E-Chess
TM
Owner’s Manual
Please read before using this equipment.
Contents
ˆ
Features ........................................................................................................... 3
Preparation ...................................................................................................... 4
Installing/Replacing Batteries ........................................................................ 4
Resetting the Computer ................................................................................ 5
Turning the Computer On/Off ........................................................................ 5
Setting the Automatic Shut-Off Time ............................................................. 5
Turning the Sound On/Off ............................................................................. 6
Adjusting the Contrast ................................................................................... 6
Basic Chess Instructions ............................................................................... 6
The Chess Board .......................................................................................... 6
The Game Pieces ......................................................................................... 6
Game Rules .................................................................................................. 7
Basic Operation ........................................................ ....................................... 8
Starting a New Game .................................................................................... 8
Entering Moves ............................................................................................. 9
Having the Computer Suggest a Move ....................................................... 10
Changing Colors with the Computer ........................................................... 10
Showing All Legal Moves ............................................................................ 10
Displaying Game Information ...................................................................... 11
Game Indicators .......................................................................................... 12
Chess Play Levels ...................................................................................... 12
Advanced Chess Functions ......................................................................... 15
Undoing Moves ........................................................................................... 15
Selecting an Opponent ............................................................................... 16
Using Opening Books ................................................................................. 16
Playing Great Games .................................................................................. 17
Playing Mate-in-Problem Games ................................................................ 19
Using Teaching Modes ................................................................................ 19
Using Problem Setup .................................................................................. 20
Troubleshooting ............................................................................................ 21
Care ............................................................................................................ 22
RadioShack and RadioShack.com are trademarks used by RadioShack Corporation.
2
©
2001 RadioShack Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.
Contents
Features
ˆ
Your RadioShack E-Chess computer
is one of the most versatile chess
computers available. Your computer
can play ches s at a relative stre ngth
of 1700.
The computer's many features include:
8 Teaching Modes
how to checkmate an opponent’s
king.
73 Chess Play Levels
match the level of difficulty to your
skill level.
Opponent Selection
against the computer or another person, or have the computer pl ay itself.
Chess Clocks
time for each move during a game or
the total game time.
Liquid Crystal Display
current move, piece position and verification, level, position set up, and
chess clock information.
34-Strategy Opening Book Library
— contains most major opening strategies, so the computer can respond
more rapidly during a game’s opening
moves. This speeds up play and
helps you play more profess ion all y.
Undo
— lets you take back the previous move, to help you improve yo ur
game.
— help you learn
— let you
— lets you play
— show the elapsed
— shows
Rule Enforcement
prevents illegal moves like a game
referee, to help beginners learn the
rules.
Power Off Option
the computer without interrupting the
game in progress, so you can continue playing later.
Help
— shows you all legal moves
you can make during a game.
Move Suggestion
computer to suggest your next move,
teaching you the best response to an
opponent’s move.
Great Game Library
contains 16 historic games in its
memory, letting you practice your
chess skills against the moves of the
greatest players on earth.
Problem Setup
special chess problems so you can
practice solving problems published
in newspapers, chess literature, or
history books.
Contrast Adjustment
just the display c on tras t t o the desired
level for easier viewing.
Note:
We recommend that you read
these instructions thoroughly before
you use your computer.
— the computer
— lets you turn off
— lets you ask the
— the computer
— lets you set up
— lets you ad-
Features
3
Preparation
ˆ
INSTALLING/REPLACING
BATTERIES
Your computer requires three AA batteries (not supplied) for power. For
the best performanc e an d lo ngest life,
we recommend RadioShack alkaline
batteries.
Cautions:
• Use only fresh batteries of the
required size and recommended
type.
• Do not mix old and ne w bat teries,
different ty pes of batter ies (standard, alkaline, or rechargeable),
or rechargeable batteries of different capacities.
Important:
computer’s batteries, make sure you
turn off the computer before opening
the battery compartment cover. This
saves the current game in the computer. Your computer saves any
games in its memory for about 30
seconds after you remove the batteries.
1. To save the current game and
2. Use a Phillips screwdriver to
If you are replacing the
turn off the computer, press
ING/OFF
remove the screw from the battery compartment cover, then lift
off the cover.
