Saitek CENTURION User Manual
TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK START
KEYS AND FEATURES
INTRODUCTION
1. LET’S GET STARTED!
1.1 First, Install the Batteries/Optional AC-DC adapter
1.2 Ready to Play? Here’s How to Move!
1.3 Now It’s the Computer’s Turn
1.4 Change Your Mind? Take Back!
1.5 Game Over? Why Not Play Again!
1.6 Too Easy/Hard? Change the Level!
2. MORE FEATURES TO EXPLORE
2.1 Whose Move? Check the Display!
2.2 Special Chess Moves
2.3 Illegal Moves
2.4 Check, Mate, and Draw
2.5 Interrupting the Computer’s Search
2.6 Changing Sides with the Computer
2.7 Built-In Openings
2.8 Thinking on the Opponent’s Time
2.9 Game Memory
3. THE PLAYING LEVELS
Setting a Playing Level
3.1 Normal Playing Levels (Squares A1-B7)
3.2 Infinite Level (Square B8)
3.3 Tournament Levels (Squares C1-C8)
3.4 Blitz Levels (Squares D1-D8)
3.5 Fun Levels (Squares E1-E8)
3.6 Mate Search Levels (Squares F1-F8)
3.7 Training Levels (Squares G1-G8)
3.8 Self-Adaptive Weak Levels (Squares H1-H8)
4. INFO MODE: WATCH THE COMPUTER THINK!
Using Info Mode
4.1 Principal Variation
4.2 Search Information
4.3 Chess Clock Information
4.4 Move Count/Game Moves
4.5 Want a Hint? Just Ask!
5. OPTIONS FOR FUN AND VARIETY
Selecting Game Options
5.1 Operation Mode Options (Squares A1-H1)
5.2 Rotating Display Options (Squares A3-H3)
5.3 Bronstein Clock Options (Square A4)
6. TEACH MODE: LEARN ABOUT TACTICS!
Using the Teach Modes
7. STUDY MODE: TRY RATING YOURSELF!
Understanding ELO Ratings
Using Study Mode
8. VERIFYING/SETTING UP POSITIONS
8.1 Verifying Positions
8.2 Changing and Setting Up Positions
9. TECHNICAL DETAILS
9.1 The ACL Function
9.2 Care and Maintenance
9.3 Technical Specifications
TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
APPENDIX: 20 STUDY GAMES
Insert the batteries into the compartment in the base of the
unit, making sure to observe the correct polarity. Use fresh
alkaline batteries for longer battery life!
If you would rather not power your unit with batteries, you
may purchase an optional AC-DC adapter. Please use only
the adapter specified in Section 9.3. Using any other adapter
could damage the computer and will invalidate your warranty.
Please also read the precautionary information regarding
adapter use in Section 9.2. When using an adapter, first plug
it into a wall outlet, and then into your 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 an AC-DC adapter.
Turn the computer on by pressing GO/STOP, and a beep
will signal that the game is ready to play. If the computer fails
to respond (static discharge may cause it to lock up), use a
paper clip or another sharp object to press down into the hole
marked ACL in the base of the unit for at least one second.
This will reset the computer.
Tip: To conserve energy and extend battery life, turn on
the Auto Power Down option (see Section 5.1).
1.2 Ready to Play? Here’s How to Move!
Okay, now it’s time to start a game! It’s so easy—just follow
these steps:
a. Press GO/STOP to turn the computer on, if you haven’t
already done so.
b. Press the CLEAR and ENTER keys together to reset
the computer for a NEW GAME of chess. Set up the
pieces in their starting positions, with the White pieces
nearest to you, as shown in the
c. To make a move, lightly press down on the piece you
want to move until you hear a beep and two board lights
turn on to indicate that square. The sensory board will
recognize your piece automatically. Don’t believe it?
Just look at the display window, which is suddenly full of
information—it shows your piece, along with the piece
color and the square you just pressed!
d. Take that piece and gently press it down on the square
to which you are moving. You’ll hear a second beep as
the computer confirms your move. That’s it—you’ve just
made your first move of the game! Next, it’s Black’s
turn—and the computer will make its first move.
You’ll notice that the computer often moves instantly at the
beginning of a game, instead of taking time to think. This is
because it is playing from memory, using a built-in “book” of
opening moves (for more information, see Section 2.7).
