TABLE OF CONTENTS KEYS AND FEATURES INTRODUCTION 1. USING YOUR CHESS COMPUTER 1 First, Install the Batteries 2 Ready to Play? Here's How to Move! 3 The Computer Makes Its Move 4 Changed Your Mind? Take Back! 5 Game Over? Start a New Game 6 Too Easy/Hard? Change Levels! 7 Voice, Beeps On/Off? It's Your Choice! 2. ADDITIONAL COMPUTER FEATURES 2.1 Indication of the Side to Move 2.2 Captures and Special Moves 2.3 Illegal Moves/Wrong Moves 2.4 Check, Mate, and Draw 2.5 Getting Hints from the Computer 2.6 Interrupting the Computer's Search 2.7 Changing Sides with the Computer 2.8 Game Information 2.9 Verifying Piece Positions 2.10 Non Auto Mode 2.11 Playing Black From the Bottom 2.12 Book Openings 2.13 Voice Features to Remember 2.14 Game Memory 3. LEVELS OF SKILL Selecting a Playing Level 3.1 Beginner Levels (A1-A8) 3.2 Fun Levels (B1-B5) 3.3 Infinite Level (B6) 3.4 Combination Finder Level (B7) 3.5 Mate Finder Level (B8) 3.6 Practice Levels (C1-C8) 3.7 Tactical Levels (D1-D8) 3.8 Fixed Depth Levels (E1-E8) 3.9 Quiet Closed Game Levels (F1-F8) 3.10 Aggressive Game Levels (G1-G8) 3.11 Normal Playing Levels (H1-H8) 4. SPECIAL COACHING MODES 4.1 Teach Modes: Learn All About Tactics! 4.2 Voice/Coach Levels: Practice Your Game! 5. TECHNICAL DETAILS 5.1 The ACL Function 5.2 Care and Maintenance 5.3 Technical Specifications TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE 1 ENGLISH INSTRUCTION MANUAL 8 7 6 5 4 NEW GAME NON AUTO TAKE BACK LEVEL 3 VOICE COACH PLAY EVALUATE SMART HINT 2 1 A B C D E F G H SAY AGAIN DISPLAY MOVE LISTEN -- as the exciting voice output... · gives you hints when you're not sure what to do! · cautions you when your pieces are threatened! · identifies pieces automatically as you press on them! · alerts you whenever an illegal move is attempted! · announces special chess moves such as en passant captures and castling--making them so easy to learn! · guides you through move take-backs when you make a mistake or change your mind about a move! · identifies the piece to be replaced after taking back a capture-- you won't ever have to guess! · announces all wins, losses and draws! · evaluates the board position on demand-- you'll always know who's winning! KEYS AND FEATURES 1. PIECE STORAGE COMPARTMENT: Handy storage area for your chess pieces. 2. BATTERY COMPARTMENT: In base of unit. Uses four "AA" (AM3/R6) alkaline batteries. 3. GAME KEYS a. NEW GAME: Press to reset for a new game of chess. b. NON AUTO: Press to enter Non Auto Mode, which allows moves to be entered manually. c. LEVEL: Press to enter Level Mode. Also used to access the five Teach Modes. d. TAKE BACK: Press to take back the last individual move made. Take back up to six individual moves (three moves for each side). e. VOICE/COACH: Press to access Coach Level options and Voice/Beep options. f. PLAY: Press to change sides with the computer; press while the computer is thinking to force it to move. Press at the beginning of a new game to play Black from the bottom of the board. g. EVALUATE: Press while the computer is thinking to get the computer's evaluation of the current board position. h. SMART HINT: Press to get a level independent move suggestion from the computer. i. PIECE SYMBOL KEYS: Used to verify piece positions, select teach modes and promote pawns. j. SAY AGAIN/DISPLAY MOVE: Press to have the computer repeat its last voice output on your turn. Press and hold down while the computer is thinking to display the move it is currently considering making. 4. BOARD LIGHTS: Used to show moves and game information, verify pieces, indicate the side to move, and show the playing levels. Also used to indicate check, mate, and draw, and to give you insight into the computer's thought process. 5. SENSORY CHESSBOARD: Each square contains a sensor that registers piece movement. 6. ACL (Reset): In base of unit. Used to eliminate static discharge. 7. GO/STOP SWITCH: Used to turn the computer on and off. The current position remains in memory even when turned off. 8. VOLUME CONTROL SLIDER: Used to turn the volume up and down. 9. MAINS ADAPTOR SOCKET: Socket for the optional mains adapter, which may be purchased separately. 