Fritz/Chessbase on Linux

[Niall Doran]

I've been converted to Ubuntu by a believer (it's a hell of a lot faster than Windows, no 3-minute start-ups) and now tend to use only that on my computer, except for when I wish to use Fritz. So I'm wondering if it's possible to either:

- Use Fritz (I'm on version 10) on Ubuntu. If not, do later versions work on it? I've looked at the Chessbase website and they say Fritz 13 requires:
"Minimum: Pentium III 1 GHz, 1 GB RAM, Windows Vista, XP (Service Pack 3), DirectX9 graphics card with 256 MB RAM, 100% DirectX10 compatible soundcard , DVD-ROM drive, Windows-Media Player 9 and Internet connection required for Internet-based features (playchess.com, lets check etc.). Program activation via Internet required! Recommended: PC Intel Core 2 Duo, 2.4 GHz, 3 GB RAM, Windows 7, DirectX10 graphics card (or compatible) with 512 MB RAM or more, 100% DirectX10 compatible soundcard, Windows Media Player 11, DVD ROM drive and Internet connection required for Internet-based features (playchess.com, lets check etc.). Program activation via Internet required! "
Any tweaking possible to get it to work on Ubuntu?

- Use any other similar software that allows me to enter and analyse games, which is what I mainly use it for. I also play online on their site, but I'm guessing this won't be possible with any chess software that might exist specifically for Ubuntu.

Thanks for any advice and please feel free, Mr. Moderator, to move this to the Technical Area if necessary.

[Roger de Coverly]

- Use any other similar software that allows me to enter and analyse games, which is what I mainly use it for. I also play online on their site, but I'm guessing this won't be possible with any chess software that might exist specifically for Ubuntu.

scid is a database program distributed without charge which can run on linux and includes engine support. It will even run, after a fashion, on Android phones.


The usual workaround for programs available only in Windows format is to use a windows emulator.

[Alex Holowczak]

The usual workaround for programs available only in Windows format is to use a windows emulator.

Or even, something that is Not an Emulator.

This seems to suggest that more modern Fritzes aren't that great. I managed to get Fritz 6 working perfectly on Ubuntu.

ChessBase 11 was Garbage though when I got that to install.

[Paolo Casaschi]

- Use any other similar software that allows me to enter and analyse games, which is what I mainly use it for. I also play online on their site, but I'm guessing this won't be possible with any chess software that might exist specifically for Ubuntu.

scid is a database program distributed without charge which can run on linux and includes engine support.

Alongside scid there are ubuntu packages for very strong analysis engines for scid; I'd suggest stockfish and fruit.

Scid does not read chessbase proprietary files, but you can use PGN files to exchange data with chessbase programs. TWIC also comes in PGN format.

[MSoszynski]

Install Wine, which should enable many (not all) Windows program to run normally or near-normally.

Aquarium works very well indeed (after some tweaking), and there is specific information for Linux users on the program's forum.
Arena works well, and there is even an Arena for Linux under quiet development.
As for the main ChessBase database program, in my own experience only ChessBase 9 worked acceptably though with reduced functionality and some glitches. Later versions were unusable.

For a Linux native program, use Scid. It's rather different to ChessBase: inferior in most respects, but superior in a few.
Shredder's Linux GUI is not the same as its Windows GUI. Many features are missing, and the engine is slightly slower.

[PeterTurland]

If any windoze user wants to give Linux a try, you can download and burn something called a live disc, taking this route means you are not committed to anything, ie nothing is put on your hard drive.

Probably the most popular is Ubuntu, but some people are saying Mint is better.

To boot off a live disc, might need that you change a BIOS setting, no big deal, just after switching on, hit either the delete or the F4 key some PC's use one some use the other, after you have done this, a menu will appear, select the boot pull down menu and you can set how you want your PC to boot.

Should you like it, the Distro of your choice will give you the option of installing it on your hard drive. And you will be able to dual boot into either Windoze or Linux.

In my experience the migration is only ever one way, that being from Micro$oft to Linux, loads of little reasons like, multiple desktops, highlight with left mouse button and paste by pressing the scroll wheel, clip board history and most of all, nearly no worrying about viruses.

[Nicky Chorley]

If you play on FICS, Scid can do that too.

I didn't realise there were several other Linux users here, heh .

[Niall Doran]

If you play on FICS, Scid can do that too.

I didn't realise there were several other Linux users here, heh .

Are the games played there automatically saved onto Scid for later analysis? Is there a openings book on Scid?

As for being a Linux user, a friend explained that I could use both without committing. Little by little, I was drawn to Ubuntu, which I now prefer. I would never get preachy or high-horsey about it, as I find that tends to polarise debates and is very off-putting.

[Nicky Chorley]

Hi Niall,

I've not actually played on FICS for a while, but I imagine the game should be there in "clipbase" (i.e. the clipboard database), so you can go back through it at your leisure. This is certainly the case when observing a game, as I've just tried. Yes, you can get opening books with Scid (see the downloads page on the website: http://scid.sourceforge.net/download.html). I'd also recommend Stockfish (as Paolo did above) and that has an opening book too.

Yeah, I'm the same with regards to Linux .

[Paul McKeown]

Why not run Fritz on Windows in a virtual session from within Linux?

I regularly use both Windows (7, Vista, XP) and Linux (openSUSE, CentOS, Mint).

Frankly for the general user who already has Windows 7 installed, I can't see why they would want Linux, apart from making some sort of "statement". Win 7 Pro gives you XP as a virtual session, should you need it and should there be a good reason, you can run your choice of *nix within another session.

[Niall Doran]

Why not run Fritz on Windows in a virtual session from within Linux?

I regularly use both Windows (7, Vista, XP) and Linux (openSUSE, CentOS, Mint).

Frankly for the general user who already has Windows 7 installed, I can't see why they would want Linux, apart from making some sort of "statement". Win 7 Pro gives you XP as a virtual session, should you need it and should there be a good reason, you can run your choice of *nix within another session.

No, not a statement, just quicker start up and when I put it in sleep mode (energy-saving) when not in use for a bit, under Windows it generally has trouble finding the Internet connection, but not with Ubuntu.

As for using Fritz on a virtual session from within Linux, I didn't know it was possible. I might try it.

[Paul McKeown]

No, not a statement, just quicker start up and when I put it in sleep mode (energy-saving) when not in use for a bit, under Windows it generally has trouble finding the Internet connection, but not with Ubuntu.

Happy it works for you, everyone has their own experience.

[Carl Hibbard]

No, not a statement, just quicker start up and when I put it in sleep mode (energy-saving) when not in use for a bit, under Windows it generally has trouble finding the Internet connection, but not with Ubuntu.

I believe Windows 8 is going to be a lot better at resuming from standby according to a recent blog

I have however gone totally Apple here now and am having far less issues than ever before

[Paul McKeown]

One thought, if running Windows as a session within Linux, give it loads of memory if you want to run Fritz from within it. Fritz is a hungry beast.

[PeterTurland]

Why not run Fritz on Windows in a virtual session from within Linux?

I regularly use both Windows (7, Vista, XP) and Linux (openSUSE, CentOS, Mint).

Frankly for the general user who already has Windows 7 installed, I can't see why they would want Linux, apart from making some sort of "statement". Win 7 Pro gives you XP as a virtual session, should you need it and should there be a good reason, you can run your choice of *nix within another session.

Perhaps you should write to Google, Facebook, the New York stock exchange, the London Stock exchange, the whole city of Munich as you might know something they don't. Then perhaps you could explain to them, why closed source operating systems and monopolies are better for the Human race.