Update Novag Citrine Drivers (Fritz and more).

 I came across this website. It contains drivers for the Novag Citrine and other computer connected chess boards.

 https://goneill.co.nz/chess.php

I was particularly interested in the Novag Citrine to Fritz drivers. Look for the following paragraph.

"Fritz and ChessBase

It took me a long time to get my drivers to work in Fritz and I finally succeeded in June 2022. They need to be 64 bit and that is why they are different files to the other drivers which are all 32 bit. This means they will only run in Fritz versions 15 and above and ChessBase 13 and above (although I think 12 also had an option for 64 bit)."

I installed the software and it worked immediately.

If need help connecting your Citrine to the computer here is a link to my guide. (https://www.chesstech.info/2019/02/novag-citrine-connecting-to-pc.html)

I have Fritz 16 and am very pleased to be able to use it with the old Novag. After installing the program (Fritz-CB.dll) I just opened the Fritz program. Selected Board from the top row tabs (see picture below) and clicked the DGT board check box. The Control window popped up and the connection was made. I hope someone finds this info helpful.

Chat GPT on Technology in Chess

You may have heard about this new technology. I thought I would apply it to the idea of the use of technology in chess. What do you think about it's response. 

 Technology has had a significant impact on the study of chess. One of the main ways that technology has been used in chess is through the development of chess engines. These are programs that are able to analyze chess positions and provide recommendations for the best moves to make. These programs have become increasingly sophisticated and are now able to beat even the strongest human players.

Another way that technology has impacted the study of chess is through the use of databases. There are now vast collections of recorded chess games that can be searched and analyzed using computer programs. This has made it much easier for players to study the games of past masters and learn from their strategies and tactics.

Online chess platforms have also made it possible for players to study and play chess from anywhere in the world. There are now many websites and apps that allow players to connect and play chess games online, as well as access a wide range of learning resources and tools.

Finally, technology has played a role in the broadcast and coverage of chess tournaments. Many chess tournaments are now streamed online, and there are also numerous chess-related podcasts, videos, and other forms of media that are available through the internet. This has made it easier for chess enthusiasts to follow the latest developments in the world of chess.

Novag Citrine Game - 2006 Computerized Board

 Set at 3 minutes per move the Novag Citrine held it's own. I played my moves but blunder checked in half a dozen places to keep the game at a high level. Some of the tactics that the Novag made it's way through were pretty impressive for a 2006 computer.

Click the 3 dots to bring up options. Like an analysis board in any position.

Amazon Fire Tablet - Install Lichess, Aimchess, and more.

 I have a Amazon Fire 7 9th generation. Amazon's app store is void of key chess apps. See my article on installing Chess.com on a Fire 7 (click here). Today I installed Lichess and Aimchess apps on my tablet.

First you will need to install an apk downloader in your browser (Google's Chrome). 

Also I use Dropbox to transfer to the tablet. Dropbox is available in the Amazon App Store. 

Find the chess app in the Google Play store. Run the apk downloader. Select your device configuration as close as you can. Download it to Dropbox.

Open Dropbox on your tablet and run the apk. You may have to try a several versions to find one that works. I had to use Aimchess version 1.3 instead of the latest 1.7. I don't know the difference. I think they are just a way of connecting to the website anyway.

So I've installed Chess.com, Everyman Chess Books Viewer, Lichess, and Aimchess using this method. They all work on my tablet. I hope this helps someone. Be sure to follow the blog if you like the content. Also let me know if you have another technology issue. I'll try to find a solution. 

Chess Books Still A Great Study Resource

 I admit it. I love chess books. However I find them hard to follow. So I really like the Everyman Chess books. You can buy and download a book as an ebook, Kindle book, Chessbase format, and PGN file. This gives you options to view the material and have a board to move through the variations. The ability to go off on variations and jump back to the main line. Also you can check the evaluation of a line with a chess engine. Here is a link to Everyman's guide to the various formats.

There is just one problem. They don't actually sell the hard copy of the books any more. So I wanted a couple of books to work on an opening repertoire. I found them at Thriftbooks.com and Abebooks.com. 

So now I have these two books in every format. Here are some screen shots of the books in various viewers.

Kindle Book

Chessbase

As a pgn file in SCID vs PC a free chess database program.

I hope this helps you rediscover chess books and using them to study. Let me know if I can provide any additional information. 

Aimchess The Computer As Coach!

 Aimchess Review

A data driven Chess Coach. My favorite feature is Aimchess will pull your games from Chess.com and/or Lichess.com and use them to develop study plans for you. Find your weak moves and pose them in the form of a puzzle.

You can have Aimchess pull games from as far back as you want. It will analyze them and give you data driven charts on your weaknesses and strengths.    

Then Aimchess develops a daily study exercise plan to improve your play.

Their video is wild but buried in there is the info they want to share.

Check it out at Aimchess.com. I think this is a game changer (pun).

The analysis board has tabs that link to Videos and Courses as well as the Notation. They appear to be geared to the position on the board. Nice!

Chessquid

I decided to get a refund for now. Chessquid is promising but largely in development. In my opinion they shouldn't be offering it for sale yet.    

I recently purchased Chessquid Pro. It's in development. I hope they get more of the database features working soon. I'll edit this post to include a review of the software soon. Here is a quick game I played against the program. It does have a big selection of opponents tuned to different playing levels.