usually thrown in Komodo or some other thing to sweeten the deal.
