Just wondering how others have set up there chessbase databases.

Do you just have one big database or do you split it into smaller sizes based on ELO ratings ie 1200 to 1600 and 1600+ etc

Do you have a DB just containg your games or is everything merged into one.

What about openings or endgames

Asking the question as I am unsure how to best manage Chessbase DB

Possible thoughts were to have the mega DB from Chessbase and leave it untoched except for updates and just split into working DB of different ratings, openings, endgames etc.

Unsure what to do, and what others do hence the question.

Thanks for any ideas or suggestions.

Nobody use Chessbase ????

My OTB games are in one database. My online games are in another. My online database contains correspondence, standard, and blitz, but very few bullet games. It stands just under 70,000 games right now.

My main reference database is the one that came with my version of ChessBase updated with TWIC. When I annotate these games, I store the annotated games in a separate database.

I create small, specialized databases for many purposes. And retain intact those that I purchase.

In the view:

My Path to the Top contains Kramnik videos and games

Czech Benoni contains IM Andrew Martin's instructive videos from his DVD

Barden and Heidenfeld are the games in a book published in 1960 that I downloaded from a now defunct site

Chernev 1000 are the games from an even older book

Alekhine-Chatard contains my games in a particular line that was giving me trouble

Charousek is incomplete, but was created to hold all of Charousek's games from chessgames.com, which has a larger number than the ChessBase database

I have all Informants in electronic versions as well as Paramount. I created a database that contains all games ever published in Informant and use this for reference.

How download it?

Thankyou Ziryab

I think thats what I will try and do, small specialised DBs and then leave the purchased copy of any DB as a master file. Thats a good idea.

Here's today's blog post with a lesson on using ChessBase indices: http://chessskill.blogspot.com/2016/01/using-pins.html

Here's an in depth example of using chess database softare (ChessBase and Chess Openings Wizard) to design openings:

http://www.masschess.org/chess_horizons/chess-horizons-article.aspx?ch_uid=117

 Good article, Bookup. Thanks.

Yes thanks Bookup, will have another look at your software when I have time. Downloaded it a couple of weeks ago but still haven't had time to play with it. Spend too much time working lol

Back in 1984, I created the first version of Bookup because I was too busy to study chess. True story. The folks in my chess club had jobs like grave digger where they could find time to study their openings for hours each day. I cobbled together the Bookup program just to keep up with them.

Did you get the Informant Paramount 2.0 upgrade? If so, are you merging that into the same 1.0 database or keeping it separate?  I don't understand all the nuances and ins and outs of databases, but am worried I'll bejeeber my Paramount up if I merge, and also don't want to have two separate databases if I install to a separate directory. Any advice would be much appreciated!  

Ah, the helpful fellows at Informant responded. Just in case anyone else has this same question, version 2.0 contains all of 1.0, so unless you have made changes to your 1.0, you can just go ahead and uninstall it (before or after installing 2.0). If you have made changes, save those out before uninstalling 1.0.

Doubtless this is obvious to all "in the know," but I am still somewhat new to Databases!  

I usually split it up based on Opening patters.  for example, all of the french defense games will be in one folder, with sub-sections for the exchange variation, advance variation, classical, etc.  I prefer to sort them this way because it makes it very easy to study patterns. for example, in the semi-slav a very common positional theme is black playing ...b5 at some point, expanding on the Q-side.  thus, if I want to study games based on this type of positional theme, I go for the semi-slav databases, even  I don't really wish to focus on the opening itself.

I have not purchased the upgrade yet. I might not. With an active subscription in CD and book, I am able to keep my db of all Informant games uptodate. That is on of three databases that I use regularly. Paramount has additional features and the upgrade is cheap.

How do you it the

Introspection Badge?

Sorry, instead of it, I meant get