Extract text from ChessBase database files (CBH)
To convert CBH database files to another format, you need ChessBase or other Database software.
To convert other file formats to the "Chess Database Header" file type, you need software like ChessBase or a similar tool.
The .CBH file is the main header component of a multi-file chess database created by ChessBase. It acts as the index file that ties together a cluster of related binary files, such as CBG for moves, CBA for annotations, and CBP for players. These files are typically managed using ChessBase software or the Fritz chess engine.
The main disadvantage of the .CBH format is its proprietary, fragmented architecture. A standalone .CBH file is useless without its accompanying data files. It locks users into expensive desktop software and is completely unsupported by standard text editors, web browsers, or open-source chess engines like Stockfish. Users need to convert these files to escape vendor lock-in and share chess games easily.
The best conversion target is PGN (Portable Game Notation), a universal, text-based standard supported by all chess applications. Converting to PGN ensures maximum compatibility, though you may lose proprietary multimedia annotations or custom training markers. Another alternative is CBV, which is just an archived, single-file version of the entire .CBH database cluster.
Because this is a closed, proprietary format that relies on external files to function, it is notoriously difficult to process online. Standard online converters fail because they expect a single, self-contained file. However, you can drag and drop your .CBH file onto convert.guru to identify the format, view its hex structure, and extract readable metadata. If our analysis detects supported underlying data, viewing or conversion may still be possible.
Convert.Guru analyzes your CBH file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted 2CBH, CBV, PGN, CBG, CBA, INI, PDF, ZIP, TREE and TUR files.
If you want to convert CBH file to PGN, EXE, ISO, BIN, CUE, PAK, WAD, PK3, PK4, BSP, MAP or SAV, you can use ChessBase or similar software from the "Chess Database Indexing" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert MOD, BIN, CFG, SCX, DAT, MPQ, LOG, CUE, INI, EXE, SCM or ISO files to CBH, try ChessBase or another comparable tool in the "Chess Database Indexing" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our CBH converter.