1) Rybka is engine which runs under GUI (Graphical User Interface) ChessBase Program Fritz or under newly created GUI Aquarium which was developed by Chess Assistant, specially for Rybka (free translation is ''the fish'' from Slavic languages)  with possibilities to analyze positions. This Aquarium GUI had its own format which we used to support - DNS. In this environment one can't perform typical database operations and was seldom used by the chess users for database operations. 
2) CA understood that initial functions of first version of GUI Aquarium was insufficient and therefore implemented into Aquarium 2010 basic database functions. (e.g. conversions from CBH, PGN also from larger scope) CA Aquarium havesimple more advanced DB functions.
3) We are supporting Aquarium 2010 by providing ready CA formats which instead of DNS became universal formats for Aquarium and even more support all other Chess Assistant community and users.
4) Rybka is independent to all of this, as it's engine only which runs under Aquarium which we support by supporting Chess Assistant formats.

Yes, we do as a matter of fact. You can review our simple shipping program under : http://openingmaster.com/shipping.html
There are currently two programs : One witthin European Union and second international. The prices are flat fee (for simplicity) and include shipping and handling, packging, DVD and latest release of the Opening Master database(s). In order to be qualified for the shipping program you must be successfully registered either under Gold Plan or Platinum Plan.

The vision of Opening Master is to build large enough community of chess players who would contribute to the opening strategy of the chess as we believe this part of the game is the most important when playing chess.

The database of annotated games will be organized by OM community free of charge. You can offer you work for free and as a reward you can download the entire annotated database.  

At the moment not, but we might consider it later in the future.

Yes, we do offer multiple licences for schools and chess clubs. Please contact us separately if you would like a mass licence.

The game as such does not have copyright, thefore it belongs to everybody. The game is considered as event and therefore people cannot claim copyrights for events which happened in the past. However the collection as such in form of the database, the quantitative methods, statistical measurments, and time spent on creation of this database this is copyrighted. It is paid service becasue  of the  associated costs  while producing  this database (internet connection, energy,  hardware used, time spent). The authors would like to build a great community around the chess openings, but would like to ask a symbolic price (20 or 40 EUR) to cover for the expenses incurred.

The annotated databases are protected with copyrights, therefore we cannot offer others work without permission and licence. However, the team of authors will create first annotated free database for members (for non-members only samples). Anyone who can annotate games and have the necessary chess skills is free to enter and annotate their own games or master games for which they have copyright. We will not accept work which somebody can claim ownership. The base will be established by the Opening Master team the rest will be about the community. The plan is to have largest annotated database of the world offered in future for free.

If you find something which is not included in the Opening Master, you may offer it. However, Opening Master database is so large, that there might be a reason why it is not included. The computer games, games with nick names, blitz games are not included and will not be included in the future either. If you still believe you have something unique, we would be more than happy to hear from you

First as in every other software, read the manual. You can also visit ChessBase web site, they have great tutorials explaining things. Also Tutorials in Opening Master web site can help you working with a special database functions.

Since you registered for annual membership, you may download as many things as you want. Therefore please try again the process again. If you still cannot download, please let us know and we can send you the hard copy DVD.

This is most likely temporary problem on PayPal web site and should be announced there. If you believe everything is ok, and you still cannot pay, please let us know.

At the moment, Opening Master uses PayPal because of simplicity and clarity in the payment systems. The PayPal uses highest encryption and security measures to perform financial transaction, it is accepted worldwide and very easy to use both for merchant as well as for the customers. The interest rates are also affordable compared to the banks. To keep the mebership as low as possible, we partner with best services.

Yes, you may. You don't need to have PayPal user id to pay. Just follow on written instuctions on PayPal site and press ''next'' when asking for your user id.

Opening Master web site accepts all major credit cards and uses PayPal secure system for the payment transactions. After successfull registration, you will be automatically transferred to secure PayPal site where you complete the transaction by giving your name, credit card number, expiration date etc... Once submitted you will be automatically re-directed back to OpeningMaster site confirming the registration process. If you decide during the payment process to cancel, you may do so, Opening Master will remember your user id and you can return to complete the payment process anytime, just log in with your user id and you will automatically transferred to paypal. However, if still something goes wrong (PayPal server down or other technical issues), please let us know and we will solve it differently.

