The Blue Agave Forum: The Blue Agave Forum -> Fritz 12 is out and ordered

I probably wasted my money, but I just ordered a copy of Fritz 12, the latest version of the best chess-playing software available for a personal computer.

Frankly given my lack of practice these days, I could probably be beaten by my dog or by a talking smoke alarm. Still, I persist in wanting to play.

Certainly all of the existing chess programs I already have - including Fritz 10, Chessmaster 10 and several free chess programs - can beat me at a rather embarrassing level. So F12 is easily overkill if I'm looking for an e-opponent.

But I live in hope. I was once a much stronger player and I sometimes fool myself into thinking that, with a little practice against my digital opponent, I could revive those skills. Probably true if I was in my mid-20s. In my late 50s, my brain is probably so ossified that any hope of significant improvement is self-delusion. In the 70s and 80s, I played chess daily, often staying up all night playing chess with friends. Nowadays I'm happy when I can play monthly. And more often as not, that's against the computer, which beats me without gusto or verve, merely mechanical skill.

I don't have a lot of opportunity to play chess these days, outside the computer. My best opponent is an old friend who lives in Cambridge and comes here every few months to defeat me (and play some ukulele in compensation). I had the exhilarating joy of actually besting him a couple of times in a row during a recent visit, but it was a rare moment. He made up for it in subsequent games, and as usual beat me rather soundly. Then we played some uke and had a glass or two of wine, so I got over it.

There is a local, informal, chess club that meets Mondays at the Admiral's Post pub, but Monday is my council night, so I can't attend. But council is game enough for me, I suppose. Just that the rules aren't as formalized. Not that we'd stick to them anyway.

Fritz has become not only the best-selling chess program for PCs, but one of the strongest and most versatile computer chess opponents, moving to the top of the competition almost ever since its first appearance in the 1990s. There are stronger engines out there - Rybka is said to be a real threat - but as an overall package with lessons, game database, opening book and graphics, Fritz seems to offer the most and the richest gaming experience.

Fritz 10, the last version I purchased, was a devastating program. Not only smart and seemingly unbeatable, it contained a ton of features and training functions. I was unable to really explore it as well as I wanted to, in part because of time, but I also got a new computer not long after I got F10, and never got around to installing it on the new system. I didn't get Fritz 11 because it came out very soon after F10 and there was no upgrade - just the purchase of a whole new package. And F11 didn't seem to offer anything worth the full cost - as an upgrade, it might have been worth a smaller expenditure, but as a whole package it seemed overpriced.

F12 not only comes with a full interface remake and new video tutorials by Garry Kasparov, it's got new graphics and and improved, faster chess engine. It also comes with a database of 1.5 million games dating back from the early 17th century to today's world championships, and a one-year membership in the online chess game system. Plus it has a basketful of analysis tools, including real-time monitors like the "hotness meter" and "mate-o-meter."

Seemed like it was worth it, based on the online previews and video ads I've seen. But like I said, I'm over-reaching if I expect to beat it. I suppose in some Yoda-Buddhist fashion, the effort is the focus, not the winning or losing. Yeah, right.

At our recent library board meeting, this week, I got support to purchase a couple of tournament chess sets (usually a vinyl board, weighted Staunton-style pieces and a chess clock in a carry-bag) for the new library. I even got consideration to look at getting a large-scale chess set for the roof-top pavilion. Chess seems to me a natural fit with libraries. I like the idea of coming into the new building and seeing people playing chess, as well as reading or using the computers. Perhaps with some luck I may be one of the future players.

My recent interest in chess was piqued by reading Hallman's book, The Chess Artist; a combination of chess history, road trip-travelogue and social commentary. It's a bit of 'On the Road' meets 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' over a chess board. While a chess aficionado can enjoy it for that side, I think Hallman's narrative is actually quite enjoyable by the general public. His description of the strange trip to Chess City in the Russian republic of Kalmykia, is entertaining reading. It's a rare insight into an alien part of our planet few of us are likely to even look up online, let alone visit. I've recommended this book to Susan, who likes good travel books.

Hallman reminded me of the stratospheric, entertaining, yet odd world of high-level chess. I have an old book in my collection, a Dover publication, bought some 40-plus years ago, called The Bright Side of Chess, by Irving Chernev. My copy is worn, taped, but still read and loved. And reread many times over. It's only one of a small handful of books I still have from the 60s, and I treasure it as much for its entertainment value as for its connection to my past. Chernev's anecdotes about contemporary chessmasters (it was first published in 1948; my edition was reprinted in 1965) is both humorous and insightful.

Many of the games in Chernev's delightful book are also in F12's huge 1.5-million game database. That means you can step through each game and examine the positions and situation at your leisure. And if they're not included, you can probably find them in a PGN version online, to import and play out. In fact, you can find many, many chess games and puzzles online (including classic Sam Lloyd puzzles) to add to your own database and play through at your leisure. And failing that, you can manually input and save them.

I'm sure I'll enjoy Fritz 12, even when it beats me. But it won't be the same as having a real human challenger on the other side of the board, one with whom I can talk, and ply with a glass of wine. Chess, is, after all, about life, not just about competition.