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Chess Explorer
Instructions
Bedienungsanleitung
Mode d’emploi
Instrucciones de Funcionamiento
Istruzioni d’uso
Handleiding
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QUICK START To play a game right away, without reading the entire manual first, simply follow these Quick Start steps! Open the battery cover in Enter moves by making the base of the unit. Insert them on the board, 1 5 three “AA” (Type AM3/R6) pressing the chess pieces batteries, making sure that down gently on the from you observe the correct and to squares for each polarity. Then, replace the move. battery cover. 3 x AA/AM3/R6 Press GO/STOP to turn As soon as the computer 2 the computer on. If
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KEYS AND FEATURES 1. PIECE STORAGE AREAS: Slide open sides of unit to reveal compartments for piece storage. 2. DISPLAY WINDOW: Used to show moves and move information during a game. Also used for level and option selection, piece verification, position set-up, and more. 3. SENSORY CHESSBOARD: Each square contains a sensor that registers piece movement. Certain squares can also be used within Level Mode and Option Mode to select levels and options. 4. BATTERY COMPARTMENT: In base of unit. Uses t
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TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION QUICK START 3.6 Mate Search Levels Ready to enter the exciting world of computer chess? You’ve come to KEYS AND FEATURES (Squares A6-H6) the right place! Your new computer offers so many game options, playing levels, and special features—you’ll never look at chess the INTRODUCTION 3.7 Training Levels same way again. The Quick Start at the front of the manual will get you 1. LET’S GET STARTED! (Squares A7-H8) playing right away, and you’ll find more details on basic
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a new game of chess. Set up the pieces in their starting positions, with the White pieces nearest to you, as shown in the Quick Start. MAKING THE COMPUTER’S MOVE: c. To make a move, lightly press down on the piece you want to move until you hear a beep—the sensory board will recognize AN EXAMPLE your piece automatically. Don’t believe it? Just look at the display After the computer displays its move, it’s up to you to make its move on window, which is suddenly full of information—it shows your t
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to move its pawn from D7 to D5, for example, and you press down on D7 and then D6, the display shows Er:D5 briefly, pointing out your 2. MORE FEATURES TO EXPLORE error. The display then returns to showing the move again (D7-D5), 2.1 Whose Move? Check the Display and the computer expects you to press down on D5 to complete its move. When the computer plays Black, it flashes a black square in the If you press down on a piece and the from square is displayed, but display while it is thinking. After
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2.6 Changing Sides with the Computer 2.9 Game Memory To change sides with the computer, simply press ENTER when it’s You may interrupt a game at any time by pressing GO/STOP. Play is your turn—and the computer will make the next move for your side. then suspended, and the computer stores your current game (up to 30 Change sides as often as you wish. individual moves). When you switch back on again, you can continue Want the computer to play the first move for White at the start of a right where
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•To verify the level without changing it: If you press LEVEL to 3.2 Infinite Level (Square H2) verify the level but you don’t want to actually change levels, press LEVEL TIME DISPLAY CLEAR. This returns you to normal play without changing the level H2 ................. No time limit .................9:99:99 or clock settings, even while the computer is thinking. On the Infinite Level, the computer will search indefinitely, until it Other important points to remember regarding levels: finds a for
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USE THIS CHART TO SELECT A PLAYING LEVEL! 9 ply 10 ply 11 ply 12 ply 13 ply 14 ply 15 ply 16 ply 1. Press LEVEL to enter level search search search search search search search search Level Mode. PLY:9 PLY:10 PLY:11 PLY:12 PLY:13 PLY:14 PLY:15 PLY:16 TRAINING A8 B8 C8 D8 E8 F8 G8 H8 LEVELS 4 ply 1 ply 2 ply 3 ply 5 ply 6 ply 7 ply 8 ply search search search search search search search search PLY:1 PLY:2 PLY:3 PLY:4 PLY:5 PLY:6 PLY:7 PLY:8 2. Next, select your level, using the Level Chart. There a
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E4 .................. 30 minutes...................bL:30 F4 .................. 45 minutes...................bL:45 G4 .................. 60 minutes...................bL:60 NEED HELP CHOOSING A LEVEL? H4 .................. 90 minutes...................bL:90 SOME TIPS FOR YOU On the Blitz Levels (also called Speed Chess or “Sudden Death” • Are you a beginning player? Start out with the Beginner Levels), you set the total time for the whole game. If the game time is Levels or lower Training Levels.