Quick Start
.
ENGLISH
INTRODUCTION
We’d like to welcome you to the exciting world of computer
chess! Whether you’re just starting to learn about this great
game or you’re already a seasoned player, using your new
chess computer will give you the opportunity to discover so
much more about chess than you ever thought possible! Take
a look through this manual to get an overview of your
computer’s capabilities—all the special features and modes,
all the unique options and playing levels. And take advantage
of them over time, one by one! You’ll have great fun—and
you’ll never look at chess the same way again!
Your computer knows all the rules of chess—and it will
never cheat! For those of you who haven’t played before, we
have included a brief overview of the rules to get you started.
For more detailed information, why not visit your local library,
where you’re sure to find lots of interesting chess books!
1. LET’S GET STARTED!
1.1 First, Install the Batteries/Optional AC-DC adapter
Your computer r uns on four “C” (Type AM2/R14) batteries.
1.3 Now It’s the Computer’s Turn
When the computer makes its move, it beeps and turns on
two board lights indicating the square of the piece it wants to
move. It also shows its full move in the display window.
Check it out—you’ll see the from and to squares of the
computer’s move, along with the color and type of piece it is
moving.
Notice that the from square is flashing in the display.
Press the indicated piece down on the from square until you
hear a beep. The to square is now flashing in the display—
move that same piece to the indicated to square and press it
down to complete the computer’s move. And it’s your turn
again…
By the way, while you’re thinking about your next move,
notice that the chess piece symbols are displayed, one by
one, counting “up” from pawn to King. This means the built-in
chess clock is in normal mode, counting your elapsed time. If
the Countdown Clock is activated, as noted in Section 5.1,
the displayed symbols will reverse direction. You’ll find details
on all the chess clock features in Section 4.3!
1.4 Change Your Mind? Take Back!
When you’re playing chess against this computer, nothing
is “set in stone”—you can change your mind or decide to play
1
a different move whenever you want! When it’s your turn to
move, simply press TAKE BACK. The display shows the
move to be taken back, with the original to square flashing
and indicated by board lights. Press the piece down gently on
the indicated square, and the computer shows you where
that piece came from by flashing that display and using
board lights to point to that square. Press the piece down on
the from square to complete the take-back. Repeat this as
often as you’d like, taking back up to 50 individual moves (or
25 moves for each side). To continue playing at any point,
just make another move on the board!
After taking back a capture, the computer will make sure
your board is still set up correctly by reminding you to put the
captured piece back on the board! It does this by displaying
the piece symbol and its location, along with a “+” symbol,
and turning on the board lights for that square. Put the indicated piece back on the board and press that square to
complete the take-back.
1.5 Game Over? Why Not Play Again!
Whenever you finish a game (or if you give up on your
current game), it’s easy to start over again! Reset the computer for a NEW GAME by pressing the CLEAR and ENTER
keys together, and a series of beeps tells you the computer is
ready. The same playing level will be in effect, but you can
change it if you’d like, as explained in Section 3.
IMPORTANT: Resetting the computer for a new game
clears your current game from the computer’s memory—be
careful not to press these keys by mistake!
MAKING THE COMPUTER’S MOVE:
AN EXAMPLE!
RrstuvwxyS
8jbielchd8
7agagagag7
6MmMmMmMm6
After the computer moves,
it’s up to you to make its
move on the board! Here,
the display indicates the
computer wants to move
its Black pawn (]!) from
d7 to d5. Pick up the d7
pawn (indicated by the
board lights) and press it
down lightly on Square d7.
The board lights now point
to Square d5. Press the
pawn down on Square d5
to complete the computer’s
move. Now it’s your turn
again!
5mMmMmMmM5
4MmMAMmMm4
3mMmMmMmM3
2GAGmGAGA2
1DHCKFIBJ1
TrstuvwxyU
RrstuvwxyS
8jbielchd8
7agaMagag7
6MmMmMmMm6
5mMmgmMmM5
4MmMAMmMm4
3mMmMmMmM3
2GAGmGAGA2
1DHCKFIBJ1
TrstuvwxyU
1.6 Too Easy/Hard? Change the Level!
When you first turn your computer on, it’s automatically set
to Normal Playing Level A4 (five seconds a move). However,
you have 64 different levels to choose from—you’ll want to try
them all out! For descriptions of the playing levels and how to
change levels, see Section 3.
