For the first time I actually used Chessbase 16; in the past all I have done is tinker with it because Fritz 17 is my go-to program. I have to say that the speed and ease with which Chessbase 16 handled the task was impressive! Now my database has in excess of 3.5 million games up to April of this year.
You can get the program starting at about $125 (price slightly higher in Europe).
The question is, do you need it? If you are a serious student who is bent on improving and you want to keep databases on, say, openings, middlegame themes, endings, etc. then this is the program. If, like me, to are a dabbler in the game then Fritz for around $90 will do the job very well.
By January 1942, German submarines had moved into American coastal waters and posed a serious threat to shipping. By that time U-boats had become bigger, faster and more deadly and their presence in American waters was not intended for show, but to help win World War II for Germany.
During the first three months of 1942, German U-boats sank more than 100 ships off the east coast of North America, in the Gulf of Mexico and in the Caribbean Sea. I read a story recently by a gentleman who lived on the coast of North Carolina during the war and he told how they often heard loud explosions and could see burning ships on the horizon.
The name U-boat comes from the German word unterseeboot, meaning submarine or undersea boat. However, they were not true submarines. They were warships that spent most of their time on the surface. They could submerge only for limited periods, mostly to attack or evade detection and to avoid bad weather.
U-boats could only travel about sixty miles underwater before having to surface for fresh air. They often attacked ships while on the surface using deck-mounted guns. Typically, about 50 men operated a U-boat. The boats carried fifteen torpedoes which ranged up to twenty-two feet long and could travel thirty miles per hour.
Experts have described German U-boats as among the most effective and seaworthy warships ever designed.
They paid a price though and a map of German U-boats lost off the east coast of the United States can be seen HERE.
During World War Two, Reuben Fine’s job was to try and predict where the U-boats would show up and that’s why he was in Washington, D.C. and won the Washington Chess Divan’s annual title tournament in December, 1942.
It was a strong field, but the battle was really for the remaining prizes, not first place because Fine was just too strong. Ariel Mengarini, Oscar Shapiro and Martin Stark were tied for 2nd, 3rd and 4th places. Shapiro had held the title of D. C. Champion.
Donald H. Mugridge and William E. Napier had entered the event but were forced to withdraw. Mugridge lost to Fine and drew with Ponce, but his health did not permit him to continue.
One time famous British player William Napier lost to Eaton and Rousseau and had an adjourned position against Fox. He then was involved in an accident and was unable to continue. Divan officials canceled their scores.
Napier had withdrawn from the international tournament arena in 1905 and became an American citizen in 1908. He began a career at an insurance company, becoming vice president of the Scranton (Pennsylvania) Insurance Company. He married Florence Gillespie who was Harry N. Pillsbury's niece.
Although Napier still participated in chess, he played in no more important international tournaments and when he died at the age of 71 in 1952, his chess career was nearly forgotten.
At the time the Washington Chess Divan was one of the most active and progressive clubs in the country because many strong players, like Fine, were in Washington performing war duties.
One unusual game in this tournament was a titanic struggle between District Champion and noted problem composer Vincent L. Eaton and International Master Albert W. Fox which was won by Fox. The game went 161 moves and lasted 10 hours and 49 minutes.
Naturally, winners always have some like like Fine did in the following game. Mengarini was doing “fine” until a couple of quick errors cost him the game.
Reuben Fine–Ariel A. MengariniD45Washington (DC) Chess Divan Champ1942Stockfish 15.1
QGD 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.c3 f6 4.e3 With this move white avoids the
complexities of the main line 4.Nc3 e6 5.f3 a6 6.c5 This move
designed to cramp black is seldom played, but it's results are nearly
identical to the far more popular 6.b3. Black now plays for the freeing ...e5 bd7 The less effective 6...b6 is a popular alternative. 7.a4 White
almost always plays 7.c4. With this rare move white eyes b6 as a potentional N
outpost. c7 7...e4 8.d3 e5 9.d2 xd2 10.xd2 e4 is equal. Botvinnik,
M-Thomas,G Nottingham 1936 7...b5 8.cxb6 xb6 9.d2 xa4 10.xa4 d7 11.c2 b6 12.c1 b8 13.d3 xb2 14.0-0 d6 15.e5 xc2 16.xc2 c5 with
equal chances. Nakamura,H (2769)-Aronian,L (2802) Wijk aan Zee 2013 7...e5 8.d2 e4 9.e2 g6 10.0-0 Black stands well. Botvinnik, M-Rabinovich,I
Moscow 1937 8.d3 e5 9.c2 This allows black to gain the initiative
thanks to his spatial advantage. e7 10.0-0 e4 11.d2 f8 Mengarini's
chooses a passive defense and so instead allows white to seize the initiative
by attacking his advanced center. A much better idea was 11...b6 assuring
black od a slight advantage. 12.f3 exf3 13.xf3 Better was 13.Bxf3 because
now black develops his B with a gain of time. g4 14.f2 h5 15.h3 He
can't allow ...Ng4 g6 16.xg6 xg6 17.b6 d8 18.e4 dxe4 19.xe4 0-0 20.c3 h5 21.e3 g3 22.d5 This move looks much more danderous to black than
it is and after 22.Nxf1 black would have stood quite well off. White should
have simply moved the R out of harm's way with 21.Rfe1 h4 Here
Mengarini gets too fancy! Taking the R would have left him with a slight edge. 22...xf1 23.d6 xd6 24.cxd6 xd6 25.xf1 f6 Black is slightly better. 23.d6 Now this move IS very powerful. b8 23...xf1 fails badly... 24.dxc7 xf2+ 25.xf2 de8 26.xf1 and black is lost. 24.fd1 de8 The
wrong R goes to e8 25.d7 e4 26.c2 Black resigned. 26.xb8 This may
have been the move Mengarini expected, bur even then after xf2 27.xf2 xf2+ 28.xf2 xb8 White has a significant advantage. 26.c2 d8 27.xf8 xc3 28.xc3 xf8 and black is a R down. 
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