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Life is Easy Louis Lima Fritz 12 (DVD), by ChessBase, $74.95
Fritz 12 has such an enormous amount of functions that I am unable to detail all of them. Thus, I'd like to break this review into four sections, briefly covering Fritz 12's main functions and providing an overall assessment of the strengths and weakness in each category:
The New Interface If you are familiar with Microsoft Office 2007, then you will be familiar with the new interface of Fritz 12, which utilizes an ergonomic menu design called Ribbons. This graphical layout allows software developers to display, both graphically and verbally, menus from complex multi-function software.
You might find an irresistible urge to click on the attractive icons to find out what they are for. Say, for example, that you are bored with your current 2D board and would like to change its color configuration. In the past, if one couldn't remember the right-hand-click-on-the-chess-board trick, or the keyboard shortcut Shift+Ctrl+Alt+O, one would have to scroll through the various menus. We would finally find this function under the "Tools menu" in the subcategory "design," and then by clicking on the words "Board Design." On Fritz 12 instead, you click on the board tab, click on the picture of the board and this is what you get:
If you change your mind and would like to give the 3D boards a try, one click will give you this:
Everything from turning on the coaching function to engine management is now easily accessible and available to try out. Play against the Machine Users can easily adjust time controls or engine strength in limitless ways, or let Fritz 12 automatically adjust its level to that of the user. This is done through the "Friend mode" feature, which calculates the user's level of play as games are played. If one does not care for experimenting with engine set-ups, Fritz 12 offers a number of "Handicap and Fun" levels with playful names like "Moron," "Patzer," and "Steamroller." This along with Fritz trash-talking commentary can make for a fun and lively opponent. Although it is unlikely one will ever beat Fritz 12 at its highest strength, playing against it is a good way to test one's opening repertoire. I have also found it helpful to play the openings I struggle with against Fritz, and see what the engine suggests in conjunction with the opening book.
The talk function, where Fritz comments as you play, seems to sporadically switch on and off. I am not sure if this is on purpose, but if you need to manipulate this function, you can click on the Fritz green icon at the top-left of the screen, and then choose the "options" button. As with many special Fritz 12 features, you will need to insert the DVD unless you want to save its contents to your hard drive. Training Capabilities and Game Analysis Chess improvement involves self-awareness, knowledge, and skills. Fritz 12 has a host of training features, and I thought it would be helpful to classify them along these three categories. Self-Awareness Training Analyzing one's game to pinpoint specific areas of improvement is one of the surest ways to improve at any level. Fritz 12 has one of the best full analysis functions on the market, winning awards in 1996, 1997 and 1998 for the best computer-generated commentary at the Herschberg Awards. The Full analysis function annotates games in natural language, through variations, as well as with color and symbol commentary. The annotations also include key games played in the game's opening lines, and these are culled from the one-million plus game database included in Fritz 12, or from a database of your choice. Fritz 12 also has a visual evaluation profile that shows you how the game progressed and where critical mistakes were made. This is a practical and valuable feature I have benefited from throughout my years with Fritz. There are several other analysis functions such as Deep analysis, Compare analysis, and Blunder Check. You can even organize engine matches to play a particular position; this can be done through the "Shootout" analysis function. There is also a "Monte Carlo" feature that allows you to create position statistics using "randomizing techniques," but you need a Rybka engine to use this function. For more information on the Monte Carlo function you can visit the following links: Developing a sense for recognizing critical game positions is an important aspect of chess improvement. Fritz 12 has a couple of new visual features called "Hotness" and "Mate-o-Meter." These are like vehicle gauges and they oscillate depending on the sharpness and mating possibilities of the position. To turn this feature on you need to click the "Measurement" box in the View Tab.
At first I thought the Hotness and Mate-o-Meter functions were just bells and whistles. However, as I used them, my sense of danger in sharp positions increased, and I began to appreciate these thoughtful cues. Ongoing rating of one's performance is essential to chess improvement as well. Fritz 12 has a Rated Play feature that I find it to be rather ineffective. It does not provide you with an estimated rating level every time you play a game, only a title awarded after calculating one’s performance from a determined number of games. The help menu describes that in Rated play: "…you will not be able to take back moves or receive any help from the program." However, this is not the case as there is a "J’adoube" button that allows you to take back a move as long as the computer has not yet made a move. It also disregards the touch-move rule as well. Finally, there is a helpful coaching function that will give you hints, point out threats, and provide you with suggestions throughout the game. Knowledge Training Fritz 12 comes loaded with thirteen hours of grandmaster video lectures. These are intended to entice users to purchase Fritz trainers too, but considering that each four-hour Fritz Trainer costs about $35 dollars, it does make Fritz 12 quite a bargain. I was very pleased to see several of Daniel King's PowerPlay videos clips on offer, as he is one of the best GM lecturers on the Fritz Trainer platform. The user will also find several hours of lectures about all phases of the game. There is even a complete video series by Andrew Martin on how to play chess for those new to the game.
Skills Training Chess training is a little bit like building muscles. If you want strong biceps, you'll need to do the push-ups yourself. Fritz 12 comes with some basic training features such as attack, defense, and checking drills. There is also an opening training feature where one gets to start every game against the computer from a particular opening, as well as from any position. There is an endgame training feature that lets you play specific positions too. Overall these drills are OK, but not as organized as the ones you find on Chessmaster Grandmaster Edition. Fritz 12 does come with a neat function to improve your calculation skills. From any position on the board you can calculate a series of moves and let the computer evaluate it. This is done by the user entering the moves on the board, but the moves are not made visible. The user then can have Fritz 12 check the variation for validity, tactics, and to score the quality of the variation. This seems like a good tool to improving one's visualization and calculations abilities.
There is also a tactical training feature that requires you to log on to playchess.com, where you are given tactical puzzles in a five minute period. Once you are done you get an estimated tactical rating, and you can check the solutions to the puzzles. Online Playing and Learning Fritz 12 comes with a one year premium access to playchess.com, where there is a host of valuable extras for those willing to explore its contents. You can play using the Fritz software interface and chat with other opponents. The standard Fritz 2D layout with realistic board-sounds tops the chart in my coolness meter, and using this interface on playchess.com has been known to turn players into late-night addicts of the royal game. You can also participate in tournaments, watch broadcasts, see GMs play live, and much more.
Fritz 12 installed easily and quickly. The minimum requirements are Pentium III 1GHz, 512 MB RAM, Windows Vista, XP (Service Pack 3), DirectX9 graphics card with 256 MBRAM, and a DVD drive. You will also need Windows-Media Player 9 (or higher) in order to take advantage of the training videos, and Internet access for playing at playchess.com. Overall this is one terrific product, a "Man's Best Friend" as Carsten Hansen affectionately titled his review of Fritz 8. I would recommend Fritz 12 to anyone, whether they own an earlier Fritz version or not.
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