Roger,
A checkbox value can be either numeric or logical value depending on how it is initialized or depending on the data type of its control source. Default is 0 or 1 but if the control source is a logical value or its initial value is (.t. or .f.) its value will be logical instead of numeric.

Example you can define a variable

m.lChkBoxVal = .f.

*!* Set the control source for the check box to m.lChkBoxVal

*!* Then you can directly access it by 

if m.lChkBoxVal 
*!* do whatever
endif

or you can set its initial value to .f. and access its value directly

if thisform.check1.value = .t.
*!* do whatever
endif

HTH

Elmer