Power Chess 98

Last updated: January 23, 2026

Overview

Power Chess 98 is an updated version of the original Power Chess, released by Sierra On-Line in November 1997 for Windows 95 and Windows 98 platforms¹. The game utilizes the WChess engine developed by David Kittinger, which had previously competed against IBM’s Deep Blue at the 1995 World Computer Championship². Sierra’s marketing proclaimed it as “More powerful than any human opponent. More human than any computer opponent,” reflecting the game’s ambitious goal of creating an AI that played chess like a human rather than a traditional number-crunching computer program³.

The game distinguished itself from competitors like Chessmaster through its innovative adaptive difficulty system and educational approach. Rather than simply crushing players with superior calculation, the Power Chess King would attempt to emulate a human player who was “just a bit better than you,” adjusting its playing strength during the game to match the player’s skill level⁴. International Grandmaster Larry Christiansen praised it as “the first innovation in chess programs in more than a decade”³. The software featured twin game engines running in parallel—players would compete against the King while the Queen observed, then immediately replay the game with commentary on the moves⁵.

Power Chess 98 was designed to appeal to both novice and expert chess players, offering a chess learning environment that was “chess with a ‘human’ side to it, not just the typical crunch-positions chess program”⁶. The game received recognition as the Traditional Game of the Year from Computer Games Strategy Plus in 1996 for the original release², and went on to spawn Power Chess 2.0 in 1998-1999⁷.

Game Info

Developer: Sierra On-Line¹ Designer: Elon Gasper¹ Publisher: Sierra On-Line¹ Engine: WChess by David Kittinger⁸ Platforms: Windows 95, Windows 98¹ Release Year: 1997 Series: Power Chess Protagonist: Player Sierra Lineage: Core Sierra

Story Summary

Power Chess 98 does not feature a traditional narrative story, instead presenting gameplay within a medieval royal court thematic framework. Players assume the role of a chess student seeking to improve their skills by challenging various members of the court⁹. The court hierarchy serves as a progression system, with opponents ranging from Commoners to nobility and ultimately to the King and Queen themselves.

The Queen character serves as the player’s tutor and advisor throughout the experience, providing post-game analysis and commentary on moves⁵. She watches each game played against the King and then replays it, explaining where the player made good or poor decisions. The King represents the primary opponent whose adaptive AI attempts to play at a level slightly above the player’s demonstrated ability⁴.

Players could challenge different levels of the court, including Dukes and other nobility, each with differing levels of chess ability⁹. This created a natural progression from easier opponents to increasingly challenging ones, culminating in matches against the King and Queen—both formidable opponents who would “stomp all over you” if the player was not extremely careful⁹.

Gameplay

Interface and Controls

The game is played fully with the mouse in a typical Windows environment¹⁰. Players interact with a graphical chessboard, selecting pieces and indicating move destinations through point-and-click controls. The interface offers both 2D and 3D game views for visualization preferences¹⁰. The software includes extensive customization options, allowing players to adjust board appearance and various display settings to their liking.

Structure and Progression

Power Chess 98 features a hierarchical opponent system based on a royal court theme:

• Commoners: Twenty pre-made opponent personalities at the entry level, including seven based on famous chess players¹¹
• Court Nobility: Mid-level opponents including Dukes with varying skill levels⁹
• The King: Primary adaptive AI opponent that learns and adjusts to the player⁴
• The Queen: Expert-level opponent and post-game analyst⁵

The game includes a unique “Crack the King” mode where players attempt to defeat the King’s adaptive strategies. If the King wins using a particular approach, he will employ it again in future games. If the player defeats him, they have “cracked” his strategy and he must adapt¹².

