Producer: OCP, 48K
£8.95

None of our reviewers have actually seen this program yet, but it has been generally highly regarded by most critics. We will deal with it in more detail at a later date.

Producer: OCP 48K
£8.95
Author: J Hutchby

The strange title refers to the famous 'turk', a chess playing machine built in 1769 for the Viennese Court. The modern 'Turk' is your computer. This chess version has arguably the best graphics of any available, very clearly defined classic pieces on a white and beige ground. A 14-option menu allows for a wide variety of play, printing, listing and editing and includes a demo mode and 'Blitz' game, where a time limit is set for the game. The computer can also be used to display the moves of 2 players, or it can set up a board in any configuration you like for playing newspaper chess problems out. There are 6 levels of play with response times ranging from a few seconds up to 8 hours. Moves are made with the traditional algebraic notation and the game allows for castling, en passant capture and promotion to queeen. Certainly one of the most flexible, playable and best looking chess games for the Spectrum.

TURK'S CHESS A DELIGHT FOR PLAYERS

Pit your wits against an emissary from the past. This is no space invader but an automaton called the Turk who will give you a good game of chess.

Chess - The Turk is for the 48K Spectrum and contains many options which are unusual in chess games for the computer. Before you play you can see how good the Turk is by watching the program play against itself. Levels of play range from one to six and will take a few seconds on level one to six hours on level six.

If you are an average good player for your age you may care to try level two, or perhaps three at most, as they will give you at least some chance of winning.

If you have been adept at the game for some time you might like to take on the program at Blitz Chess. The name is apt as our board looked like a map of London after the war in just 20 minutes of torment. The reason is that Blitz Chess is against the clock.

The game will allow all legal moves, including en passant and pawn promotion. It also allows you to switch sides during the game or, if you want to cheat even more, remove the Turk's queen from the board.

Chess - the Turk is well-packaged. It can be obtained from Oxford Computer PubLishing, PO Box 99, Oxford. It costs £9.95