Power Chess 98

• Platform: IBM PC Compatible
• Release Date: 1997
• Genre: Traditional
• Style: Board Game
• Similar Games: Power Chess (IBM PC Compatible)

Game Description

Power Chess 98 uses the venerable WChess engine as the force behind the computer opponents in this upgrade of the award-winning Power Chess. Packed with a vast array of customization and game play options, the game provides strong (but adjustable) competition for all levels of players, novice to expert.

The interface is mouse driven and utilizes a system of menus to access various sections of the game. Many new features are included such as square highlighting, print capability, WChess game analysis, resignation and draw options for the computer King's personality, variation tree enhancements, a "Tip of the Day" option, thought windows for observing the Queen's thinking, and more.

Creation of customized chess opponents with dozens of adjustable personality traits, opening repertoires and endgame preferences coupled with twenty pre-developed characters in the game provide endless variations of opponents with different strengths and weaknesses.

The game includes a powerful tool for learning and studying chess with its Lab module, an impressive selection of great games of the past, multiple sets and boards (both 2D and 3D), integrated Internet play, auto play, a rating system and an innovative approach to "teaching" chess by concentrating on one particular opening (although all openings can be assigned to any opponents created in the Lab) played by the King that includes 6,000 programmed moves.

Voice over has been added to the game in the character of the Queen (still the most powerful opponent in the game) who acts as your coach and mentor unless she's your opponent. Power Chess 98 provides numerous analysis and study tools in a user-friendly atmosphere.

Roots & Influences

The ages old love of the ancient game of chess is all the background a computer company needs to produce a chess game. In this case, International Master Eric Tangborn is the consulting chess authority and many of the opponents you can play against are patterned after the greatest chess players in the world (past and present).

Review: Overall

Power Chess 98 is an extremely impressive package that puts emphasis on the learning aspect of chess but considers the enjoyment factor as being equally important. The engine that powers the game is the vaunted WChess engine that has in the past held its own against some of the world's top players. So many options are available that figuring out exactly what you want the program to do takes some consideration. You have a full slate of twenty pre-programmed opponents (aka the Commoners), each with unique chess-playing abilities, characteristics and personalities, in addition to the major computer foes of the Queen, the King, the Prince and the Princess. The latter two are practice partners who pattern their game after the moves the King plays. The King is a unique learning tool in that he has 46 battle plans against the Giuoco Piano, considered one of the best "learning" openings in the history of the game because of it's opportunities for both black and white. In an innovative programming twist, the King exhibits various "moods" as he adjusts his game when playing black against the Giuoco Piano and you can literally spend months working your way through his repertoire in an attempt to "crack the King". But don't think what beat him one game will do the trick next time since he "learns" from his mistakes and once a faulty line is exposed, he'll abandon it and vary his moves in the next game. But variation is what Power Chess 98 is all about. The twenty Commoners are arranged in five rows (a family tree) that reflect various levels of toughness as you work your way up from the bottom. At the low end (fifth row) is the Gorilla, the Street Rat and the Robot, all designed to play fast but sans accuracy. The fourth row also contains speedy players (Samurai, Pirate and Alien) who have much better skills. The middle row of Abbot, Betty, the Boxer, Sea Captain and Ms. Bizby vary in aggressiveness but on the whole are more deliberate with a good knowledge of endgame techniques. The second tier of Katie, the Banker, Monster, Ace and Bobby are very strong with definitive chess playing characteristics that will test intermediate and some higher level players. The cream of the crop consists of Cactus Sally, patterned after the play of Anatoly Karpov, Nigel with characteristics of Yasser Seirawan, the Scientist modeled after Mikhail Botvinnik and the Jazzman. All are extremely tough players with strong endgame proclivities. Four more chess greats were used as models for other Commoners as follows: Bobby - Bobby Fischer, Banker - Emanuel Lasker, Katie - Judit Polgar, and Samurai - Garry Kasparov. Power Chess 98 has a focused "Magnificent Seven" collection of great games, carefully chosen from the millions of historically recorded games to illustrate basic concepts through a VCR-type replay with the Queen's pertinent commentary. The rating system of the game is non-USCF based and measures not just outcomes but evaluates how well you played by rating every move and then integrating that into the mix.

Review: Enjoyment

The only thing not to enjoy is getting beat a lot (as this reviewer is well aware). Seriously, Power Chess 98 is a beautifully constructed game and learning tool for most players up to expert level. Masters should, of course, look elsewhere but before dismissing the game's ability quite that easily as a top notch challenge, it should be noted that the WChess engine used in the game was developed by the president of Intelligent Heuristic Programming, Inc., David Kittinger. His AI (which evolved into the WChess engine) won the Fifth Harvard Cup Chess Challenge in 1994 by defeating four American Grandmasters and another two draws to its credit. The program has only improved since then and the King uses the process of tropism in developing lines of play. With the technology afforded by the powerful Windows multi-tasking capabilities, the WChess engine behind the game is a true rendition, not a watered down version. Another item worth mentioning is that you can save games in two different formats including the universally used .PGN format and you can also import .PGN games (there are literally thousands posted each week at various internet sites) to review with Power Chess 98. Games saved in the .PRE (presentation) format will receive an abbreviated dialogue review by the Queen. Resolution up to 1280x1024 is also supported and truly makes the game a gorgeous product. The game includes an illustrated tutorial for beginning players. Lastly, the game comes with an electronic file containing the complete text of the historically relevant book "My System" written by world chess great Aron Nimzowitsch that features over 200 new diagrams and an introduction by GM Yasser Seirawan. It should also be noted that Power Chess 98 is a product that takes the game of chess very seriously but presents it in a lighthearted, fun filled way rather than the sterile seriousness of many games on the market that are devoid of any personality.

Review: Graphics

Smooth looking, brilliantly designed boards and chess sets (2D and 3D), superbly drawn opponents, slick charts and graphs (e.g., alternative move trees, ratings chart), and solid and varied backgrounds.

Review: Sound

Considering a chess game doesn't really require much sound, the voice effects of the players and pompous musical interludes enhance play tremendously. But the Queen's voice (recorded by professional actress Natacha LaFerriere), which has over 6,000 sounds programmatically intertwined in International Master Eric Tangborn's C++ coding, is extraordinarily clear, concise and "personalized". Even though sounds in a chess game are minimally required, Sierra iced the cake with the thoughtful inclusion of such a smooth system.

Review: Replay Value

Absolutely unlimited.

Review: Documentation

Between the manual and the on-screen help and informational databases, all aspects of the game are fully documented.

Production Credits