2. MORE FEATURES TO EXPLORE
2.1 Whose Move? Check the Display!
When the computer plays Black, it flashes a black square
in the display while it is thinking. After it has moved, a white
square shows that it is now White’s turn to move. You can tell
at a glance if the computer is currently thinking, and which
side is to move!
2.2 Special Chess Moves
Captures: To capture, press down on the piece you want
to move, remove the captured piece from the board, and
press your piece down on the square of the captured piece.
Captures are displayed as in E5•F4.
En Passant Captures: In this type of capture, the computer reminds you to remove the captured pawn by displaying the pawn’s position, along with a minus sign, and using
two board lights to indicate that square. Press down on the
captured pawn before removing it from the board.
Castling: The computer automatically recognizes castling
after the King is moved. After you have pressed the King
down on its from and to squares, the computer uses the
display and board lights to remind you to move the Rook.
Press down on the Rook’s from and to squares to complete
the move. Note that Kingside castling is displayed as 0-0,
and Queenside castling as 0-0-0.
Pawn Promotions: When you promote a pawn, first
make your move as usual, pressing your pawn down on its
from and to squares. Next, press the Piece Symbol Key for
your desired promotion piece (%, $, #, or @). The computer
recognizes your new piece immediately, and begins thinking
about its next move. Remember to change your piece on the
board! When the computer promotes a pawn, the display
shows both the pawn and the promoted piece. Don’t forget to
replace the computer’s pawn with its new piece.
2.3 Illegal Moves
Your computer will never accept an illegal move! If you try
to make one, you’ll hear a low double beep, and the board
lights and display will simply continue to show the square the
piece came from. Either move that same piece to another
square, or press the piece back down on the original from
square and move a different piece.
If you don’t make the computer’s move correctly, you’ll also
get an error beep. This means you are either moving the
wrong piece, or moving the computer’s piece to the wrong
square. If the computer wants to move its pawn from C7 to
C5, for example, and you press down on C7 and then C6, the
display shows :C5 briefly, pointing out your error. The display
then returns to showing the move again (C7-C5), and the
computer expects you to press C5 to complete its move.
If you press down on a piece and the from square is
displayed, but you decide not to make that move, simply
press down on that same square again to cancel. Then make
another move. If you change your mind after entering your
whole move, take the move back as described in Section 1.4.
2.4 Check, Mate, and Draw
When a King is in check, the computer first displays its
move as usual. After the move is made, CHECK flashes in the
display for a few seconds, along with the checking move. The
display then goes back to showing the clock.
If the computer discovers a forced mate against its opponent, it first displays its move as usual. After the move has
been made on the board, the computer flashes a mate announcement along with the move for several seconds (e.g.,
=in2 for a mate in two moves). The display then goes back
to showing the clock.
When a game ends in checkmate, the display flashes MATE
(along with the mating move) for a short time after the move
is made. The display then goes back to showing the clock.
The computer recognizes draws by stalemate, three-fold
repetition, 50-move rule and insufficient material. After a draw
has occurred, the display flashes End,EnD:3,End:50,or
End:In (along with the drawing move) for a brief time after
the move has been made. The display then goes back to
showing the clock.
2
2.5 Interrupting the Computer’s Search
Think the computer is taking too long to move? You can
interrupt it any time! Simply press ENTER while the computer
is thinking, and it will stop and play the best move it has
found so far. This feature can be handy on the higher levels,
where the computer can take a long time to move, and on the
Infinite Level, where the computer thinks indefinitely unless
you stop it.
On the Mate Search Levels, pressing ENTER won’t force
the computer to make a move. Instead, the computer will
sound an error beep and display ––––– to indicate that it
was interrupted before it found a mate. To continue play,
switch to another level.
2.6 Changing Sides with the Computer
To change sides with the computer, simply press ENTER
when it’s your turn—and the computer will make the next
move for your side. Change sides as often as you wish!
Noted that if you press ENTER at a new game, computer
will play White from top (see also Section 5.1).
