Power Chess

Power Chess is a chess-playing video game originally released in September 1996 by Sierra On-Line for the Microsoft Windows 95 operating system. Later revisions of the software were released as Power Chess 98 (1997) and Power Chess 2.0 (1998).[1] Power Chess was also the "intermediate" game included in Sierra's Complete Chess (1998) along with Maurice Ashley Teaches Chess (1995) and Extreme Chess (1996).[2][3]

Power Chess
Developer(s)Sierra On-Line
Publisher(s)Sierra On-Line
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows 95
ReleaseSeptember 30, 1996
Genre(s)Chess
Mode(s)Single player

Engine

Its chess engine is "Wchess" by David Kittinger, which played against Deep Blue in the 1995 World Computer Championship in Hong Kong. The game is included as a watchable "Great Game" in Power Chess.

Gameplay

Power Chess had two major innovations: the program would adjust its level during the game trying to match that of the player (presaging Chessbase Fritz's Friend Mode). In addition, after each game, a female voice, the Queen, walks the player through the game, pointing out and explaining where the player could have played better.[4] The program keeps track of the player's rating. Players can also create their own characters with differing gameplay styles and difficulty.

Narration

The voice of the Power Chess Queen was voiced in English and French by voiceover artist Natacha LaFerriere.[5]

"Great Games"

A collection of famous games is included for review and study, each one narrated turn-by-turn by the Queen. The games include:

Reception

Power Chess won Computer Games Strategy Plus's award for the 1996 "traditional" game of the year.[6]

In a comparison between four chess programs, PC Joker rated Power Chess the highest.[7]

See also

Comparison of chess video games

References
  1. "Power Chess 2.0". Catalog 98 99. UK: Sierra On-Line. p. 24. CAT JX 98/99 FE S0013471.
  2. Budinska, Agata (Feb 1999). "Sierra's Complete Chess". PC PowerPlay. No. 33. Redfern, NSW, Australia: Next Publishing. p. 113. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
  3. King, Nancy, ed. (1998). "It's Your Move". InterAction Magazine. No. Holiday Issue 1998. US: Sierra On-Line. p. 18.
  4. Dulin, Ron (1996-11-15). "Power Chess Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 2016-04-18.
  5. "Power Chess 98 | Natacha LaFerriere". www.natlaf.com. Retrieved 2016-04-18.
  6. Staff (1997-03-25). "Computer Games Strategy Plus announces 1996 Awards". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Archived from the original on 1997-06-14. Retrieved 2010-11-02.
  7. Duy, Manfred (March 1997). "Strategie - 4 Neue Schachprogramme". PC Joker (in German). No. 3/97. Joker-Verlag. pp. 72–74.
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