From: Justin Hollingworth <Justinh <at> UKGATEWAY <dot> NET>
Date: 23 jan 2000
Subject: Re: Shotest

Kevin
I downloaded & bought the game about a week ago.
Some people saw Shogi Professional (SHOTEST) competing against Stephen Lamb
and Larry Kaufman at the Mind Sports Olympiad in London, where it lost both
games, but I have enjoyed playing against it (I'm 10kyu). My feeling is the
opening is the weakest section - it isn't difficult for me to take an
advantage, but the program pulls back a lot in the middle section and I find
it almost impossible to translate any advantage into a win in the end game.
I haven't yet managed to beat it without using the 'back one move' button -
(now there's an admission!!) - and the computer is only set on level three.

I'm using a P450 and in an untimed game I'm taking longer to move than the
computer.

I know that Jeff is constantly improving the program, and so was concerned
about upgrades, but Steve Hart of Oxford Softworks assured me by e-mail that
'upgrades will probably be six monthly'.

Enjoy! I don't regret buying
Justin Hollingworth