Welcome to Detective Chess, a challenging puzzle game based on the rules of Chess. Detective Chess runs on any 386+ IBM-compatible PC running Windows 3.1+ or Windows 95.
The current version is V1.0.
Detective Chess is copyright but freely distributable. The shareware version requires a keyfile (which is *not* distributable) to activate many of its functions. However the unregistered version is still fully playable, just a bit limited in its options.
Registration of this game costs only ú5, US$10, or DM15, if you register electronically. By this I mean that I send a personalised keyfile (containing fifty 5-digit numbers) to your email address (or a friend's).
You save the file to a textfile in your Detective Chess directory, and the Game Setup functions will thenceforth be fully functional whenever you play.
Electronic registration is fast and cheap. If you (or a friend) have the facility to save an email as a text file, you should register this way.
I can also send the keyfile on floppy disk, but it costs extra for disks, jiffy bags, stamps and trouble. The price is ú8, US$15, or DM25. (I program mainly for fun, but for licking stamps I charge the full hourly rate!)
If you are willing to type in 250 digits exactly as printed, and you have access to a fax machine, I can send you a fax for the same price as electronic registration.
Don't forget to include your email or fax number. You must also include your name and address even when registering by email, as these will be encoded in your keyfile.
In a few years, you will probably be able to do this instantly and electronically. But for now, it will have to be the post. Credit card registration is not possible for me at the moment.
You can send me cash: Sterling, Dollars, Deutschmarks or Punts. This is **AT YOUR OWN RISK**. But, due to my bargain-basement prices, you are not risking all that much. If it does not go astray in the post, this is the cheapest method of paying. If it does, the loss is yours. So wrap it well!
Only notes rather than coins are acceptable; I make an exception for ú8 Punts or Sterling, where I will accept a ú5 note and ú3 in coins.
However, you can more safely send a personal cheque for Punts or Sterling. I can't take any other currencies in cheque form as the banks charge huge commissions.
You can send a bank draft or international money order. This is the method generally recommended by the cautious, but you may well wonder whether the commission is worth the extra security for such a small amount. The choice is yours.
