Chessmaster 5500 (PC, CD-ROM) Mindscape - 1997 USA, Canada Release

Chessmaster 5500
Product ID	24294-12751
Product UPC	024294127519
Platform(s)	PC
Media	CD-ROM
Copyright date	1997
Publisher(s)	Mindscape
Category(s)	Entertainment, Traditional, Chess
Country of Origin	United States of America

Description from the packaging.

World's best-selling chess program,

• Featuring international master Josh Waitzkin.
• Easy online access to Chessmaster Live.
• New spoken commentary from the Chessmaster.

Take your game to another level.
For beginners, Chessmaster promises patient instruction and step-by-step guidance through the complexities of history's greatest game. For recreational and intermediate players, Chessmaster provides equally matched opponents, and helps improve your play with advanced tutorials. For experts, Chessmaster is cunning- some say diabolical- adversary.

What's new with Chessmaster 5500.

• Illustrated Voice Analysis technology featuring spoken annotations and advice.
• Audio commentary by International Master Josh Waitzkin, subject of the book and movie Searching for Bobby Fischer.
• Visual Thinking window for a look into Chessmaster's vast electronic brain.
• Instant access to Chessmaster Live (www.chessmaster.com), the world's most popular Internet chess program.
• Full support for the TASC SmartBoard, the most elegant chess peripheral available.

The world's best-selling chess program.

• Optimized gameplay through a fourth generation, 32-bit chess engine.
• Choose your weapons: 27 brilliant chess sets.
• Choose your opponent: millions await.
• Improve your game with an easy-to-use, interactive 27,000 game 32-bit chess database to frame complex queries or search by board position, player and event, and more.
• Superior interactive instruction for players of all skill levels.
• Explore a unique twist on classic chess puzzles with Rate My Play.
• The definitive chess resource, with an extensive glossary and massive library of named opening variations.

Join the digital chess revolution.
Chessmaster, the world's best loved and most respected chess program is coming of age. For more than 10 years, Chessmaster has been the undisputed leader in chess programs for the personal computer.

Starting with the original Chessmaster 2000 in 1986, the program has evolved- using artificial intelligence and well-designed navigation- into the experience of a living presence on computer.

For beginners and intermediate chess players, Chessmaster is a trusted mentor and guide; for experts, it remains a cunning and worthy opponent.

In addition to the features that made Chessmaster 5000 the world standard for chess programs, Mindscape has added new enhancements designed to bring computerized chess into the next generation.

"With Illustrated Voice Analysis, Chessmaster 5500 is the closest thing I've seen to a chess coach. Just play your game and Chessmaster does all the interpretive work. What's more, he offers a challenge to any skill level." - Josh Waitzkin, International Master.

New for Chessmaster 5500.

• NEW: Hear audio annotations and commentary from International Master Josh Waitzkin. One of the new generation of rising chess superstars, Josh is the subject of the book and Paramount Pictures movie Searching for Bobby Fischer.

• NEW: Listen as spoken annotations and play analysis back up Chessmaster's outstanding graphics. Illustrated Voice Analysis (IVA) makes learning from your games as easy as sitting with a personal chess coach. Once again you hear from the Chessmaster.

• NEW: Enjoy complete integration with Chessmaster Live, featuring the preferred Internet chess program and a dynamic online chess community.

• NEW: See Chessmaster's analysis of potential moves through the fascinating Visual Thinking window.

• Extra: Learn from a thought-provoking Master Tutorial presented by Josh Waitzkin when you register your software.

Learn from the master.

Chessmaster for beginning and novice players.
For adult or child, Chessmaster 5500 is arguably the most accomplished and proven method of computerized chess instruction.

• Click on Teach Me to Play and Chessmaster invites you into the fascinating world of chess.
• Basic tutorials. Discover the game of kings through Rules of Chess and Introduction to Chess Strategy tutorials.
• In-game assistance. Request instant hints at any time. Really stuck? Ask Chessmaster for Natural Language Advice and find out why he suggests a particular move.
• Coach Window. Get a quick overview of all possible moves, their names and their significance. Includes threatened pieces, pins, skewers, and more.
• Teaching displays. Explore for the first time or review the fundamentals of legal moves, pinned pieces, isolated pawns, etc.
• Chess Glossary. What's a Sicilian Defense? Look it up along with more than 1,000 other entries, from Abonyi Gambit to Zugzwang.
• Personalities. Find an ideal- almost human- opponent whether you're a beginner, intermediate, or advanced player. Start with someone easy, like Newcomer, and then take on increasingly difficult opponents.

Chessmaster for Intermediate players.
An extraordinary mentor, Chessmaster provides all the tools you need to improve your game and raise your level of play.

• Review 268 chapters of interactive tutorials that cover every aspect of chess.
• Research a 27,000-game database filled with famous historic games. Search by board position, player and event, and more. For example, search to find out how many Grandmasters have won as white from your current board position.
• Explore more than 2,000 named opening variations.
• Play any of 30 specially selected classic games and try to predict the correct moves in Rate My Play. Chessmaster will rate your performance.
• Replay and analyze 650 of history's classic games, complete with extensive annotations.
• Challenge more than 60 customizable opponents. Select from 24 different attributes to create a virtually infinite variety of opponents.
• Return to a game or position for study and analysis through Save Game and Set Up Position commands.
• Tease your brain with an abundance of intriguing chess problems in John Nunn's Favorite Puzzles.
• Want to play a whole game in 5, or even 2 minutes? Give it a try in Blitz Chess.
• When Chessmaster has everything going its way, turn the board around, Switch Sides and see what happens.

Challenge the master.

Chessmaster for expert players.
Chessmaster takes off the gloves when it comes to Expert and Championship levels of play. Set at the Championship level, Chessmaster turns off all teaching aids, closes all peripheral windows, and abides by the rules of championship play. It's human brain versus computer brain with a time control of 40 moves in 120 minutes.

Warning: Chessmaster has defeated internationally recognized players- numerous times!

Chessmaster Live.
Chessmaster 5500 provides instant connection to Chessmaster Live (www.chessmaster.com), the world's most popular Internet chess community.

Here, thousands of games are played every day between players of all ages and skill levels. Since its inception, more than 50,000 players worldwide have downloaded this exciting chess program. Now an all-new version is included in Chessmaster 5500.

As the most advanced online chess game, Chessmaster Live offers a dynamic Internet chess community where you can play in regular tournaments, check out tutorials and advice columns from Grandmasters, and find out what's happening in the international world of chess. Whether you're a beginner or an accomplished chess player, you'll always find something new at Chessmaster Live to help you improve and enjoy your game.

The TASC SmartBoard.
Chessmaster 5500 now supports the SmartBoard from TASC. Take advantage of the power of Chessmaster while keeping the look, feel and visual impact of a real (analog) chess board!

System Requirements

PC Windows 95
Required CPU	Pentium 90
Required RAM	16MB
Req. Hard Drive	13MB Free
Requires Mouse	Yes
Required CD Speed	2X
Recommend CD Speed	4X
Required Audio	Yes
Recommend Audio	16-bit sound card
Supported Video	SVGA 256 Color
Supported Network	Internet