Saitek Talking Chess Trainer manual Introduction, Using Your Chess Computer

INTRODUCTION

Your new electronic chessboard is a powerful computer that will play chess 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 large range of 64 playing levels, combined with 11 extended Teach Modes, make up a total of 768 combinations—enough to satisfy anyone with an interest in chess, both young and old. The Teach Modes and Openings Coach are superb learning features at any level of play, and the various modes of timed competition are well-suited for the intermediate player. This particular model also offers vocal encouragement and coaching whenever its special Voice Mode is selected!

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1. USING YOUR CHESS COMPUTER

1.Battery Installation

Your chess computer runs on 3 “AA” (AM3/R6) batteries. For longer battery life, we recom- mend using fresh alkaline batteries. Slide open the battery compartment cover on the back of the unit, and insert the batteries as shown in Figure 1-1. Then, reinstall the cover and press GO/ STOP to turn the computer on. If the computer 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. After the batteries are inserted or ACL is pressed, the computer will go through a self-test. Three beeps tell you that the test has passed, while a buzz or silence indicates a problem that should be checked with your local distributor.

Note that inserting new batteries or pressing ACL will reset the computer’s memory, causing any current game to be lost.

2.Making Moves

Follow the steps below to start a game.

a. If necessary, 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 say “Let’s play,” and indicate on the display that you should play a White piece.

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Note: If NEW GAME is pressed while certain modes are selected (Teach Mode, Openings Coach, or Non Auto Mode), these modes will automatically be cancelled.

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 left side of the display will show the from square that was pressed.

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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-hand side of the display.

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As soon as your move is finished (if you have Voice selected), the display will show Coch while it evaluates your move. You also hear a spoken comment relating to the move you executed.

e. Next, it is the computer’s turn, and the computer will start thinking about its move. Note that in the early stages of a game, the computer’s response is often virtually instantaneous. This is because it is playing moves already stored in its openings library (see Section 2.10).

3.The Computer’s Move

When the computer is ready, it beeps and displays the from and to coordinates of its move, as shown in Figure 1-4. For an example of a move, 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. For a chart of the symbols, see Figure 1.

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

4.Change Your Mind? Take Back!

If you change your mind about a move, you can take it back. Press TAKE BACK while it is still your turn to move, and 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 location. Press this piece down on the indicated square. To take back another move, press TAKE BACK again. You can take back 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 a move for you.

Figures 1-6 a and b show an example of taking back a Knight move from G8 to F6. After press- ing TAKE BACK, the display shows F6, the square the Knight moved to (Figure 1-6a). Press

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Fig. 1-5a

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