ALL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES FROM 1886 to 2002
ChessBase (CD – 2003)
$49.95

Reviewed by John Watson

ALL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES FROM 1886 to 2002 is another fine product from the world’s premier publisher of books on CD. There are two databases on the disc, with the “linear” World Championship going from Steinitz-Zukertort (1886) to Kasparov-Kramnik (2000), and the “post-split” FIDE World Championships from Karpov-Timman (1993) to the most recent knockout, won by Ponomariov in 2002.

Each match is accompanied by a historical introduction of increasing length as the years go by. These reports are accompanied by photographs and some annotated games. I say “some” because a considerable number are annotated with words and/or lengthy analytical notes by strong players (sometimes the champions themselves), yet even more have merely merged games with at most a couple of independent lines of analysis. The disc includes a training database (from Karsten Müller) and multimedia features, mostly old and snippets of video (some a few seconds long, beginning  with Capablanca) and others about more recent champions. One may want to watch the multimedia sections on this CD and other ChessBase products rather than download them, given the space they consume on a hard disc.

This collection is a fitting complement to Kasparov’s Predecessors series, since it allows one to play over the games that he’s addressing (and in 11 cases with his extensive notes). It is also a useful and handy product to have on your computer, replacing that inevitable search through ones books for just the right game. On the computer you can locate that game and instantly browse through any part of it. This CD is therefore a great addition to one’s library, and one that it is practically essential for those who write about chess or are involved in chess research. It is also ideal for fans that collect and love playing through World Championship games.

Click to buy ALL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES FROM 1886 to 2002