Help/Experience needed with hand held chess game purchase.

[CHJ]

It is years since I delved into the hand held and computer chess games,
With christmas not far away I have an enthusiastic (very bright) 7 year old chess player in the family to satisfy with a suitable purchase, a unit that can live alongside a gameboy in style and quality would be ideal so that it can be used on journeys etc.

Does anyone have recent experience of manufactures, models, quality of programming etc.

Do hand helds have teaching modes that explore differing tactics etc.?

I don't want to buy a lemon if I can help it, quality rather than cost is the driving spec.

 

[Pete W]

Hi Chas,

If junior already has a Gameboy have you thought about a chess program for it? There are several (at least for the Gameboy Advance - none yet for the Nintendo DS), including Chessmaster, which has been around for years and is highly-recomended. It does have a teaching mode.

I can't give you a definitive recommendation for a dedicated chess computer - I'm still using one I bought years ago. But if I was looking for a new one, I think this one would be top of my list:
http://www.chessbaron.co.uk/chess-CM2006.htm

 

[CHJ]

Thanks Pete, he does indeed have a GB advance, gets through games at an alarming rate.

Will have a look at The gameboy option, and also approach subject of stand alone unit you reference.

It's a relief to have the input, so long since I have had contact with this side of life that I had not a clue where to start and was worried I might end up with a chiwanese plastic package that was defunct after the first few hours.