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This is a well-presented chess program with most of the features you would expect to find on programs for more expensive machines.

The display is very crisp and easy on the eyes; red and green squares with black and white pieces.

If this is not to your liking, there is a facility which allows you to play around with the colour combination until you find something suitably soothing.

You can play against the computer, let the computer play against itself or even play humanoid against humanoid.

There are nine levels of play. At the highest level the computer takes two hours to respond! At level three, on which I played, it takes a snappier decision and makes a move in one minute.

The machine plays quite strongly on the whole, but sometimes makes bizarre moves. But, then, who doesn't? In Blitz mode, it can be rather easy to beat; it allowed me to queen a pawn on my tenth move.

One thing which is absent is a facility for forcing the computer to make a move when you've had a bellyful of waiting - something that's particularly important on the higher levels.