English Chess Forum

Can anyone recommend a good chess database to use for looking at top players games and researching potential opponents games - im assuming it would need to be a subscription one
Thanks

Bruce Baer wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 25, 2022 8:01 am

Can anyone recommend a good chess database to use for looking at top players games and researching potential opponents games - im assuming it would need to be a subscription one
Thanks

I've not used them but this was recommended to me recently: https://www.openingtree.com/ along with https://gchess.com/ I used to use chessdb before it disappeared. As a virtually retired player I find the weekly TWIC download and the 4NCL downloads to be sufficient for my use.

LawrenceCooper wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 25, 2022 8:35 am

...and the 4NCL downloads to be sufficient for my use.

Does the 4NCL publishes the non-liveboard games?

Yes: https://www.4ncl.co.uk/pgn-replay.htm

Chesstempo and chessgames have decent databases, but If you are really keen on database surfing I personally think it's a better idea to build your own by downloading every pgn you can get your hands on and putting them into one massive file - I've seen too many chess sites close down and take away years of information to trust it to be in anyone elses hands but my own.

Joey Stewart wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 25, 2022 11:42 am

I've seen too many chess sites close down and take away years of information to trust it to be in anyone elses hands but my own.

Or start charging for things which used to be free. To be honest, I suppose this is a perfectly reasonable business plan, but that doesn't stop me getting annoyed about it.