Winning starts with what you know
The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.
As chess engines become stronger and stronger, one of the things lost is using them as a sparring partner. This is precisely where Fritz 18 aims to change things. It tries to gauge your level of play, adapting its moves to your strength – and it will try to give you chances in creative ways, to actually win games. It teaches you to attack in chess.
Learning to attack is very difficult: in real competitive games many players resort to cautious, passive play. They would like to attack furiously, sacrifice, conjure up mating combinations on the board. Fritz 18 helps you develop this skill. It is an opponent playing natural moves in human style, but allowing you to set up beautiful sacrificial combinations (which you have to find yourself). The more glorious games you win against Fritz18, the better your own attacking game will become!
Please try it out and tell us what you think. Small warning: in your first game, it Fritz 18 may feel unusually weak. If so, don't worry – it is evaluating your strength for the first time. The following games will be much more adapted to your level, and soon it should match your playing strength fairly accurately.
During the game Fritz 18 will use its awesome power to look at all continuations that are available. If it spots a potential tactic, a brilliancy, for the opponent, it may set that opportunity up for you. It will strive to keep the game interesting for you, without crushing you or just giving away material in simple fashion.
When you first start up Fritz 18, you are first shown the opening menu screen. Just click on Easy Game.
It will open the screen to a fairly familiar scene if you have ever used this mode before. Of note is that at the bottom right is a large colorful area with a big smiling yellow rook, and some curious checkboxes.
These are fairly self-explanatory, and will be described in a future tutorial. For now let us just play some games and have some fun.
You might find this part obvious and unnecessary, but a few words can make your first foray a bit smoother. Before starting a game, choose a level.
The levels can be quite striking in their range. Players of many levels will be able to enjoy a good game now, and use it as a proper part of training.
You may like to see Sagar Shah of ChessBase India try a first game against a Club Level Fritz, together with his viewers, and making use of the new hint and commentary functions:
Fritz 18 will be officially launched on November 15
