One thing that is lesser known is that I am studying to be a software engineer. Here is an honest question. I have already received various answers, and I am curious as to what yours would be.
What is one feature in chess software that the programs you are using currently lacks, or what two pieces of software would you have combined to make your training efforts easier?
I really like PCT but there are features I’d like to add:
1. Tracking of history and stats per problem (attempts, # right, # wrong).
2. Navigation to individual problems.
3. Drilling or training based on stats/history so when doing unit 51 of a module (with all 720 problems in it) I can repeat the module but only for those I got wrong the last time; or wrong in any of the last N attempts, etc. Bookup’s training command is similar to what I am thinking of.
I should like to have a chess database program that is able to find specific tactical combinations in the database.
These can be used as exercise material.
@Chess Teaching…Doesn’t CQL do that sort of thing ?
Combine some features of PCT and CT-Art (CT-ART statistics as Tacticus mentions, and also the mini 5×5 boards that pop up, combined with the better interface of PCT).
And add the ability to both to edit or eliminate problems that have errors. This is a major shortcoming of all the software I’ve seen. I wasted a lot of time memorizing incorrect (or at least having to supress my urge to respond with alternate perfectly good) lines in CTB.
Most endgame training programs mark a move “wrong” if the author forgot to include it even if it’s provably equally good (or better!) than the author’s choice. It seems like it shouldn’t be too hard to have the software automatically mark any answers equally good or better than the author’s as correct answers, at least for tablebase-solved positions.
This is all a matter of opinion but I think the simpler the interface the better. A program should be fairly easy to get right into. I personally found Fritz/chessbase to very unintuitive. Shredder on the other hand has become my best friend! (Shredder classic 3 from the Shredder website, not the one released by Chess base).
I have also decided to purchase Chessimo after experimenting with both it and CT-ART. I didn’t understand how to get around the board with CT-ART. In other words I couldn’t get a quick handle on the parameters. Chessimo, for me, was very easy.
I think it is almost impossible to make a software of any kind that EVERYONE likes. We all respond so differently to different interfaces (ie: Mac vs. Windows). Neither one is better, but we each have one that makes a little more sense to us!
One other thing I would say is that a big factor for me when purchasing or continuing with a line of software or computer products is how good the tech help is! When I first bought Fritz it had all kind of bugginess and the Chessbase tech help was a meandering mess. I got no help and it took 3 weeks to get that far. That alone has made me shy away from them. But on the flip side that won’t be as important to everyone.
Thanks,
Tomg