Puzzles and Mechanics

The core mechanics revolve around standard chess rules with several educational enhancements:

• Adaptive AI: The King adjusts his playing strength during games to match the player’s ability²
• Post-Game Analysis: The Queen provides detailed commentary replaying each game and highlighting critical moves⁵
• Chess Lab: A feature allowing players to experiment with game variations and explore alternative lines of play¹³
• Custom Opponents: Players can create custom AI opponents with different personality traits and playing styles¹⁰
• Famous Games Database: Over 150 famous chess matches available for study and replay¹⁴
• PGN Support: Import and export of games in Portable Game Notation format⁷

The program notably commended players for good moves, unlike other chess programs that only pointed out mistakes—a feature designed to encourage learning rather than discourage¹².

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

GameSpot awarded Power Chess 98 a score of 7.6 out of 10, with reviewer Stephen Poole noting that “Sierra set a lofty goal for this second edition of its Power Chess series: to create a computer opponent who plays chess like a human”¹¹. The review praised the innovative AI approach while suggesting improvements for tutorials and opening analysis. Poole concluded that “if Sierra can up the ante in terms of tutorials, game analysis, and openings, the next Power Chess will have the stuff to challenge Chessmaster 5500 for chess supremacy”¹¹.

Ron Dulin reviewed the original Power Chess for GameSpot, awarding 6.8 out of 10, and observed that “good chess players looking to become great will probably find Power Chess helpful,” while noting that “the Queen’s advice doesn’t clarify much about the game beyond the opening”¹³.

The German publication PC Joker gave the original Power Chess its highest rating in a comparison of chess programs in March 1997². French gaming magazine Joystick awarded it their “Mégastar” rating, representing their highest tier of recommendation⁷.

The original Power Chess won the Traditional Game of the Year award from Computer Games Strategy Plus for 1996²¹⁵.

Modern Assessment

Modern users on Amazon have given Power Chess 98 an aggregate rating of 3.7 out of 5 stars based on customer reviews spanning 2005-2016⁴. Reviewers praised its unique learning approach, with one noting that “there has never been a chess game that tried to create something similar to what Power Chess did so long ago”⁴.

A French retrospective from Abandonware France declared that “Sierra a pris le parti d’humaniser le jeu d’échecs sur ordinateur, et c’est un pari réussi!” (“Sierra took the approach of humanizing computer chess, and it’s a successful bet!”)⁷.

Aggregate Scores:

• MobyGames: 74% (Power Chess 98)¹, 78% (Power Chess)¹⁴
• Amazon: 3.7/5 stars⁴
• GameSpot: 7.6/10¹¹
• GameFAQs: “Great” rating (5 user ratings)¹⁶

Development

Origins

Power Chess originated from Sierra’s desire to create an accessible chess program that would help players actually improve their game rather than simply providing a strong opponent to lose against¹². The development team recognized that traditional chess programs, while computationally powerful, failed to provide the kind of human-like interaction and feedback that would help casual players learn and enjoy the game⁴.

The WChess engine by David Kittinger was selected as the foundation due to its proven competitive strength—it had won 5 of 6 matches against American chess grandmasters in 1994⁷. The engine had also competed in the 1995 World Computer Championship against IBM’s Deep Blue, demonstrating its capabilities at the highest levels of computer chess².

Production

Development focused on creating what Sierra called an “adaptive chess engine” that would emulate human playing patterns rather than pure positional calculation⁴. The team implemented a dual-engine architecture where one engine (the King) played against the user while another (the Queen) observed and prepared commentary⁵. This innovative approach required significant programming to coordinate the two engines and generate meaningful, context-aware feedback.

The development team was dismantled following the completion of Power Chess 98, limiting future iterations of the series⁴. The software was written deeply in machine code to maximize performance, which would later cause significant compatibility issues with newer Windows versions⁵.

Development Credits:¹

• Designer: Elon Gasper
• Additional Designers: Tom Abbott, John Gilmore, Eric Tangborn¹⁴
• Composer: Guy Whitmore
• Chess Engine: David Kittinger (WChess)⁸

Technical Achievements

The WChess engine represented state-of-the-art chess programming for its era. Its adaptive difficulty system was particularly innovative, analyzing the player’s moves in real-time and adjusting its own play to remain challenging without being overwhelming². This created a more engaging learning experience than fixed difficulty levels.

