is it worth going from aquarium 3 to 4

[ozziejoe]

Hi folks, i need some advice for those of you who have had aquarium 3 and 4. Are there considerable advances in the aquarium gui. i am not that concerned about 50 pnts of engine improvement. I really want something to help me analyze my tournement games.

119 is a little steep, and I would be pretty disappointed if aq 4 looked pretty much like 3

Advice?

[yanquis1972]

119??? noooo, that must be for the version with deep rybka 4. you can buy the aquarium gui (with database) for something like 30 bucks. i'd also recommend the rybka 4 book by jiri dufrek. you don't sound like you need to purchase the version w/ rybka 4.

it does look very similar, i am sure there are many screenshots on the chessok site. afaik the major improvements are with IDeA. if you use this, upgrade for sure. if not, you will be fine with what you have. maybe spend $15 on the book though, as it's got latest theory & a lot of useful info that should come in handy for you. (i could be completely mucking up the prices, it's been awhile since i purchased).

i probably don't use more than 10% of the functionality of aquarium 4, but it's cheap enough, & the potential for growth & exploration is high enough, that i thought it was worth buying. after all this time i still don't really grasp how to best utilize IDeA.

[dadij]

It's up to version 4.0.5 now and here is information about some of the changes from version 4.0.5 to 4.0.6 (already available as an unofficial update, free for current users):

New Features in Aquarium 4.0.6

IDeA Master Trees and IDeA Game Links

Aquarium Tiki: What's new

A list of some late additions

[ozziejoe]

Hi John,

Just wanted to thank you for recommending the aquirium book. Finally, someobody ahs created a book that is useful for humans...Previous books are oreinted towards winning against computers and often rate many human lines as bad. this book uses "blue " coding to say it is ok for humans but not for computer play...I've played around with it and it has many cool suggestiosn, though of course sidelines probably need to be explored carefully.

[alpha123]

It's up to version 4.0.5 now and here is information about some of the changes from version 4.0.5 to 4.0.6 (already available as an unofficial update, free for current users):

New Features in Aquarium 4.0.6

IDeA Master Trees and IDeA Game Links

Aquarium Tiki: What's new

A list of some late additions

Is there any way to use other scripting languages (like Python)?

Peter

[Nimzovik]

Joseph: You say you analyze a lot? It has been purported that Aquarium has a lot of analysis features. However many complain that Aquarium is for Power Users but is too complex to use for the average Joe. Ergo if you can not use Aquarium u ain't no power user. Ergo you can not analyze well. Ergo give up chess.

Did I just say that?

[yanquis1972]

hmm. didn't realize being a computer nerd was directly correlated to chess ability.

[Nimzovik]

Ability? Perhaps not. However machine analysis can give one an edge in one's systems for tournaments.

[ozziejoe]

I think many folks use aquirium to play correspondance chess where computers are allowed. I use it in a context where you can use opening books but no computers (much more fun i think).

I think when you are playing computers against computers then something like aquirium is essential.

If you want to be good at blitz or over the board play, I don't think any of the geeky tools can substitute for good hard work and pushing yourself intellectually. If the computer leads you to be a little lazy and not push your understanding (because rybka will figure it out), i reckon the computer can actually reduce your performance.


To illustrate, here is a typical opening position in my repertoire. There are several fine moves here, but the book has only qc2 in green (thus the only good move). That doesn't help me as an OTB player because i have no idea why that is the best move (or if it is accurate). However, I will focus on this position and understand it, simply because i don't have time to figure out the implications of the other positions.


[/img] rnbq1rk1/pp2bppp/2p1pn2/3p4/2PP4/5NP1/PP2PPBP/RNBQ1RK1 w - -

[Nimzovik]

Indeed! You are quite correct in regard to computers and OTB!!