30 Years Ago...

I learned to play chess around 1994-5 using a book by Al Horowitz called "Chess:Self Taught" and a program called "CM2000."  I didn't buy the program but discovered chess when I stumbled across it already installed on a used 386-sx Packard-Bell computer I had bought (with 2 mg. ram and a 20 mg. hd).

Chessmaster 2000 was introduced in 1986 - 30 years ago. I can't say for certain what its rating might have been, but I suspect it was around 1600-1800.

Here is an ad from "PC Magazine," March 10, 1987 (right click/view_image for full size):

Level 12 and the computer makes 1 move every 6000 minutes?!

Imagine playing for a month and the power goes out lol.

Usually I was the one taking the 6000 minutes.  I can't remember clearly, but think you could save the game and resume it later. 

I think that was the same Packard Bell I started with! 2megs of ram !

I remember this program very well. The first computers started to be accessible for the ordinary people in my then comunist country in the late 80's. And somehow this tiny program was spread amongst chess lovers, who had the chance to get a computer. It was real beauty. Briliant in every aspect. With every inportant and pleasant features, the chess program should have. CM 2000 was better then many other chess programs, becoming available later. It was ahead of it's time by years.

batgirl, you made my evenig with this post. You awaken a bunch of beautiful memorys for many hours, spend with this old fellow CM 2000. Thanks a lot!

Oh wow, such memories.  I learned from my dad and then he introduced me to this program.  All I really remember is I'd play terrible then switch sides, just so I could say I beat the computer.  Thanks a bunch for uncovering this.  :D

I'm very glad this ad revived memories for some of you.  I agree, it was a nifty program and ran extremly fast especially considering how little the requirements were to operate it.  Programmers back then sure wasted no code.

I had one of the old school chess programs from radio shack, Tandy 1650, if I remember right. you would press start and destination squares to indicate your move. And it would light up coordinates to indicate the computer move. I remember being so happy when I first beat it....with only one take back.

Interesting I used Chessmaster (2000?) in 1996 for a while, then stopped chess for a very long time. There was a great interactive tutorial narrated by Josh Waitzin. It was geared toward beginners and advanced beginners, if anyone remembers it? The tutorial taught anything from what forks, pins, and skewers were (and gave you practice), to endgames and how to get your King involved in the nedgame etc. This was all new no me It was very clear. Is there anything software like that with a tutorial for someone who is looking for something on the low-intermediate level and higher? Fritz perhaps?

EDIT: 2006, not 1996

This is not nearly so old as the programs mentioned above, but to this day I still play training games against Fritz 2.5.1 (using DosBox) which I think came out around 1995.  It will punish my tactical mistakes, but is not nearly as invincible as a modern engine.

I certainly remember Sargon III. It was probably rated about 1600-1700, which is what I was around then. Played a bunch of simulated tournament games against it. Pretty much went .500, as expected. Maybe a little better towards the end.

I also had a program called MYCHESS (anyone remember that?) that was just a bit weaker. Maybe 1500-1600. I lost a couple "real" games against that one too.

That would have had to have been a later edition of Chessmaster.  There were no interactive videos on CM2000.

20 years ago, in 1996, there was a different kind of chess program released called Power Chess.  In this program, the Chess Queen talked to you, providing suggestions and evaluations. I don't know who provided the voice, but it was quite alluring, soft yet self-assured.

From wikipedia: 2. The voice of the Power Chess Queen was voiced in English and French by voiceover artist Natacha LaFerriere.

However, the female voice of my GPS navigator sounds like a Prussian officer riding a hangover.

Thanks Pulp.

Waitzkin had nothing to do with Chessmaster 2000.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshua_Waitzkin

"He is also the spokesperson for the Chessmaster video game series, and is featured in the game giving advice and game analysis."

I don't know if he had anything to do with 2000, but he narrated a great and extensive interactive tutorial in the Chessmaster I had in 1996.

EDIT: EDIT: 2006, not 1996.

I thought it was Chessmaster 2000, but I could be mistaken. It was definitely Chessmaster.