2.7 Built-In Openings
At the beginning of a game, the computer will often move
instantly on many levels. This is because it is playing from
memory, using its own built-in “book” of opening chess
moves. This book contains thousands of positions, including
most major openings and many positions from grandmaster
play. If the current board position is in its book, the computer
plays a response to that position automatically, instead of
having to think about the move!
A special feature of this computer’s opening book is its
ability to handle
position reached by a certain set of moves can also be
reached when those same moves occur in a different order.
The computer’s integrated Automatic Transposition Manager
handles these cases with ease!
transpositions.
A transposition occurs when a
Note that the opening book is not used in the Teach Mode
games (see Section 6).
2.8 Thinking on the Opponent’s Time
As you play, you may notice that the computer sometimes
replies to your moves immediately, even in the middle of
games played on the higher levels. This is because the
computer thinks on your time, using the time you are taking
for your move to think ahead and plan its own strategies. It
tries to guess the move you are likely to make, and then
calculates its responses for that particular move while you
are still thinking. If the computer has guessed right, there’s
no reason for it to keep on calculating—it immediately plays
the move it has already found!
2.9 Game Memory
Press GO/STOP at any time to interrupt a game. Play is
then suspended, and the computer stores your current game
in memory (up to 50 individual moves). When you switch
back on again, you can continue right where you left off!
To preserve the memory in case the unit is unplugged,
keep batteries installed even when using an adapter.
3. THE PLAYING LEVELS
Your chess computer offers 64 different levels of play!
When you set the level, keep in mind that when the computer
has more time to think about its moves, it becomes stronger
and plays better—just like a human chess player! For an
overview of all the levels, refer to the Level Chart. The levels
are also described individually in this section.
Setting a Playing Level
See “USE THIS CHART TO SELECT A PLAYING
LEVEL!” for an illustrated look at how to set a level and
a chart showing all the levels at a glance.
NEED HELP CHOOSING A LEVEL?
SOME TIPS FOR YOU!
• Are you a beginning player?
choices! Check out the Fun Levels, the lower Training Levels, or the Self-Adaptive Weak Levels.
These levels all restrict the computer’s search depth
in different ways, resulting in weaker play and giving
you the chance to learn more about the game and
perhaps even beat the computer occasionally!
• Are you an intermediate or more advanced
player?
Levels. The Normal Levels range from easy all the
way up to a difficult 10-minute response time, and
the Tournament Levels are extremely challenging.
And don’t forget to try the Blitz Levels for some fast
and exciting games of Speed Chess! By the way, for
Tournament and Blitz Games, you can activate the
built-in Bronstein Clock, as you’ll see in Section 5.3!
• Want to experiment?
to solve problems up to mate in eight—try searching
from a position in one of your own games, or set up
an actual mate problem. Choose the Infinite Level
to have the computer analyze complicated positions
for hours or even days!
There are two methods of setting levels—by using the
game keys or pressing the board squares. Whichever
method you use, always press LEVEL first to enter Level
Mode, and the computer will display the current playing level.
When you enter Level Mode the first time, the computer is set
on Normal Playing Level A4 (with an average response time
of five seconds a move), and the display shows L0:05.
• To select a level by using game keys: After entering
Level Mode by pressing LEVEL, change levels one at a
time by using the BLACK/> and </WHITE keys. As a
shortcut, press LEVEL repeatedly to skip over eight
levels at a time. When the display shows your desired
level, press ENTER to enter your new level into the
computer and exit Level Mode.
• To select a level by pressing board squares: As shown
in the Level Chart, each of the 64 squares corresponds to
one level. After entering Level Mode by pressing LEVEL,
press a square to activate a level, using the chart as a
guide. When you press down on the desired square and
that level shows in the display, press ENTER to enter
your new level into the computer and exit Level Mode.
Try the Nor mal, Training, or Tournament
Use the Mate Search Levels
Note that when making your selection via the board
squares, pressing CLEAR has the same effect as pressing ENTER—it enters your level into the computer.
• To verify the level without changing it: If you press
LEVEL to verify the level but you don’t want to actually
change levels, press CLEAR. This returns you to normal
play without changing the level or clock settings, even
while the computer is thinking.
Other important points to remember regarding levels:
• Changing the level always resets the chess clocks.
• We don’t recommend changing levels while the computer
is thinking, since the clock is reset and the current search
is aborted. If you must do this, first press ENTER to abort
the computer’s search, and make its move on the board.
