Author: Christopher R. Dorr
Date: 07:08:25 11/02/99
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Looked at another way, if you purchase a $100 commercial program, you are spending approximately $1 per rating point (at the most) for the strength differential. Seems pretty expensive to me, looked at that way. Also, considering that a good free program (Crafty) will be USCF 2500-2600 blitz on a reasonable machine (and perhaps 2400-2500 USCF standard), and the commercial is the same 100 points higher, and that the average player is a USCF 1500, then you are paying that extra $100 to be beaten 999 times out of 1000 games rather than 998. I have nothing at all against commercial programs (I own several, and will buy several more if I can come up with a good enough excuse for my wife), but in terms of strength, the *vast* majority of players will notice *no* strength difference between Crafty and a commercial. I'm a USCF Master, and it makes little difference to me....they both smoke me on a regular basis...imagine how much less the difference might be noticed by a USCF 1500. Chris
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