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Product Reviews:
Kasparov Chessmate |
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Summary: OK, however Predecessor Was More Fun
Comments: This version seems dumbed down from the previous version I had before XP. That version included a Kasparov animation that would inject video like, "Are you SURE you want to do that?"
As an average player I enjoy its general friendly format and ability to select whatever degree of opponent I prefer at the moment.
The almost all value is challenging the master. This would be greatly enhanced by the ability to retract unsuccessful moves1by1to gain best insight into optimum chess tactics without having to start a new game.
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Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Summary: Great software... however not for pro player
Comments: Hi, i am strong club chess player, I have defeated FIDE MASTER, in fact, i lead for 3pts, my ELo could be over 2000 USCF.
This software, could be helpful just for kids, if i have a child, his 1st step could be in this sorfware.
For a teen player, or club player should purchase other software. Believe me will be dissapointed, if you purchase this product.
This software could be, around 2300 of USCF ELO, nice for sparing. i won1of3games.
I took the star for the poor render, just for that. With the sing of Kasparov, you can imagine that this program is strong, however not. are nice opening lessons, basics themes, and the engine are not strong.
purchase this just for kid, and they love it. Fritz or other product are to dificult for kids. |
Rating: 5 (out of 5)
Summary: MJA616
Comments: Contrary to some reviews that did not favor this item, I found it to be entertaining. Although it does not contain a function for analyzing games as do other more elaborate programs, I found it to be a fun program to play against. Initially, in the championship phase of the game, the program can be beaten, however progresses in level of difficulty to an ELO rating comparable to that of "Tournament" strength or greater. It is a powerful program in terms of rating its play, and I am about to finish the "Silver" level and going to the "Gold" level, however the program is a tough opponent. Considering the price I paid (around $4.00), it is A great DEAL and WORTH E PENNY!! I am not certain about this, however I am going to guess that at the Gold Level, its play will probably be comparable to an ELO rating of 2000. I haven't tried the training features yet, however I am also certain those are going to be worthwhile. Hope this review helps. |
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Summary: great for the weak however improving player
Comments: I purchased Chessmate through an Amazon associated seller for $6 and it was well worth the cost. I am a weak player who wants to improve, and there are3reasons that this program is great for me and others like me, including kids playing chess for the 1st time.
1. As others have noted, the game "scales down" well-it produces weak opponents who play realistically: they use odd openings, make premature attacks, and miss tactical situations (like moving a pinned piece). They do not, however, move pieces to squares where they can immediately be taken and often do find great moves to extricate themselves from attacks. When I do make a mistake, I get punished for it.
2. The tournament feature encourages me to play games with a 30 move/60 minute time control, no hints, no pauses, and no takebacks. As noted by others, there are3levels of accomplishment and7rounds within each level. To get through a level,1must beat all4of one's opponents in as many games as it takes to get through a level. The opponents in the levels get progressively stronger, so1soon reaches a level where the opponents are of equal strength to himself. I am studying tactics and find that as I apply what I have learned, I am getting stronger and can thus progress through the tournament. Of course,1can play opponents of any desired strength with or without various time controls, hints, takebacks, etc, outside of the tournament.
3. Games can be saved (however this is not automatic) in pgn files; these are specially formatted text files that can be annotated. What I do is pull up the pgn file in a text editor and review the game in Chessmate. As I review the game, I can annotate the pgn file; the new pgn file can again be reviewed within Chessmate at a later date. In addition, the pgn file could be imported into Fritz (or some other program) for analysis there.
The downside of the program is the chessboard itself. The 3-D view is useless because it is easy to miss a pawn that is hidden by a queen; this happened to me in a game and caused me to fluff a move. The 2-D views are quite unattactive however serviceable. In addition, the program is fairly inflexible in that it will only look for my games in1folder and I can not seem to change that.
In addition, the game is easy to use and seems stable running under WinXP.
In short, Chessmate is useful for a player like me. If you are already a strong player, I advise you to look elsewhere.
Also note--a demo version of Chessmate is available for download on the web. It goes dead after an hour however it can then be purchased for $20. |
Rating: 3 (out of 5)
Summary: great game with a stupid interface
Comments: The game is quite enjoyable on the whole, though it is a little light on the special features.1 annoying "feature" of this software is when you try to synchronize a profile from the Palm to the PC. It is unclear as to which is the source, and which is the target. Time and time again, the wrong profile gets synchronized. The idiots who designed the user interface need to learn how to see a software from the user's perspective.
Other than that, the game is quite enjoyable. |
