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Improve Your Chess - Tips to Sharpen Your Game Travel Smart with Handheld Electronic Chess Browse the best chess playing software
If you're going to play any chess, you're going to end up playing a youngster.

They're into it big these days, and there's nothing like getting a whoppin' from a nine year old!

In chess, you don't count years, you count moves. Whoever makes the second to last mistake wins.

Be prepared. Youngsters smile at you, wiggle, look around, and implement any psychological distraction they can dream up. It's all about the pleasure of beating someone bigger and older (smarter) than you.

That's what makes chess fun. It's like a tightrope walk challenge for the mind. The balanced art of calm, cool, collected thought, with pure, rational, confident moves. You have to play both.

Kids are smart... clever... and have the ability to play skillful moves with less than 10% concentration.

Don't fall victim.

Time-saving, smart ways to sharpen your game are:
  • Study strategy and tactics, or endgames
    • watch a DVD (basic, Pro Chess DVD)
    • us PC software to sharpen tactics with 1200 challenges (Chess Mentor 3)
    • improve crucial endgame knowledge (Silman's Complete Endgame Course - Beginner to Master)
    • expand your insights by solving chess puzzles with (It's Your Move)
    • read Rapid Chess Improvement for study plans
  • Practice your skills
    • online (www.chessclub.com - $49/yr, www.chesspark.com - small fee)
    • online and PC (Fritz 11 - best PC chess game includes online subscription)
    • at home. Electronic Chess (Novag Obsidian chess computer)
    • while on the go. New York Times Touch Screen Chess handheld computer
Most of these helpful, suitable tools, are offered right here.
Cut boredom and sharpen your mind while you travel!

Small hand-held electronic chess sets offer you a FUN, useful reason to engage your mind and relax at the same time.

Consider the following two ways:
  1. Install chess software on your PDA (that's a small hand-held phone, electronic device, often a "Palm". Basically any device that allows you to install compatible software)
  2. Get a hand-held chess computer designed simply for chess.
The 2nd option is more prevalent, but let's explain both.

Install chess software on your PDA or phone.
  • You can take advantage of the hand-held you already own IF it's compatible with available chess software. The top of the line, strong chess software Pocket Fritz by ChessBase is the most powerful way to go. But you'll have to invest a few hundred dollars on hardware first if you don't already own it. Be sure to look at the hardware requirements for Pocket Fritz or any chess software you buy.
  • As with PDA's, there may be chess software available for your phone as well! If you have one of the phones below, you're in luck!
Get a hand-held chess computer.
  • By far, the most popular option. It's cost effective, with all choices affordably priced under $100. Playing strength is usually no more than strong club player (1800), but that's great for most chess players.
  • Whether for yourself or as a gift, the user-friendly, easy to see LCD pieces, and backlit display make New York Times Deluxe Talking Touch Chess (who names these things?) super friendly, but not overly compact. It's nicely protected in zipper case. You can setup positions, make it silent, and all the other things you'd expect.
  • Saitek's Maestro Electronic Chess is more sleek, compact, and solid. While these pieces aren't as friendly to the sight-challenged, backlight helps greatly.
Enjoy these smart electronic chess games and make your traveling more fun!
 
Powerful Electronic Chess Sets
Relax and play at home with your very own electronic chess computer.

Available here are top of the line, powerful chess computers that we recommend for your ultimate chess-at-home playing experience. Availability varies frequently, so be sure to get the chess computer you like while it's in stock.

At Chess House, we take quality and performance seriously, and want you to get years of use out of any chess computer you buy. We test and try these computers in the internal, staff-only showroom in order to familiarize ourselves and gauge each computer's strengths and weaknesses.

Today's chess computers are more powerful than ever. But you should know that the features come nowhere close to what PC software can offer. However, these stand-alone chess computers are designed to play and/or teach chess and still have a lot to offer!

Expert Tips: Selecting your chess computer:
  • Novag's Citrine is currently the best computer you can buy from Chess House. (check availability)
  • Mephisto Master is powerful, lower priced, and traditionally our most popular strong chess computer.
  • Excalibur Grandmaster is a unique, full-size computer you can play against or enjoy a game with a friend.
  • The Talking Chess Academy offers the most outstanding, extensive learning and playing options.
  • DGT PC-connect chess computers are currently not offered due to reliability issues.
  • You can replace the chess  computer's pieces and play with your own pieces if you so desire. (except on autosensory models such as the Excalibur Grandmaster, Phantom Force, etc.)
  • all computers
    • setup customized positions to play or solve.
    • allow you to turn off sound.
    • can be set to play easier (level that suits you) but not stronger than they are rated for.
You can trust Chess House for your chess computer purchases. In addition to free warranties automatically included, we are available to help you exchange or facilitate a return for any reason within the first 90 days.
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