E X C A L I BU R E L E C T RO N I C S King Ar thur OPERATING MANUAL English p. 2 www.ExcaliburElectronics.com Model No. 915-3 ENGLISH ongratulations! You now own King Arthur, not just a terrific chess player, but your own personal chess trainer. You'll be amazed at his strong, insightful play and delighted by his many unique features, those that make playing chess and improving fun! One of these innovative features is the LCD that automatically shows you the current board position, and lots of other information, at all times! ENGLISH C KING ARTHUR TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: QUICK START & THE BASICS. . . . . . . . . . page 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Installing the batteries Finding the pieces Setting up the pieces Making your move Moving King Arthur's piece as displayed --you've got a game going! Putting a game "on hold" 6 Take a moment to notice that every square on King Arthur's chess board has a unique "address," a letter and number that corresponds to the file and rank of the square. This is the same system used by chess masters the world over. King Arthur uses these square designations to communicate with you about the game. Of course, he shows you the moves on his unique display as well. CHAPTER 2: KEY FUNCTIONS & GENERAL LAYOUT . . page 10 CHAPTER 3: SPECIAL KEYS AND FEATURES . . . . . . . page 12 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 Starting a new game Playing the Black pieces from the start of a game Switching sides during a game Adjusting the display contrast Playing without the physical pieces Change your mind? Take your move back! Changing levels of play Display options Forcing King Arthur to move immediately Getting hints Displaying threats Peeking into King Arthur's brain on higher levels Replaying a variation Practicing blindfold chess Turning off the sound King Arthur versus King Arthur--"automatic pilot" Human versus Human Automatic shut-off Flip Option: Playing Black from the LCD-Side The legendary King Arthur brandished a magic sword, Excalibur, from which we take our company name . With this unique weapon in his hands, he could not be vanquished. Although Excalibur Electronics can't claim the magical secrets of Merlin, King Arthur's court wizard, sometimes our patented technology may make it seem as if we could. King Arthur chess is another unmatched innovation of Excalibur Electronics. We make you think. 2 3 ENGLISH ENGLISH KING ARTHUR TABLE OF CONTENTS, CONTINUED CHAPTER 4: GETTING A RATING AT THE ROUND TABLE 4.1 4.2 Viewing your rating Submitting a game for rating . . . . page 18 CHAPTER 8: TEACHING AND TRAINING FEATURES 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 . . . page 25 CHAPTER 5: SPECIAL MESSAGES FROM CAMELOT 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 Check Ratable game Two-player mode Threat Draw Stalemate Forced checkmates Other checkmates . . . .page 19 Piece training positions The mini-games The mating-practice positions Mate-problem training Opening book trainer: learning book openings the easy way, with King Arthur's help! Multi-move: setting up your own opening positions Great games CHAPTER 9: SETTING UP SPECIAL POSITIONS . . . . . . . . . . page 21 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 . . . . . . . page 34 CHAPTER 6: SOME SPECIAL CHESS MOVES 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Removing a piece Changing the color of a piece Adding a piece or changing the type of piece Setting up special positions & problems Capturing Castling Promoting pawns En passant--taking a pawn in passing CHAPTER 10: IMPORTANT TECHNICAL DETAILS page 23 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 The ACL button Special care Battery information Warranty information . . . . . .page 37 CHAPTER 7: TOO HARD? TOO EASY? ALL ABOUT LEVELS 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Beginner Levels Fixed-ply level Timed levels Infinite search Fast level option Random level option 4 5 ENGLISH ENGLISH KING ARTHUR CHAPTER 1: QUICK START & BASICS Be sure to read this section. It contains information not duplicated in the rest of this manual. Chapter 1 will show you the basics of getting started. If you're impatient for the fun to begin, you'll be able to play a game of chess with King Arthur after only the few minutes reading this short chapter will take. But we recommend that you soon go on to read the entire operating manual, so that you'll get the full benefit of King Arthur's amazing features. the pressure-catch at the bottom of the lid. Push up and then pull out. The lid will detach. Insert three (3) fresh, alkaline AA batteries in the battery holder. Note the arrangement of the batteries called for by the diagram in the holder. Make sure that the positive tip of each battery matches up with the + sign in the battery compartment so that polarity will be correct. When the batteries are properly installed, you'll hear a series of tones as King Arthur automatically turns himself on and lets you know he's ready for action. Replace the battery compartment panel by first fitting the two small tabs at the top of the lid into their receptacles. Then place your thumb under the pressure catch, pushing up and in until the lid snaps into place. Leave King Arthur face down. 1.2 Finding the pieces The larger compartment lid on the left conveniently stores your chess pieces when they're not in use. Although one of King Arthur's breakthrough features permits you to play without using these pieces, let's start by using them. Open the larger lid in the same method you used in Step 1. Remove the pieces and set them to the side. Then replace the lid. Now you can turn King Arthur right side up, with the Excalibur Knight on the bottom left. some products that show an ignorance of this basic rule!) You'll see that King Arthur's board is of course designed correctly. Place the chess pieces in their initial starting position, as shown in the LCD display at the bottom of the chessboard,, with the White pieces closest to you. (If you choose to play Black, go to the Section 3.2 "Playing the Black pieces from the start of the game.) 1.4 Making your move Besides deciding on a good move, you have to move the piece in a way that King Arthur will recognize what's been played. He will automatically sense your move if you follow a simple routine. Think of communicating your move as a twostep process--registering the FROM square and then registering the TO square. 