The dual-engine architecture for simultaneous play and analysis was unique in the chess software market⁵. The Queen character’s ability to provide voiced commentary on completed games required integration of a sophisticated game analysis system with audio playback and animation.

The game utilized WinG for graphics rendering and DirectSound for audio, representing modern Windows multimedia APIs of the era⁷.

Technical Specifications

System Requirements:³¹⁷

• Processor: Pentium 60 MHz minimum
• RAM: 12-16 MB
• CD-ROM: 2X speed (300 KB/s)
• Video: SVGA 256 colors
• Operating System: Windows 95
• Input: Mouse required
• Network: Internet connection for multiplayer

Media:

• CD-ROM format⁴
• Package dimensions: 5.5 x 4.8 x 0.4 inches⁴

Version History

Version	Date	Platform	Notes
Power Chess 1.0	September 30, 1996	Windows 95	Original release2
Power Chess 1.0.0.6	Post-release	Windows 95	Patch with new features18
Power Chess 98	November 3, 1997	Windows 95/98	Updated version with enhancements1
Power Chess 98 1.6.0.1	Post-release	Windows 95/98	Final patch (318 KB)18
Power Chess 2.0	1998-1999	Windows	Further updated version7

The game was also included in Sierra’s Complete Chess compilation released in 1998².

Technical Issues

Power Chess 98 has significant compatibility problems with modern Windows versions due to its hybrid DOS/Win32 architecture¹⁹. Technical analysis revealed the game uses a complex combination of executables including PCHESS.EXE, HITMAN.EXE, QUEEN.EXE, KING.EXE, and RUN386.EXE¹⁹. One technical forum user described it as “the craziest win32 + dos connection” they had encountered¹⁹.

The game generates error 216 on modern 64-bit Windows systems and does not run natively on Windows XP, Vista, or later versions⁶¹⁹. Users have reported that even on Windows 98 itself the game can have difficulties¹⁹. Running the game requires emulation solutions such as PCem configured with a Windows 95 environment²⁰.

The software requires files from two CDs to be copied to a specific C:\chess directory for proper operation¹⁹. Community-developed patches and GitHub projects have attempted to address compatibility issues, with unofficial patch v1.0.1 available alongside the official Sierra patch 1.6.0.1²⁰.

Easter Eggs and Trivia

• The WChess engine achieved 5 victories in 6 matches against American chess grandmasters in 1994⁷
• Seven of the twenty Commoner opponents are based on famous real-world chess players¹¹
• The Queen character was designed as a “pro chess player” to serve as mentor⁶
• Online multiplayer servers included with the game are now defunct⁷
• The game includes narrated reviews of famous historical chess games²

Voice Cast

Character	Voice Actor
Power Chess Queen	Natacha LaFerrière2

Natacha LaFerrière provided voice work for the Queen character in both English and French language versions of the game². The Queen delivers post-game analysis, move commentary, and educational feedback throughout the player’s experience.

Legacy

Sales and Commercial Impact

Power Chess won the Traditional Game of the Year award from Computer Games Strategy Plus in 1996, recognizing its innovative approach to chess software²¹⁵. The game established Sierra as a competitor in the chess software market alongside established franchises like Chessmaster.

The Power Chess series spawned multiple versions over a three-year period: the original Power Chess (1996), Power Chess 98 (1997), and Power Chess 2.0 (1998-1999)⁷. However, Sierra’s decision to dismantle the development team after Power Chess 98 limited the franchise’s long-term development⁴.

Collections

Power Chess was included in Sierra’s Complete Chess compilation released in 1998². This compilation bundled multiple chess-related Sierra products for budget-conscious consumers.

Fan Projects

Community efforts have focused primarily on compatibility solutions rather than modifications or remakes. A GitHub project provides compatibility patches allowing the game to run on Windows 10 and Windows 11 systems through various workarounds²⁰. Users have documented successful operation using PCem emulation configured with Windows 95 environments²⁰.

Forum discussions on Chess.com and TalkChess continue to feature nostalgic recollections and technical assistance for users attempting to run the software on modern systems⁵⁹.