Then, take back the computer’s move and change the
level. Finally, press ENTER to make the computer start
thinking on the new level.
• The LEVEL Key is also used to enter Teach Mode, as
you will see in Section 6. If you accidentally press a
PIECE SYMBOL KEY while in Level Mode, you will enter
Teach Mode and lose your current game after exiting
Level Mode. To prevent this and retain your current board
position, press CLEAR to cancel Level Mode.
You have lots of
ENGLISH
3
3.1 Normal Playing Levels (Squares A1-B7)
LEVEL TIME PER MOVE DISPLAY
A1 .................1 second................ L 0:01
A2 ................. 2 seconds.............. L 0:02
A3 ................. 3 seconds.............. L 0:03
A4 ................. 5 seconds.............. L 0:05
A5 ............... 10 seconds.............. L 0:10
A6 ............... 15 seconds.............. L 0:15
A7 ............... 20 seconds.............. L 0:20
A8 ............... 30 seconds.............. L 0:30
B1 ............... 45 seconds.............. L 0:45
B2 ................. 1 minute ................ L 1:00
B3 ................. 1.5 minutes............ L 1:30
B4 ................. 2 minutes............... L 2:00
B5 ................. 3 minutes............... L 3:00
B6 ................. 5 minutes............... L 5:00
B7 ............... 10 minutes............... L10:00
When you choose one of the Normal Playing Levels, you
are selecting an average response time for the computer.
Note that the times are averaged over a large number of
moves. In the opening and endgame, the computer tends to
play faster, but in complicated middlegame positions, it may
take longer to move.
3.2 Infinite Level (Square B8)
LEVEL MOVE TIME DISPLAY
B8 .............. No time limit ............. 9:99;99
On the Infinite Level, the computer will search indefinitely,
until it finds a forced mate or forced move; until it has fully
searched the position to its maximum depth; or until you stop
the search by pressing ENTER. If you halt the search, the
computer makes the move it currently thinks is best. Try
experimenting with this level—set up interesting board
positions and let the computer analyze them for you! It will
think for hours or even days on end, trying to come up with
the best possible move. And don’t forget to watch the computer as it thinks—take advantage of the Rotating Display
feature described in Section 5.2!
3.3 T ournament Levels (Squares C1-C8)
LEVEL TOTAL TIME / NUMBER OF MOVES DISPLAY
C1 .........1 hr. 30 min. / 40 moves ............ 1:30;40
C2 .........1 hr. 45 min. / 35 moves ............ 1:45;35
C3 .........1 hr. 45 min. / 40 moves ............ 1:45;40
C4 .........1 hr. 30 min. / 35 moves ............ 1:30;35
C5 .........2 hrs. / 40 moves ....................... 2:00;40
C6 .........2 hrs. 30 min. / 45 moves .......... 2:30;45
C7 .........2 hrs. / 50 moves ....................... 2:00;50
C8 .........3 hrs. / 40 moves ....................... 3:00;40
The Tournament Levels require you to make a certain
number of moves within a given amount of time. If a player
exceeds the allotted time for a given number of moves, the
computer flashes “time” (TImE) along with the elapsed time,
to show that the game is over. If you wish, you can continue
to play even after the time has run out.
If you choose a Tournament Level, you may want to set
the chess clocks to display countdown time instead of the
elapsed time (see Section 5.1). When the game time runs
out, the countdown clock automatically reverts back to the
normal clock display.
Your computer also offers the option of using Bronstein
Clock time controls when playing Tournament games! For
complete details, see Section 5.3.
3.4 Blitz Levels (Squares D1-D8)
LEVEL TIME PER GAME DISPLAY
D1.................5 minutes............... 0:05;99
D2...............10 minutes............... 0:10;99
D3...............15 minutes............... 0:15;99
D4...............20 minutes............... 0:20;99
D5...............30 minutes............... 0:30;99
D6...............45 minutes............... 0:45;99
D7...............60 minutes............... 1:00;99
D8...............90 minutes............... 1:30;99
On the Blitz Levels (also called Speed Chess or “Sudden
Death” Levels), you set the total time for the whole game. If
game time is exceeded, the computer flashes “time” (TImE)
along with the elapsed time, to show that the game is over.