1.3 Setting up the pieces Whichever side (color) you play in chess, a light-colored square must always be located on your right--chess players say "Light on right." (You'll have fun noticing television and magazine ads, movies and even 1.1 Installing the batteries Turn King Arthur over carefully with his chessboard facedown, so that the small compartment lid is at the top right. This lid covers the battery compartment. Place your thumb below King Arthur "times out" after not being used for a few minutes. If this happens, just press the ON/CLEAR button on the bottom row of keys. 6 7 ENGLISH If you make an illegal move, King Arthur will sound a lower tone and display the TO and FROM squares necessary to move the piece back to its previous square. When this happens, you must follow the standard procedure of pushing on the FROM and TO squares to get the piece back in its previous position. Then make a legal move. ENGLISH In between moves, King Arthur will display the time taken for each move and the number of the move. Lift the piece or pawn you want to move. (Moving the pawn in front of either your king or queen ahead two squares forward is a great first move for White.) Press the edge of the piece's base down gently on the center of its FROM square. You'll hear a beep, and King Arthur will display the FROM square--for example "E2." Then press the edge of the piece down gently on the square you want to move it to--for example, "E4." King Arthur will beep again, confirming that he has registered your move. Place the piece gently on its new square. (Some players like to push the squares with their forefinger while holding the piece in the rest of the fingers of the same hand.) need to move the piece on the board for him. Follow the same two-step procedure you did while registering your own move--gently pushing on the TO and FROM squares and listening for the confirming tones. You're already playing a game! Enjoy the contest. 1.5 Moving King Arthur's piece-you've got a game going! You'll notice that King Arthur almost immediately displays his response to your move. King Arthur decides on his own move, of course, and lets you know what it is by displaying it at the top of the LCD board. For example, if you play 1. E2-E4, he may respond E7-E5. But you To register your move properly, press the side of the piece's base gently down on the center of the FROM square, and then on the center of the TO square. 1.6 Putting a game "on hold" Want to stop for a phone call, or even a weekend trip? Any time it's your move and you wish to stop playing for a while, just press the OFF/SAVE key. King Arthur will switch off and go into a sleep mode. He will remember the last position, including the elapsed time, as long as you do not interrupt the power supply--for example, by removing the batteries. To resume play, just press the ON/CLEAR key. A word of warning--your memory of the game in progress may get a bit vague, but King Arthur will remember the game perfectly! If you've put the pieces safely away in their compartment during your break, or they may have been disturbed, just use the display to help you correctly set the pieces back up. If you do want to clear the current game at any time, just press NEW GAME. King Arthur's display will always show the correct position as King Arthur "sees" it. It's a good idea occasionally to compare the position in his "head" to the one on the board. 9 8 ENGLISH ENGLISH Sensory Board Recognizes your moves. KING ARTHUR CHAPTER 2: KEY FUNCTIONS & GENERAL LAYOUT Physical chess pieces SETUP Key Add or remove pieces and enter special positions. RATING Key Check your rating. OPTION Key Select many features. HINT Key Obtain a hint. CONTRAST Key Adjust display contrast. WIN Key Rate a win. AUTO Key Watch King Arthur play himself. THREAT Key See the threat! MODE Key Access training features. LEVEL Key Change skill levels. MOVE Key TAKEBACK Key Take back a mistake. Switch sides or make King Arthur move immediately. OFF/SAVE Key Put King Arthur in sleep mode & save your game. NEW GAME Key Start a new game. MULTI-MOVE Key Make moves for both sides to set up favorite openings. LCD Board Display Shows piece positions, board and messages. ON/CLEAR KEY Turn King Arthur on or clear an entry. 10 11 ENGLISH ENGLISH board. You can switch sides back and forth as often as you like. FROM squares with your finger. KING ARTHUR CHAPTER 3: SPECIAL KEYS & FEATURES 3.1 Starting a new game If you want to start a new game, simply push the NEW GAME button when it's not King Arthur's move. King Arthur will sound the "charge" for a new game. up at your end--close to the LCD. Of course, the labels on the squares can't change. So when playing White, if King Arthur wants to play what normally would be "E2-E4" for White, he'll do this by communicating "E7-E5," which accurately corresponds to your board. Make all moves and choose all options in the normal fashion. 3.4 Adjusting the display contrast To compensate for differences in lighting and battery strength, press the CONTRAST key repeatedly to adjust the display contrast to one of sixteen settings. 3.6 Change your mind? Take your move back! If you've made a move and then changed your mind, simply press the TAKE BACK key. In fact, by repeatedly pressing the TAKE BACK key, you can take back a whole series of moves. For each move you wish to take back, the display will show the TO and FROM squares necessary to move the piece back to its previous square. You must follow the standard procedure of pushing on each of these squares (when a move was a capture, King Arthur will then signal the capture square, and the LCD will display the proper piece to restore) to get each piece back in its previous position. If you change your mind back to the original move, you can press the MOVE key to replay the taken-back move or moves. 3.5 Playing without the physical pieces You can play without the three-dimensional pieces, viewing only the display. Press the OPTION key until the display shows "TOUCH." Then press the > key. "ON" will be displayed. Now when you play, the display will show you King Arthur's move, signaling the TO and FROM squares several times to make it clear, but you will not have to register his move. In this mode, the large playing board acts as a touch screen so that you can input your moves by pressing TO and 13 3.2 Playing the Black pieces from the start of a game Since White always moves first, you'll want to practice playing Black as well as White. To play the Black pieces, start a new game by pushing the NEW GAME button. Then press the MOVE button. King Arthur will now automatically ...