Related Publications

No official strategy guides or hint books were identified in the research materials. The game included built-in tutorials and the Queen character served as the primary source of instructional content.

Critical Perspective

Power Chess 98 represents a notable attempt to solve one of computer chess’s fundamental problems: the disparity between how humans and computers approach the game. While programs like Chessmaster focused on raw strength and comprehensive database features, Sierra took a different path by prioritizing the learning experience and emotional engagement⁴. As one reviewer noted, “there has never been a chess game that tried to create something similar to what Power Chess did so long ago”⁴.

The game’s adaptive AI and mentor-style feedback were ahead of their time, anticipating modern approaches to skill-based matchmaking and educational game design. However, its technical implementation—deeply tied to Windows 95/98 architecture—has made preservation challenging¹⁹. The franchise’s premature end following the development team’s dissolution prevented Power Chess from evolving to compete with later chess software innovations. Despite its compatibility issues, the game retains a devoted following among players who experienced it during its era, viewing it as a uniquely effective chess learning tool that has never been truly replicated⁴¹².

Downloads

Purchase / Digital Stores

• Not currently available on GOG
• Not currently available on Steam²¹

Download / Preservation

• Internet Archive – Power Chess 98 USA¹⁰

Patches & Compatibility

• Sierra Help – Power Chess Updates¹⁸

Series Continuity

Power Chess 98 is the second installment in Sierra’s Power Chess series, following the original Power Chess released in September 1996². The series represented Sierra’s entry into the competitive chess software market, offering a more accessible and educational alternative to established franchises. The franchise continued with Power Chess 2.0 released in 1998-1999, though Sierra discontinued active development of the series shortly thereafter⁷.

The games share the same WChess engine core and royal court theme, with each iteration adding refinements to the AI adaptation system and user interface. All versions feature the iconic Queen character as tutor and the adaptive King as primary opponent.

• Previous: 1996 - Power Chess
• Next: 1999 - Power Chess 2.0

References

Footnotes

1. MobyGames – Power Chess 98 – developer, publisher, release date, credits, ratings ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸

2. Wikipedia – Power Chess 98 – release dates, engine, voice cast, awards, technical details ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵

3. Elisoftware – Power Chess 98 Product Information – marketing quotes, system requirements ↩ ↩² ↩³

4. Amazon – Power Chess 98 Customer Reviews – user ratings, adaptive AI description, development team note ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵

5. Chess.com Forum – Does Anyone Remember This Chess Software – dual engine architecture, machine code implementation ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸

6. GOG Forum – Request Power Chess 98 – human-like gameplay, compatibility issues ↩ ↩² ↩³

7. Abandonware France – Power Chess – version history, ratings, trivia, PGN support ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹

8. Chess Programming Wiki – Power Chess – WChess engine, David Kittinger ↩ ↩²

9. Chess.com Forum – A Search for Older Chess Software – court hierarchy, difficulty progression ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

10. Internet Archive – Power Chess 98 USA – release date, features, interface description ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

11. GameSpot – Power Chess 98 Review – review score, Commoner opponents, AI goals ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

12. Nychold LiveJournal – Power Chess Retrospective – Crack the King mode, learning features, commendation system ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

13. GameSpot – Power Chess Review – review score, Chess Lab feature ↩ ↩²

14. MobyGames – Power Chess – original designers, famous games database ↩ ↩² ↩³

15. Web Archive – CD-MAG 1996 Awards – Strategy Plus Traditional Game award ↩ ↩²

16. GameFAQs – Power Chess 98 – user ratings, game classification ↩

17. MobyGames – Power Chess 98 Tech Specs – system requirements, multiplayer options ↩

18. Sierra Help – Power Chess Updates – patch versions, file sizes ↩ ↩² ↩³

19. SourceForge – DXWnd Power Chess Discussion – technical architecture, compatibility issues ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

20. TalkChess Forum – Power Chess Compatibility – PCem emulation, modern patches ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

21. Steam Store Search – game not available on platform ↩