ChessBase review: scores and evidence

A1 :3Importing your games (Chess.com, Lichess, PGN files)

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/chessbase_18_starter_package — "integrates Chess.com and Lichess accounts" plus native PGN/CBH import

A2 :1Automatic engine analysis of every game

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/chessbase_26_program_only — "Instant analysis of a game" is launched on demand; no automatic analysis on import

A3 :1Recurring mistakes identified across all your games

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/chessbase_26_program_only — style report (positional character): statistics, no mistake named or counted

A4 :1Types of mistakes covered (tactics, strategy, endgame, time…)

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/chessbase_26_program_only — "40 tactical tasks", "typical tactics": the tactical angle only

A5 :1Written explanation of each mistake

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbase-mobile-chess/id6739000093 — "AI Kibitzer… commentary with personality": generic commentary, not an explanation of each mistake

A6 :0Stated verification of the diagnoses (procedure, rates)

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/chessbase_26_program_only — no mention of how reliable or how verified the diagnosis is

A7 :1Tracking each weakness over time

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/chessbase_26_program_only — "Elo profile in style report": a rating curve, nothing more

A8 :0Comparison with players of the same rating

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/chessbase_26_program_only — no comparison against a rating band mentioned

B1 :2Building a personal repertoire

https://account.chessbase.com/en/matrix — an "Openings: repertoire" app plus ChessBase '26 trees and reports built from the database (free-form building); no suggestion drawn from one’s own games

B2 :2Training the repertoire (drills, games)

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbase-mobile-chess/id6739000093 — repertoire plus spaced repetition; no full game played against the repertoire documented

B3 :1Spotting where you left your repertoire in your games

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/chessbase_26_program_only — statistics and style report by variation; no detection of leaving the repertoire found

B4 :2Verification of the lines taught (engine, practice)

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/ — sourced lines (Mega Database 2026, 11.7 million games) plus an engine; no protocol or threshold published

B5 :3Opening explorer and statistics

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/chessbase_18_starter_package — "6 billion Lichess games" plus Mega Database plus the player’s own games plus the Live Book (evaluations)

B6 :3Explanation of opening plans and ideas

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/chessbase_26_program_only — opening reports (plans, typical tactics, piece paths) plus 5,000 videos (matrix)

C1 :0Exercises drawn from your own games

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/chessbase_26_program_only — tactical tasks drawn from the Mega Database, not from the player’s games

C2 :2Bank of tactical exercises (size, themes, rating)

https://account.chessbase.com/en/matrix — "Tactics Training: 90,000 puzzles + engine" (Premium), fewer than 100,000

C3 :1Endgame training

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/chessbase_18_premium_package — "Tablebase support"; no endgame training module on the pages consulted

C4 :1Strategic and positional training

https://account.chessbase.com/en/matrix — 5,000 videos (passive content); no positional exercise

C5 :0Training defense and alertness

https://account.chessbase.com/en/matrix — no defensive or alertness exercise listed

C6 :2Training calculation and visualization

https://account.chessbase.com/en/matrix — "Fritz Online: calculation training" (Premium)

C7 :2Difficulty matched to your real level

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbase-mobile-chess/id6739000093 — Puzzle Fight "with Elo rating systems"; no target success rate documented

C8 :2Spaced repetition (named algorithm)

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbase-mobile-chess/id6739000093 — cloud repertoire with "spaced repetition training methods" (v2 listing); the algorithm is not named

C9 :0Personalized training plan

https://account.chessbase.com/en/matrix — no training plan and no daily queue

D1 :0What the free plan actually lets you do

https://account.chessbase.com/en/matrix — "Free trial: 90 days"; a paid program, no lasting free use

D2 :0Annual price of the full plan

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/categories/chessbase — €199.90 for the program plus €49.90/year for Premium (over €150)

D3 :1Commercial transparency (price shown, trial, cancellation)

https://account.chessbase.com/en/matrix — prices shown, 90-day trial; no mention of a refund or of cancelling online on the pages consulted

D4 :0Number of paid tiers (how simple the offer is)

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/chessbase_26_program_only — the program costs €199.90 outright AND the Premium account costs €49.90/year (account.chessbase.com/en/matrix)

E1 :0Published evidence of effectiveness

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/ — no effectiveness data

E2 :0Chess verification of the content (positions, lines)

