Fritz and Chesster get an A
01.05.2003
– Of course we are proud when ChessBase super-programs like Fritz and Junior bash
Kramnik and Kasparov. And we're proud that just about every GM in the world
uses ChessBase every day, as do thousands of other chess fans. But we're REALLY
happy with our new Fritz
and Chesster program that teaches chess to kids. And so was a Houston Chronicle writer, as you will see here.
 |
 |
Nigel Davies:
A busy person’s opening system
Players with interests and commitments away from the chess board often find it difficult to compete against those with more study time. Their opponents come to the board armed with the latest theory and can bash out moves well into the middle game. On this DVD Nigel Davies addresses this issue by demonstrating a simple and easy to learn opening system designed for the busy person.
More information...
|
|
Houston Chronicle gives Fritz & Chesster an A
 You
might suspect our motives when we tell you how great our programs are, so we
are always glad when we can provide reviews from the world outside of ChessBase.
Below are a few excepts from this
review of Fritz & Chesster in the Houston Chronicle newspaper. (Daily
readership of 1.2 million.) We would include more, but we are blushing.
You can read all about this great new way for kids (and their parents) to have
fun learning chess here
in our online shop.
Software for chess keeps kids moving
by Anne Reeks
Sure, kids can splatter paint on the computer screen with wild abandon and
without a bit of mess, but it's nowhere near the sensory delight of mucking
around with the actual article. Ditto for putting together a puzzle, building
with blocks and playing a board game -- though virtual versions of all four
have their advantages (more materials, sophisticated techniques, built-in opponents).
It's another story when the activity in question is mainly intellectual. Here,
savvy software can outshine reality. A case in point is Learn to Play Chess
with Fritz & Chesster (Ages 4 and up, Viva Media, $30, Windows, www.tivola.com),
a brilliant tutorial with plenty of playful accoutrements.
Despite its fun feel, this is serious stuff. The game's "brain" is
the famous Fritz chess engine, used by grandmasters to train for tournaments.
Here, however, Fritz is depicted as a little animated boy -- a worrywart in
Harry Potter spectacles who has to learn chess and learn it fast.
Children can practice one move in many different situations and variations.
If they don't get it right, the software lets them know in a pleasant, British-accented
voice and shows not only where they went wrong but why and how to do better
next time. It also recognizes when they've got it down and are ready to move
on.
Real life can't deliver that kind of instruction, unless you have an in-house
chess aficionado with lots of spare time.
As kids work the circuit and do their reps, they advance from the lightweight
room to the middleweight and finally the heavyweight, at which time they're
ready to do battle with King Black. As in life, it takes time (and many sessions
at the computer) to get in fighting shape. Fortunately, it's one of those "getting
there is half the fun" experiences.
Learn to Play Chess comes with a one-year subscription to playchess.com, where
kids can find human opponents -- perhaps more worthy (or less taxing) than King
Black. Grade: A.
Full
Houston Chronicle article
Learning the opposition, Fritz & Chesster style
-
|
