Contents

Fritz 21 Handbook

Engine

The section Engine defines the standard settings for the display of the engine in the Engine Cloud main window.

Cloud Engine setting

Note: Please pay attention to the user license of the software that you would like to use on the Engine Cloud server!

• Nick Name: Pick a name that you would like to give to the engine in the list window.

• Author: The name of the developer of the chess engine.

• Description: The provider can give a short description of his configuration.

• Hashtable size: The size of the hash tables in megabytes.

• Web URL: The address of a web site containing further information.

Contents

1 First steps

1.1 Introduction

1.2 System requirements

1.3 Program Activation

1.4 Serial Number

1.5 The starting screen

1.6 Login

1.7 Play against different Opponents

1.8 Playing a game

1.9 Help and coaching

1.10 Playing Levels

1.11 Value of the pieces

1.12 Position setup

1.13 Configure the robot opponent

1.14 VIP opponents

2 General operation

2.1 Ribbons

2.2 The menu bands

2.3 Windows

2.3.1 Docking Windows

2.3.2 Window Pane Icons

2.3.3 Options – Board Design

2.3.4 Detach a window

2.4 Layouts

2.4.1 Standard Layouts

2.4.2 Creating layouts

2.4.3 Save and load layouts

2.5 Style specifications

2.6 Board design – 2D board

2.7 Board window navigation

2.8 User Info

2.9 Options

2.9.1 Options – Clocks and Notation

2.9.2 Options – Game

2.9.3 Options – Multimedia

2.9.4 Options – Version

2.9.5 Options – Clipboard

2.9.6 Options – Engine

2.9.7 Options – Language

2.10 Program windows

2.10.1 Window "panes"

2.10.2 Notation window

2.10.3 Clear notation with coloured highlights

2.10.4 Correcting notation

2.10.5 Elements of commentary

2.10.6 Toolbar in the notation

2.10.7 Display of the balance of material

2.10.8 Print scoresheet

2.10.9 Book window

2.10.10 Chess clocks

2.10.11 Engine window

2.10.12 Kibitzers

2.10.13 Evaluation profile

2.10.14 Chatter window

2.10.15 Variation board

2.10.16 The analysis board

2.10.17 2D control board

2.10.18 Window Pane Icons

2.11 Engines

2.11.1 Visual evaluation

2.11.2 Animated engine variations

2.11.3 Continuous analysis with commentary

2.11.4 Tips in the engine window

2.11.5 Display win probabilities

2.11.6 Disable engine bar

2.11.7 Openings display

2.11.8 Different displays in the engine window

2.11.9 The chess engine as commentator

2.11.10 Adjust thinking time

2.12 Move entry

2.12.1 Chess notation

2.12.2 Move Input

2.12.3 Entering moves with single click

2.12.4 Entering moves on the keyboard

2.12.5 Position setup

2.12.6 Set Move Number

2.12.7 Variations

2.12.8 Edit and annotate game

2.13 Keyboard

2.13.1 Customize keyboard

2.13.2 Keyboard shortcuts

2.13.3 Entering moves on the keyboard

2.13.4 Keyboard functions

2.13.5 Keyboard input for commentary symbols

2.14 Mouse

2.14.1 The right mouse button

2.14.2 Mouse wheel

2.14.3 Mouse wheel not working?

2.15 Real 3D views

2.15.1 Board design – 3D

2.15.2 Select 3D board

2.15.3 Demonstrating games on the 3D board

2.16 3D Boards in Fritz

2.16.1 3D Boards in Fritz

2.16.2 3D Raytraced board

2.16.3 Options

2.16.4 Settings

2.16.5 Screenshot

2.16.6 Change camera

2.16.7 Adjust lighting

2.16.8 Advanced functions

2.16.9 Navigation switches

2.17 New board sounds

2.18 Style variants

3 Reference

3.1 Help during the game

3.1.1 Help and coaching

3.1.2 The chess coach

3.1.3 Hint

3.1.4 Suggestion

3.1.5 Rookie

3.1.6 Explain all moves

3.1.7 Position tutor

3.1.8 Engine evaluations beside the chess board

3.1.9 Animation for mate and capture moves

3.1.10 Mouse

3.1.11 Dynamic Hints

3.1.12 Opening Classification

