In addition to those already mentioned by Calroth, Chessmaster, like any serious chess program, can:

-- analyze your past games, showing you where you could have better moves (including the "lines" of those moves)

-- analyze a game in progress

-- you can set up the board with any chess position

-- you can store your games in a library, in addition to the vast library of professional games that comes with it.

-- you have far more precise control over the playing skill of your AI opponent

-- the tutorials are not some thin content, but in depth learning studies

-- there are special teaching modes for beginners and kids

-- you can play rated games to get a numeric feel for how good you are.

-- you can set up specific time controls as used in tournament chess, forcing you to ration your time, which adds a whole new dimension to the game.

Plus much more.

No chess isn't for everybody (I wish it were, and don't get me wrong, I like FPS and other games too), but I have CM 9000 for the PC, and now that I have a Mac instead, I will be re-purchasing it.

If it's like other Chessmaster games, it will come with thousands of past matches, commentary, different styles of AI play, a massive opening book, tutorials, chess puzzles, heaps of different graphic sets, online play, etc. etc.

No, these features are not unique to Chessmaster. Welcome to competition in the free market.

With regards to the strength of the engine: GNU Chess could whip my butt when I played on my Performa 400 (16MHz 68030). I'd hate to think what it could do today.[1] I think chess engines are strong enough for "normal" players, that it doesn't matter whether one engine will whup you on "easy", whereas the other will whup you on "medium".

[1] Although an 8x increase in computing power will only let you search 1 extra move ahead.

Really, what features would this game bring over the default Chess application included with every install of Mac OS X.

The default Chess is based on a very strong open source engine, and in the past, Chessmaster's engine was not quite as strong as GNUChess for example. So what special features does this new version of Chessmaster offer that will make people shell out the $ for it?

An engine with AI that will outthink your fastest reaction and a game that will give you time to regret your quickest reflex... bring it on!

I wanna play that chess with lazers or at least see an Archon remake.

chess kicks ass. once you get tired of playing overated, overdone, nothing new in 5 years fps, try sitting back and using your brain playing a game once in a while. hurts, dont it? bang bang bang! there goes your attention span.

Games like these are great for the non-gamer crowd who like to take a break from their work. My father, who is hardly a gamer at all, spends most of his time playing the latest chess game I gave him for his birthday when he's not busy. Just because it won't interest you doesn't mean there aren't other people who would love to have a game of chess on their computer. Heck, I play a few rounds of Big Bang Chess when I have some down time. Chess is underrated. Poor chess. Maybe they should have a Battle Chess with FPS action and rooks with freakin' lazers. ^_^

System requirements for this game are gonna be extreme!

the triple A-hardcore gamer titles just continue to flood the mac market.....

well, at least you don't have to wait for the port 1 year later...HAHAHAHA!!!!!

WOW..good thing I have a REAL computer..to play REAL games...for REAL gamers....my spouse gets the crappy G5...too bad he can't play Doom3...or Everquest2....or Half Life2...or Pong 2005...er...or (insert any game title)

Be still my beating heart.

WOW! Chessmaster!

Does the excitement ever end?