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If you like playing chess, then this is the cassette for you. If you *don't* like waiting for them, however, then perhaps you should think twice before ordering. This cassette took three weeks and several calls to Mikro-Gen before it plopped onto my doormat.

It is unusual not to find the loading instructions on the insert card; instead it tells you to "load in the usual way". Once you have accomplished this feat (No offence, Mikro-Gen, it loaded first time), you are presented with an elegant graphic chess board, complete with pieces and alpha-numeric labelling. At the top left of the screen are two mysterious words, 'You' and 'Me'. These turn out to be the column heading for the scrolling history of moves.

At the bottom of the screen are the options: play/colour/set-up. Taking these in order:

Play: Pressing 'p' puts you into 'play' mode. You are asked if you would like to play black or white, and then for the level (0 - easy to 9 - probably hard when it *eventually* moves). If you decide to play black the computer will kindly reverse the board for you, so that you are always playing up the screen. Once you have done all this, presuming you are playing white you can: key in your opening move; delete the move you were about to key in; change the level; ask for a recommended move; get a screen dump; save the game; or go back to the play/colour/set up question. After each move, you are offered this series of options.

Colour: This allows you to get the board, background, text colours, and what type of pieces are used in the display.

Set-up: This allows you to set up chess positions and then play them. You move a cursor over the board with which you can place any piece of either side at any position on the board. When you have set up your position, you can choose sides, level and black or white to play.

This cassette is excellent value for any chess enthusiast, although the instructions say nothing about the rules of chess. Even so, it supports all the usual chess moves (castling, etc) and is a worthwhile purchase at £6.95.