Deep in the shrouds of history we find the world’s first chess machine, the legendary Chess Turk. Built by a Baron for a Queen, the automaton was half human, half robot. Napoleon Bonaparte battled against it, Benjamin Franklin bowed to its brilliant play, and Edgar Allan Poe tried to dissect it with his analytical mind, torn between fear and fascination. Now you can relive history and play the dreaded Turk yourself – in perfect 3D animation, 235 years after the empress Maria Theresia had the ancestor of all chess computer programs let built. Experience the fascination of the chess duel "Man vs. Machine " in a unique combination from past and present: the Turk & Fritz9. Face up to the duel. As did World Champion Vladimir Kramnik and Garry Kasparov, who, followed by millions of chess fans, played for mankind against FRITZ.

NEW FEATURES:

1. New 3D-Animation

• 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: upto 9 games in one window, e.g. for team events or top-boards in 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.