Chess Database Software - SCID - chessbase compared

As of writing - I believe SCID is one of the best database software out there - especially considering its price (free) vs say chessbase. I have a copy of chessbase light (the crippled free version)  and I see no point in anyone using this version at all except to evaluate since it does not allow one to edit the datatbases. With scid 4.0 you can manage as large database as you have with no restrictions.

I also noticed that the "reference" tab in chessbase does not update as fast as the opening tree window in scid. This is probably because scid does not show all info at once but I find scid to be easier going through the tree.

The most important feature for me: auto-annotate only exists in scid. I can automatically have the engine annotate all blunders made by one or both sides. Chessbase can only do this manually.

It seems that the major advantage of chessbase is in the actual database it provides. Also to bring a database into scid, in most cases, would involve importing a huge pgn file. SCID has its own format but games are either distributed in pgn or chessbase format.

Does anyone have the full version of chessbase to compare with scid? Scid is free at http://scid.sourceforge.net/

I have compared  only 2 features of scid vs chessbase above (opening tree and annotate). SCID has many reporting tools like chessbase but its difficult for me to make a fair comparison since I only have the free version of chessbase. Does anyone have the full version of chessbase and like to review its features?

I am using SCID as well but I will switch to a commercial product soon. What I consider essential and SCID doesn't have:

- A coherent way to store a repertoire, track new games played in this repertoire and train it.

- nice presentation for the opening report, e.g. Chessbase draws a chessboard and has arrows on it to demostrate typical plans for a given position.

- annotate games with a reference database in mind, the .bin books which are used to annotate the opening is a good start but I very much prefer having a reference database.

- good game annotation environment.

- back-solving in auto annotate but it is ok, one can use something else for this.

- copy-paste the analysis lines.

- auto update the TWIC base.

- a big reference database that is automatically being updated. CB does this with the Mega DB packages and its online database. If e.g. SCID and Icofy could somehow cooperate, that would do the job.

The above, at least for me, are sufficient to move to the available commercial options. In any case, SCID is a great effort and has the potential to become a main DB application when it matures.

That's interesting:

Have you tried the repertoire editor in scid? Maybe this is not sufficient -- How is this done in chessbase (can it be done in chessbase light free?)

Chessbase drawing of arrows - demonstrating plans does seem better than scid.

scid can use reference databse. open large database open tree window and then lock it. then switch to your database of games.

good game annotation environment - I think scid is good enough here but not sure what specifically is better in chessbase.

copy-paste the analysis lines. This is done better in scid. Simply press the V++ and all anaylysis line are added to currrent game.

auto update the TWIC base. - cannot be done in sci. 

Even though I have an almost updated version of TWIC , I dont mind updating manually. I just have to go to website download pgn and import into my database. I use the software to just anaylyze my game with the engine and add annotations and to go through a few master games. I do use the opening tree with a large database but I am not too picky about getting the absolute latest master games.

Looks like for a very serious chess player SCID might come up short but this is what I'm trying to determine.

Is there any database software out there that can handle Fischer Random (Chess 960)? I use Chessbase to track my online games. I like being able to store notes and variations on what I'm thinking. But I'm mostly playing FRC these days and I can't track that in Chessbase, because it doesn't support FRC castling. Is there another solution out there?

I took the liberty to replace the points we seem to share common views with "...".

- I have tried the repertoire editor but SCID uses masks, repertoire editor, trainer, no coherent approach on this. Moreover if developers think of changing something in the next version, I'll have to re-type a whole repertoire. So far I use CPT for this and I am asking opinions on how chessbase does this. The best online resource I came up with is

http://grandpatzerchess.blogspot.com/2007/10/using-chessbases-repertoire-database.html

http://grandpatzerchess.blogspot.com/2007/10/using-chessbases-repertoire-database_18.html

and it seems, more convenient than SCID.

- SCID can indeed use a reference DB when viewing a game but not when auto-annotating one.

- annotation environment is always a matter of taste, I just found SCID to be a bit buggy there and the interface is not to my liking, but it is certainly usable, I just think that other environments are better.

- copy paste works well within SCID but I oftenly write annotations of my games in google docs, mainly when I want to add allot of text, and having a copy paste between different programs is something that I need.

- Indeed TWIC can be updated by hand and a big DB can also be updated once per a few years but it is more convenient to have this automatically on a weekly basis and not having to remember which was the last twic that was downloaded, check by hand if you missed any issues etc.

- Another advantage of CB over SCID is the ability to view all those chessbase DVDs

- Also having an online Database sounds very convenient to me, saves disc space and one doesn't have to break huge databases into smaller bases in order to make them manageable, all the heavy processing happens online :)

As I said before I don't want to sound like trashing SCID, I think it is a solid effort which however is not mature yet, Openoffice used to be laughable and now it is my main office suite it just needed time to mature. Until SCID or some other effort like e.g. Jose, matures I will try either CB or CA, I will decide which one to purchase in the coming month.

btw I think CB light can do everything CB 10 can but it comes without Mega DB, however it has access to a large online database. I do not (yet) use CB light, my source for this is http://www.chessbase.com/products/chessbase10/overview.htm.

CB Light (free) cannot do much at all - it cannot even keep your own games in one database - (cannot edit or add games to database but can convert pdn to cbh database)

Those links you put up there are interesting - But I am just not that dedicated a chess player. I see no reason to study openings that thoroughly unless I wish to become a Master. -- but thats an entirely different topic

I find scid most useful in looking though my games auto-annotating blunders with engine anaylyis and going through a few opening lines comparing with a large reference database.

Perhaps SCID serves the casual user more .. Would be interesting to see if there are any " power users" of scid. 

Anyway, if you purchase chessbase I would like to hear if it worked out to your satisfaction.

by CB Light I refer to the paid version, CB light premium, which does these things. I will let you know more on this but atm I haven't made up my mind 100% I am waiting for opinions on CA as well :)

I don't think it has to do with player strength, most of my complaints from SCID have to do with the user interface, the ease of use and how fast it is to do certain tasks not the strength of its analysis engines.

All ChessBase chess engine programs come with a games database. In older versions, before the CB/Fritz interface was changed, one could import games in CBV/CBH and PGN formats to its database by going to the database, selecting the Home tab, selecting Paste, and then selecting Append Games.
This does not work in the current interface; for example, in Komodo 13. How does one import games into Komodo 13's games database? No instructions exist for this in Komodo's Help section. Thanks!

That uses the Fritz 16 interface, so looking in that manual will tell you how to create your own database.