10/16/02: I recently found a really good link. It's chess.fm. When there is a major game being played live, like the Kramnik - Deep Fritz match, chess.fm has audio commentary explaining the moves. They are connected to ICC, but the audio is free, and you can usually watch the same game on FICS. Check it out. I learned something there myself.
5/8/02: I have heard that Windows XP does not normally support Java, so those wishing to use the applet will have to go to their site to download the Java patch. There maybe good news for Netscape users though. I was able to create this cute applet (with help from NASA) that works with NS or IE! (It has a huge picture 386kb, so it might seem like forever to load.)
1/22/02: In case you aren't up on the news, The FIDE World Championship is in progress until Jan 24, and you can watch the games live on FICS with my applet. There is a tournament too with many famous GMs that you can watch there. That ends Jan 27th. However, I'm sure they will keep a record of the games, so you can look at them for months to come.
1/2/02: I hope you have a good New Year everyone. I'm making progress making my Game Viewer Netscape 6 compatible, but it isn't quite yet. Unfortunately, you might see more bugs while using IE until I work them out. Hopefully, that won't be too long.
11/10/01: VCC is becoming more user-friendly day by day. I have made several additions and some changes. You can expect several more in the days to come. Some are a matter of taste, but I aim to please, so let me know what you think.
10/24/01: My applet is finally functional. Click here to play online.
10/10/01: I guess it's time for an update. My applet still doesn't work yet, but I think it might soon. When I get it to work, it will be here. I suspect you will have to download the JRE1.3.1 and add (after the second "grant{") this line to your java.policy file: permission java.net.SocketPermission "*:1024-65535", "connect,accept"; As it stands now, you won't see that it has connected until it disconnects!? Nevertheless, I think there is a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.
9/23/01: This is depressing. My applet still doesn't work, and I just discovered a new problem. My javascript board doesn't work with Netscape 6.1, and it doesn't even give an error message. I guess a programmer's work is never done.
7/16/01: Okay, I'm sorry, vcc.class by itself doesn't work as an application; but the new vcc.zip (below) should. It's still not a working applet, but I'm almost certain it will be, as soon as I figure out how to let users give permission to deal with the security restrictions of applets. Wish me luck.
6/27/01: Well folks, it still isn't really user-friendly, but my interface to FICS now has the main function of showing tracer bullets to point out why a move was made. Click vcc.class below and read the directions on where to install it, along with the pieces. Then when you run it and play or just "observe" (That's one FICS command.) a game, you will see more of a chess game than you have ever seen before.
6/19/01: The log-on screen is still ugly, but the Java(tm) interface now includes timers, and there is a right-click menu for flipping the board and Square Control. Choose "Focus" to see all pieces aiming at a square. Remember to "set style 12" after you log on.
5/26/01: The java interface is almost usable. I used it for my game with Knightslider, but there is still a lot to add: automatic "set style 12", timers, and board flip, not to mention the tracer bullets that will set this interface apart from others. However, if you'd like to try it, and you have downloaded the Java(tm)2 platform from sun.com, download vcc.zip (vcc.class, the pieces, etc.) to the "bin" folder of the Java platform, unzip it and open a MS-DOS prompt to that folder, and type "java vcc". A new window will pop up with a connection to FICS. Enter "g" in the new command line at the bottom right, and you will be ready to play- after you enter "set style 12". Good luck. (Eventually, I will probably set it up for use with Java Web Start(5.3mb), so you don't have to go through all that.)
4/23/01: Sometime this year I hope to have a java interface ready. I'm just starting to understand java, so it will be some time yet, but now I think I can do it. Give me a month or two, or three..
9/17/00:
Now I think I have eliminated most illegal moves due to check. So many ifs...
Next comes the final hurdle, a big one. My goal is to let you use my site to connect to FICS or some other chess server where you can play someone online, with tracer bullets flying across the board. This may take some time, but I intend to keep the Game of the Week up to date at least.
8/30/00:
I have eliminated most illegal moves with a mouse, but don't be surprised if you get strange results from illegal pawn moves.8/18/00:
Now you can move pieces with your mouse! This feature allows you to play a game or test moves that are different from the game you have loaded, such as the Game of the Week. To return to the game, just use the back button. Then the forward button will make moves that were actually played.8/13/00:
New drag and drop gunsights to see Square Control while using the Game Viewer! Just click the gunsights to activate the feature, then click any square to see which pieces attack it. (for IE4 and NS4 browsers!)
3/29/00:
Square Control is now available with the Game Viewer. With it, you can see which pieces attack or defend any square. It is useful to see whether a square is safe before moving to it.
