Does anyone know or can refer me to clear instructions on how to integrate a new Chessbase database so Fritz 13 can read it? No matter what I do, Fritz can not read my new Big Database I downloaded from the USCF store. Oh, they never answer their phone, either.
Internet searches have yielded zero information on this.
I have a very similar problem. I bought the correspondence database and although I can see the games there is no organization or way to know what the opening being used is unless I open each game individually. Obviously this is totally useless.I have been told that the chessbase program can somehow organize this mess but how that happens is a mystery to me and I do not feel like spending $500 to find out it does not work. Good luck although I suspect Fritz is not the answer
I have Chessbase 13 installation, but I do not use Fritz 13. I used to have Houdini 4, which use the same technology.
Those days it makes little sense to pay for commercial chess engine, since Stockfish is free and arguably the strongest. I do not even know where my install disk for Houdini 4 is and I do not really care.
Back in days when I used Houdini, basically I would fire it up, then click on File ->> Open Database and point it to location (windows folder) of my ChessBase database. Chessbase is using CBH or CBV format to store chess databases that Fritz or any Chessbase program interface should be able to read.
For support your best bet would be chessbase.com and not uscf store, you would write them an e-mail and hopefully get help you need.
If everything else fails for you:
I used to work in end user support for a computer company. I am no longer doing it, but I still have skills. I can help you to troubleshoot it remotely one of the evenings or weekends if you want.
You purchased collection of games. You need database software to take advantage of it. If you just want to try it, chessbase is offering a reader program for a free download. Of cause you would want the full product eventually to take a full advantage of it, like ability to prepare against specific opponent, etc.
If you want to try free source (and free of charge) chess database software, it actually exists.
It is called Scid.
Scid vs. PC
Scid vs. PC 4.21 (Jan 7, 2020)
scidvspc.sourceforge.net
But coming from Chessbase world I found it difficult to use and never managed to make full use of it. Perhaps with some dedication and trial and error you will do better.
Also, keep in mind that chessbase database format is proprietary. Skid won’t be able to read CBH/CBV files and databases, you will need to convert your game collection to PGN format for skid to read it. Luckily most freely available collection of chess games those days are using PGN format.
Downloaded Chessbase reader and it worked flawlessly. So I did some snooping around and figured out that the Big Database 2021 I downloaded was copy protected. I had Fritz 13 pointing to a copy.
Live and learn. Thanks for all the suggestions.
I have the chessbase reader but it does not organize anything-I bought the database to research openings- an unorganized mess of games is useless. Will the chessbase program organize the games? Thanks for your response
Are you able to organize the games in the database using the reader or you can simply click on a game and see the moves?
What do you mean exactly by ‘organize’?
I am guessing your frustration comes when you open chessbase and all you see is millions of games not very organized in the way you would like, like by year or something, which is of no use to you, if you need to research an opening.
Chess Database software is not going to organize the games for you by opening by default.
You have to instruct it what you need to do. For example you can set a position on board within chessbase and request a search for all the games where this position happened. You can refine this search so that only games between grandmasters are included in search results. You can do a lot of things with those searches.
Chessbase also have a nice feature : prepare against an opponent, where you search for a player and it creates some type of research:
his most common openings for both colors.
My suggestion is to check on Youtube for videos on how to use chessbase software. Sometimes seeing it is the key to understanding it.
Thank you! That is precisely what I want to do -set up a position and seeing what has been played with what degree of success and by whom