Tips :: Searching ICC's Master Game Database

The search command is used to specify which kind of games you would like to examine from the database. There are many options, but basically you search by player, by opening, or both.

Once you make a search, your screen will display a list of the games matching your query. The top line will give information on how many games satisfied your request, and the number of wins for white, black, and how many draws. To examine one of the games, use the command exam number, then hit Enter to go forward through the moves. The ICC help file "help examine" has more information about how to navigate through an examined game.
Note: Using BlitzIn, it may be easier to use sposition number instead of examine. Then, use the BlitzIn scroll bar to go through the game. You won't be able to examine side-lines, however. Also you can right-click or double-click on a line of the search result window in Blitzin to look at a game, rather than typing any command.

Specifying the Player's Name

Probably the simplest search command is to ask for all the games in the database played by a particular player. Use the format search player.

Example:

search birchbeer
Your search found 1193 games: [581 100 512 = (white win,draw,black win)]
   0  2224 MaxII      2496 Birchbeer  0-1 [ br  2  14] B03 Res 31-Jul-94
   1  2259 Houdini    2503 Birchbeer  0-1 [ br  2  14] A85 Res 31-Jul-94
   2  2515 Birchbeer  2256 Tim        1-0 [ br  2  14] C12 Res 01-Aug-94
   3  2250 Tim        2521 Birchbeer  0-1 [ br  2  14] B02 Res 01-Aug-94
   4  2386 russky     2508 Birchbeer  1-0 [ br  2  14] A89 Res 03-Aug-94
   5  2487 Birchbeer  2407 russky     0-1 [ br  2  14] A45 Fla 03-Aug-94
   6  2284 princess   2495 Birchbeer  0-1 [ br  2  14] B03 Res 03-Aug-94
   7  2502 Birchbeer  2277 princess   1-0 [ br  2  14] A45 Fla 03-Aug-94
   8  2445 Hamilton   2502 Birchbeer   =  [ br  2  14] A45 Agr 04-Aug-94
   9  2252 Tim        2508 Birchbeer  0-1 [ br  2  14] B02 Res 04-Aug-94

Specifying the Opening, by ECO code

Another way to search through the database is by ECO code.  This allows
you to examine grandmaster games, in the opening of your choice!
To do this, use the command search ECO code.  If you don't
know which ECO code a particular opening is, the ICC helpfiles
"help eco", "help eco2", 
and "help eco-list" can help you.

Example:
search eco=b05
Your search found 795 games: [387 81 327 = (white win,draw,black win)]
   0  2648 jytke      2621 VacuumClea 0-1 [ br  2  15] B05 Res 01-Aug-94
   1  2224 Elexir     2581 Birchbeer  0-1 [ br  2  14] B05 Res 19-Aug-94
   2  2505 Blackburn  2617 Birchbeer  0-1 [ br  2  14] B05 Res 20-Sep-94
   3  2225 rph        2630 Birchbeer  0-1 [ br  2  14] B05 Res 23-Sep-94
   4  2563 Roman      2242 Attila     1-0 [ br  2   6] B05 Res 11-Oct-94
   5  2602 Roman      2256 Attila     1-0 [ br  5   0] B05 Res 31-Oct-94
   6  2542 Roman      2296 Attila     1-0 [ br  5   0] B05 Res 07-Nov-94
   7  2645 Roman      2319 JayJay     1-0 [ br  5   0] B05 Res 12-Nov-94
   8  2558 Roman      2337 Attila     1-0 [ br  5   0] B05 Res 29-Nov-94
   9  2652 Roman      2230 Attila     1-0 [ br  5   0] B05 Res 02-Dec-94


Examples:
search winner=junior crafty
Your search found 125 games: [71 0 54 = (white win,draw,black win)]
   0  2675 junior     2377 crafty     1-0 [ br  2   8] C68 Mat 04-Mar-95
   1  2361 crafty     2695 junior     0-1 [ br  2   6] D86 Mat 06-Mar-95
   2  2402 crafty     2694 junior     0-1 [ br  5   0] C63 Res 06-Apr-95
   3  2707 junior     2525 crafty     1-0 [ br  5   0] B44 Mat 08-Apr-95
   4  2717 junior     2409 crafty     1-0 [ br  5   0] B44 Res 09-Apr-95
   5  2404 crafty     2722 junior     0-1 [ br  5   0] A48 Mat 09-Apr-95
   6  2726 junior     2400 crafty     1-0 [ br  5   0] C68 Mat 09-Apr-95
   7  2390 crafty     2718 junior     0-1 [ br  5   0] B40 Mat 21-Apr-95
   8  2735 junior     2356 crafty     1-0 [ br  5   0] C63 Mat 12-Jul-95
   9  2353 crafty     2738 junior     0-1 [ br  5   0] C19 Mat 12-Jul-95

search loser=birchbeer black mode=resign
Your search found 26 games: [0 0 26 = (white win,draw,black win)]
   0  2608 Birchbeer  2479 aries      0-1 [ br  2  15] A40 Res 03-Sep-94
   1  2591 Birchbeer  2240 Ingvar     0-1 [ br  2  14] B26 Res 22-Aug-94
   2  2604 Birchbeer  2256 Zico       0-1 [ br  2  14] B26 Res 23-Sep-94
   3  2580 Birchbeer  2280 Zico       0-1 [ br  2  14] B26 Res 23-Sep-94
   4  2538 Birchbeer  2277 chaz       0-1 [ br  2  15] C00 Res 14-Dec-94
   5  2521 Birchbeer  2230 Bjarke     0-1 [ br  2  14] C26 Res 20-Dec-94
   6  2589 Birchbeer  2508 Hamilton   0-1 [ br  2  14] C25 Res 12-Jan-95
   7  2574 Birchbeer  2356 ban        0-1 [ br  2  14] A00 Res 29-Jan-95
   8  2518 Birchbeer  2409 jytke      0-1 [ bu  2  10] C00 Res 22-Dec-94
   9  2597 Birchbeer  2346 Rumpole    0-1 [ br  2  14] D00 Res 01-Apr-95