PortableApps.com is proud to announce the release of Lucas Chess Portable 8.09a. Lucas Chess is a chess game with a chess trainer built in designed to help you beat increasingly difficult opponents with a limited number of hints. It's packaged in PortableApps.com Format so it can easily integrate with the PortableApps.com Platform. And it's open source and completely free.
Update automatically or install from the portable app store in the PortableApps.com Platform.
Features
The aim is to play chess against the computer with increasing levels of difficulty and with a limited number of hints that are given by a chess tutor. Also included are thousands of training positions such as different types of endgames, tactical combinations and chess problems (mate in 2,3,4 and more). The computer uses different chess programs (so-called chess engines) of various strength. The user starts playing against the weakest engine at first. Initially the engine plays with limited strength but as the user wins more games the engine will be given more calculation time and its strength will improve. Eventually the engine will reach its maximum level of strength and if the user continues to win he will be passed to the next stronger engine and so forth.
Learn more about Lucas Chess...
PortableApps.com Installer / PortableApps.com Format
Lucas Chess Portable is packaged in a PortableApps.com Installer so it will automatically detect an existing PortableApps.com installation when your drive is plugged in. It supports upgrades by installing right over an existing copy, preserving all settings. And it's in PortableApps.com Format, so it automatically works with the PortableApps.com Platform including the Menu and Backup Utility.
Download
Lucas Chess Portable is available for immediate download from the Lucas Chess Portable homepage. Get it today!
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Comments
It does not start
Hi John,
This version (v8.09a) like the previous one (v8.08) is no more so portable as the oldiers one was.
It simple does not start if the computer in which it will be run does not has the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable v8 or above installed on it. It seems that the program does not see (or find) the MSC++ version that is already embedded inside the portable application.
XP Issue
It works just fine out of the box on clean Windows Vista and Windows 7 virtual machines. If you're using XP, it's another story. The new configuration means side by side DLLs don't seem to work now. It will work if it's installed locally, though.
You're only likely to encounter Windows XP on older machines in your possession, so you can easily install the appropriate Visual C++ runtimes locally anyway.
Hi John, 1)Windows XP: a)
Hi John,
1)Windows XP:
a) When you install Windows XP SP3 it install automatically by default the VC80 run libraries (NOT the VC90).
b) The Lucas Chess old portable version 7.05 that needs and has the 'Microsoft.VC90.CRT' folder embedded in it: This version RUNs even if your XP does not has the vc90 installed (it seems that the portable version finds and uses it's on embedded vc90 version).
c) The Lucas Chess versions v8.08 and the newest v8.09a also have the 'Microsoft.VC90.CRT' folder embedded in them: They do not even
start (for me it seems that is can not find it's on embedded version - may be some bad configuration that tells where to find their on VC90).
2)Windows Vista and Windows 7:
a) When installing Vista or Windows 7 they install automatically by default the VC80 and VC90 run libraries.
b) In future when a new Lucas Chess version that will require a newer VC version (if will be one) the Vista and 7 will have the same problem as the XP has now.
3) Microsoft VC library new versions and updates are not done or recommended by microsoft updates services. If you want to update you must to find the new version and updates it manually.
4) May be you cant include in the Lucas Chess portable application home page a note informing XP users about this (because from version 8.08 and up it are no more so portable as it was in the older versions).
PS: excuse me about my english.