If you select a Blitz Level, you may want to set the chess
clocks to display countdown time instead of elapsed time
(see Section 5.1). When game time runs out, the countdown
clock automatically reverts back to the normal clock display.
Your computer also offers the option of using Bronstein
Clock time controls when playing Blitz games! For complete
details, see Section 5.3.
3.5 Fun Levels (Squares E1-E8)
LEVEL TIME PER MOVE DISPLAY
E1 ................1 second................. Fun: 1
E2 ................2 seconds............... Fun: 2
E3 ................3 seconds............... Fun: 3
E4 ................4 seconds............... Fun: 4
E5 ................5 seconds............... Fun: 5
E6 ................6 seconds............... Fun: 6
E7 ................7 seconds............... Fun: 7
E8 .............. *8 seconds ............... Fun: 8
*Increase as user’s time per move.
Are you a novice or beginning chess player? If so, these
levels are especially for you! Here, the computer restricts its
search so that it deliberately plays weaker and gives you a
better chance to win!
The Fun Levels start out easy and get a little harder as
you go. The computer’s playing strength goes up gradually
from Levels E1 to E6—but be prepared for some stiffer
competition when you reach Levels E7 and E8! These two
highest Fun Levels represent a much greater jump in playing
strength, and you ‘ll notice that they’re quite a bit more
challenging. Tr y out all the Fun Levels—as you beat each
one, go on to the next! By the time you reach Levels E7 and
E8, your improved chess skills should make them much
easier to handle!
3.6 Mate Search Levels (Squares F1-F8)
LEVEL PROBLEM DISPLAY
F1 .................Mate in 1................ =in: 1
F2 .................Mate in 2................ =in: 2
F3 .................Mate in 3................ =in: 3
F4 .................Mate in 4................ =in: 4
F5 .................Mate in 5................ =in: 5
F6 .................Mate in 6................ =in: 6
F7 .................Mate in 7................ =in: 7
F8 .................Mate in 8................ =in: 8
Selecting one of these levels activates a special Mate
Finder Program. If you have a position where there may be a
mate and you would like the computer to find it, set the
computer on one of the Mate Search Levels. Your computer
can solve mates in up to eight moves. Mates in one to five
are usually found quite quickly, whereas solutions taking six
to eight moves may take quite some time. If there is no mate
present or the computer can’t find a mate, it will sound an
error beep and display a series of dashes (–––––). To
continue play, simply switch to another level.
3.7 T raining Levels (Squares G1-G8)
LEVEL SEARCH DEPTH DISPLAY
G1................1 move ................... PLY: 1
G2................2 moves .................PLY: 2
G3................3 moves .................PLY: 3
G4................4 moves .................PLY: 4
G5................5 moves .................PLY: 5
G6................6 moves .................PLY: 6
G7................7 moves .................PLY: 7
G8................8 moves .................PLY: 8
On the Training Levels, the computer’s search depth is
4
USE THIS CHART TO SELECT A PLAYING LEVEL!
1. Press LEVEL to enter Level Mode.
LEVEL
2. Next, select your level, using the chart below. There are two ways to do this.
• Cycle through the levels until your level is displayed:
Press BLACK/> to increase levels by one.
Press </WHITE to decrease levels by one.
Press LEVEL to increase levels by eight.
• OR, simply locate your level square and press it to display that level!
ENGLISH
3.
ENTER
Finally, press
ENTER to exit
Level Mode,
using your
new level!
*Increase as user’s time
per move.
For more details, see
Section 3.
30 sec.
per move
L 0:30
A8
20 sec.
per move
L 0:20
A7
15 sec.
per move
L 0:15
A6
10 sec.
per move
L 0:10
A5
5 sec.
per move
L 0:05
A4
3 sec.
per move
L 0:03
A3
2 sec.
per move
L 0:02
A2
1 sec.
per move
L 0:01
A1
NORMAL LEVELS +
INFINITE LEVEL
Infinite
Level
9:99;99
B8
10 min.
per move
L10:00
B7
5 min.
per move
L 5:00
B6
3 min.
per move
L 3:00
B5
2 min.
per move
L 2:00
B4
1.5 min.
per move
L 1:30
B3
1 min.
