Saitek Alchemist Quick Start Manual - page 7
7
ENGLISH
the number of moves ahead. At the lower levels it behaves
more like a novice player. At the lowest level, G1, where the
computer looks ahead only one individual move, it really
does not anticipate the game at all, and could even miss a
mate that you could make in one more move. At the other
end of the scale the computer will review all the possibilities
within the next 8 individual moves (G8).
In this case the display alternates every second between
the level you have selected, and how many individual moves
(ply) ahead the computer searches:
• The selected square
L:G5
and then ....
• The number of individual
moves ahead
5PLy
3.9 Tactical Level
Tactical levels are found in the last file of squares, ‘H’ file.
These levels also limit how many individual moves ahead the
computer looks, but in this case the computer does not
evaluate strategic advantages, and looks only for material
gain such as checkmate or draws. Again, the number of
individual moves ahead that the computer reviews is
equivalent to the chessboard square - H1 is one individual
move ahead; H8 is 8 moves ahead.
The display alternates every second between the level
you have selected, and how many individual moves (ply)
ahead the computer searches, in similar fashion to the Fixed
Depth levels.
• The selected square
L:H8
and then.....
• The number of individual
moves ahead
8PLy
3.10 Teach Modes
Your chess computer contains eleven built-in Extended
Teach modes. This feature allows you to learn basic moves
and master the tactics of the pieces, one at a time. For each
individual Teach mode the only pieces on the board will be
Kings and Pawns, or Kings and Pawns and one or two
selected piece types. This allows beginners to concentrate
on one or two pieces at a time, without losing focus and
being distracted by other pieces on the board. More
developed players can use this feature to practice playing
with selected combinations of pieces.
Note the following, in relation to the Levels and Teach
modes:
If NEW GAME is pressed during any game, the computer
will quit the Teach mode and switch back to the standard (32
pieces), with the current level still in effect.
If you press LEVEL and you then decide not to change
the current playing level or Teach mode, simply press LEVEL
again, and the current status will remain as it is.
You may select a new level at any time during your turn.
However, the clock will be reset.
If you press more than 2 Piece Symbol keys during a
Teach mode selection, only the last 2 symbol selections will
be valid when you exit Level Mode.
If you accidentally press any piece symbol key in Level
mode, you will lose the current game after exiting Level
mode. To continue with the current game, press the square
corresponding to the current level of play, before exiting
Level mode. However, the clock will have been reset.)
3.11 Selecting Levels and Teach Modes
Press LEVEL to enter Level mode, and the current level is
displayed (eg Level A3 shows as
L:A3
alternating with
Fun3
, which is the level selected by pressing board square
A3). To change the level, simply press a board square, and
the new level alternating with the level details will show in the
display. Press LEVEL again to exit Level mode.
Note the following key sequences and effects:
LEVEL, LEVEL
No change. Previous level
remains selected
LEVEL, Square, LEVEL
New level selected, clock
resets
LEVEL, Piece Symbol,
Starting position of selected
LEVEL
Teach mode is set at previ
ously selected level.
LEVEL, Square,
Starting position of selected
Piece Symbol, LEVEL
Teach mode is set at new
level
LEVEL, Piece Symbol,
New level is set, previous
Square, LEVEL
Teach mode selection
canceled, existing game
retained
To select Teach mode, press LEVEL. The display will
show the skill level, as indicated by the equivalent chess
board square, alternating with the level details. To select a
Teach mode press the one or two appropriate Piece Symbol
keys (
%
,
$
,
#
,
@
or
!
) that you want to use. The display will
then show the selected pieces. For example, if you wish to
play with Kings, Bishops, Knights, and Pawns, after pressing
LEVEL, you will press and
#
and
@
. The display will show
your selection. Then press LEVEL to exit Level mode and
enter your selection into the computer and begin your game.
Since the King is always required for the game, you do not
need to select this piece for the Teach mode, and in fact
pressing
&
is the way you select a normal, 32 piece game.
Note that NonAuto is automatically canceled whenever
a teach mode is selected on the existing level mode.
The eleven teach modes and normal game are indicated
by the following displays:
Teach Mode
Display
Kings and Pawns ........................................
te:zp
Kings, Knights and Pawns ..........................
te:zn
Kings, Bishops and Pawns .........................
te:zb
Kings, Rooks and Pawns ............................
te:zr
Kings, Queens and Pawns .........................
te:zq
Kings, Knights, Bishops and Pawns ...........
te:nb
Kings, Knights, Rooks and Pawns ..............
te:nr
Kings, Knights, Queens and Pawns ...........
te:nq
Kings, Bishops, Rooks and Pawns .............
te:br
Kings, Bishops, Queens and Pawns ..........
te:bq
Kings, Rooks, Queens and Pawns .............
te:rq
All Pieces (normal game) ...........................
te:sb
3.12 Openings Coach Mode
The computer has 16 different openings sequences in
memory, which are played through so that you may learn
them. Press OPENINGS COACH and when first selected,
the computer will ‘beep’ and the display will flash
oZ:
You can then choose which opening game you wish to
review by pressing one of the squares from A1 to B8 Figure
3-1 lists the available openings. For example, to select the
third openings coach, press square A3, and
oZ:3
will be
flashing in the display. This confirms that the third openings
coach has been selected and the two bars indicate that the
computer will display moves for both sides, so that you can
watch and learn. Press the same square again and the
display will change to
oz:3
, which indicates that the
computer will play the white side and let you work out the
moves for black. Another press on the square changes the
bar on the right to show that the computer will play black
while you play white, and a further press will remove the bars
altogether, which means that the computer will leave all the
moves to you while it monitors you for correctness. Press
OPENINGS COACH again, and the display will indicate that
you should move. While you are playing you can press
PLAY to ask the computer to remind you of the next move.
Every time you make a correct move, the computer will
confirm the move with a single ‘beep’, but if you are wrong, it
makes a double ‘beep’ and keeps the ‘from’ square showing
on the display. Press the correct ‘to’ square to end the move
or the ‘from’ square to cancel it. At the end of the opening
sequence you may continue and play the game if you wish.