Does anyone know any websites from which I can download large numbers of .PGN games played between class level players (not masters)?[/b]
Since MonRoi prices are still (understandably) waayy too high for penetration into the broad market of class level chess players, .PGN files of games played between class players are rare.
Thanks to much manual labor volunteered by Drayton Harrison, one such .PGN file available for download is at…
NWChess.com/
–with a clickable link under the section “Games from WA Class Championships” (2006/11).
Just a suggestion, but have you considered on-line games? Even if you limit yourself to more traditional time controls, you should be able to get quite a variety of games from a source like ICC. If this is for research purposes, they might be willing to help you gather them – otherwise ask the individual players.
I save every game I play on ICC, even the 2-minute games, since it takes almost no effort (I have over 2000 games this year in my collection).
Over 1500 interactive games of Oklahoma players are online at ochess.org/games.htm
These were all played over the board with the vast majority using regular time controls. Each group has a pgn file located at the bottom of the frame containing the chess board and list of games.
You’d actually be surprised to find pgn games between non-masters on Chess Base. Though you would have to know who to look for. A nember of years ago as a lark I had done a search on my name, and found 2 games from 1991 US Open. This year when I got Version 9 as a Christmas present I looked to see if those 2 games were still there. They were, along with 4 more played from 2001 - 2003.
3 came from US Opens where the games had appeared in the bulletin. 2 were from US Amateur Team East (2001 and 2003), and the other 1 was from the 2001 NY State Championship where I played as a house player against a 1900 getting a bye in the Open section. How or why that game ended out in Chess Base is beyond me.
Now if I can get the ChessBase people to change my gender from M to W I’d be happy. Also getting a few wins added would be nice.
I’m not sure what your interest in games between non-masters is, but maybe some Mon Roi owners would be willing to share some of their games.
In the early 90’s Ken Panzel of Cleveland Ohio compiled a game collection of 400,000 games. The collection included all games Ken could get his hands on, and included GM down to patzer. I am not sure what his sources included but he did include a few of my games over the years. A few I had played via email at Compuserv, two were from a blindfold simul against a schoolmate, I lost both, he was blindfolded, the rest were from tournament bulletins.
I believe this 400,000 game database is the basis for various sites and programs. Online Chesslab.com appears to include these as part of their historical archive. Chessmaster and Chessbase are two other sources that appear to have incorporated these as well. For a compilation of just games, I believe older versions of Masterchess contained many of these amateur games as well.
I’d be happy. Also getting a few wins added would be nice. 