Chessmaster 10th Edition (PC)

Chessmaster's other great plus is that it doesn't take itself too seriously, there are animated boards to keep kids interested and everything looks colourful and bright. There's also free online play.

If you have heard of Fritz that probably means you've been playing longer, know a bit more and therefore will find its database and analysis functions more useful than Chessmaster's plusses. Fritz is FAR more user friendly for this sort of thing.

I disagree that Chessmaster is only good at full strength. Its engine is rated at over 2700, so unless you're a super grandmaster I'd say the lower levels might also challenge you a bit.

All in all the two programs do different things very well. Look out for Fritz 9, though, which I believe will also include a lot of tutorial material.


KRG in London   August 1, 2005
KRG (Chelsea, London United Kingdom)
17 out of 26 found this review helpful

I travel a lot with my laptop that does not have a built in CD drive. The makers of Chessmaster 10th Edition are so paranoid about having their software copied, it has been designed in a way that makes it impossible to run the software without one of the CD's running in the machine. It never said this at the time of purchase - so if you intend loading the software on your PC and don't feel like carrying the disks around with you - then this software is not for you. Buy something a little more flexible - like I did. Chessmaster 10th Edition is very secure - just as the publishers intended - sitting on the shelf gathering dust!


rough at the edges   January 13, 2005
18 out of 20 found this review helpful

I bought this game in anticipation, as I had purchased one of the previous Chessmaster Games about six years ago. The chess engine is good and the Chess academy has taught my son more than I ever could in the time that we've had it.
However, I can't give it more than three stars for a couple of reasons. Firstly, game analysis seems to take forever (even though I have a reasonably powerful computer). Once this is completed, I don't like the way you have to mess about with different windows on the screen in order for the game to be played back. Secondly, why oh why do the people at Chessmaster think that by asking you to insert the CD every time you play, this is going to endear themselve to us!? I am sick and tired of having to carry the CD about in my laptop bag. Surely there was a sensible way of overcoming the piracy issue...


Chessmaster 10th Edition   November 13, 2004
18 out of 29 found this review helpful

I probably would have rated this program highly, but as it wont run on my system properly that more than meets the recommended spec, I am very disappointed with my purchase. Things might have been better had UBI Software responded to my support request on their web site, but alas they don't seem to want to reply. The program will run for about 30 minutes and then display a buffer overrun error, after which it will close down!

Apparently the Chessmaster CD's have a copy protection system that is not compatible with some brands of CD players of the rewritable variety. I don't know if this is the problem or another serious one, but be warned!