per move
L 1:00
B2
45 sec.
per move
L 0:45
B1
40 moves
in 3:00
3:00;40
C8
50 moves
in 2:00
2:00;50
C7
45 moves
in 2:30
2:30;45
C6
40 moves
in 2:00
2:00;40
C5
35 moves
in 1:30
1:30;35
C4
40 moves
in 1:45
1:45;40
C3
35 moves
in 1:45
1:45;35
C2
40 moves
in 1:30
1:30;40
C1
TOURNAMENT
LEVELS
90 min.
per game
1:30;99
D8
60 min.
per game
1:00;99
D7
45 min.
per game
0:45;99
D6
30 min.
per game
0:30;99
D5
20 min.
per game
0:20;99
D4
15 min.
per game
0:15;99
D3
10 min.
per game
0:10;99
D2
5 min.
per game
0:05;99
D1
BLITZ
LEVELS
*8 sec.
per move
Fun: 8
E8
7 sec.
per move
Fun: 7
E7
6 sec.
per move
Fun: 6
E6
5 sec.
per move
Fun: 5
E5
4 sec.
per move
Fun: 4
E4
3 sec.
per move
Fun: 3
E3
2 sec.
per move
Fun: 2
E2
1 sec.
per move
Fun: 1
E1
FUN
LEVELS
Mate in
8 moves
=in: 8
F8
Mate in
7 moves
=in: 7
F7
Mate in
6 moves
=in: 6
F6
Mate in
5 moves
=in: 5
F5
Mate in
4 moves
=in: 4
F4
Mate in
3 moves
=in: 3
F3
Mate in
2 moves
=in: 2
F2
Mate in
1 move
=in: 1
F1
MATE SEARCH
LEVELS
8 ply
search
PLY: 8
G8
7 ply
search
PLY: 7
G7
6 ply
search
PLY: 6
G6
5 ply
search
PLY: 5
G5
4 ply
search
PLY: 4
G4
3 ply
search
PLY: 3
G3
2 ply
search
PLY: 2
G2
1 ply
search
PLY: 1
G1
TRAINING
LEVELS
Self-
adaptive 8
Adt: 8
H8
Self-
adaptive 7
Adt: 7
H7
Self-
adaptive 6
Adt: 6
H6
Self-
adaptive 5
Adt: 5
H5
Self-
adaptive 4
Adt: 4
H4
Self-
adaptive 3
Adt: 3
H3
Self-
adaptive 2
Adt: 2
H2
Self-
adaptive 1
Adt: 1
H1
SELF-ADAPTIVE
WEAK LEVELS
limited to a certain number of moves, as shown above. As
you cycle through the levels, the computer displays PLY:#
for each level. A “ply” is an individual move (a move for either
side), and “#” is the number representing the search depth.
For example, on Level G1, the computer searches to a depth
of one ply (PLY:1), and thus looks ahead only one individual move. On this level, therefore, it will often overlook a
mate in one. This produces weaker play, giving beginners a
better chance of beating the computer!
3.8 Self-Adaptive Weak Levels (Squares H1-H8)
LEVEL TYPE DISPLAY
H1........... Self-Adaptive 1 ........... Adt: 1
H2........... Self-Adaptive 2 ........... Adt: 2
H3........... Self-Adaptive 3 ........... Adt: 3
H4........... Self-Adaptive 4 ........... Adt: 4
H5........... Self-Adaptive 5 ........... Adt: 5
H6........... Self-Adaptive 6 ........... Adt: 6
H7........... Self-Adaptive 7 ........... Adt: 7
H8........... Self-Adaptive 8 ........... Adt: 8
The Self-Adaptive Weak Levels are perfect for players who
are just starting out. Here, beginners have the chance to
interact with the computer on eight weakened levels of
varying ELO rating strengths, and the computer’s strength is
adjusted to match that of the player.
On the lowest level (H1), the computer will set its playing
strength to a deliberately weakened setting of about –350
ELO. On the upper end, Level H8 matches the strength of
the player by putting the ELO difference at zero. As you play,
the computer will try to keep this difference constant. That is,
if you play badly, the computer will not play well either—but it
will fight to win back material it has lost to you, if necessary.
On the other hand, if you play stronger, the computer will
also play stronger. Work your way up!
5
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