ChessMarkstheSpot: I bought Fritz12 recently too. I had experimented with Aquarium and Rybka4 previously - Fritz12 is MUCH better IMO. I've played 100 or so rated games and love it. I'm slowly starting to improve.
Fritz12, Chess Mentor and Tactics Trainer are my main tools
Nick, as are mine. But I also use my Openings book and my Endgames book as well and I have a study schedule printed out on my wall that I try to adhere too. I'm just curious Nick as to what Fritz has you rated as because once you get high enough, I think 1600-1800, it starts classifying your skill level as club player or so on. I'm gearing for at least "Strong Club Player" status but any kind of "Master" status would be great too. Good luck.
I am an "Ambitioned Club Player". My Fritz rating has dropped back to around 1200 but I am getting further into games with an equal or superior position before I make a mistake and lose. I love the instant gratification of replaying a rated game with a Kibbitzer (I usually use my Rybka4 engine for this)
I'm not sure what forms the basis of its title for you, or when it decides to change it. I think it's mainly a function of games played
Once you hit a higher number, it gives you a certain title. That is at least what it says in the program's help file. Hitting 2200 or 2300 gives you CM status, that is my aim LOL. But being an "Ambitioned Club Player" is pretty good. I'm gonna give you congrats for it. 
Thanks! Yes, I'd be pretty happy with CM too! I beat a CM recently OTB in a couple of clock skew blitz games: I had 15 minutes, he had 5. This has given me hope (/delusion) that I may one day make it up to the 2,000 ish level. Best of luck in your Fritz endeavours and I'll look out for you on Live Chess!
I am a little delusional as well about what I can achieve. But this program has definitely helped me in my chess life. I'll take what I can get now and just have to make sure I don't get discouraged with the blunders I'm making. Good luck to you too and maybe one day, hopefully soon enough, I'll start playing Live. See you at the board.
I I don't feel confident enough yet to start playing Live on here, but it has definitely helped my board vision and thinking ahead 5-6 moves.
Dude, jump in the water and have fun. When you play "live chess", you can predetermine the rage of your opponent's strength. So you can start off playing some of the weaker players, then you can notch up to your level.
Life is too short, play chess.
I was thinking about buying F12, so can you please tell me this if you can, can you import PGN games and have them analized? What I am really intrested in is to have my games analyzed, kind of like Babas Chess, so I can see what I did right/wrong.
I was thinking about buying F12, so can you please tell me this if you can, can you import PGN games and have them analized? What I am really intrested in is to have my games analyzed, kind of like Babas Chess, so I can see what I did right/wrong.
Yes, you can import PGNs (or just paste them). The analysis mode is pretty good, it has a certain amount of natural language commentary as well as suggesting stronger moves and alternative lines. If you are impatient and have a machine with several cores it may be worth going for Deep Fritz 12 (which will take advantage of those cores). The standard one runs on a single core
What Nick said. I've imported PGNs of every world Championship back to 1886. Also, all the tournaments that happen either USCF or FIDE, I have them. I downloaded the full careers of many players like Morphy, Tal, Steinitz etc. Every PGN or tourney that I can find gets downloaded to both CM 10 and F-12. My own personal PGN database is HUGE
dewriat - I play a lot offline on Fritz 12 and I just think I would make a "you know what" out of myself on Live. I don't deal well with that kind of pressure especially if people are making comments in the chats when I am playing. I know it's stupid but that's just the way that I am. If I had a bad experience on Live and I felt uncomfortable I'd never go back again and play.
If I had a bad experience on Live and I felt uncomfortable I'd never go back again and play.
You probably already know, but you can even mute the chatbox if you want and set the time limits. Thanks for the Fritz information, I will get it.
What ever is the most fun for you, have at it.
I don't know if this is the right place for this topic but if not, I am sorry mods. Be gentle with me.
On August 13th, I finally got Fritz 12 as a surprise gift from my girlfriend. And from then on to now, I have played 50 games so far. I usually play "series" type matches in Friend Mode, 5 game Series, 7 Game Series, you get the idea. My handicap was pretty high as I was humbled by the program and upset by my own dimwitted blunders. Since my handicap has gone down about 200 pts in the span of the last 4-5 days, I wanted to share my thoughts on this program.
I go over all the analysis and play positions out on one of my many chess sets and see where I've did right and where I have gone wrong. Lately, my play has drastically improved to the point where my matches take longer, my patience is greater, even though for the past 5 days I have been suffering from a very bad sinus infection and feel very sick most of the day. F-12 has made me a better chess player, moreso then what the CM series has done for me. I don't feel confident enough yet to start playing Live on here, but it has definitely helped my board vision and thinking ahead 5-6 moves. My ongoing record is stored on my profile here and I record every game as soon as it ends. To anyone who is thinking of buying this program, no matter what skill level you are, you will see an improvement in your overall game. I certainly have.