3.1.13 Assisted Analysis

3.1.14 Threat

3.1.15 The Kibitzer

3.1.16 Move indicator

3.1.17 Note on the Fritz coach

3.1.18 Winning probability

3.2 Playing levels

3.2.1 Playing levels

3.2.2 Blitz games

3.2.3 Long (tournament) games

3.2.4 Customized game levels

3.2.5 Different types of opponents

3.2.6 Winning trophies

3.2.7 Appendix: List of all trophies

3.2.8 Trading cards

3.2.9 Evolving Genius

3.2.10 Your best games

3.2.11 Friend mode

3.2.12 Playing a Friend Game

3.2.13 Rated games

3.2.14 Chess 960

3.2.15 Optimise playing strength

3.2.16 Losing chess

3.2.17 Chess 960 in practice

3.2.18 Thinking time in Friend mode

3.2.19 Interrupting a running game

3.3 The openings book

3.3.1 The openings book

3.3.2 Opening books from databases

3.3.3 The book window

3.3.4 Extended Book Display

3.3.5 Book display options

3.3.6 Book settings

3.3.7 Tournament move

3.3.8 ECO chess openings classification

3.3.9 Copy openings book to hard disk

3.3.10 Import old book

3.3.11 Importing games to the openings book

3.3.12 Extending the openings book manually

3.3.13 Import analysis into openings book

3.3.14 Openings book, learning from a database

3.3.15 Deleting a game from the Book

3.3.16 Maximum size of the tree of positions

3.3.17 Online book

3.4 Opening Training

3.4.1 Start

3.4.2 Easy game

3.4.3 My Moves

3.4.4 Extending your repertoire

3.4.5 Coloured highlights in the repertoire

3.4.6 Working with a repertoire

3.4.7 Standard Repertoires

3.4.8 Memorising opening variations

3.4.9 Free Drill

3.4.10 Viewing your opening repertoire

3.4.11 Repertoire deletion

3.4.12 Delete opening lines from the repertoire

3.4.13 Rebuilding repertoire

3.5 Database functions

3.5.1 The database window

3.5.2 Preview window

3.5.3 Games list

3.5.4 Sorting by columns

3.5.5 List views

3.5.6 Player Index

3.5.7 Tournament index

3.5.8 Commentator index

3.5.9 Source Index

3.5.10 Team Index

3.5.11 Openings Key

3.5.12 Game Title

3.5.13 Theme Keys

3.5.14 Load and replay games

3.5.15 Save game

3.5.16 Saving games

3.5.17 New data format 2cbh

3.5.18 FAQ about the 2CBH format

3.5.19 Search for beauty values

3.5.20 What does beauty mean ...?

3.5.21 Save Mask Annotators/Team

3.5.22 Copying Games

3.5.23 Players database

3.5.24 Autosave database

3.5.25 Automatic storage in Cloud Clip database

3.5.26 Search for games

3.5.27 Search for names, tournaments, etc.

3.5.28 Search for positional fragments

3.5.29 Search for game commentary

3.5.30 Search for medals

3.5.31 Search for Time Controls

3.5.32 Search booster

3.5.33 Find position

3.5.34 Archive database

3.5.35 Install on Harddrive

3.5.36 Backup database

3.5.37 Database text

3.5.38 Database formats

3.5.39 ChessBase Magazine

3.5.40 ChessBase

3.6 Analysing games

3.6.1 Enter & Analyse

3.6.2 Evaluation of the position

3.6.3 Analysis with the Buddy Engine

3.6.4 FAQ Buddy Engine

3.6.5 Visualize engine analysis

3.6.6 Visual Evaluation

3.6.7 Evaluation history in the search

3.6.8 Different displays in the engine window

3.6.9 Full analysis / Tactical Analysis

3.6.10 A tip for Full analysis

3.6.11 Infinite analysis

3.6.12 Duration analysis with analysis comments

3.6.13 Example Tactical Analysis

3.6.14 Deep position analysis

3.6.15 Blundercheck

3.6.16 Using engines interactively

3.6.17 Blitz & train on Playchess.com

3.6.18 Training questions

3.6.19 Commentary symbols in the Fritz Blunder search

3.6.20 Compare analysis

3.6.21 Automatic analysis of server games

3.6.22 Shootout

3.6.23 The Kibitzer

3.6.24 Parallel analysis

3.6.25 Monte Carlo

3.6.26 Extended Engine Information

3.6.27 Let`s Check

3.6.27.1 Description

