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General discussionAny good single player chess games?(58 posts)(58 posts)
(58 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted August 25, 2016
Hey hobgoglins!

I've been thinking about buying a chess game for my dad. I don't quite know what games are available though, nor which ones are any good. I would like it to be primarily single player, with several difficulty settings, and with a certain degree of seriousness. Also it should be able to run on Windows 10 without too much trouble.

The two games available on GOG are a bit too gimmicky and I don't think he would like that.

For extra points, if you could point to a collection of boardgames (that can be played in single player mode, Windows 10) I think he would appreciate that too.
Posted August 25, 2016
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MightyPinecone: Hey hobgoglins!

I've been thinking about buying a chess game for my dad. I don't quite know what games are available though, nor which ones are any good. I would like it to be primarily single player, with several difficulty settings, and with a certain degree of seriousness. Also it should be able to run on Windows 10 without too much trouble.

The two games available on GOG are a bit too gimmicky and I don't think he would like that.

For extra points, if you could point to a collection of boardgames (that can be played in single player mode, Windows 10) I think he would appreciate that too.
To be honest a game like chess, there are thousands of varieties of chess out there, all veins, free and paid. A quick google search gives:
http://www.free-chess.net/
https://www.sparkchess.com/

I wouldn't think you will see many good ones on stores, as its too basic to get any real kind of sales, and too many good free ones.
Posted August 25, 2016
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nightcraw1er.488: To be honest a game like chess, there are thousands of varieties of chess out there, all veins, free and paid. A quick google search gives:
http://www.free-chess.net/
https://www.sparkchess.com/

I wouldn't think you will see many good ones on stores, as its too basic to get any real kind of sales, and too many good free ones.
Ah, ok. I remember there used to be fairly serious dedicated chess games out there, but maybe the game is simple enough that even a browser version can put up a good challenge. I'll look into it.
Post edited August 25, 2016 by MightyPinecone
Posted August 25, 2016
previously, gog offered chessmaster 9000 - very nice chess for amateur players.. i dont know why they withdrew it later..

i would like to buy it too... please gog, return it back
Posted August 25, 2016
Well, I managed to make short work of the computer in the browser based versions whist not playing especially seriously and making some fairly substantial mistakes, so I don't think it'll do for my dad. I'll try to look into the freeware scene later to see if it has something that'll do. If memory serves something like Chessmaster 9000 would have been perfect.
Posted August 25, 2016
Chessmaster XI grandmaster is pretty brilliant. It features this great, very humane, "academy" of theories and exercices with Joshua Waitzkin's views on chess, which go way beyond mere technique (psychology, pleasure, biographical tidbits, etc). Makes it my favorite chess soft, as, at my level, I don't need the supposedly even stronger AI of Fritz 15...
Posted August 25, 2016
I SWEAR this is not one of my joke posts, and I don't know if they even include it anymore, but as a very casual, and less than competent chess player, I always enjoyed the version they tossed in with Windows.
Post edited August 25, 2016 by tinyE
Posted August 25, 2016
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MightyPinecone: Well, I managed to make short work of the computer in the browser based versions whist not playing especially seriously and making some fairly substantial mistakes, so I don't think it'll do for my dad. I'll try to look into the freeware scene later to see if it has something that'll do. If memory serves something like Chessmaster 9000 would have been perfect.
Check Ebay or Amazon for Chessmaster games. Ubisoft seems to have stop selling them, I guess the contracts with the pro chess players featured in the lessons expired. I hear that the Fritz engine is stronger though which is to be considered if he's a strong player.
Posted August 25, 2016
Thanks, I'll check out Chessmaster XI grandmaster and the Fritz engine when I get back home!
:)
Post edited September 01, 2016 by MightyPinecone
Posted August 25, 2016
Frankly, I don't see the point with single-player chess games. It gets old fast if there are only e.g. white chess pieces on the board and you keep moving them there alone without any opposition. The game basically never ends.

A good chess game always needs two players, period.
Post edited August 25, 2016 by timppu
Posted August 25, 2016
deleted
Posted August 25, 2016
https://www.gnu.org/software/chess/
https://www.gnu.org/software/xboard/

For a casual chess player playing against the computer, gnuchess is ok. But I think nowadays it's better to play against other people through internet. There should be a lot of communities around there.
Posted August 26, 2016
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MightyPinecone: Hey hobgoglins!

