There can be very few people alive, chess fans or not, that have never heard of the late and great Bobby Fischer. Noted for winning every chess championship that he entered, Fischer was truly a mastermind of the game, seeing as a battle of strategic wit as opposed to an afternoon pastime. Fischer won his first United States Chess Championship by the age of fourteen and went on to win many titles after that. He is presumed to be the strongest chess player the world has ever known. The game Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess reflects his love of and skill with the game, and is based on the book of the same title. It is one of the best all-encompassing chess plays or beginning tutors that a player will find anywhere.
This chess game was programmed by Mission Studios and was released for play by Interplay Entertainment Corporation. It was created specifically for the personal computer and hit the markets in the middle nineties…the same time that the highly animated Battlechess was introduced.
One of the beauties of Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess is its versatility. It has a very strong AI that will most certainly challenge even the most skilled chess player. However, it can be customized to become an excellent teaching tool for children or beginners who are just learning the game. In fact, the main focus of the game is as an instructional tool. There are three hundred self-paced lessons that allow gamers to interact with the board and learn. The lessons will teach the basic rules of the game, and just about everything else: methods of defense; the elements of checkmates; back-rank mates; piece value and movement; displacing defenders; and variations of all. Each lesson builds on the principles learned in previous lessons and there is a quiz following each lesson that will rate the user on his understanding of the principles that were to be learned.
In addition to the great lessons and tutorials, Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess has one last thing to offer the chess player that cannot be found in Battlechess or Chessmaster 2000, two rivals of this game. BFTC shows over five hundred actual Bobby Fischer matches that the user can study and learn from, a masterful addition to the game.
In total, this is a great learning tool and simulation of the classic game of chess. With chess being one of the most complex and deep strategy board games available, it is difficult to form an engine worthy of Fischer’s name, but this one does it. It may have rivals with more fun and spunky animations, or better AI for super chess masters, but for those learning the game, this classic is still the answer.
Written by:
~ShannonDo you wish to learn how to play Chess? The game has excellent tutorial options that make it ideal for a novice or intermediate player who wish to learn the game of Chess. If you are interested in learning how a chess master thinks, BFTC teaches you how to analyse chess problems and strategies to the point where you can really improve your skills.
BFTC will appeal both to children who are learning the game, as well as intermediate-level players who want to improve their skills.
If you prefer eye candy and rich animation than I would recommend Interplay’s Battle Chess 4000 because there is nothing spectacular about graphics in BFTC.
Written by:
~ShadowUser
