Computer Brag

Personal Computer Games

Graphics 2/10

Sound 2/10

Ease Of Use 6/10

Originality 9/10

Lasting Interest 7/10

Overall 7/10

Chris Anderson 7/10

MACHINE: Spectrum 48K JOYSTICK: No CATEGORY: Simulation SUPPLIER: T Lebon PRICE: £6.00 OK, pardner, git them cards out and no tricky dealin', unnerstan'? You got 500 bucks which we're gonna take from you faster than you can say Dodge City. Cut the accent, cut the pack, and start playing because this program offers ace entertainment for any budding smoke-room card-sharp. Brag simulates a simplified version of poker. It's played by four people, three of whom are generated by the program and called The Kid, Wild Bill and Puggy. Each player is dealt three cards and after assessing whether he has a good combination such as a flush or a run, bets a sum taken from his initial $500. Bets are raised until three of the players have dropped out or until one of the last two remaining players demands that their hands be compared. Winner takes all. There's plenty of opportunity for bluff, and the program itself indulges in this from time to time. Indeed on some levels it gives each of your three opponents a different propensity to bluff. The game ends either when you've doubled your starting money or gone broke, most likely the latter. Indeed the publishers of the game don't appear to be very rich since it comes with a home-produced paper cassette inlay. But don't let that, or the fact that it's written in Basic put you off. It's an enjoyable program and you'll find that a win at Brag is worth boasting about.

Sinclair User

Gilbert Factor 7/10

Memory: 48K Price: £4.95 As a general, card games do not benefit by being translated into computer programs but Brag, for the 48K Spectrum, almost manages to compensate for the lack of real players and cash which usually make for the excitement of this classic gambling game. Both the cassette insert and the program give clear, easy-to-follow instructions on the rules of the game for those who have never played it previously. When play starts, the screen display is carefully thought out and the action is fast - almost too fast to follow in the case of the demonstration game the computer will play for you. The program simulates the game very faithfully, not just by reproducing the rules, but by incorporating a bluffing element, and even varying styles of play for each of the three players which it represents. The computer will even adapt its style of play to yours if you attempt to bluff too often and, when you pay to see the other players' hands, it will show you thoughtfully not just the cards but who won and the state of everyone's winnings. The author claims that the program is almost impossible to beat and has certainly made the attempt as addictive as possible. Even if you do not enjoy swapping bluffs with a computer the program should help to prepare you for any encounters with real-life Brag players. Brag is available from T Lebon, [redacted].

Read it at Sinclair User Magazine Online