Author: Fernando Villegas
Date: 09:05:38 12/16/04
I will be honest: I did not expect too much of this unit. Well made, even pretty, with lot of features for such an afordable machine, I had doubts she -"she", yes- could play a really decent game of chess besides talking with such a sweet voice. I was wrong. First I played it personally at my usual 40 moves in one hour and although I outmanouvred her in tactics and so I got a full pawn, things became harder and harder instead of easier as I expected in the ending and besides an increasing headache made for me more and more difficult the neccesary concentration, so I left the machine get the draw with thee moves repetition. I must say I enjoyed the fight so far my brain was running without pain. Well, I said, then let she be tested by another player free of headaches: Par Excellence. Par Excellence is not bad at all. It was considered in his time a 2100 machine -USCF rating system- and in fact it plays a middle expert level game any day. At the very least it is worthy 2000 USCF Elo, 1850 international Elo. ...And Alexandra wiped Par Excellence. What is more, it revealed sound judgement. It avoided two or three times the capture of material in order to increase the pressure. Anyway the ending was materially a slaughter, with Alaxandra up in one pawn and a full bishop. I was very entertainned to see her proceedings. For an around 50-60 bucks machine it is, I believe, an atractive and convenient piece of plastic, ideal, I guess, not only for the kid we want to introduce to the game -as in my case- but also for us, old farts. Obviously is not that strong as any of the programs we run in our PC's, but is no weak either and gives a pleasurable and not easy game So I am a happy man. Perhaps after all I will not give it to Florencia.... hehe Fernando
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