I've been thinking about buying a chess game for my dad.

[snip]

For extra points, if you could point to a collection of boardgames (that can be played in single player mode, Windows 10) I think he would appreciate that too.
 
If your father wants a solid chess game, there's the <span class="bold">Fritz Chess 10</span> for only $19.99 on Gamersgate, and it's DRM-Free.  There's also <span class="bold">Fritz Chess 13</span> on Gamersgate, but it costs $39.99 and comes with a DRM.

<span class="bold">Hoyle Puzzle &amp; Board Games</span> is a collection of 25 puzzle and board games, including a chess game.  It costs $14.95 on Gamersgate.  If he likes card games and casino games, <span class="bold">Hoyle Card Games 2012</span> and <span class="bold">Hoyle Casino Games 2012</span> are also available on Gamersgate for the same price.  Hoyle games are usually half that price during the Summer and Winter sales.
 
 
<span class="bold">Hoyle Puzzle &amp; Board Games</span> includes the following games :

 ▪  Board games
    ○  Backgammon
    ○  Battling Ships
    ○  Checkers
    ○  Chinese Checkers
    ○  Chess
    ○  Dominoes
    ○  Master Match
    ○  Pachisi
    ○  Reversi
    ○  Rummy Squares
    ○  Wordox  (Original and DoubleCross)

 ▪  Tile games
    ○  Edge Tiles
    ○  Gravity Tiles  (Regular and Royale)
    ○  Mahjong  (One or two players / Layout maker)
    ○  Memory Tiles  (One or two players)
    ○  Slide Tiles

 ▪  Word games
    ○  Anagrams
    ○  Crosswords  (One or two players)
    ○  Word Searches  (One or two players)
    ○  Word Yacht

 ▪  Dice games
    ○  Yacht  (Regular and Triple)
    ○  Zilch

 ▪  Time killers
    ○  Panic  (Classic, Lineout and Packer)
    ○  Placer Racer  (One or two players)
    ○  Time Breaker
 
 
∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙
 
  
Useful links
 
 
Hoyle Puzzle & Board Games
 
 ▪  Developer's website
 ▪  User reviews on Amazon
 ▪  Gameplay video
 
 
Fritz Chess 10
 
 ▪  Developer's website
 ▪  ChessHouse's review
 
Post edited August 26, 2016 by _Slaugh_
Posted August 26, 2016
Simply Chess on Steam is a good one.
Posted September 01, 2016
Sorry for the delayed response: I've had a lot on my mind lately. Turns out dad has Chessmaster 9000, but hasn't been able to install it. He is currently sick, but when he gets better I'll see if I can do something about that.

avatar
_Slaugh_: <span class="bold">Hoyle Puzzle &amp; Board Games</span> is a collection of 25 puzzle and board games, including a chess game. It costs $14.95 on Gamersgate. If he likes card games and casino games, <span class="bold">Hoyle Card Games 2012</span> and <span class="bold">Hoyle Casino Games 2012</span> are also available on Gamersgate for the same price. Hoyle games are usually half that price during the Summer and Winter sales.
 
 
<span class="bold">Hoyle Puzzle &amp; Board Games</span> includes the following games :

▪ Board games
○ Backgammon
○ Battling Ships
○ Checkers
○ Chinese Checkers
○ Chess
○ Dominoes
○ Master Match
○ Pachisi
○ Reversi
○ Rummy Squares
○ Wordox (Original and DoubleCross)

▪ Tile games
○ Edge Tiles
○ Gravity Tiles (Regular and Royale)
○ Mahjong (One or two players / Layout maker)
○ Memory Tiles (One or two players)
○ Slide Tiles

▪ Word games
○ Anagrams
○ Crosswords (One or two players)
○ Word Searches (One or two players)
○ Word Yacht

▪ Dice games
○ Yacht (Regular and Triple)
○ Zilch

▪ Time killers
○ Panic (Classic, Lineout and Packer)
○ Placer Racer (One or two players)
○ Time Breaker
 
 
∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙
 
  
Useful links
 
 
Hoyle Puzzle & Board Games
 
▪ Developer's website
▪ User reviews on Amazon
▪ Gameplay video
 
I think that would be just the thing, a gold star for you!
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This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussionAny good single player chess games?(58 posts)(58 posts)
(58 posts)