3.6.27.2 LiveBook

3.6.27.3 Start Let`s Check

3.6.27.4 How should a game be analysed with Let’s Check?

3.6.27.5 What do the green, blue and red letters for the depth mean?

3.6.27.6 Why does the progress bar often jump back after reaching 100%?

3.6.27.7 Parallel display of notation and LiveBook

3.6.27.8 Is my analysis always sent to Let's Check?

3.6.27.9 Let’s Check Server Statistics

3.6.27.10 Can Let’s Check be used anonymously?

3.6.27.11 What does it cost?

3.6.27.12 What difference does the power of my computer make?

3.6.27.13 What engines are allowed?

3.6.27.14 Can variations and evaluations be manipulated?

3.6.27.15 Let’s Check context menu

3.6.27.16 Information in the Chat window

3.6.27.17 Commentaries in the LiveBook

3.6.27.18 Using the LiveBook as the Openings Book

3.6.27.19 Repertoire in the LiveBook

3.6.27.20 Donate engine

3.6.27.21 Game analysis with Let's Check

3.6.27.22 Honours Lists

3.6.27.23 Networked Analysis

3.6.27.24 Speedindex

3.6.28 Common questions Let`s Check

3.6.28.1 Can a text commentary be edited or deleted?

3.6.28.2 Can senseless moves be input and analysed?

3.6.28.3 How are the Let's Check honours lists created?

3.6.28.4 What do the two diagrams in the LiveBook window mean?

3.6.29 Engine-Cloud.com

3.6.29.1 Server Engine-Cloud.com

3.6.29.2 List View

3.6.29.3 Board window with provided engine

3.6.29.4 Engine connection

3.6.29.5 Using a Cloud Engine privately

3.6.29.6 Offering a public Cloud Engine

3.6.29.7 Public Cloud Engines

3.6.29.8 Ducats

3.6.29.9 Summary of the auction system

3.6.29.10 Hints

3.6.29.10.1 Use of Cloud Engines

3.6.29.10.2 Providers of Cloud Engines

3.6.29.11 Chat window Engine Cloud

3.6.29.12 Rating List

3.6.29.13 Examples

3.6.29.13.1 Playing games

3.6.29.13.2 Let’s Check

3.6.29.13.3 Engine matches

3.6.29.13.4 Providing Cloud Engines

3.6.29.13.5 Solve Test Sets

3.6.29.13.6 Infinite Analysis with a Cloudengine

3.6.29.13.7 Cloud Engines on Playchess.com

3.6.29.13.8 Let's Check

3.6.29.14 Dialogs

3.6.29.14.1 Engine

3.6.29.14.2 Computer

3.6.29.14.3 Revenue

3.6.29.14.4 Settings dialog for providers

3.6.29.15 Private Users

3.6.29.16 Ignored Users

3.6.29.17 Bid Dialog

3.6.30 The Analysis board

3.6.31 Variation board

3.6.32 Visualize Search

3.6.33 Animated engine variants

3.6.34 Chess problems, mate search

3.6.35 Mate search with Fritz

3.6.36 Tips in the engine window

3.6.37 Calculating Elo ratings retrospectively

3.7 Training

3.7.1 Calculation Training

3.7.2 Assisted Calculation

3.7.3 Calculation training with candidate support

3.7.4 Blindfold play

3.7.5 Opening Training

3.7.6 Endgame Training

3.7.7 Tactical Training

3.7.8 Mate Training

3.7.9 Theme Blitz

3.7.10 Extend training database

3.7.11 Delete Training Results

3.7.12 Bullet Training

3.7.13 Rated and Tactical Calculation

3.8 Commentary

3.8.1 Edit and annotate game

3.8.2 Text commentary

3.8.3 Commentary symbols

3.8.4 Medals

3.8.5 Elements of commentary

3.8.6 Graphic commentary

3.8.7 Toolbar in the notation

3.8.8 Exporting a game

3.8.9 Chess films

3.8.10 Spoken comments via microphone

3.8.11 Move entry and variation dialog

3.8.12 Commentary palette

3.8.13 Null move

3.8.14 Printing diagrams

3.8.15 Chess Media System

3.8.15.1 Chess Media System requirements

3.8.15.2 Chess Media System

3.8.15.3 Enhancement to the Chess Media System

3.8.15.4 Chess Media Training

3.9 Computer chess

3.9.1 Engines

3.9.2 Fritz 18 engine

3.9.3 Setting engine priority

3.9.4 Engine management

3.9.5 Load Engine

3.9.6 Settings Engine Window

3.9.7 Setting the evaluation display

3.9.8 Advanced

3.9.9 Engine matches

3.9.10 Compare analysis

