Novag sapphire II Instruction Manual

Summary of sapphire II

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    Novag sapphire ii • instruction.

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    1 instructions i. Introduction ii. Playing the sapphire ii iii. Game features a) making moves b) capturing a piece c) illegal moves d) castling e) en passant f) pawn promotion / underpromotion g) stalemate / draw h) check and checkmate i) early mate announcements j) resignation iv. Major function ke...

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    2 vi. Option i/ii keys ( * these functions require the novag distributor and a pc to be useful) a. Option i keys 27. *print moves (key a1) 28. *autoclock (key b2) 29. Autoplay/demo (key c3) 30. *human mode (key d4) 31. *video mode (key e5) 32. Replay (key f6) 33. *print games (key g7) - immediate ac...

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    3 i. Introduction the novag sapphire ii is the world’s strongest travel chess computer running on a h8 risc-style processor with 160k program memory and 129k working area. It offers an array of new features and has also incorporated hash-tables to significantly improve the chess computer's play, esp...

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    4 tep 3 : press new game key. You will hear 3 beeps and you will see [ ] on the lcd, you are now ready to begin to play for the white side. Step 4 : if you want to increase the level of skill, press the level key (see section iv.2 for level setting and their time control). On the lcd display you wil...

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    5 c) impossible and illegal moves the sapphire ii is programmed in accordance with the international chess rules and does not accept nor make illegal moves. Corrections of illegal moves or mistakes in executing computer moves are very simple. • if you try to make an illegal move, you hear 3 beeps an...

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    6 i) early mate announcements the sapphire ii will always announce mate if it sees it and will show the number of moves to mate on the lcd. Example : [nate 2 ] j) resignation the sapphire ii will recognise positions which are lost or seriously behind in material and will resign the game showing [ re...

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    7 level chart level square time control level square time control tr 1 a1 40 moves in 5 minutes an 1 e1 9 ply search 2 a2 40 moves in 15 minutes 2 e2 10 ply search 3 a3 40 moves in 30 minutes 3 e3 11 ply search 4 a4 40 moves in 60 minutes 4 e4 12 ply search 5 a5 40 moves in 90 minutes 5 e5 13 ply se...

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    8 • novice level ea 1 - ea 8 1 ply search with limited capture search. These levels provide a level of play even suitable for novice players. • beginner level be 1 - be 8 2 ply search with limited capture search. These levels provide a level of play for mediate beginner. Note: all of the above level...

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    9 • user programmable time controls you may set your own time controls either for both sides or independently for each side. Use the procedure on pages 7 & 8 to choose any tr (tournament level) or any at (average time) or any sd (sudden death) level. For tr levels you can now program the number of m...

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    10 4. Referee key this is a toggle function which allows the user to play a game on the computer with the computer only checking the legality of the moves and declaring draw, check mate, and stale mate. This is also how games can be entered into the computer to be analysed (see analyse function). Al...

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    11 7. Take back key (key is marked ) use this key to retract a bad move or just try a different line of play. Wait until it is your turn to move. Press the take back key and the move to be taken back will be alternately flashed on display along with the captured piece and square if any (remember to ...

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    12 • enter the square you wish to verify and the novag sapphire ii will show the symbol of the piece which is occupying this square and its colour. If the square is empty the left side of the lcd display will be blank. (only the entered square position will be displayed). • press any piece symbol ke...

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    13 13. Sound key the novag sapphire ii has four different sound settings, which will be indicated on the lcd display. A) setting 1 [sound ] : there will be no acoustic signals at all. This is useful for those late night games when you don't want to bother anyone. B) setting 2 [sound – ] : there will...

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    14 example: to save a game on c5 press save game then press c3 and the lcd will show [save c-]. To complete the entering of the game location press now the e5 key. Press save game during the cycle to save the game history onto the displayed square location. • to erase a game from the game memory loc...

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    15 19. Restore (game) key pressing this key will immediately make the computer go to the first move of the game. The lcd display will show [begin] to indicate the beginning of the game history. You may then use the complementary function key trace forward to step through the game move by move. Note:...

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    16 pressing pro delete key for the first time will show on display [del?]. Press pro delete again to confirm that you wish to delete these opening lines. Note: if you have stored more pro-op books containing e2-e4 opening lines you may delete all of these opening lines starting with e2-e4 by pressin...

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    17 vi. Option i/ii keys a. Option i keys the following functions can be accessed by pressing option-i/ii once (the lcd will show [opt 1]) followed by the appropriate key. Whenever this function is activated press go to return to the playing mode. Note: all functions marked "*" only apply when the sa...

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    18 34. *print board (key h8) - (immediate action) pressing this key will send the current position to the interface. 35. *game rating (ver/set key) by using this feature you can ask your novag sapphire ii to rate your game according to the fide elo rating system. Press the option i/ii key once and t...

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    19 for example the following well known end game position takes the computer about 28 seconds to find the correct solution = move kb1!. With hash tables turned off this would take perhaps many hours to find! -+-+-+-+ mk-+-+-+- -+-zp-+-+ zp-+p+p+- p+-zp-zp-+ +-+-+-+- -+-+-+-+ mk-+-+-+- 37. Selective ...

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    20 vii. Lcd display of the novag sapphire ii/ examples & explanations a. Lcd display of the novag sapphire ii the lcd display of the novag sapphire ii has a 6-digit display. The listed symbols below are used on the display. 1. Figures 2. Letters and symbols the display 1 = indication for the colour ...

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    21 b. Examples & explanations the following are examples of the most important displays of the novag sapphire ii. This display indicates that the computer is ready and its your move or the move for white. . Display after input of the first half move, the location where you wish to move from. Display...

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    22 the piece on square d4 gets captured during black's moves c5 x d4. Any illegal move or input will be indicated by the error message. The sapphire ii resigns the game. Shows the announcement for a draw, due to stalemate. Shows a draw with 3 time repetition of the position. Shows a draw according t...

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    23 the last move of the game has been made, there are no other moves stored in the memory. The set level key has just been pressed. You will see the selected level after 1 second. Tournament level 1 has been selected and is now effective. Average time playing level 2 has been selected and is now eff...

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    24 moves will be sent to the interface as they are played on the chessboard. Interface human mode has been selected. Interface video mode has been selected. The built in opening book is selected. The user programmable opening book is selected. Both books as above but the built in opening book will b...

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    25 ix. Trouble shooting all novag computers are extensively tested before leaving the factory to ensure trouble free performance. However, if you encounter any problems during play, please check the following list first before calling your dealer or sending it in for repair. 1. The computer does not...

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    26 strategy of endgame yes special learning function learning up to 140 position. Random generator yes restore function yes replay of game yes autoplay yes shows score and can resign yes portable unit 157 x 82 x 21 mm connection to the novag universal chessboard: challenge your novag sapphire ii on ...

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    27 x. Rules of chess i. General moves 1. The two players must alternate in making one move at a time. The player with the white pieces moves first to start the game. 2. With the exception of castling (section ii.1.), a move is the transfer of a piece from one square to another square which is either...

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    28 perfect technology ltd. Room 406, yu yuet lai building 43-55 wyndham street, central, hong kong. Tel: (852) 2810 8202 fax: (852) 2810 8177 e-mail: sales@novag.Com web site: http://www.Novag.Com copyright © 2000 perfect technology ltd., hong kong. This chess computer has been manufactured under th...