Middlegames II
Home
Middlegames II
Written on 06/16/02
A few years ago, Convekta released some software simply called
"Middlegames". It turns out that this was volume 1 in a
series. Volume 2 was recently released, and it is called:Encyclopedia
of Middlegames II. It contains material not covered in the first
volume, but uses the exact same teaching format as the first.
Middlegames teaches you the typical plans and mechanisms that arise
from a number of difference openings. It does this in several ways.
First, there is a study mode in which annotated games are presented.
These games are chosen specifically because they illustrate an
important plan or set of ideas for a particular opening variation
(piece maneuvers, pawn thrusts, and the like). Next there is a
practice mode in which you are presented with quiz positions to test
your knowledge. These tend to be a bit on the difficult side, and I
would not recommend them to beginners. Finally, there are test and
playing modes. In test mode, you are presented with random exercises
from practice mode. In playing mode, you can select from a catalog of
typical positions from the early middle game, and you then play these
out against the computer. This final mode is probably most useful for
giving one an idea of which positions are important to learn.
The program supports a number of chess engines, and crafty is included
for play against the program. Each volume of Middlegames includes over
600 hundred annotated examples. The annotations are quite detailed,
and include a great deal of text explanation. Each volume also has a
large number of quiz positions (in the neighborhood of 600 each).
While your pet opening variation may not be covered, there is probably
some material in either one of these volumes that will overlap with
your opening system.
Results are kept for each test position, and multiple users of the
program are supported. For example, if you share the program among a
number of students, each one will have his or her results tracked
separately. Points are assigned to each playing example, with more
difficult exercises worth more points. These point values are also
used to estimate a user's ELO, which the computer tracks and
updates at the end of each test. So you can get an idea of your
improving prowess by watching the graph of your ELO climb.
In addition to tracking a user's ELO, there is also a statistical
presentation of success as a function of opening variation. Generally
speaking, these features are not new to Convekta tutorials, so they
will not come as a surprise to long time-users of their software.
My personal experience with this software started after I finished
going through the less-difficult exercises in Strategy. And I think
those that are below 1800 ELO should probably start with Strategy
before they move on to Middlegames (note: this does not mean Strategy
is only good for those < 1800, or that only players >1800 will
be able to use Middlegames). This is because the latter exercises
pretty much assume that you already have a good knowledge of things
like pawn play, which Strategy teaches. While Middlegames does discuss
pawn play, it seems to be more concerned with teaching things like
typical tactical motifs, piece exchanges, and maneuvers.
While the programs are quite similar in organization, Middlegames I
does discuss some commonly arising pawn structures that tend to be
prevalent in some openings, whereas Middlegames II does not. For
example, there is a discussion of the hedgehog type of structure that
can arise from some variations of the English and Queen's Indian.
Generally, the discussion of pawn structures in Middlegames I
complements some of the material discussed in Strategy. And while
Middlegames I is not required if you get Middlegames II, there is some
knowledge in the first volume that can be of help when going through
the second (i.e., in the previously mentioned example - the
Queen's Indian is discussed in Volume II, but the Hedgehog
structure is discussed in Volume I).
Middlegames II also contains some of the more theoretical variations
of the Sicilian that are not covered in Volume I (i.e. Dragon, and
Najdorf), and also has discussion of the open and exchange variations
of the Ruy. The following list should give you an idea of what opening
variations are in each volume of the series:
Volume I: Scotch Game, Ruy Lopez, Caro-Kann, French, Benko Gambit,
Sicilian, English, Dutch Catalan, Slav, Nimzo-indian, Gruenfeld,
King's Indian defense.
Volume II: Sicilian, Ruy Lopez, King's gambit, Italian game, Evans
gambit, Pirc-Ufimtsev,, Alekhine's defense, Nimzo-Indian defense,
Queen's-Indian defense, Queen's gambit, Modern Benoni
I think if you found volume I useful, then you will want volume II,
especially because so many of these systems are related (for example,
Pirc, KID, and Benoni). Taken together, the two volumes constitute
both a reference work, and a teaching program as well. Generally
speaking the reference and teaching material is applicable to a wide
range of rating strengths, but IMHO, the quiz positions tend to be on
the difficult side.
While writing this review it struck me that Middlegames is attempting
to be what MCO is for opening theory. It tends to present the user
with the essential information necessary for playing the middlegame of
the aforementioned opening variations. It does this without providing
too much detailed information to the user. So it occupies a middle
ground between specialized opening monographs, and general treatises
on Strategic play.
Note that I have more reviews of Convekta software at my new site: www.chessassistance.com.
Copy Protection
Copy Protection Must have CD to install. The CD may also needed at
some point afterwards for refueling, as in other Chess Assistant
instructional programs.
