ZX Chess II

About

ZX Chess II is a single-player chess game built for the Sinclair ZX81. It sharpens the formula of its predecessor with added depth. Players can tweak difficulty settings to match their skill, ask the program for move recommendations mid-game, and benefit from faster calculation times. The ability to set up custom boards remains, letting you test scenarios or reset positions. Simple text-based graphics keep the focus on strategy over visuals. Though developed in 1981, the game’s code improvements earned it a loyal following among early home computer users. Its move suggestion feature was particularly praised for helping newer players learn tactics. Retro gaming archives often highlight it as a solid example of how limited hardware could still deliver functional, thoughtful gameplay.