Maurice Ashley Teaches Chess
Reviewed by Cynthia A. Sorrels
Published by Davidson/Simon & Schuster

Age Group: Age 4 to 8, Age 8 and Up, Adults Type: Board/Card Games Price: 49.95

Description:

Maurice Ashley is an International Chess Master who's been coaching for years and is now ESPN's chess tournament commentator. His commentary style truly does make the game of chess come to life!

Installation

The initial installation was easy - the minimal installation uses only 1 meg, while the full version needs 18 megs of hard drive space. I somehow managed to delete the files from my hard drive later. At that point, the uninstall program didn't work but somehow the system thought the program was still installed. The installation program refused to work properly and kept asking if I wanted to run the title! Clicking on Yes resulted in going to a blank screen.

Finally, I tried looking at the /match directory, found Match.exe and got it to run directly off the CD-ROM. The only problem now is that it doesn't save my files when working on Championship Training.

Coaching

Maurice Ashley appears to coach in any chess arena you choose. Just click the paper edges on the clipboard to explore Basics, Challenges or Strategies. The choices are:

• Basics - Piece, pawn and board instructions,
• Challenges - 3 levels of challenge drills help you hone your skills,
• Strategies - Learn what the masters know!
• Play - challenge the computer or a friend to a chess game,
• Glossary - Complete rules of chess, glossary and chess resources to explore,
• Help - Online help is available, just a click away.

Championship Training

The Championship Training allows you to experience Ashley's training methods one-on-one.

The computer system keeps track of your progress - when you've completed the Training, you'll be able to take on anyone or anything!

Master Games

Maurice Ashley discusses the players in the match you choose to watch, then the game unfolds play by play as he comments on the moves. There are VCR-like controls onscreen so that you can stop or replay a move.

Graphics and Sound

The graphics and sound are beautifully integrated in Maurice Ashley Teaches Chess. The Challenges, in particular, use music in building to the climax as you progress through each area. It is obvious that this program was carefully constructed and planned, and it's a lot of fun too!

Bottom Line

Maurice Ashley Teaches Chess is designed for Beginning and Intermediate Players aged 7 to adult. Mr. Ashley does a great job of explaining each chess piece, and the program itself enhances the experience. Remember, this title also includes a world class chess game you can play against the computer or a friend. If you're looking for a chess program that will help you improve, this is it!

If you have any problems when using Kids Domain then please contact Cindy, who will be happy to help where possible.

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