Before we tackle new product announcements, let's have a pair of upbeat links on chess sets and clocks.

• Chess the King and Queen of Board Games • 'Supermarket chain Tesco today reported an unexpected surge in sales of chess sets. The company said demand for its own-brand set, launched earlier this year, was almost double what it forecast. It has seen sales of chess sets far exceed other board games.' [Scotsman.com; 10 November]
  
  
• Chess Clocks • Clock-finder.com has links to all sorts of pages on chess clocks. If you have ever had a question about chess clocks, the answer must be here somewhere.
  
  

Will 2004 be remembered as a great year for chess? Yes, if the number of product announcements can serve as a guide.

• Play Chess Against the World Computer Chess Champion • 'Stefan Meyer-Kahlen has released Shredder Classic v. 1.1, a professional computerized chess game for Windows that is easy for beginners, and challenging for advanced players.'
  
  
• Viva Media's 'The World's Best Chess' Featuring Garry Kasparov and Fritz 8 Software • 'Viva Media is proud to announce release of its newest chess title, Fritz 8 Deluxe. The game brings together legendary world chess champion, Garry Kasparov and the latest version of the world's #1 ranked chess software engine, making this product unparalleled chess software on the consumer level.'
  
  
• ChessBase 9.0 • 'It has taken a while to finish, mainly because the program has been completely rewritten to modularise it and integrate it seamlessly into our software range. But now at last ChessBase Version 9.0 is out and available for purchase.'
  
  
• Mortal Kombat: Deception • 'Few video games have outraged anti-violence advocates like "Mortal Kombat," which debuted in the arcades more than a decade ago. The latest version, "Mortal Kombat: Deception," continues the grisly tradition while adding several new modes you wouldn't expect in a fighting game, including — you read it right — "Chess Kombat."' • 'Once the pieces meet, you still have to fight in a showdown to secure the win. And let's not forget the traps you can set, which will kill your enemy instantly, or the spells used to heal or teleport your pieces.'
  
  

Finally, here are followups on previous announcements.

• Reviews of the Saitek Maestro Travel Chess Computer • Slashdot.org / JusTechn.com : 'If you really like chess and are always on the go then this device will give you the chess fix that you desire without the hassle of lugging around a real chess board and pieces.' • GlobeTechnology.com : 'A good electronic chess set for beginners and intermediate players who are on the move, as long as you don't need something ultra-portable.'
  
  
• Chessmaster Comes to Xbox • 'Ubisoft today announced that Chessmaster is now available in North America for the Xbox video game system from Microsoft. Chessmaster is the first chess program available for Xbox where players will be able to improve their chess skills. Chess fans will be able to challenge other players and receive a player ranking via Xbox Live'
  
  

Previous report : Product News 17 September 2004.