[2][3][1] That year they published a series of articles in BYTE on computer chess programming,[4][5] stating "we think it would be nice if not everyone had to reinvent the wheel".

BYTE in 1980 estimated that Sargon II had a 1500 rating at the highest tournament-time difficulty level, and speculated that it was the best chess program for sale, including dedicated devices.

While vulnerable to the fried liver attack and other human strategies, and unable to recognize a two-king draw, Sargon II was the first computer program that he found able to trap the opponent.

[7] He also favorably reviewed the Sargon 2.5 for the Chafitz Modular Gaming System, stating that its faster performance and addition of pondering resulted in "small yet definite" chess improvement.

[3] Ian Chadwick for Moves issue #56 said that "If you want to see what the fuss is all about, and try your hand at a game which must be considered state-of-the-art in computer programming, then Sargon II is the programme to get.