.
RAT-
3. Place the batteries in the compartment as indicated by the
polarity symbols (+ and –)
marked inside.
When you install the batteries,
9>;II
9>;II
appears, pieces appear on
9>;II9>;II
the chess board display, and the
computer sounds a tone.
Note:
If the computer does not
operate properly, you might need
to reset it. See “Resetting the
Computer” on Page 5.
4. Replac e the cover and secure it
with the screw.
When the disp lay dims, the sound becomes weak or distorted, or the computer stops operating properly,
replace the batteries.
Warning:
promptly and properly. Do not burn or
bury them.
Caution:
computer for a month or more, remove the batteries. Batteries can leak
Dispose of old batteries
If you do not plan to use the
&'
&'
&'&'
4
Preparation
chemicals that can destroy electronic
parts.
RESETTING THE
COMPUTER
If your computer does not work properly after you re pla ce th e batteries, insert a pointed object, such as a
straightened paper clip, into the
SET
hole on the front of the computer.
The computer sounds a tone and
9>;II
9>;II
appears.
9>;II9>;II
Note:
Resetting the computer clea rs
any game you stored.
CLEAR/ON — Turns
the computer on.
RE-
computer resets itself to Level 01. For
more information, see “Chess Play
Levels” on Page12.
To save the current game and turn off
the computer, press
Important:
ing, it might not turn off when you
press
press
computer to make its move, then
&'
&'
&'&'
press
The computer stores all of the game
positions and any next-move calculations it ha s computed.
To continue playing the cu rrent gam e,
press
If the computer is think-
RATING/OFF
OPTIONS/MOVE
RATING/OFF
CLEAR/ON
RATING/OFF
. If this happens,
to force the
.
again.
SETTING THE
AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF
TIME
The computer automatically turns itself off if you do not press a button for
8 minutes. Follow these steps to
change the automatic shut-off time.
.
RATING/OFF — Turns the
computer off.
RESET Hole
TURNING THE
COMPUTER ON/OFF
CLEAR/ON
Press
puter.
Note:
If you replace the batteries
without saving the current game or
RESET
press
self to a new game. After that, the
to turn on the com-
, the computer resets it-
Preparation
SHIFT
CCCCEZ
1. Press
2. Repeatedly press
MOVE
until
3. Repeatedly press
LAST PIECE
appears. The time is displayed in
minutes.
To turn off the automatic shut-off
function, set the time to
EZ;;;;
.
appears.
EZEZ
OPTIONS/
IB;;F
IB;;F
appears.
IB;;FIB;;F
NEXT PIECE
until the desired tim e
&&
&&
.
&&&&
or
5
To continue playin g the curre nt game ,
press
CLEAR/ON
.
TURNING THE SOUND
ON/OFF
The computer norma ll y soun ds bee ps
during a game and every time you
press a butt on. Follow these ste ps to
turn the sound on or off.
SHIFT
CEZ;
CEZ;
.
1. Press
2. Repeatedly press
MOVE
until
CEZ;CEZ;
IEKdZ
IEKdZ
IEKdZIEKdZ
appears.
OPTIONS/
appears.
except error beep),
((((
sound), or
appears.
To continue playing the cu rrent gam e,
CLEAR/ON
press
(all sounds on)
again.
''''
(no key
ADJUSTING THE
CONTRAST
SHIFT
CEZ;
1. Press
2. Repeatedly press
until the contrast you want to see
appears.
CEZ;
.
CEZ;CEZ;
appears.
/UNDO
until
NEXT PIECE
&&&&
(no sound
3. Repeatedly press
LAST PIECE
Basic Chess Instructions
ˆ
or
THE CHESS BOARD
Following international chess notation, the chess board is made up of 8
vertical rows called files, and 8 horizontal rows called ranks.
Each file (left to right) is designated
by a letter of the alphabet (A through
H), and consists of 8 squares alternately colored green and silver.
Each rank (bottom to top) is designated by a number (1 through 8), and
also consists of 8 squares alternately
colored green and silver.
