I've been using Chessbase reader (which is the demo that now is available) until I moved to ScidvsPC few months ago, and I have to say that as a simple PGNviewer maybe it does the work but you cannot save anything, neither pgn, neither databases. So, at the end I was saving/making my own pgn with the notepad program and viewing them in chessbase. Terrible.
I was also thinking about buying the full chessbase but after giving a try to the free resources, decided that for my level I don't need such a investment.
Let us know your desicion! ;-)
Sorry I haven't gotten back to this thread until now. I've been cheating on you guys with ICC and I eventually did, after having a few eye opening conversations with a couple of higher rated players, break down and buy this Komodo + Chessbase + PlayChess package. $112 total with shipping and tax.
So how do I like my decision? I have literally done nothing but play chess and utilize the Chessbase materials and Komodo to break down and analyze my play. I can't stop. I would have paid twice as much for all of what it's given me at my disposal.
It advertises as Komodo 9.0 but they gave me 9.2 which just released. It's a monster. The lines, ideas, things that I can come up with, etc by using that engine + fritz is just ridiculous. I have gone up literally hundreds of elo by just playing hard opponents on ICC and analyzing, studying, and reviewing the game with Komodo + Fritz. I have a 1470 non provisional in their 25+10 pool now and my ratings in all of the other pools + my standard have increased, as well.
My eyes have also been opened to a lot since I last posted. I've played a lot of long chess, indeed. A lot. I've also played probably 500+ 3/0 and 3/2 blitz games. Sure...there have been some frustrating times. Hanging pieces, throwing away +10 endgames, constantly being behind on time. But that's all quickly ceasing and my game has been changed entirely. I needed to move faster. I needed to attack and put board and clock pressure on my opponents. There was only one way for me to finally start "getting it" on a tactical level and that was playing a lot of blitz, watching a lot of blitz, and reviewing extensively. Needless to say, I'm just destroying the problems I was struggling with a few weeks ago on ChessTempo. Plateau broken.
Anyway, I would recommend that package to anyone. You can have the engine actually annotate your game for you in the language you so wish and it's not computerish. It's natural and at times verbal. It's great. Fritz + Cloud Engines is easily worth more than $99 just by itself along with the engine...which actually IS worth $99+ by itself (Komodo 9.2).
Related to this thread: The newest Stockfish dev version (Oct 7th) just railroaded Komodo 9.02 both as white and then as black in 3+2 blitz. Does Komodo tend to fair better in longer time controls?
Well, I answered my own question as far as 15+10 rapids go. This newest version of Stockfish, with contempt turned up to 3, just absolutely embarrassed Komodo 9.02. It was up 66+ at one point in a game Komodo refused to resign until it was laughable.
Very, very interesting stuff. Over on the let's check analysis on Chessbase I keep coming up with the best lines against other engines using this Stockfish build. Crazy, crazy positional chess out of it.
This article just reminded me of this thread:
chessdailynews.com/in-the-big-battle-stockfish-vs-komodo-leads-gull/I'm going to download Gull now and see how much it takes him to beat me!! XD