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End-Users about REBEL10
written by Ricardo Sant'Ana
Overview / Executive Summary
I installed Rebel10 in my work computer (Pentium 233 MMX, 32 Mb RAM) since this monday (12-08-98). Of course I will expect a better performance in my home AMD K6-2 350 Mhz, 128 Mb RAM when it arrive. I used the latter version Rebel 9 to train myself for a chess tournament (average rating = 2144).
In Rebel10 I really apreciate the Enciclopedia of Chess (EOC)come with Rebel 10, because it will make my homework preparation easier!. If rebel 9 helped me improve my rating from about 1900 to 2300 (officially, 2330 FIDE) using Rebel9 playing strenght and features I am sure I can do it better with Rebel10 and it's news features.
For Windows users, it will create the shourcuts automatic (if you want) and for that whoi first use Rebel series the Novice option seems very good.
General Impression (user confort, etc)
I am user of the best commercial chess programs: Fritz5, Rebel 10,Rebel 9, Rebel 8, ChessMaster 5000, ChessMaster 5500, Genius5, MChess Pro 7.1, Chess System Tal, Junior 4.6, Hiarcs6 - so, since I am looking for a chess program which could help me improving my chess for TOURNAMENT I used Rebel 9.
Now, as an old Rebel series user, I have no problem in dealing with REBEL10. And I am really impressed with some new features like EOC because it could help you learn chess opening: something I spenmd sometime when I was preparing myself with Rebel9. Of course Rebel10 seems stronger than Rebel9, and with anit-GM it plays more "human-like" than ever - the more important charcteristic to help you fighting against humans.
The interface is great and it runs without problems in my Windows 98 (but I prefer to use it in DOS because it will get stronger). I believe all Windows users do not have to worry about using a DOS chess program because it's very easy to use and the shortcuts buttons make life easier when you learn how to use it. So, for new Rebel users will have no problem in dealing with it.
All the features that come with rebel10 (dealing with databases, searching databases, analisys, and others) make it a very complete chess program.
So, my first impression was that Rebel10 is that it will become the best chess program for people who is trying to improve your chess: from players who are begining in chess to advanced players who are trying to become a Master.
Playing Strength
No one disagree Rebel series are the best chess programs nowadays, but I can say Rebel 10 should become the best: Of course that others programs could get first place in rating list like ssdf , but Rebel 10 is able to get a very good position playing "human-like" chess!
That's incredible because Rebel 10 users will have a very strong chess program playing like a human: what else would someone who is trying to improve chess want? I played some games against Rebel 10 in standard time control where you can see Rebel 10 playing with deep ideas: exploring king weaks, playing with tecnhique pawn+bishop+rook against Queen and other pieces in game !
So try to train chess with a tactical chess program for a tournament and you will see the results: you will be beaten easily and you will not even be able to find out how did you loose !
That's exactly my experience when I was first trying to improve my chess with tactical chess programs: anyone over 2100 was able to beat me in a strategical way. After training with Rebel 10 I was able to put in practice everything you read in chess books: and the final result was incredible !
So, Rebel 10 is the best chess program playing "Human-Like" style: and don't worry if Rebel 10 is too much for you: you just have to type a chess rating and it will play in that strenght !
DataBase Functions
Rebel 10 is very complete in simple database functions like read a game from a database, save and rewrite, search positions,read EPD files, create new database, remove doubles and others. The Rebel 10 searching masks allow you to make complex searching: but most important for training chess opening: you are able search for a position and create a book of this opening an train ! So, you can select a sicilian position (let's say poisoned pawn variation of Najdorf) , search in a database (with only GM games!!) and make a book with the result games: so, Rebel 10 will be able to play it NOW.
Rebel10 can easily deal with PGN format - the standard in internet - so, you will be able to read almost all the databases from pgn sites in internet without any problem. And you may convert it to rebel 's format and you will be able to merge all database in just one, remove doubles and it's done: you have a big database collection. Easy and Usefull.
Of course that you are not able to deal with lot of databases, see icons for each databases and so, but we are talking about a chess program: if you are interested in really deal with database try Chess Assistant ore Chess base or others: but you would get impressed about what can rebel 10 do since it is a chess program.
