Can you suggest a good chess program to download from the Internet
(ideally free but not essential)but which can be set right down to
beginner standard.  I am getting sick of losing all games to the
computer!  Currently my chess program (Chenard) cannot be set to think
less than 0.1 secs per move and on a 2 GHz machine, that's a lot of
analysis (or maybe I am just bad at chess!!)

Hi dogbreath!!

I suggest you to download and play with Der Bringer.
Der Bringer is a chess program designed by Gerritt Reubold, of
Germany. Der Bringer is not freeware but you can download and use it
for free. Der Bringer works well in Windows 95/98, ME, 2000 and XP. It
was a good choice for begginers (as me) and intermediate players.

Screenshot:
http://chess.kearman.com/bringer/images/bringer.gif

Download:
http://www.reubold.onlinehome.de/bringer/BringerV1_9.zip

If you donīt read German you will find the help menu useless, but you
can download an English manual, this manual is for the version 1.8,
but works fine with the last version 1.9:
http://chess.kearman.com/bringer/bringerman.zip

Just unzip the file bringerman.zip in a new folder. In the folder
where you have unzipped the manual find the file called index.htm and
open it. That's the start page of the manual. Navigate it like as a
webpage.

I use this chess program and can give you some tips for beginner
players (if you want to win one game at least):
In the menu select Level (or use the shortcut Ctrl+L), the Level
window will be displayed, check the "Fixed Depth" option an start
playing  with 1 in the numerical box. This is a low level to play, I
just tried the game and it let me win two games!!
Another thing that you can do is go to the Option menu, select
Settings and in the Engine tab decrease the value of the ELO in the
"reduce strenght" box.

In regard to the Chenard chess program I found the following:
"Unless you are an advanced chess player, you will probably loose
against this good chess game - Chenard is a pretty clever "machine". "
So donīt worry about your chess skills...yet. ;>))

You can also find more programs here:
"GameHippo.com : BOARD : CHESS"
http://www.gamehippo.com/cat/4-18_1.shtml

Also visit this interesting page:
"Email Chess and Chess Art"
http://chess.kearman.com/


I hope this helps you, please feel free to request for clarifications
if you find something unclear or find some deadlinks.

Best regards.
livioflores-ga

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Clarification of Answer by livioflores-ga on 12 Sep 2003 22:48 PDT

Hi again!!

Only to post a link to an online manual of Der Bringer (again for
version 1.8, but works with the version 1.9):
"Der Bringer 1.8 User's Guide by Jim Kearman":
http://chess.kearman.com/bringer/bringerman/index.htm

Hope this helps!!

livioflores-ga

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Request for Answer Clarification by dogbreath-ga on 13 Sep 2003 11:11 PDT

Thanks very much for a good answer.  Der Bringer chess seems to work
Ok on Fixed Depth level 1.

Only queries I have are how do you get to be black (and computer
white) - "flip board" is something different?

Also, when you lower the ELO level to the minimum (1360) the analysis
seems to increase rather than decrease.  Very confusing!   Dont worry
if you cant easily answer this one.

---

Clarification of Answer by livioflores-ga on 13 Sep 2003 20:37 PDT

Hi dogbreath!!

I am also learning to use this game, I just tried it for answer your
question and then decided to keep it in my computer, because it is a
good program.

I can answer your first query only; to play with black pieces start a
new game and press Ctrl+M or the Calculate button (the green
triangle); see it here:
"Button Toolbar":
http://chess.kearman.com/bringer/bringerman/buttons-index.htm

You can change the color of your pieces in any moment of the game by
Calculate way (forcing the computer to do a move of your current
pieces and then do a manual move of the other color) or by the "Take
Back a move" feature, with the curved to left arrow button. Everytime
you press the button the last move of ONE color is token back, and
with this you can restart the game at this point playing with the last
color that has a take back movement.

To flip the board just press Ctrl+F or use the Flip Board button (see
it in the Button Toolbar page).

In regard to your second query I cannot give you a definitive answer
but I found this at the "Settings Window" page at the Engine tab
section:
"Reduce strength You can lower the relative Elo of Der Bringer to
improve your chances of winning sometimes. The lowest possible setting
is 1360. Note that the actual strength depends on many factors,
including processor speed, hashtable size and pondering time. This is
only a relative number. Good luck!"
http://chess.kearman.com/bringer/bringerman/settings.htm


Hope this helps. 

Regards.
livioflores-ga

Many thanks for a comprehensive answer.   I would still appreciate
comments from others on other chess program recommendations as Der
Springer has a few drawbacks but is much better than what I had
before.