3.9.11 Engine tournaments (with humans)

3.9.12 The Nunn Match

3.9.13 UCI Engines

3.9.14 Set UCI Priority

3.9.15 How to deinstall an UCI Engine?

3.9.16 Process test set

3.9.17 Engine-engine database

3.9.18 Editing round numbers

3.9.19 Permanent brain

3.9.20 Expected move

3.9.21 Mate Engine

3.9.22 Switch off engine

3.9.23 Switching off the evaluation

3.9.24 Endgame databases

3.9.25 Copy endgame databases to hard disk

3.9.26 Installation and notes on Endgame Turbo

3.9.27 Syzygy and small hard disks

3.9.28 Installing the Endgame Turbo

3.9.29 Syzygy EGTB

3.9.30 Syzygy Endgame Turbo Tip

3.9.31 Hash tables

3.9.32 Benchmark

3.9.33 Clearing hashtables

3.9.34 Engine parameters

3.9.35 End Game Table Base support

3.9.36 Extended Options in the Engine Window

3.9.37 Engine Interface

3.10 ChessBase Web Apps

3.10.1 Startscreen

3.10.2 Information about the ChessBase Account

3.10.3 How to register with Fritz15 or CB14

3.10.4 FAQ about the ChessBase Account

3.11 Elo ratings

3.11.1 Elo ratings and lists

3.11.2 The Elo start list

3.11.3 Viewing the Elo list

3.12 External hardware

3.12.1 Connect hardware

3.12.2 DGT Rabbit Plugin

3.12.3 Move synchronization DGT board

3.12.4 DGT board

3.12.5 XL chess clock

4 Practical examples

4.1 Analysis in the notation

4.2 Animation speed

4.3 Tips for analysis

4.4 Tip on the Syzygy databases

4.5 Book learning

4.6 Edit the library

4.7 Copy book

4.8 Delete database

4.9 Compress database

4.10 Append database

4.11 One-click move entry

4.12 Keyboard input

4.13 Personal openings books

4.14 EPD Import/Export

4.15 Apply EPD

4.16 Info on the CBH format

4.17 Position tree information

4.18 Entering and printing illegal positions

4.19 Creating layouts

4.20 Displaying thinking time

4.21 Copy games

4.22 Enter games

4.23 Delete games

4.24 Tournament tables

4.25 Generate text files

4.26 Linking book and database

4.27 How do I save a game?

4.28 Setting move number in position setup

4.29 Send games via email

4.30 Search games with comments

4.31 Full analysis - Opening reference

4.32 Share game

4.33 Optimising move entry

4.34 Database search – watch out for small or capital letters

4.35 Correct promotion!

4.36 Notes on rated games

4.37 Chess training with Theme Blitz

4.38 Fine-tuning openings books

4.39 Alternative piece designs

4.40 Producing opening references

4.41 The move list

5 Troubleshooting

5.1 Display problems in the engine window

5.2 Engine Interface

5.3 TableBases display

5.4 Opening names

5.5 Play out positions

5.6 Optimising 3D display

5.7 Widescreen monitor problems

5.8 How do I upgrade my program ?

5.9 Inactive menu entries

5.10 Letters on the board ?

5.11 Disable move indicator

5.12 Hardware problems

5.13 Problems in the display of the list window?

5.14 Admin Tool

5.15 Note on deactivation

5.16 Stockfish configuration problem

5.17 Using ChessBase software on a Mac

5.18 Videos do not play

5.19 Entering DGT board positions

5.20 Copy tree to hard disk not available

6 Glossary

6.1 Alpha-Beta

6.2 Analysis mode

6.3 Analysis level

6.4 Algorithm

6.5 Pawn units

6.6 Tree

6.7 Evaluation function

6.8 Book

6.9 Database

6.10 The database window

6.11 Data formats

6.12 DLL

6.13 ECO classification

6.14 Endgame database

6.15 Engine

6.16 Engine system

6.17 EPD format

6.18 Hash tables

6.19 Clearing hash tables

6.20 Horizon effect

6.21 Index

6.22 Nodes

6.23 Learning ability

6.24 Permanent Brain

6.25 PGN format

6.26 Position tree

6.27 PowerBook

6.28 Rating lists

6.29 Keys

6.30 Search depth

6.31 TableBases

6.32 Thompson databases

6.33 Eugene Nalimov

6.34 Notes on UCI engines