2 INTRODUCTION Congratulations on becoming the proud owner of this new and very unique chess computer--your very own talking chess tutor! You are about to experience computer chess that's as "human" as possible--you'll be delighted as your new chess partner helps you with your game, coaches you as you play, and even gives you hints and chess information on demand! You'll be thrilled as the voice output follows your every move, even occasionally offering helpful advice and encouraging words--chess simply couldn't be more fun! COMPUTER FEATURES TO WATCH FOR! 1. USING YOUR CHESS COMPUTER 1Your First, Install the Batteries chess computer runs on four "AA" (AM3/R6) batteries. For longer battery life, be sure to use fresh alkaline batteries. Slide the GO/STOP switch to GO. Insert the batteries as shown in Figure 1-1. The computer will go through a self-test, then a Welcome message will greet you, signalling that the computer is ready to play! If the unit does not respond, use a paper clip or another sharp object to press into the hole marked ACL in the base of the unit for at least one second. This will reset the computer. If you would rather not power your unit with batteries, you may purchase an optional AC adapter. Please use only the adapter specified for use with this computer. Important: To ensure that the computer's memory contents are not lost, keep good batteries installed in the unit even when you are using the optional AC adapter. Ready to Play? Here's How to Move! low these steps to start a game: a. Switch to GO to turn the computer on, if you haven't already done so. b. Set up the chess pieces in their starting positions, with the White pieces nearest to you, as shown in Figure 1-2. Press NEW GAME; the computer will announce New Game as a confirmation. c. To make a move, lightly press down on the piece you want to move until you hear the voice identify that piece. The sensory board registers your move, and two board lights turn on to indicate the piece. d. Take the piece and gently press it down on the square you want to move to (see Figure 1-3). You will hear a beep, and the computer will then start thinking about its move. At the beginning of a game, the computer's reply is often instantaneous on many levels, because it is playing moves which are stored in its openings library (for details, see Section 2.12). 2Fol · Exciting and informative voice output makes chess easy to learn and a pleasure to play! · Sensory chessboard for easy move input; 16 bright board lights used to indicate all moves. · Special coaching features allow you to learn as you play--the computer will even warn you when your pieces are threatened! · Includes five different Teach Modes--study the tactics of each chess piece individually! · The 384 level settings mean you can constantly improve your skills! The Extended Playing Range features 64 levels of play for learning, variety and experimentation--including Beginner, Practice, and Fun Levels; Quiet and Aggressive Game Levels; Tactical and Fixed Depth Levels; Mate and Combination Finder Levels; Normal Playing Levels, and even a special Infinite Level! · Openings library includes all major chess openings. · Request an evaluation of the current board position, and look in on the computer's thinking process! · Unsure of the position? Verify the entire board! · Change your mind about a move? Take back up to six individual moves! · Use Non Auto Mode to play chess against a friend, with the computer acting as referee! · Play using the voice or beeps, or turn the sound off! · Handy built-in compartment stores the pieces. · Turn off at any time--your current game stays in memory for up to 18 months! 4x AA/AM3/R6 Fig.1-1 Fig.1-2 PRESS PRESS PRESS PRESS 3When The Computer Makes Its Move the computer moves, it beeps and turns on two board lights indicating the horizontal row and vertical column of the piece it wishes to move. Press the indicated piece down gently on the square. The computer then uses the board lights to show you where the piece should go. Move the piece to the indicated square and press the piece down, as shown in Figure 1-4. Once you have pressed this square, you have completed the computer's move! For an example of how the board lights would indicate a computer move from e7 to e5, see Figures 1-5a and b. Fig.1-3 Fig.1-4 Fig.1-5a - Press down on e7... Fig.1-5b ...and then on e5. 