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Subject: Re: Analysis Software Basics

Author: Steve

Date: 21:44:45 01/15/99

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On January 15, 1999 at 21:34:36, Richard SLONE wrote:

>Hi,
>   Please excuse a message from an average chess player who is just starting to
>get into computer chess.  Apparently, "everyone" knows what type of "analysis"
>the various programs can perform, so manufacturer's web sites and review
>articles don't often discuss the exact type of output the program can provide.
>   I am trying to find a chess software program that can analyze my past games;
>lost ones in particular.  In other words, I want a program to identify those
>moves that let the game slip away, and why they were bad.
>   In analysis programs, are bad moves annotated only with a "?" or "??",  or a
>score based on a certain sequence of continuation, English text analysis?  Some
>programs with text analysis seem to be able to only look ahead and suggest good
>moves. They don't describe in text what was wrong with a given past move.
>   Can an inexpensive program provide the depth of analysis I am looking for?  I
>don't want to spend a lot of money on a program that I can't try out ahead of
>time and can't return.  Any suggestions for a first purchase software package
>for an average player?
>

As another average chess player, here's my opinion, for what it's worth.  All of
the top programs can tell you why a move is bad, but not in the way that a human
can; you have to do some of the work yourself by analyzing various alternatives
with the help of the program and discovering why some of them are bad.  The
program that probably comes closest to what you want is Fritz 5, which is an
excellent and relatively inexpensive program.
>	Thanks so much,
>	Richard



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