|
Chessmaster 10th Edition (PC DVD-ROM) | 
 enlarge | From: Focus Multimedia Ltd
Category: Video Games
List Price: £9.99
Buy New: £4.69
You Save: £5.30 (53%)
New (9) Used (1) from £4.68
Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 401
Platforms: Windows 98, Windows Vista, Windows Me, Windows Xp
Genre: board-games
Media: Video Game
Number Of Items: 1
Age: 3 - 18 years
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: CM10THEDITION
EAN: 5031366016256
ASIN: B000ES3IUC
Release Date: March 1, 2006
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
| |
| Similar Items:
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
 Major Problem... February 16, 2008
S. Galer (London, UK)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
I bought this software when I first started to play chess. It's good, it's very easy to use and has lots of help for people first starting out.
For example there are topics covering how the pieces move, simple tactics (forks, pins and skewers) and some opening and endgame theory. The amount of lessons you get for the price make this software a must for someone who wants to start out and if you are looking for sofware for children it is good for that too as the childrens corner is designed with children in mind (even the set's are quite funny to watch as they attack each other with magic and the like).
But there is a problem...
When you play against the computer it has various levels of strength from about 1 to about 3000. (This should pretty much cover most players!) This would be a great thing if they were realistic. I have found that while playing any opponent they will blunder. It seems that the computer will adjust its playing strength simply by blundering more or less often and more or less severly. Now this may seem like a good way of doing it, because in life the weaker the player the more often they blunder and the more significant the mistake but it doesn't seem to be very accurate. I have played reasonably strong opponents and it has played very strongly, as expected, and then make a huge, probably resignable, blunder. I think that it would be better in your development as a player, and more importantly your enjoyment of the game if the computer just played at a certain level. Yes blunders happen in games but people also win purely by outplaying their opponents, a feature which does not appear to happen in this software.
A few other things to note:
1. If you play friendlies and then rated games the strength of the opponent appears to change (they get stronger) again this may be more "human" but the amount of increase is quite significant I find.
2. If you blunder it appears to play much much stronger! I admit that if you blunder you are playing a worse position but I am convinced it plays significantly above its own level when you make a mistake. This may seem like a good thing, i.e. it will teach you not to make mistakes, but it also implies that if you blunder the game is over which in real life is not always the truth (in fact there are ways of playing after a blunder to catch your opponent out!).
So in summary:
The software is very good for beginners, it is easy to use and understand and has a lot of support material to back it up. If you are above about 70-80ECF or 1300 I would suggest you look elsewhere. I think you would notice the feature I have mentioned with the somewhat variable playing strength and may get frustrated with the software.
I have given Chessmaster 10th Edition 2/5 as the beginners tools are very good and I have not seen any software that matches up with this (Fritz is too strong and complicated for a complete novice in my opinion). I am afraid that I cannot give it any more because of the previously mentioned problems I have discovered.
 Great Buy December 25, 2007
C. J. W. Brown (glasgow scotland)
Had Not played chess in long. I recently got a lap top and wanted a light game to run on it as the lap top is not a gammer. Was Hugly impressed with the volume of teaching and reasorces that i received for ten pounds!!!!! Have had no trouble With It crashing Or such like! Although It does goble up ram so i would run the program on its own if you are asking it to anylise chess positions!!
More system problems. December 2, 2007
Watty (Yorkshire, UK)
Chessmaster frequently slows and/or freezes my computer, despite my system exceeding the requirements stated on the box. The program appears to be significantly more resource hungry than the manufacturers believe, which is a disappointment as otherwise it's good software for chess beginners and experts alike.
 great software while it works - but it freezes my PC. November 4, 2007
Mr. A. McFarlane (Manchester, UK.)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is a piece of software I find great but it freezes my PC repeaedly
De & re-installs make no difference, nor do playing 2d or 3d.
A game might go without a problem, then it begins.
What a pity. I've now turfed it off.
chessmaster rocks September 28, 2007
C. Leppington (UK)
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
I learnt how to play chess years ago as a child but in recent years I haven't found opponents to play. This game is perfect for people who haven't played for years and are rusty and for complete beginners and those who play very well. You can choose to play at any level to suit yourself. The game has many, many personalities with differing levels from complete novice to world champions. The personalities of the great chess masters are included and Shakespeare, interestingly. The tutorials include voice overs from real Chess champions and have puzzles and exercises to solve. The tutorials greatly helped and improved my game, openings are explained, tactics and endgame. There's scope to play this game for years. I highly recommend it.
|
|
|
www.pcprotech.co.uk | |