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E7 .......... PLY: 5 E8 .......... PLY:13 Press CLEAR to exit Info Mode and go back to showing the normal F7 .......... PLY: 6 F8 .......... PLY:14 chess clock. G7 ......... PLY: 7 G8 ......... PLY:15 After learning about Info Mode, take a look at Section 5.3 for a H7 .......... PLY: 8 H8 .......... PLY:16 description of the Rotating Display feature. Selecting this feature makes On the Training Levels, the computer’s search depth is limited to a the computer automatically cycle through the reque
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4.3 Chess Clock Information Press INFO a third time for chess clock information. The chess INFO MODE AT A GLANCE! clocks keep track of the time for both sides. Press BLACK/> repeat- edly to scroll forward through the clock displays: PRINCIPAL VARIATION INFO: • Elapsed time since the last move was made info •Total elapsed time for the computer x1 •Move 1 (predicted line of play) •Total elapsed time for the player white/ •Move 2 (predicted line of play) • Remaining time for the computer (Blitz/Tou
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when you start a new game, and Play White from the Top, which is automatically set back to OFF. 5. OPTIONS FOR FUN AND VARIETY In addition to all the features you’ve learned about so far, your chess 5.1 Operation Mode Options (Squares A1-H1) computer also offers many other exciting game options! All of these These options affect how you operate your computer. options are user-selectable at any time during a game. They are described Press OPTION once to select the Operation Mode Options. Then ind
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c. Silent Mode (Square C1) option! Choose +tOP at the beginning of a new game, and set up the On:+SIL Off:-SIL board with the Black pieces closest to you, as shown in the diagram in Normally, the computer always beeps when it has found its move. For this section. Then, press ENTER to start the game. Watch as the completely silent operation, turn on Silent Mode. computer makes the first move for White from the top of the board! See “TRY BLACK FROM THE BOTTOM: HERE’S THE POSI- d. Ticking Clock (S
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THE BASICS OF OPTION MODE: HERE’S HOW 1. Press OPTION repeatedly to x1 = OPERATION MODE (AUt...) option select a Mode. x2 = PLAYING MODE (SEL...) option 2. Next, select your option(s), using the Option Chart below. There are x3 = ROTATING DISPLAY MODE (rd:1...) option two ways to do this. • Cycle through the options within x4 = back to OPERATION MODE... option that mode: • Press BLACK/> to cycle > forward. A4 B4 C4 D4 E4 F4 G4 H4 • Press WHITE/< to cycle < Variation Variation Variation Variatio
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in book of openings. When you turn the book off, the computer is forced to take time to think of its moves from the very beginning of the game, TRY BLACK FROM THE rather than using moves contained in its memory. For more details on ('&%$#"! openings, see Section 2.7. If you turn the book completely off, all other BOTTOM: book options are also automatically disabled. HERE’S THE POSITION When the computer plays White from 5.3 Rotating Display Options (
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For complete descriptions of these options and details on exactly how to interpret the displays, see Section 4. IT’S EASY TO VERIFY PIECES! new game 1. Press CLEAR and ENTER together to reset the 6. VERIFYING/SETTING UP POSITIONS computer for a new game. clear enter Display: [0:00:00. 6.1 Verifying Positions 2. Press the KNIGHT Key. See “IT’S EASY TO VERIFY PIECES!” for a step-by-step ex- Display: [,@,b1 (the first White Knight). ample of using Verify Mode. 3. Press KNIGHT again. If you should k
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square. To add a different piece, press a different PIECE SYMBOL KEY and follow the same steps outlined above. TRY OUT POSITION MODE •To clear the board, press ENTER while you are in Position Mode. The display will show _ to symbolize an empty chessboard. new game 1. Press CLEAR and ENTER together to reset Press ENTER once more to confirm that you do want to clear the the computer for a new game. board. Then add pieces as described previously. If you decide not clear enter Display: [0:00:00. to
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polarity when inserting batteries. Worn out batteries should be using the original packaging materials. Please also include an explanatory note. 6. IMPORTANT: To save yourself unnecessary cost and inconvenience, please removed from the unit promptly. Do not short circuit the supply check carefully that you have read and followed the instructions in this terminals. manual. 7. This warranty is in Lieu of all other expressed warranties, obligations or 7.3 Technical Specifications liabilities. ANY I
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TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE SYMPTOMS POSSIBLE CAUSES ACTION TO TAKE The computer doesn’t react, • Batteries are not installed correctly. • Reinstall the batteries, observing the correct polarity. behaves erratically, or “freezes” during a game. • Batteries are weak or bad. • Replace the batteries. • Static discharge or an electrical disturbance has caused a • Press into the hole marked ACL to reset the computer (see lock-up. Section 7.1). Display is difficult to read. • Batteries are weak or bad. • Re
