Saitek AVALON User Manual

QUICK START

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To play a game of chess right away, without reading the entire manual first, simply follow these

Open the battery compartment at the

back of the computer by pushing the tab. Insert 2 “AAA” (Type AM4/R03) batteries into the computer, making sure that you observe the correct polarity. Reinstall the battery door. (Details at Paragraph 1.1)

Press GO/STOP to

turn the game on. If the computer does not respond, press a paper clip or similar sharp object into the hole marked ACL in the base of the unit as described in Paragraph 4.1.

Set up the chess pieces in the initial

starting position for a new game, with the White pieces closest to you.

2 x AAA/AM4/R03

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Quick Start steps!

Press the NEW GAME key to reset the

computer for a new game of chess.

Enter moves by

executing them on the board, pressing the chess pieces down gently into the holes of the ‘from’ and ‘to’ squares for each move.

As soon as the

computer makes a move, that move is shown in the display window. Press the computer’s piece lightly into the indicated ‘from’ and ‘to’ squares to complete the computer’s mov e. That’s all there is to it!

Make your next move as described above. Press GO/STOP at any time to turn the computer off. Enjoy your game!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

QUICK START KEYS AND FEATURES INTRODUCTION

1. USING YOUR CHESS COMPUTER

1.1 Battery Installation

1.2 Making Moves

1.3 The Computer’s Move

1.4 Change Your Mind? Take Back!

1.5 Check, Mate, or Draw!

1.6 Start a New Game

1.7 Change Levels

1.8 Openings Coach

2. ADDITIONAL COMPUTER FEATURES

2.1 Chess Clocks

2.2 Capturing and Special Moves

2.3 Illegal Moves

2.4 Interrupting the Computer’s Search

2.5 Changing Sides with the Computer

2.6 Getting Hints from the Computer

2.7 The Computer Plays Against Itself

2.8 Game Memory and Automatic Power Down

2.9 Openings Library

3. LEVELS AND SPECIAL MODES

3.1 Levels of Play

3.2 Fun Levels

3.3 Casual Levels

3.4 Blitz Levels

3.6 Bonus Timer Levels

3.7 Tournament Levels

3.8 Fixed Depth Levels

3.9 Tactical Level

3.10 Teach Modes

3.11 Selecting Levels and Teach Modes

3.12 Openings Coach Mode

3.13 Verify Mode. Check Piece Positions!

3.14 Non Auto Mode

4. TECHNICAL DETAILS

4.1 The ACL Function

4.2 Care and Maintenance

4.3 Technical Specifications

TROUBLE SHOOTING GUIDE

ENGLISH

KEYS AND FEATURES

1. LCD Display Window: The Liquid Crystal

Display (LCD) is used to show moves, game information, and chess clocks for both players. Most of the symbols it uses are obvious, but a full list is shown in Figure 1.

2. Piece Symbol Keys: &(King), %(Queen), $(Rook), #(Bishop), @(Knight), and !Pawn.

The Piece Symbol keys are used to verify positions and to select the different Teach modes, and some pieces are used for under-promotion of pawns.

3. Game Keys a. NEW GAME key: Press to reset the

computer for a new game of chess.

b. OPENINGS COACH key: Press to enter

Openings Coach mode and train on recognized opening gambits and responses.

c. SOUND key: Pressing the key causes

the sound feature to cycle through its three levels of operation. You can tell which condition you have selected by the number of high tone beeps you hear:

SOUND LEVEL SIGNAL EMITTED WHEN

IT IS SELECTED

Sound and Coach 3 high tones Sound only 2 high tones Silent 1 high tone

With Coach selected, the computer will evaluate your move immediately when it is completed, and emits two low tones if it is considered bad. With Sound selected, the buzzer ‘beeps’ to show that the computer is

responding to your actions. The meanings of the various ‘beeps’ are shown in Figure 1. d. TAKE BACK key: Press to take back

the last individual move made. You may take back up to 14 individual moves. (An individual move is a move for one side.)

e. NON AUTO key: Press to enter Non

Auto mode, which allows moves to be entered manually – the computer monitors the game, but makes no moves.

f. LEVEL key: Press to enter Level mode

to adjust the level of play to the complexity and type of game you desire. Also used to select the Teach modes.

g. PLAY key: Press to exchange sides with

the computer. Also you may press while the computer is thinking to force it to move, or during your own move to get a suggestion from the computer.

h. GO/STOP key: Press to turn the

computer on. Press again to turn the computer off. The current game is retained in memory for up to 300 hours.

