Saitek Alchemist Quick Start Manual - page 2
2
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
&
(Kings),
%
(Queen),
$
(Rook),
#
(Bishop),
@
(Knight),
!
(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. 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 600 hours.
b. NEW GAME key: Press to reset the computer for a new
game of chess.
c. OPENINGS COACH key: Press to enter Openings
Coach mode and train on recognized opening gambits
and responses.
d. 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.
e. 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.)
f. 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.
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. 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
it is completed, and emit 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.
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 3 “AA”
(Type AM3/R6) alkaline batteries.
7 Piece Storage Area: Handy
storage compartment for your chess
pieces.
Figure 1. Display Symbols and Sounds
E7:E5
1
2
5
3
6
4
7
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
board
9
............ 9
0
............ 0
PM ............ Indicates player to move.
S ............... Indicates black to move.
ch
:
-
....... Steady colon indicates that figures are
Minutes and Seconds
ch
:
-
....... Flashing colon indicates that figures are
Hours and Minutes
ch:--
..... Black in check
EnD-
....... Checkmate – black wins
EnDZ
....... Draw
te:
.......... Teach mode
oZ:3
....... Openings Coach (Spanish Opening) -
computer plays both sides
oz:3
....... Openings Coach (Spanish Opening) -
computer plays white
o-:3
....... Openings Coach (Spanish Opening) -
computer plays black
o
-
:3
....... Openings Coach (Spanish Opening) -
computer plays neither
SOUNDS
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