• 3D-„Chess Turk“ with 2D control board
  
  
  
• 3D piece „Mia“ with 2D control board
• 3D stereo-surround sound in all boards
• Physics on the board: pieces fall realistically
• Optimized graphics performance through using the latest DirectX-9 features.

2. New in the chess program

• New super-strong chess engine: Fritz9
• „Position explainer“: positional comment about the current position
• New forms of training for the topics attack, check and defense with high-score rating.
• New handicap-function for practical training of positional play
• Printout of the score-sheet
• Evaluation profile with depth of calculation
• Presentation function: Show games automatically
• Alternative forms of chess: Engines for Giveaway Chess and Fischerrandom (Chess960)
• 1 million games from 1625 to 2005
• Chess beginners course (1 hr. video in Chess Media System)
• Chess course for advanced players (3 hrs. video in Chess Media System)

3. New server functions of playchess.com

• Calendar of events: list of the current
• Events with direct access through mouseclick.
• Multi-board: comfortably following up to 9 games in only one window, e.g. for team events or top-boards in world class tournaments
  
  
  
• Other forms of chess: Capture Chess, Chess960, Twin Chess, Ouk Chatrang
• Challenges with time limit span
• Automatically follow the best player
• Search for titleholders in all rooms
• Showing tournament title, round number and number of kibitzers in the list of games
• Flags in the dialogues Elo-opponents, channel-listeners, friends online, titleholders online
• „Who lives here“ information and current weather information on the world map
  
  
  
• The picture of the player is shown in the list
• Emoticons in the chat and new chat indicator
• Automatically defusing insults
• Rank information: „When do I become a Knight“
• Musical themes for players
• Machine room information: Hardware information saved in game, expected move and first engine evaluation as commentary.

4. Fritz 9-Look

• Supports Windows XP Themes
• Better menu navigation in 3D options
• Boards and interface with new color gradients and new buttons
• New look of the world map
• Direct access to the training databases and videos via the portal screen.

System requirements :
Minimum : Pentium II, 300 MHz, 64 MB RAM, Windows98 SE, Me, 2000, XP, DVD-ROM drive, Windows- Media Player9 Recommended: Pentium IV 2,2 GHz or better, 256 MB RAM, Windows XP, GeForce5 graphics card (or comparable) with 128 MB memory or better, 100%DirectX compatible, sound card, Windows Media Player 9, DVD-ROM-drive