4. Sensory Chessboard: Each square has a highly sensitive sensor that registers piece movement. Squares are identified by file (letters) and rank (numbers).

5. ACL (Reset): In the base of the unit is a recessed reset switch. It is used to eliminate static discharge after inserting a new set of batteries.

6. Battery Compartment: The batteries are housed In the base of the unit. The computer uses 2 “AAA” (Type AM4/R03) alkaline batteries.

7. Piece Storage Area: Handy storage compartment for your chess pieces.

Figure 1. Display Symbols and Sounds

E7:E5

SYMBOLS

1 ........ 1 A ........ A k ....... King

2 ........ 2 B ........ b q ....... Queen

3 ........ 3 c ........ C r ....... Rook

4 ........ 4 D ........ D b ....... Bishop

5 ........ 5 E ........ E n ....... Knight

6 ........ 6 F ........ F p ....... Pawn

7 ........ 7 G ........ G sb .... Standard

8 ........ 8 H ........ H

9 ........ 9

0 ........ 0

PM.........Indicates player to move.

S............Indicates black to move.

- ......... Steady colon indicates that

ch: ch:zz ..White in check EnD

EnDZ .... Draw

te: .......Teach mode

oZ:3 .... Openings Coach (Spanish

oz:3 .... Openings Coach (Spanish

o-:3 .... Openings Coach (Spanish

figures are Minutes and Seconds

- ......... Flashing colon indicates that

figures are Hours and Minutes

..Black in check

.... Checkmate – black wins

:3 .... Openings Coach (Spanish

Opening) – computer plays both sides

Opening) – computer plays white

Opening) – computer plays black Opening) – computer plays neither

board

SOUND

1 high tone ...... Acknowledge operation

of any key or sensory square

1 low tone........ Error – wrong move or

wrong key pressed

2 low tones ...... Warning from Coach

3 high tones..... New Game or Sound

and Coach set

3 low tones ...... In games against the

clock, time has run out

ENGLISH

2 x AAA/AM4/R03

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INTRODUCTION

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This electronic chess board is a powerful computer that will play chess with you at whatever level of complexity you choose, or if you prefer, you can play a game with a friend and the computer will act as referee. The huge range of levels of play (64) combined with the extended teach modes (11) will satisfy anyone with an interest in chess, including young and old. There are 768 combinations altogether. The teach modes and openings coaches are superb learning features at any level of play, and the various modes of timed competition will please the intermediate player.

1. USING YOUR CHESS COMPUTER

Battery Installation

1. Your chess computer runs on 2 “AAA” (Type AM4/R03)

batteries. For longer battery life, use fresh alkaline batteries. Push the tab of the cover in the back of the case and insert the batteries as shown in Figure 1-1. Reinstall the cover and press GO/STOP to turn the computer on. If the computer does not respond, use a paper clip or other sharp object to press into the hole marked ACL in the base of the unit for at least one second to reset the computer.

After the battery is inserted or ACL is pressed, the computer runs a self-test. 3 ‘beeps’ indicate that the test is OK; a buzz or silence indicates a problem and you should check it with your local distributor.

Note that putting in new batteries or pressing ACL will

reset the computer and its memory, losing any game that

it might contain.

Fig 1-1

Fig 1-2

Fig 1-3

Fig 1-4

Making Moves

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n:G8

2. Follow these steps to start a game.

a. If necessar y press GO/STOP to turn the computer on. b. Set up the chess pieces in their starting positions with the

White pieces nearest to you, as shown in Figure 1-2, and press NEW GAME. The computer will indicate on the display that you should play a White piece.

