Buy chessmaster. It has cool tutorials that are educational and mind opening. I improved greatly because of these. Every now and then I go back and view a few to stay refreshed. The two main sets of tutorials I can remember(CM9000) are the endgame course, and Josh's annotated games, which are annotated from start to finish. As long as CM has new tutorials, I will never buy fritz.
fritz's analysis features are just excellent, where as chessmaster series' analysis is just non-existent. it's impossible to analyse a game properly with cm9 or cm10.
however, for learning, tutorials, the feeling of competition etc, the situation is reversed. CM9 or 10 are both just excellent for that. if you're somewhere at 1300s, it will bring you up very fast.
If you're interested in tutorials, then Chessmaster is definitely the way to go. Might want to wait until Grandmaster edition and see if the tutorials are significantly expanded.
Fritz does nearly everything else better, but if you're not used to Fritz/Chessbase software it'll take some getting used to.
Fritz gives you a year of free access to playchess.com, which blows Chessmaster's online component out of the water. But then again there are tons of places you can play chess online without buying either program.
If you really only have access to a Mac, your choices are basically CM 9000 and Shredder 9. Again, if you want the tutorials go with Chessmaster.
Originally posted by darthmixWhat about chessmaster 10th edition for x-box? I heard they had that out as well, I have an x-box so should I still get 9000, or CM10?
If you're interested in tutorials, then Chessmaster is definitely the way to go. Might want to wait until Grandmaster edition and see if the tutorials are significantly expanded.
Fritz does nearly everything else better, but if you're not used to Fritz/Chessbase software it'll take some getting used to.
Fritz gives you a year of free access to playche ...[text shortened]... are basically CM 9000 and Shredder 9. Again, if you want the tutorials go with Chessmaster.
Originally posted by z00tDo you know of any good dolls then? I've been thinking about the bratz.... An engine is an engine. Maybe fritz can analyze better or beat CM on most days but I will stick with CM. Thats like saying anyone that roots for the Detroit Lions should find a new sport to follow. Just because you don't root for the winning team doesn't mean you should quit.
Anyone who still needs chessmaster should play with a doll and quit chess. Fritz is the way forward. Something else will come out in the future and we will use that but for now Fritz is the best.
Originally posted by Dance Master MCI'm told that the Xbox versions have basically the same tutorials as the PC versions, so you'd want to get the latest version to get the most tutorials. (Edit: that means get the Xbox version, which is more recent than CM9000 for Mac.) Also I've heard that the online play over Xbox live is pretty good, which would make it much, much better than the PC version's crappy online functionality.
What about chessmaster 10th edition for x-box? I heard they had that out as well, I have an x-box so should I still get 9000, or CM10?
BTW If you have an Xbox360, then you might even want to wait until October and get Chessmaster Grandmaster edition.
Right now, as far as I can tell, CM Grandmaster Ed. has only been announced for Windows and Xbox360 for this fall. It'll probably get ported to other platforms over the next few years, but nothing's been announced.
The main differences between 9000 and 10th ed. are that 10th has a few more tutorials from Josh Waitzkin, which are pretty cool, Larry Christiansan talking you through the four game match he lost to CM 9000 in 2002, which is OK, and a whole bunch of new 3-D sets that most of us could care less about.
Fritz has no packed-in tutorials that come anywhere close to those in any current version of CM. Of course you can buy all sorts of training software that interfaces with Fritz but they'll cost you. I've never tried any of those so I can't tell you whether they're worth it.
Fritz has a much stronger engine (though unless you're a GM you'll never notice the difference in sparring) deeper analysis, better database functionality and a way better online component. It also seems to play a more realistic, human-like game at lower levels, but that's just my opinion.
Originally posted by darthmixI!!!, yes I!!! DON'T HAVE WINDOWS! So that means I can't get Fritz, I don't care how good it is, I don't use windows, so I can't get it.
Right now, as far as I can tell, CM Grandmaster Ed. has only been announced for Windows and Xbox360 for this fall. It'll probably get ported to other platforms over the next few years, but nothing's been announced.
The main differences between 9000 and 10th ed. are that 10th has a few more tutorials from Josh Waitzkin, which are pretty cool, Larry Christ ...[text shortened]... to play a more realistic, human-like game at lower levels, but that's just my opinion.
Originally posted by Dance Master MCSigma + Hiarcs. Very nice and cheaper than Fritz. In fact, Sigma would do - it thrashes me regularly and it is only running on an ancient 400 Mhz G3. Ignore Zoot and his obsession with Fritz and multiple quad core processors. Sigma plus CM 9000 will be all you need. Once you have ascended to the dizzy heights of whatever then get Hiarcs if you want something stronger.
I!!!, yes [b]I!!! DON'T HAVE WINDOWS! So that means I can't get Fritz, I don't care how good it is, I don't use windows, so I can't get it.[/b]