Chess Analysis Tools : Fritz Chess Software [About Fritz]

Chess Analysis Tools : Fritz Chess Software [About Fritz]
Chess Analysis Tools : Fritz Chess Software [About Fritz]
Fritz Chess software is the result of the combined efforts of Chess database compilers “ChessBase” and Chess game programmers Frans Morsch and Mathias Feist.

Play Chess

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How it works:

  1. 1
    Play alone
  2. 2
    Play with AI
  3. 3
    Play in room
  4. 4
    Watch the rooms
  5. 5
    No Ads, Clean Play Room

Dutchman, Frans Morsch had already been responsible for producing other Chess computer programs and Chess computers, during the 1970s and ’80s.

ChessBase have been on the go since 1998, compiling and maintaining a vast database of historically important Chess games.

Play Chess

Play Chess Online - Free Games

How it works:

  1. 1
    Play alone
  2. 2
    Play with AI
  3. 3
    Play in room
  4. 4
    Watch the rooms
  5. 5
    No Ads, Clean Play Room

How Things Began

In the early 1990s, ChessBase wanted an program created that made it easier to study and play the games held in their database collection and so turned to programmers, Morsch and Feist.

With Fritz, what have is a graphical user interface sitting on top. This allows you to select various options, control time limits, moving pieces on the 2D or 3D Boards, etc …

All that is due to programming done by Morsch and Feist. But to make it more substantial than just a pretty package, they enabled their program to link up to any of the databases maintained by ChessBase, which is essentially what you’re up against, when you play Fritz.

Fritz Chess, Edition 12 (a.k.a. Fritz 12)

From their early beginnings, ChessBase have seen continued success with Fritz and, at the time of writing, it’s now on its 12th revision.

If you’ve never played with such a capable Chess program, Fritz 12 can seem a bit daunting to begin with … Not from a playing perspective, but from finding your way through the multitude of menus and options.

Here’s a few menu setup options you’ll want to know, when getting started with this version of Fritz Chess … Learn More about Fritz 12

1. Change Chess Board – 2D & 3D

When I first opened Fritz 12, the only board that was showing was their 2D version with Blue and White squares.

You can choose a different 2D Board, or activate one of the 3D Boards …

First, you need to click on the “Board” menu tab, third in from the left. Then:

  • Change 2D Chess Board

With the 2D Board, I find the default Blue and White squares to be the best, but you can drop down the “Square” sub-menu and there you’ll find 8 different color themes to choose.

Chess Glossary - Fritz Chess - 1 2D

The next option along changes the look of the individual “Pieces“, but again, I find the default to be preferable.

For even more Board Design options, Right-click anywhere on the 2D Board and click on Board Design. From there you get even more customizing options.

  • Change 3D Chess Board

With Fritz 12, you get a total of 16 different 3D Boards to play on, including the Turk, which is the theme that’s shown in most of the adverts.

Chess Glossary - Fritz Chess - 1 3D

While they’re fun initially, beware if your computer has low processing power, as the animation will become a pain to sit through, when all you want to do is play a game of Chess.

Most often, as the novelty has worn off, I now stick to playing with the default, Blue & White square, 2D Board.

And, when I do play with a 3D Board, it’s usually one of the more-simple setups – the ones that don’t have an animated opponent.

2. Set Game Time

To set the Time Control in this version of Fritz Chess, you need to select the Home menu tab.

Chess Glossary - Fritz Chess - 2

If you want to play a fast game, click on the Blitz Game button. From there, you can select your own time limit, or choose from one of the presets – the “Defaults”.

If you prefer a longer game, where you get more time to analyze positions and you’re less rushed into making a move, then you’ll want to click on the Long Game button.

Again, you have “Defaults” ready to select, or you can configure your own time settings.

3. Play A Game

When you’re ready to play a new game in this version of Fritz Chess, you need to have select the Home menu tab.

Chess Glossary - Fritz Chess - 3

From there, you’ll find the New Game button. This is split into two …

The top half resets the Board, while clicking on the lower half, you get the option to Play a New Game, as well as Setup your own Positions …

This second option is useful if you want to study moves in a Chess book … You can recreate the scenario in the book, using Fritz to setup the pieces and play through the moves.

If you’re going to do that, just remember to turn off Fritz’s Chess Engine, otherwise, you’ll end up with the computer making the moves – which will likely be different to what you’re trying to study in your book.

4. How to Pause the Clock

Whether you want to explore your current position, or the Cheerleader from Heroes has just knocked at your door … [grrr. sigh. nice dream ends.], Fritz 12 lets you Pause the Chess Clock at any stage during your game.

To stop and restart the Chess Clock, in Fritz 12, simply tick or un-tick the box, next where it says Stop Clocks

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