A Scid database can be used as a Repertoire, each game representing
an opening line. The games can contain variations and may also
contain NAG values to specify values for each line, thus
allowing to mark preferred or dubious lines.
Databases for the Opening Trainer must have an appropiate type.
If openings for white are to be trained, this has
to be Openings for White (and likewise black and
both colors). The type can be set via the Maintenance
window by selecting the icon or via the database switchers
context menu.
Creating a Repertoire
The Repertoire Database will be fully loaded at initialisation. For this
reason, it is important to use a smaller database.
Starting with a large database of quality games, filter the
database for a specific opening (e.g. the Ruy Lopez), copy these games to a new database for that specific
opening, and set this base type as mentioned above.
Using NAGs can be employed to better understand how moves are to be rated.
Once you have a database, it is possible to further restrict candidate games by flagging some as
"White opening" or "Black opening" and then selecting "Only flagged lines" in the configuration window.
Also, filtered games will not be played.
General Use
Open the trainer via Play-> Training-> Opening Trainer.
The setup dialogue offers some choices about the next training session.
White / Black / Both is used to select the side of the opening to train
Allow only best moves will treat lower rated moves
as error. The rating of a line is given by NAG values.
Opponent plays best moves Scid will always play
the best continuation according to the repertoire database. If
unchecked Scid is allowed to choose also lower rated
continuations. This is helpful to learn the refutations as well.
Don't repeat a game Plays each game only once (unfortunately - even if a game has variations).
Only flagged lines Scid will only play lines
from games flagged as Opening for White or
Opening for Black.
Reset statistics will reset the statistics before the training session.
Max Ply is the maximum depth to which games will be parsed.
After pressing OK, the Trainer will start. Here one can display
possible candidate moves (hidden by default) and also display their
values by just enabling these functions. If Show Statistics
is enabled, the current statistics is shown in the
color coded fields below the checkbox. Otherwise the overall
statistics can be accessed by the button Show report
At any stage, press "Next Game" to start another exercise.
Opening Trainer Statistics
Four numbers are displayed showing statistics for current position:
Green the number of moves played by the user that
are good moves
Yellow the number of dubious moves played that are
in the repertoire
Red the number of moves played that are not in the
repertoire
White the number of times the position was
encountered
The Report
The report shows statistics for the whole repertoire and gives
information about user's knowledge :
Positions in repertoire the total number of
positions in the repertoire (all lines in database)
Positions not played the positions that were never
encountered
Positions played the positions that were played and
the sum of the number of times they were encountered. Note that this
figure represents the sum of occurrences of a position in all
opening lines: this number can quickly become big for positions
that are close to the start position
Success the number of good moves made by the player
Dubious moves the number of weak moves made by the
player
Out of repertoire the number of moves made by the
player that were not in repertoire