First of all, the videos should be about chess (lecture, lesson, story), the best way is to upload them first to famous video servers like youTube. Afte then, go to our video site and press ''add video'' and copy and paste the video link (from youTube or others). The rest is automatic and easy.

Most likely this is a permission issue. You need to be successfully logged in and also registered with a annual membership. If you are correctly registered and logged in and still don't see which you believe should see, please let us know immediatelly.

If you are downloading compressed parts (zip or rar) after unzipping all parts will add to each toher. Double click on the file and ChessBase automatically opens up. (of course you must have installed ChessBase on your computer). You can also go to ChessBase and open a file from there. More information can be seen in ChessBase manual or in our tutorials.

Yes, you may. Please let us know and we will arrange it.

There are several packs available and each of them has special access control list assigned. With free membership you may dowload sample databases, full FIDE players database, Portal Database and others, with Gold pack you may download Correspondence Chess Database and OM 2300 databases, however you may not download the full Opening Master database as well as OM 2500 (ELO 2500) Database which is for Platinum purchases only. If you would like to upgrade your purchase from gold to platinum please let us know and we will arrange it.

Most likely when asked for user id, you entered it incorrectly. Please check spelling, capslock on, numlock on, or language set on your keyboard. If you tried everything and still no success, please let us know and we will look on it. It is advised to use single names for 'username' field however spaces have been tested successfully as well.

Definitely YES, therefore we are doing it.

No we don't cooperate. It is similar to say, if program which runs under Windows should cooperate with Microsoft. The Opening Master uses the platform of Chess Base which similar to Windows is most widely used platform for chess databases.

ChessBase is changing its pricing policy as well - it will be less expensive in the future. It is not a cheap product due to its research and development of the software as such. At the moment we are not considering to develop our own environment because we are focusing more on analytical methods of openings, which is more content subject than technical.

For beginners we recommend to use the most valuable OM Database - OM TOP. It is composed of games from players with the highest rankings (ELO 2500 and higher) and therefore you shall never get a bad answer. The advanced players can use any database from smaller to the largest one, becasue many times they are looking for a game which they haven't seen yet played and therefore the largest collection you have the better prepared you are.

Adding a single new game or series of games into the database is easy - open ChessBase program, open your game or selection of games and drag-and-drop into the database OpeningMaster. After clicking ok, both files merge. After this, you need to de-duplicate the database so you can eliminate the double games which is mentioned in the CB manual or in OM tutorials. The process lasts according to the number of games but sometimes it takes too long if you have databases like Opening Master ;-)

The de-duplication is searching of twins in information database. The double (twin) is known where one same body of the game has more records of header, name, tournament etc..This is due to several parties recording the same game but recording it with different headers (e.g. one will write ''Kasparov'' and other will write ''G.Kasparov''). The presence of doubles in the database distort statistical outputs and valuation of positions. The perfect database has zero doubles which is very difficult when organizing 5.1 millions of games. However Opening Master team can proudly say, the database is de-duplicated to 0.

The OM GOLEM (8,3 mil) and OM OTB (6.2 mil)  is prepared in cbv format as ChessBase is a database software program which is most widely used among chess players of the world. Therefore for easy to use we have chosen the format  every body else uses. However most of the other databases are also tranformed into Chess Assistant formats and also free PGN format (slower in big files). 

Opening Master functions under Windows (all) where also chess database programs like ChessBase, Chess Assistant and Bookup are. Following enviroment and software programs are to be used with our OM databases.

1/ For MAC/Sigma program/, SCID /all platform/ use PGN format
2/ For WIN /CB Database 6-10/ user use CBV format
3/ For WIN /CA Assistant/, Aquarium 2010 use CPD format
4/ For WIN /CA Aquarium/ and all other platform a programs use PGN format

Opening Master is a name which best describes idea of knowing the chess openings which are basis for the next so called middle game. Who knows well the secrets of the chess openings is the Opening Master. So it is a process of self-learning of the chess player who wants to become an Opening Master.

Opening Master is registered trademark in Slovakia and European Union since 2004 but the idea and development can be dated few years before this date.

Behind Opening Master is group of correspondence and practical chess players from Slovakia and Czech Republic and other nearby countries who are in contact. Read more in ''About us''