Author: Axel Schumacher
Date: 18:43:19 09/19/05
Hi all, finally, after some time, I finished my test on chess programs for Pocket PCs and Palm devices. Overall, I tested over 60 programs (!!), which are all reviewd in lenght (incl. screenshots, games, links etc..). The details of the test can be downloaded also as Excel file or viewed in an interactive HTML-Excel file. The detailed review itself can be viewed on my homepage or downloaded as winword file or as Acrobat PDF file. (Danger, large files). For a good test, it is important not only to have a quick look at the program, so I tested in total 100 different parameters, e.g: Clock display, Board design, Board design customization, Board size/adjustability, Piece design, Piece customization, Piece Animation, 3-D set, Layout customization, Menue/Layout, Hashing, Coach watching, Web support, Hint button, Select database, Select book, Book customization, Opening book style, Setup board, Save Game, PGN support, reads text in pgn/saved game, Annotation/Comment move, Game details, Search database, Search online database, Tablebase support, Connects to FICS/CB/ICC, Online Chess, Help file, Chess rules, Career mode/Tournament, Player statistics, Level adjustment, Dynamic level adjustment, Supports time/move, Diff. Personalities, Engine strength, Additional engines, Analyze/Infinite analysis, Fischer time, Predefined time controls, Time customization, Different time/player, Bullet, Tournament time control, Database, Tutor/Trainer, Replay moves, Sound effects, Support DGT-board, Announce move, Highlight last move, Highlight legal moves, Move entering, Adjustable replay speed, Adjustable Pondering, Show threat, "Go!" command (Move now), FEN support, Adjudicate game, Drills/Puzzles, Takeback, Writes logfile, Delay move, Customizable notation, Detect draw, Shows nodes/s, Displays thinking, Blindfold Chess, Displays evaluation, Resign, Insert Nullmove, Shuffle/Fischer Chess, Rated games, Autoplayer, Benchmark, Testsuites, epd support, Playout, Vision Trainer, Stop engine, Change engine style, Learning, Safe energy, Displays Depth, Stealth mode, Support landscape mode, Displays material balance , Additional features/bugs, Autoanswer on/off, Demo available, Fun factor, Auto off, Anti human mode, Chess set editing possible, Displays board coverage, Chose next best move, Bugs etc.... You can imagine how much work that was (...ugh)... Anyway, I hope you can enjoy the review and it might be helpful for many people who don't exactly know what product to buy or to download for free. Some chess players who don't know the programs so good may be lured into a purchase of an extremely expensive program by the companies weppage. But beware. When there is written " the best chess program for Pocket PCs in the world", it may actually mean " A mediocre program; you can get easily 10 freeware programs that are better..". So, spread the word.... ..here it goes to my chess page: http://www.grailmaster.com/misc/chess/chess.html Here is the direct link to review: http://www.grailmaster.com/misc/chess/comp/chessrev/chessreview.html Enjoy Axel
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