00:00

Note that pressing NEW GAME will cancel Teach mode

or Openings Coach if either is selected, or switch off the

Non Auto function.

c. To make a move, lightly press down on the piece you

want to move until you hear a ‘beep’ (see Figure 1-3). The computer’s sensory board registers your move, and the display shows on the left side the ‘from’ square that was pressed.

E2:zz

d. Take the piece and lightly press it down on the square

you want to move to. A second ‘beep’ sounds and the computer briefly shows the ‘to’ square on the right side of the display.

E2:E4

As soon as your move is finished, if you have Sound and Coach selected, the display will show Co ch while it evaluates your move. Two low tones are emitted if the move is considered bad.

e.Then it is the computer’s turn, and the computer starts

thinking about its move. However, in the early stages of a game the computer’s response is often virtually instantaneous, because it is playing moves already stored in its openings library. (See Section 2.9)

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Fig 1-5a

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Fig 1-5b

Fig 1-6a

Fig 1-6b

ENGLISH

The Computer’s Move

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3. When the computer is ready, it ‘beeps’ and shows the

‘from’ and ‘to’ coordinates of its move in the display, as shown in Figure 1-4. For an example, see Figures 1-5a and b. Press the indicated piece down on its ‘from’ square (E7, in this case), until you hear a ‘beep’ and the ‘from’ side of the display changes to show the color and symbol for that piece. (Figure 1 shows the symbols.)

Next press that same piece down on the second square in the display – the square the computer wants to move to (E5 here). Once you press E5, the display clears and you have completed the computer’s move! The display then indicates again that it is your move.

Change Your Mind? Take Back!

4. If you change your mind about a move, you can take it

back. Press TAKE BACK while it is still your turn to move. The display shows the ‘to’ square. Press the piece down on that square. You now see the piece symbol and the square that piece came from. Press the piece down on the ‘from’ square to finish the take-back. If the move taken back was a capture, the computer reminds you to put the captured piece back on the board by displaying the piece type and its square for you. Press this piece down on the indicated square. To take back another move, press TAKE BACK again. You can take back for up to 14 individual moves (or 7 moves for each side), allowing you to experiment and try out various “What If?” approaches. To continue the game, either make your next move or press PLAY to have the computer make it for you.

Figures 1-6a and b show an example of taking back the move Knight move from G8 to F6. After pressing TAKE BACK, the display shows F6, the square the Knight moved to (Figure 1-6a). Press down on F6, and the display changes to show the piece color and symbol (Black Knight) and the square that piece came from (Figure 1-6b). Press the Knight back down on G8.

Fig 2-1a

Fig 2-1b

Fig 2-1c

Fig 2-2

Note that en passant captures cannot be replayed if the take back of its previous move

was not allowed.

Check, Mate, or Draw!

5. When a King is in check, the display shows the check symbol (alternately with the clock

display if the clock is running). When the game ends in checkmate, draw by stalemate, draw by immediate 3 fold repetition or draw by 50 move rules, the End symbol is displayed. These symbols are shown in Figure 1.

Note. Stalemate is determined by 3 fold repetition of the same move, or by the 50 move

rule.)

Start a New Game

6. Press NEW GAME to start a new game at any time, using the currently selected level

and the previous setting of the sound feature. Since pressing NEW GAME clears your current game from the computer’s memory, be very careful not to press this key by mistake.

Change Levels

7. Your chess computer offers you 64 levels of play, each of which corresponds to one of

the 64 board squares. Together with the eleven built-in Extended Teach modes, you have a choice of 768 level settings. Press LEVEL to enter Level mode, and the current level is displayed (eg the Level equivalent to board square A3 shows L:A3 alternately with Fu n3). To change the level, simply press a board square, and that level will show in the display. Press LEVEL again to exit Level mode. For more information on the playing levels, see Section 3.

Openings Coach

8. Your computer has 16 opening sequences such as the “Italian Opening” or the “Queen’s

Gambit” for you to learn. Press OPENINGS COACH and then press one of the squares from A1 to B8 to select one of the openings. Press the square again to choose how much help you get from the computer, and then press OPENINGS COACH again to start practicing or to test your knowledge. More details are in Paragraph 3.12.

ENGLISH

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