Sadly I can't get past starting the game on my Gateway laptop. The game starts, I see the intro movie and such, I pick my candidate, pick the opponent, get to a screen that seems to have a 'Turn' choice at the right corner of the screen but before I can click anything the screen flashes, flashes again, flashes again and then the audio starts stuttering and bang, Vista (32 bit, Home Premium) is Blue screen of death and rebooting.
I know the typical approach is be sure I'm running latest drivers for everything. I am running the latest drivers available from Gateway. Sadly Gateway doesn't provide newer video drivers for the built-in Intel 945GM graphics. The version I have provides the following information:
Intel(R) Graphics Media Accelerator Driver for Mobile Report
Report Date: 06/17/2008
Report Time[hr:mm:ss]: 23:41:52
Driver Version: 7.14.10.1147
Operating System: * , Service Pack 1 (6.0.6001)
Default Language: English
DirectX* Version: 10.0
Physical Memory: 2037 MB
Minimum Graphics Memory: 8 MB
Maximum Graphics Memory: 224 MB
Graphics Memory in Use: 79 MB
Processor: x86 family 6 Model 15 Stepping 6
Processor Speed: 1596 MHZ
Vendor ID: 8086
Device ID: 27A2
Device Revision: 03
* Accelerator Information *
Accelerator in Use: Mobile Intel(R) 945GM Express Chipset Family
Video BIOS: 1313
Current Graphics Mode: 1280 by 800 True Color (60 Hz)
* Devices Connected to the Graphics Accelerator *
Active Notebook Displays: 1
* Notebook *
Monitor Name:
Display Type: Digital
Gamma Value: 2.20
DDC2 Protocol: Supported
Maximum Image Size: Horizontal: Not Available
Vertical: Not Available
Monitor Supported Modes:
1280 by 800 (60 Hz)
Display Power Management Support:
Standby Mode: Not Supported
Suspend Mode: Not Supported
Active Off Mode: Not Supported
* Other names and brands are the property of their respective owners.
Hopefully this information helps find a solution.