CHESS TUTOR

another great chess game for the 16/48k Spectrum from Artic Computing Ltd



This program not only plays chess on 3 different levels but also teaches a

beginner how to play.

Level l: This provides for a simple defensive game from the computer.

Level 2: This gives a slightly more active game from the computer.

Level 3: Attacks more strongly those pieces not defended.



DEMO The computer will ask for an opening move and play a game based on it

ending either in MATE - ST,M - DRAW, or Draw as appropriate. The

demonstration run is always played with white as the starter and at the

bottom of the screen. Listings of the moves will be produced if a printer is

attached.



WHITE The player selects white, and is asked for an opening move. The

computer will reply from one of 3 book openings depending which it assesses

you are playing, the name of which is placed in the top right-hand corner of

the screen. This will be changed if you switch to an alternative opening

which is compatible with its original assessment.



BLACK The player selects black. The computer opens from one of the three

book openings and requests a reply from the player.



SETUP You may set the board up to any starting configuration you wish. It

should be borne in mind that no check is made for the validity of the board

as set up (i.e. white has 2 Bishops on the black diagonals). Instructions

are provided on screen for operating this mode, any error in setting up the

board is flagged and the board then reset.



On completion of replying to menu 1 or on error - menu 2 will be displayed.

This permits the following:



^ Help.  The computer moves for you and then replies to that move.



< Reset. The board is reset for a new game, starting with a request for level.



: Copy.  A screen copy may be taken and by using set up, the game continued at

a later date.



? Moves. The computer steps through all the legal moves. Castling is shown

as a double step for the King and Enpassant as a sideways step. These

duplicate exactly the way the move is to be entered if required. You may

then choose the move you think is best. You may use this feature to

determine 'whose move next' without affecting the game. Also the beginner

may find it useful in locating available moves when in check.



_ Delete You may delete up to the last 3 pairs of moves provided you are no

longer in a book opening, i.e. only a single clock is present. You cannot

step back past either double move, castling or capture enpassant, marked 'c'

and 'e' respectively in the move lists. You may use delete to change sides

as it works in half moves. The move lists will be corrected on their next

update and the lists will be positioned on their correct sides. The board

orientation will not change.



On completion of the game a final menu will appear. This provides for the

following:-



lNSTR The instructions routine is started.



BASlC The program is deleted and the M/C restarted.



PLAY  You may start a fresh game commencing with the request for level.



Move Entry Type the grid reference (number then letter) of the piece you

wish to move followed by the grid reference of where you wish to move to.

You may abandon a move at any time by making it illegal i.e. moving from and

to the same square, or perhaps selecting a square which does not contain one

of your pieces. This procedure will also recover Menu 2 at any stage. It is

also possible to exit from this machine code program without removing power

to your computer. Enter a move, or use the help facility and hold the CAPS

shift and Break (Space) keys pressed down together during the computer's

move. On completion the computer will reset itself back to BASIC.



Moves. To Castle, move the king, the rook will follow.

       To capture enpassant, take the pawn. The positions will be corrected

       by the computer, Pawn Promote, always by the Queen.



The computer will select one of the three book openings if white, or follow

whichever book opening you wish to play. If you deviate or, after 8 moves,

the computer's evaluation routine will operate. You may force the computer

to play the book opening you want by playing the starred moves in

reply to its opening.

i.e.    Computer .......... W  2E - 4E

        Player ............ B  8G - F          will force Kings Indian.

        Computer .......... W  2D - 4D

        Player ............ B  7C - 5C         will force Sicilian Dragon.



                              BOOK OPENINGS

                   The book openings provided are as follows:

    Sicilian Dragon      Ruy Lopez Open       Kings Indian

    2E 4E                2E 4E                2D 4D

    7C 5C*               7E 5E                8G 6F*

    1G 3F                1G 3F                2C 4C

    7D 6D                8B 6C                7G 6G

    2D 4D                1F 5B                1B 3C

    5C 4D                7A 6A                8F 7G

    3F 4D                5B 4A                2E 4E

    8G 6F                8G 6F                7D 6D

    1B 3C                1E 1G                1F 2E

    7G 6G                8F 7E                8E 8G

    1C 3E                1F 1E                1G 3F

    8F 7G                7B 5B                7E 5E

    1F 2E                4A 3B                1E 1G

    8B 6C                7D 6D                8B 7D

    1E 1G                2C 3C                4D 5D

    8E 8G                8E 8G                7D 5C



The facilities provided are as follows:



Move Counter. This provides a count of the number of moves made by the player.



Three Clocks. The player and computers clocks are not displayed until the

player leaves one of the three book openings. This is intended to provide an

indication of how far the player has progressed into an approved opening and

also indicates whether the delete function has been enabled. If the player

changes sides, the clocks will be updated on colour on their next move.



Move Lists. These list the last 6 pairs of moves, the latest always

appearing at the top. The list also indicates if the move resulted in a

capture by placing a lower case letter representation in between the move

grid references. Castling is shown by a 'c' and an enpassant move by an 'e'.



Printer Listings. The ZX printer if attached will produce a heading and a

list of the pairs of moves as they are made. If you use delete, the printer

will enter a blank line for every back step. If you change sides, the

remaining printout will change with you. On completion of the game the

printer will provide a copy of the screen.



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Another Fine Product transcribed by: Jim Grimwood (jimg@globalnet.co.uk)

Dead Dog Farm, Hatfield, England

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