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/ — no procedure announced for correcting or checking the content

E3 :2Transparency of the method (algorithms, code)

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbase-mobile-chess/id6739000093 — named engines (Fritz, Lc0), Monte Carlo (the '26 listing); depth and spaced-repetition settings not documented

E4 :2Marketing claims that can be checked (no overselling)

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/categories/chessbase — "Expand your chess horizons": no quantified promise

F1 :2Courses organized by rating level

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/chessbase_26_program_only — a "Level" field on every listing; no path by rating band

F2 :2Course authors named and titled

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/ — courses sold with named GM authors (a Petroff "endorsed by Caruana"); a team of three or more titled players is not listed on any single page

F3 :3Content formats (text, video, interactive)

https://account.chessbase.com/en/matrix — videos, the magazine (text), a 1,000-question Quiz and interactive Tactics

F4 :1Published method of progression

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/ — no curriculum; the "Starting out / Fundamentals" products stand in as advice by level

F5 :3How often the content is updated

https://en.chessbase.com/ — posts dated 29-30/08/2026; ChessBase '26 in Nov. 2025, Fritz 21 in May 2026 (publishing at least monthly)

G1 :1Playing humans online (pool, anti-cheating)

https://account.chessbase.com/en/matrix — Playchess: play and rankings; no counter of players online on the pages consulted

G2 :1Realistic artificial opponents

https://account.chessbase.com/en/matrix — "Fritz Online: basic play"; the personalities belong to Fritz 21, a separate product

G3 :1Replaying one specific position against the machine

https://account.chessbase.com/en/matrix — Fritz Online plays any position you enter; automatic replay of your own games not documented

G4 :2Tournaments and organized competition

https://play.chessbase.com/en: "All Tournaments", "Event Calendar", daily tournaments on the Playchess server included with the account (matrix) — consistent with Playchess F4=2 (same server); leagues and teams not documented.

H1 :2Platforms available (web, iOS, Android, desktop)

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbase-mobile-chess/id6739000093 — Windows plus web plus iOS; Android not found

H2 :0User ratings and reviews (stores, press)

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbase-mobile-chess/id6739000093 — 2.89/5 (18 ratings)

H3 :2Interface languages available

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/chessbase_18_starter_package — the program’s Languages field: German, English, Spanish, French, Italian (5); the shop runs in en/de/es/fr/zh

H4 :0Accessibility (keyboard, screen reader)

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/chessbase_26_program_only — no mention of accessibility

H5 :3Offline use and known incidents

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/chessbase_26_program_only — local Windows software (database and engine work offline)

I1 :2Preparing for a named opponent

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/chessbase_18_program_only — "Playing style analysis" of the opponent plus matching to Lichess/Chess.com accounts; suggested lines not demonstrated

I2 :2Annotating and sharing games (studies)

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chessbase-mobile-chess/id6739000093 — "Annotate… comments, symbols, variations" and "Share… via link"; no collaborative study

I3 :1Entering a game played at a club (photo, scoresheet)

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/chessbase_18_program_only — "game input by voice"; no photo or OCR recognition found

I4 :3Searching your games (filters, position)

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/chessbase_18_program_only — "Search for strategic themes" (attack on the castled king, outpost) plus position search

J1 :2Access to human coaches

https://account.chessbase.com/en/matrix — Playchess Premium: "GM exhibitions, live training" (group lessons); no individual follow-up

J2 :2Size and activity of the community

https://account.chessbase.com/en/matrix — the Playchess server with chat and rooms; no member counter displayed

J3 :0Tools for trainers, clubs and schools

https://account.chessbase.com/en/matrix — no coach or club area listed

J4 :0Engagement mechanics (streaks, virtual currency, reminders)

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/chessbase_18_premium_package — "1,000 in-game currency units" (ducats): a virtual currency

K1 :3Exporting your data (games, repertoire)

https://account.chessbase.com/en/matrix — "PGN download" (Live Database, My Games) plus GDPR art. 20 portability (en.chessbase.com/pages/security)

K2 :1Protection of personal data (GDPR, hosting)

https://en.chessbase.com/pages/security — GDPR (Hamburg) but Google Ads and Bing UET retargeting; hosting not specified

K3 :1Public API and source code

https://shop.chessbase.com/en/products/chessbase_26_program_only — PGN and CBH formats; no public API documented