Note:
The silver and green squares
are referred to as “white” and “black,”
To continue playing the cu rrent gam e,
CLEAR/ON
press
respectively, throughout the rest of
this manual.
again.
THE GAME PIECES
There are 16 white and 16 black pieces, 32 in all. Each color has these
pieces.
Each kind of piece moves in a different way.
«#/ ª
number of squares vertically or horizontally, but it c annot move through a
square occupied by another piece.
¥#/ ¤
shaped pattern. It moves 2 squares
(rook)
(knight)
— can move any
— moves in an L-
6
Basic Chess Instructions
horizontally or vertically, then moves
1 additional square at a right angle
from its first move. At the end of its
move, the knight must land on a
square of a different color than the
one it started from.
The knight can move even if the
squares it moves through are occupied. (It is the only piece that can
“jump” another piece.)
GAME RULES
Checkmate — The Object of
the Game
The objec t of the ga me is to po sition
your pieces so your next move would
capture the opponent's king, and your
opponent cannot move, protect the
king, or capture your piece. This is
called checkmate.
#
/ ¦
(bishop)
(queen)
(king)
(pawn)
— can move any
— can move any
— can move only 1
— can move only 1
¡#/
number of squares diagonally, but it
cannot move through a square occupied by another piece.
-#/ ¨
number of squares vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. (The queen's
moves are a combination of the
rook's and bishop's moves.) The
queen cannot move through a square
occupied by another piece.
£#/ ¢
square vertically, horizontally, or diagonally.
§
(or 2) squares dir ectly fo rward, e xcep t
when capturing another piece. It captures a piece by moving diagonally
forward 1 square, except when capturing en passant. (See “Capturing En
Passant”). When it moves from its
original position, it can move 1 or 2
squares forward. On subsequent
moves, it can only move 1 square.
A pawn can be promoted to a pie ce of
higher rank . Se e “Pro moti ng a Pa wn”
on Page 8.
Check
Check occurs when a player's piece
directly threatens to capture the opponent's king, but the opponent can
move the king, or another piece, to
escape capture.
Capturing
To capture a piece, you move your
piece into the square occupied by the
piece you ar e cap turi ng, exce pt wh en
capturing an opponent's pawn en
passant (see “Capturing En Passant”). Remove the captured piece
from the board.
Capturing En Passant
A pawn can capture an opponent's
pawn that has ju st moved 2 squares
from its original position.
Here's an example of an en passant
capture.
1. The white pawn advances from
E4 to E5. The black pawn is still
in its original position (D7).
Basic Chess Instructions
7
2. The black pawn advances from
D7 to D5.
3. The white pawn advances to D6
(one square behind the black
pawn's position). The blac k pawn
is captured by the white pawn,
even though the exact square it
is on is not occupied by the white
pawn.
Promoting a Pawn
When your pawn crosses the entire
board, you can promote it to a queen
or anothe r piece, even if the queen or
other piece is still on the board.
Castling
• The rook that you want to move
by castling has not moved from
its original position.
• The king is not placed in check
on its current square, the square
to which it is going, or a square it
passes over.
• The squares between the king
and the rook are not occupied.
In castling, the king moves 2 sq uares
in the direction of either rook. The
rook that is closest to the king after
the king has mov ed no w mo ve s to the
square right next to and on the other
side of the king. Castling counts as 1
move.
Castling protects the king from a potential check or checkmate situation
by hiding it behind a fortified position
or moving it out of immediate danger
of attack. You can castle if:
• The king has not moved from his
original position.
Basic Operation
ˆ
STARTING A N E W G A M E
To start a new game and erase any
&'ý 9>;II
&'ý 9>;II
&'ý 9>;II&'ý 9>;II
SHIFT
ap-
Basic Operation
game stored in memory, press
NEW GAME/HELP.
then
pears and the computer sounds a
tone.
8
Notes:
• If a rook is on the same side of
the board as the king's square,
this is call ed a
If the rook is on the same side of
the board as the queen's square,
this is called a
• In castling, the king always
moves first, then the rook.
Note:
The compu ter always starts a
new game with you playing the white
pieces and your opponent playing the
black pieces.
king's side castle
queen's side castle
.
.