3/21/00:
Extra! Xrays!: Now you can load any game in PGN (like the Game of the Week) into the Game Viewer and have the option of seeing any line of attack (Xray) opened for a queen, rook or bishop by the last move. This feature shows what beginners don't "see", and it is missing from every other chess program.
2/13/00:
Now you can click on any piece on the board, and tracer bullets will show you where it attacks. Keep in mind that that's not neccesarily where it can move.
1/26/00:
I have added several more pages under Lessons. Most recently, I have added three games analyzed by GM Yasser Seirawan, with his permission. On any one of the Lessons, you can click on any link, no matter what the current position is, and go to that position or see that line of attack.
There are some differences in presentation between browsers. If a Netscape user clicks the last move, he will see a quick replay of the whole game. An Explorer user will see just the last move in slow motion.
For the present, the forward and back buttons on the board frame only work with more recent games.
12/2/99:
If you ever took a piece, using IE4, and been surprised at the results, you won't be next time. I fixed that bug. More changes coming.
11/18/99:I believe I can claim that the Tactics page basically now does what I always meant it to do. The "tracer bullet" display is accurate, and pieces slide on Internet Explorer 4 as well as Netscape 4. Maybe now I can add some extra features. Stay tuned.
10/23/99:IE4 users please be patient. I know that the tracer bullets on my Tactics page ignore unmoved pieces, and pieces don't slide when moved. I'm working on it. If it really bothers you though, get Netscape 4.x. I wish I had more time to put in more game analysis and the like.
10/7/99:Until now, I have not been able to to demonstrate to Internet Explorer 4.x users what Video Chess Coach was all about. That is going to change. Just take a look at my Tactics page now. More changes there should be coming soon.
7/7/1999:The Tactics page now has the same "tracer bullet" display as the downloadable program! Tracer bullets now show what GrandMasters consider to be obvious and essential, and what the rest of us miss too often. I know it works with Netscape 4.0. Let me know if it doesn't with Explorer 4.0.
6/19/99: Finally...pieces on the Tactics page can retreat, so you can click on any previous move in the text frame and the board frame will make that particular move. Also, you can now view the Polgar-Shirov game analysis using the Tactics page. I think you will find the commentary very easy to follow. Other games from my old public access television series will be available soon as well. My "tracer bullet" demos might take some time to incorporate, however.
4/9/99: A rather crude Tactics page using layers is available for Netscape 4.x. I call it crude because some really nice features should be appearing shortly. The plan is to make this site more like the program on the Download page, so that people won't have to bother to download it. Hopefully IE users will be able to use it too. Also, soon after that, there will be more instructional games that will be even easier to use than the one below. Who knows, maybe there will even be live lessons on-site someday.
2/14/99: Coming Soon! Tactics for beginners! Simple threats that even Granmasters use: Pins, Forks, Skewers/X-rays, Discovered attacks and more.
2/6/99: New tweaked version in both zip files on Download page.
(Sept 98) Now available: the game and script used in an instructional video. (There are more where this came from.)
This is commentary to a blindfolded game played in 1996 by Judit Polgar and Alexey Shirov. To get the full effect, load the game with Video Chess Coach, and view the text here on your browser. After you make a move, right-click the piece's new square to see who really controls the square.
From July 12, 1998:
What's new? For one thing, there is a new version of vdochess.zip that is good until January 1999! (ed.- Now FREE FOREVER) If you have the old version, you'll be glad to know that the bug in the save game feature has been fixed. Both zip files, the one with the games etc. and the one without, have been updated.
I am adding a new feature to my Games page, Internet Games of the Week. There you will find fresh games, generally my own, that show chess basics. I can't claim to more than that, because most are speed games. That is, these are games where players have less than 15 minutes for all moves, so tactics are rather easy to see.
Now for old news- Jan. 17, 1998:
The verdict is in. Anatoly Karpov remains FIDE (Federation International de Esches) champion for 1998. Viswanathan Anand put up a good battle, tying Karpov 3-3 in the initial six game match, but he lost 2-0 in the faster (25min./game) playoff.. Here are all eight games in pgn format.
Games from the 1997 NY State Championship and the Walter Elwood Museum Open can be found on the Games page, thanks to Bill Townsend.
New Features:
Video Chess Coach now can load games straight from your clipboard! It's just the thing for going through games recorded (in English) algebraic notation. It also can save a created position, and shows square control with a right-click!
Also, if you have ICQ from www.mirabilis.com, look for me, chestutr, online (especially Friday and Sunday nights) and I'll try to help with your chess questions. You also might find me playing at chess.net.
You can use Video Chess Coach to look at games on the
Games
page or games from these sites:
chess.net- games from Linares super-tourney
& Kasparov v Deep Blue
TASC- top humans v top computers (AEGON)
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Copyright 1997 Herbert Dye