3 ENGLISH Changed Your Mind? Take Back! f you make a mistake or change your mind about a move, it's easy to take moves back! Press TAKE BACK when it is your turn to move, and the computer will announce the move to be taken back (e.g., Black takes back Knight move). The computer also uses board lights to guide you through the take-back. The to square of the last move will light first--press the indicated piece down on that square. The computer then shows you where that piece came from. Press the piece down on the from square to complete the take-back. Repeat the above procedure to take back more moves, if desired. You may take back up to six individual moves. When taking back captures or castling maneuvers, the computer will remind you of pieces which should be put back on the board! It does so by lighting board lights to indicate the position, and announcing the color and type of the captured piece. Game Over? Start a New Game you finish a game (or if you decide to abort your current game), you may press NEW GAME to reset the computer. The computer is then ready for another game, using the currently selected level. Caution: Since pressing NEW GAME clears your current game from the computer's memory, be careful not to press this key by mistake! 4I HAVING PROBLEMS? SOME TIPS! 5Whenever 6When Too Easy/Hard? Change Levels! the computer is first turned on, it is set to Level H4 (10 seconds a move). However, you may choose any of the 64 playing levels described in Section 3! Press LEVEL to enter Level Mode, and the board lights will indicate the current level. To change playing levels, press a board square to activate your desired level, using the chart in Section 3 as a guide. Press LEVEL again to exit level mode. · Is it really your turn to move? Check the color indicator lights (see Section 2.1). If the light for the computer's side is flashing, the computer is currently thinking about its move. · Did you execute the computer's last move incorrectly? You may be trying to move the wrong piece, or trying to move the computer's piece to the wrong square. Check the board lights, and move the piece correctly. · Is the computer announcing an illegal move? The computer knows all the rules and will only allow legal moves--when it says Illegal Move!, you know something is wrong! Either move your piece to another square, or press the indicated from square again to erase the move, and make a different move. Check the rules if you're not sure of the problem! · Are you unsure of the board position? Have some pieces been moved inadvertently? Verify the piece positions (see Section 2.9). · Is your King in check? If your King is in check, you must move it out of check before you can make any other move (see the rules). · Computer won't make a move? Non Auto Mode may be turned on--this option must be turned off for the computer to respond with its moves automatically (see Section 2.10). · Want the last voice output repeated? Simply press SAY AGAIN! on your turn. Voice, Beeps On/Off? It's Your Choice! computer's informative and entertaining voice output is on by default, and you may use the Volume Control Slider to set the desired volume. However, if you would rather not have the voice on for some reason, you have other options! As you will see in Section 4.2, you can choose to hear only beeps, or you can even turn the sound off for completely silent operation, if desired. By the way, if you don't hear what the computer says, simply press the SAY AGAIN key on your turn to hear the last message repeated. Note that a) Pressing SAY AGAIN in Verify Mode or when the computer is displaying Hint on your turn, the computer will return to normal mode. b) SAY AGAIN is disabled if voice/coach is set to level G or H, or if it is in Level Mode. 7Your Fig.2-1a - Black tried to avoid the capture of his pawn by advancing it two squares, from e7 to e5. However... Fig.2-1b ...White can capture the Black pawn en passant by moving from f5 to e6! Fig.2-2a - Castling: Press the King on e1 and g1... Fig.2-2b ...and the computer will remind you to move the Rook! 2. ADDITIONAL COMPUTER FEATURES 2.1 Indication of the Side to Move When Black is thinking about its move, board light 8 flashes. After it has moved, the 1 light comes on steadily to show that it is now White's turn to move. Similarly if the computer plays White, the 1 light flashes duri ...