Mega Database 2009

Review by GM Hedinn Steingrimsson

This database, the Mega Database, has over 4 million games and a 200.000 game online update with brand new games from 2009 is also included. You do not only get more or less all known over the board chess games that have been played with this database, but also over 62.000 analysed games. This makes the Mega the largest single collection of analysed games that exists. Also included is an up to date player index or playersbase with about 248.000 FIDE rated chessplayers, information about their ELO rating development and with 31.000 pictures.

If I would only buy one chess product a year, and already had the ChessBase 10 program, then my choice would be the Megabase. Here you get basically all you need. With the combination of ChessBase 10 and Megabase you can with one mouse click and in a couple of seconds find all the games where the position that you currently are looking at occurred.

For me this feature is extremely important. If you are going to play a certain player in a tournament you can also search for his name in the playersbase and get with a single mouse click a detailed profile of him or her including all his or her games, opening trees with the opening variations that he or she has played with both colours and various statistical information including how well he or she scored with different openings.

These two very powerful features make analysing at home and preparing for a specific opponent easy. Within the blink of an eye the most important information is available. For those who remember the pre-computer time, that is before ChessBase introduced databases and the use of a computer to chessplayers, the detail and speed of the available information that you get with the Megabase is almost like magic.

The Mega Database 2009 gets 5 out of 5 possible stars. It is highly recommended to chess players at all levels.

Prices

Mega Database 2009    149,90 €
+ online update 2009 (for ChessBase 10)

Big Database 2009    49,99 €
+ online update 2009 (for ChessBase 10)

Updates

Update from Mega 2008 to 2009   49,99 €
+ online update 2009 (for ChessBase 10)
 
Update from Big 2008 or older Mega to Mega 2009   99,99 €
+ online update 2009 (for ChessBase 10)
 
 

ChessBase 10 Packages

ChessBase 10 Starter Package:
The economical way to get started. ChessBase10 program and Big Database 2009 with more than 4 million unannotated games. Plus online update 2009 (200 000 new games). Plus 3 current DVDs of ChessBase Magazine.
Starter Package   154,90  €
 

ChessBase 10 Mega Package:
ChessBase10 program and Mega Database 2009 with more than 62 000 annotated games. More than 4 million games in all. Plus online update 2009 (200 000 new games). Plus a year’s subscription to ChessBase Magazine. Plus Correspondence Chess DVD. Plus the DVD-Endgame Turbo 3 (9 DVDs with Nalimov Tablebases)
Mega Package   359,00 €

System requirements for ChessBase 10

• Minimum requirements: Windows XP, Internet-Explorer 6, DVD-ROM drive, 512 MB RAM, 600 MHz.
• Recommended: Windows XP or Vista, 2 GB RAM, 2 GHz or better, DVD drive. New graphics adapter for a fast 3D board. Windows Media Player 10 for Chess Media System.