Chessmaster Grandmaster version

[Dann Corbit]

I have bought every version of Chessmaster since 5500.
I did see steady improvements in the GUI up through 9000 (CM10x was a step sideways to me) -- but not worse.
So I bought Chessmaster Grandmaster -- after all, it's only $20.

I really hate the new GUI, and I can't figure out how to do anything with it. I was hoping that it would be possible to install UCI engines in Chessmaster, but to my horror I can't even figure out how to install a Winboard engine in the CM GUI now. I have searched through the PDF file and the word 'Winboard' is not even mentioned in the entire document.

The same things that I used to do to play TheKing engines up through version 333 do not seem to work properly with the new version. So I have a shiny new "theKing350.exe" that I can't play against any other engine right now.

Is there a forum that focuses on issues like this?

[Graham Banks]

Is there a forum that focuses on issues like this?

Chessmaster 11 forum?
http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/frm/f/4221052685/p/1

However, good luck in finding help.

[Dann Corbit]

Is there a forum that focuses on issues like this?

Chessmaster 11 forum?
http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/frm/f/4221052685/p/1

However, good luck in finding help.

Thanks. I tried a post there, but I have my doubts anyone will be able to assist me. It seems to be a rather non-technical forum.

[sorcerers_apprentice]

Hi Dann,

Enter training mode, go to the 'Game' menu and there you'll find a 'Import Winboard Engine...' submenu.

Regards,

[Dann Corbit]

Hi Dann,

Enter training mode, go to the 'Game' menu and there you'll find a 'Import Winboard Engine...' submenu.

Regards,

Yes, thanks. I also got an answer in the CM forum (same as yours) so I guess I sold that audience a little short.

Anyway, I am not nearly so horrified as I was at first.

[Sylwy]

Hi Dann,

Enter training mode, go to the 'Game' menu and there you'll find a 'Import Winboard Engine...' submenu.

Regards,

Yes, thanks. I also got an answer in the CM forum (same as yours) so I guess I sold that audience a little short.

Anyway, I am not nearly so horrified as I was at first.

And...............they are two updates 1.01&1.02.
1.03 coming soon !

[Graham Banks]

Hi Dann,

Enter training mode, go to the 'Game' menu and there you'll find a 'Import Winboard Engine...' submenu.

Regards,

Yes, thanks. I also got an answer in the CM forum (same as yours) so I guess I sold that audience a little short.

Anyway, I am not nearly so horrified as I was at first.

And...............they are two updates 1.01&1.02.
1.03 coming soon !

Usually CM bugfixes are GUI fixes and don't add to the strength of the engine.

[fern]

Hi Dann:
I would even say that CM is going along a descendent path. The Gui is lesser than the previous and besides no way to embed other engines. It seems to me this is the result of the company giving less and less importance to this product, so first they delivered it - CM 10- to be worked for cheap oriental european programmers and now, who knows, maybe it was programmed by a 15 years old hacker, one of those oily kids with dirty underwear and pizzas at the side of the keyboard.
I cannot explain the result with less than that awful picture.

My best
Fernando

[Graham Banks]

Hi Dann:
I would even say that CM is going along a descendent path. The Gui is lesser than the previous and besides no way to embed other engines. It seems to me this is the result of the company giving less and less importance to this product, so first they delivered it - CM 10- to be worked for cheap oriental european programmers and now, who knows, maybe it was programmed by a 15 years old hacker, one of those oily kids with dirty underwear and pizzas at the side of the keyboard.
I cannot explain the result with less than that awful picture.

My best
Fernando

Hi Fern,

Dann found out how to use other engines in the Chessmaster Grandmaster GUI as per his post above.

What I find annoying with the CM10th and CM11 GUIs is that you could no longer run automated engine tournaments. You are required to start each game manually. For that reason I prefer the CM9000 GUI.
Also if you want to use the CM engine outside the CM GUI, you must use a tedious procedure to keep generating a working opk number or resort to using a "fix".

There wasn't a lot of strength difference between the CM10th and CM9000 engines, but CM11 is a definite improvement in this regard.

Despite our various complaints about Chessmaster, I have to say that it's still the best complete package available for those wanting to play.
It has what I call the "Chess Club" feature in that there are personalities with differing styles and strengths that you can play against and work your way up the rankings.
And the tutorials are another great feature amongst many.

Regards, Graham.

[Werner]

Hi Dann,
- it is only possible to run a wb engine inside CM 11
- it is the same procedure as in CM 10
- as the CM11 GUI is buggy, I create the personality inside CM10 and then I copy it into CM11 GUI - that works
- I tried UBI support to show this bug, but they did not see what I wanted to show - the answer was: problem is solved
- if you have an engine only working in uci mode then use an uci-wb adapter like polyglot

- as I do not want to start each game manually I decided to play with TheKing engine only inside other GUIs like Arena or Shredder. I find the usage of the CM GUI very horrable....
So I forgot already most things how to use it.

regards