Sharing games via email, Skype, or WhatsApp

by Albert Silver
10/30/2015 – Sharing or sending a game with ChessBase is one of those things that is easy when you know how, but can leave you in doubt when you don't. Anyone will quickly see there are plenty of options, but which is the easiest and best? There is no one best choice, so here is a quick guide for three easy methods, with the last being the quickest and easiest of all.
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There is no question that PGN is the most universally accepted game format, and if you are sending games to someone, or even yourself, to view on a smartphone (for example), this would be your choice.

Pasting the game in email or chat

The quickest and most obvious way is to just Copy and Paste it into your email or chat.

If you are entering the game from scratch, click on Board (or Ctrl-N)

Then enter your moves, and when done, just press Ctrl-C (copy)

Open the email or chat and press Ctrl-V (paste). This leaves a funny though readable text in PGN format. It is important to remember that PGN is not a file format, but a standard system of chess notation. This is what it would look like pasted into a Skype chat window:

All the other person receiving this needs to do is highlight the game, copy it with Ctrl-C, then
open a board in ChessBase, Fritz or even the free ChessBase Reader, and paste it with Ctrl-V.

Sending the game as a PGN file

Though this requires a bit more work, it can be useful if you are sending several games and want to send as a single file.

In ChessBase create a new (empty) database in PGN format. To do this, click on New...

... then select the PGN format. Be sure to remember where you are creating this file.

Copy the games you want using the classic Drag and Drop method

Now open a new email, or using any messenger program such as Whatsapp or Skype, select Attach File, and choose the PGN file, and you are done.

If you forget where you saved it, just right-click on its icon in ChessBase, choose Properties,
and it will show you at the top

Publishing for replay (with PGN)

In spite of the rather intimidating title, since publishing is often linked to a lengthy list of steps and procedures, this is actually one of the easiest and most convenient methods of them all.

Highlight a game, or many games, in a list. Hold the Ctrl key pressed while left-clicking with
your mouse to choose games in different places in the list. Right-click on one of the highlighted
games, choose Output, and then Publish to Web. So far pretty easy, right?

A small pane will open, and just leave the default One Click
Publication checked and click on Ok

It will open a browser with a Javascript replayer (just like the ones in the ChessBase News articles)
and you will see a web address. Send this address to anyone you wish and if they click on it, they
will not only see the replayer for instant replay (no need to open ChessBase or any programs), but
they can also click on the Download in PGN to save the games directly to their computer, tablets, or
smartphones, in PGN format.

The link you would send via chat or email would simply be:

http://www.viewchess.com/cbreader/2015/10/30/Game257629036.html

These are hardly the end-all of the ways to send games, but these do allow straightforward ways to share them with friends or even yourself in no time.

Topics: chessbase, email, Skype, Tutorials, Whatsapp
Born in the US, he grew up in Paris, France, and after college moved to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He had a peak rating of 2240 FIDE, and was a key designer of Chess Assistant 6. In 2010 he joined the ChessBase family as an editor and writer at ChessBase News. He is also a passionate photographer with work appearing in numerous publications, and the content creator of the YouTube channel, Chess & Tech as well as the author of Typing Tomes, a powerful typing program.
Nethilian Nethilian 1/14/2019 10:44
thank you for the explanation
ShadowStabbing ShadowStabbing 4/8/2017 02:27
It woud be great if there was a way to share the games I have on my chessbase app with my friends on whatsapp, and they could replay them instantly on whatsapp without, as if they were checking a video or a photo, with the same facility. Chessbase could find a way to integrate both WhatsApp and Chessbase.
sdd sdd 11/11/2015 02:49
I have solved my Viewchess problem, and am posting my solution here to help anyone else who has the same problem.

The Viewchess page links to http://fritzserver.info . My internet provider (Talktalk in the UK) has this site blocked under the belief it has something to do with drugs, alcohol or tobacco (I have alerted them to this misclassification). I was able to unblock the fritzserver site and I can now see and enjoy chess games as expected.
santiago2 santiago2 10/31/2015 08:53
hi,
I have created cloudDB chessbase
I have save my game into cloud Database
now
how i can call my game from http?
chessbase cloud database exhibits web api rest services?
genem genem 10/31/2015 06:39
It would be nice if ChessBase products made their .PGN contents more human readable, by simply prepending and appending a NewLine (\n, or \r\n\ as appropriate) to every non-move commentary embedded within the moves. Thanks.
sdd sdd 10/31/2015 05:13
After some testing I have narrowed down the problem to something to do with my ISP. The problem occurs with my PC, tablet & phone when using wifi at home, but works fine on my phone when using mobile data.
Bertman Bertman 10/31/2015 04:31
@sdd I can't really say. It works for me. I can only guess a glitch when you tried, in which case try again, or see if you do not have a script blocker of some kind. The replayer depends on Javascript.
Lachesis Lachesis 10/31/2015 11:52
Outstanding I was wondering how to accomplish what Albert beautifully explained in this column! Thanks Albert, much appreciated
sdd sdd 10/31/2015 09:55
I have been unable to view any games on viewchess.com. When I click on the above link, all I see is a blank page with a small Facebook icon in the top left corner. This is true whether I use Chrome, Firefox or IE. What am I doing wrong?
pncsgm pncsgm 10/31/2015 03:59
very nice guide!!
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