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.
We will start with the notation from the last episode, which also includes the moves from the first tutorial episodes. You can see it here and download it using the floppy disk icon:
In Part 5 you learned how to comment your own games. It described how to make detailed comments using the menus. However, using the toolbar might be quicker.
The following diagrams show the most important functions that can be executed via quick command. You can also do everything via the menu, but this requires a few more clicks. If available, the shortcut commands are also listed – a later episode will show you how to define these shortcuts yourself.
The two index fingers point to the quick command bars
We will start with this view: the notation highlights the move 6.Ndb5, which is typical of the Sveshnikov Variation of the Sicilian. It belongs to the first sub-variation in the analysis file. Now click on the green arrow of the quick command bar (or use the ALT+up arrow shortcut), to which the index finger points at the bottom left, and the view will change significantly:
The move 3.d4 has now replaced the move 3.Bb5 as the main line. But where are the remaining moves up to 6.Ndb5? You can find them by scrolling down at the end of the notation. But you can also use the shortcuts here. If you want to concentrate on the Sveshnikov Variation, you can hide the Rossolimo-typical 3.Bb5 with its texts and variations. To do this, use the quick command bar on the right: Click on the second symbol from the top (see mouseover: “Hide all variations in the notation”) to collapse all the variations, leaving only the first move of the main variation, with the plus sign in front of it to show that there is a variation. At the same time, the remaining moves of the new main variation also appear below it.
If you now decide that you want to make a pure Sveshnikov analysis from this file, you can also use the eraser (second icon from the bottom in the vertical bar – “Delete all variants and comments”). The result would then look like this:
This is the starting position again, which you have when you start a new game, if you have not yet inserted any variations
You can try all of this and look at the results. Use the example game above or create another practice game so that you can simply try everything without unintentionally invalidating any of your valuable analyses.
To retrieve the deleted variations, for example, or to undo other steps, simply use the shortcut CTRL+Z – this reverses the last changes step by step. You can achieve the same thing by clicking one of the “Undo” arrows in the upper left corner (see following screenshot) – “Redo” allows you to repeat the operation:
If you don't want to be quite as drastic as in the last example and just want to delete a variation, then first go to one of the moves of the variation to be deleted and then click on the second symbol “Delete Variation” in the lower bar. The entire variation at this level will be deleted. Caution: Of course, all the sub-variations directly attached to it will also disappear.
If you use the square bracket “Delete remaining moves” directly next to it, only the moves to the right of the selected move (and of course the variations subordinate to these moves) will be deleted.
You can use the black and red play buttons to open the windows for pre- and post-texts.
Click on the diagram and a diagram with exactly this position will be inserted behind the selected move. Tip: You can show or hide the diagrams in the notation by using the diagram symbol in the right-hand column.
You can also use the following position evaluation symbols, which you are familiar with from the last episode, via the quick bar. They always appear after the move currently marked in the notation – that is, in the current position on the analysis board.
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.
You had already exchanged the main variations for each other above. At this point, the upgrading and downgrading of sub-variations will be explained in more detail.
Often you will change the hierarchy of the variations in your own files. This may be because something has changed in the theoretical evaluation of a position and you want to adjust it accordingly. However, it may also simply be because a particular variation does not suit your own preferences and you would therefore prefer another.
For illustrative purposes, we choose an example at the end of the notation, because there is less text there that could confuse the explanation. After 35.fxg3 a diagram was inserted. The main line 35...Rf7 follows, then the line 35...Rd8 etc. and the end of the main line. We first see the situation when 35...Rd8 is marked:
Now we click on the green arrow on the left in the lower bar. The notation changes as follows:
Note: You may need to scroll to see all the moves of the example and the diagram in the window.
If you continue to click on the upgrade arrow for the same selected move, it will move up one level with each click and will eventually end up in the main variation. If you want to downgrade a variation, you can do so by upgrading the variation below it.
... and now again: Have fun changing your practice game – just give it a try, you can undo everything again. Practice makes perfect!
------
ChessBase has developed over decades to become what it is now in its 18th version. The program has countless options, which we will present here in small portions – so you can design your interface for pleasant daily use and keep learning about new options and how to use them to get the most out of ChessBase 18 and save time.
We hope that this tip will help you to have more fun and be more successful when using ChessBase 18. You can find more tips and hints on our support pages and FAQ pages.
| Advertising |
.jpeg)