Book Functions
Rebel10 book seems a little more complete than Rebel9 , but now Rebel 10 have one of the best chess features I've seen: EOC as a book.
By using EOC active Rebel 10 will use EOC knowledge to play opening: but if it find the position in EOC it will calculate by itself the next move avoiding "human blunders" that could the EOC have: so, Rebel 10 will play human opening with the advantage it will evaluate the moves first.
This the first program I see that could make use of a great collection of games as a book and AVOID possible humans erros: how afraid I was (yes,I was because now I have Rebel 10) when I tried to do this without this feature.
It's just INCREDIBLE: I could buy Rebel 10 just because of it.
Remaining Options
There are lot of good options in Rebel10, but I will give attention in analysis aspects: the most powerfull feature is "power" analysis: It gives you the opportunity to choose which variations you want Rebel10 to evaluate. So, let's say you are analysing a game of two GMs: so, you will aslk : what about it white plays this ? what about is black try that? So, this feature is usefull in these situations.
Other very interesting option is "Analysis Level" that will allow you to to enter moves and see the evaluations of Rebel10. So, by just clicking "game" button and you are back into the original game. Very good if you want to keep tracking a special variation.
Well, since I used Rebel9 and now Rebel10 for training purposes the above options are very usefull, and of course there are lot of others like "Analysis include" , "Analysis exclude", "Analyse game" "Analyse Database" and "Analyse Selection".
There are lot of others options which could help you, but since I am using Rebel10 for training purposes, there are lot of them (energy levels, blinfold chess,simultaneous mode and others) I do not use, but I am sure you will be able to find something very interesting for your own purposes.
A list of what "I like in REBEL 10"
The most interesting feature I like in Rebel 10 is the EOC option (the first time I see this so much usefull feature): for learn opening purposes it's very interesting to make use of GM database or a selected database and avoid human "blunders".
The ELO option which make Rebel10 meet amateurs play strenght in an easy way. Very convenient because if you want to get better, you should play against opponents about 200 higher than yourself.
The "human-like" playing style: it's incredible to play against ideas and plans and not against combinations and combinations and combinations. I think that users who migrate to Rebel 10 will appreciate a lot this playing style.The anti-GM option makes Rebel 10 play more "human-like" and more risky than ever.
It's for DOS and run under Windows 98: so, if you are like me who prefer to give Rebel 10 everything, I use only DOS, but if you are using Windows there are no problem.
The Rebel 10 ability of dealing databases are great: for a chess program, it's very usefull.
A list of what "I do not like in Rebel 10"
When you change the level, the analysis and hint and teacher are not avaliable: It would be nice to see this active.
Since EOC is a new format, it would be nice to create our own EOC from our databases. So, it would be easier to make Rebel 10 plays like using Kasparov games, or Karpov games or Fischer games.
I was not able to keep the hastable option when I close the program: so, Rebel always begin with hastable 28 Mb, but since I am running it in Windows98, I always have to go to hastable option when I run Rebel10 and change it to 16 Mb.
Rebel 10 could give you an option to select any RAM for hastable and only now allowing you to entry a biiger value than your computer ram size.
Recommendation
If you are looking for a chess program for training purposes or for mastering in chess, Rebel 10 will meet your desires. It's a very complety chess program, it plays humanlike (and tactics too!), it give you lot of database functions. you will get impressed with the results you can get in tournament after training using Rebel10.
With all it's options, I believe Rebel10 can suite almost all user's desires. From players who are just trying to create a big database to that who are playing e-mail chess.
So, if you are the one, like me, who wants practical results in tournaments: try Rebel10.
Ordering information
In general REBEL10 (new) costs $59.95, REBEL10 (upgrade) costs $29.95. For specific valuta check the Rebel price list.
The below two companies ship REBEL software all over the world, allow all possible payments like VISA/MASTER etc., are known for good service and fast delivery. You can email Gambit Soft (Germany) or ICD Your Move (New York) by clicking on the companies logo for remaining questions or to enter your order.
Order from Gambit Soft (Germany) attention Bert Seifriz.
Order from ICD Your Move (USA) attention Steve Schwartz.
If you want to order from your local dealer then check out the REBEL dealer list.
REBEL dealer list (by phone)
REBEL dealer list (by email)