Mega 2050X Chess Computer
(600-2441)                 Advanced Functions         Faxback Doc. # 33671

VERIFYING PIECE POSITIONS

If you want to verify the location of any piece on the chess board, you can
use the piece symbol keys any time to find the position of all pieces. Each
time you press a piece symbol key, the computer displays the piece's color
and location, and the rank/file board lights indicate the piece's location.

The piece symbol keys look like this.

    KING    - locates (WHITE [] ) KING and (BLACK [] ) KING

    QUEEN   - locates (WHITE [] ) QUEEN and (BLACK [] ) QUEEN

    ROOKS   - locates (WHITE [] ) ROOKS and (BLACK [] ) ROOKS

    BISHOPS - locates (WHITE [] ) BISHOPS and (BLACK [] ) BISHOPS

    KNIGHTS - locates (WHITE [] ) KNIGHTS and (BLACK [] ) KNIGHTS

    PAWNS   - locates (WHITE [] ) PAWNS and (BLACK [] ) PAWNS

For example, if the white queen is on square D1 and you want to verify its
location, press the queen piece symbol key once.  The computer displays
(WHITE [] ) QUEEN d1.  Or, if the black queen is on square F6 and you want
to verify its location, press the queen piece symbol key twice.  The
computer displays (BLACK QUEEN) F6.

To locate all pieces of the same type, repeatedly press the piece symbol
key for the type. If there is more than one of the same color piece of that
type on the board, the display and the rank/file board lights show the
location of each like piece each time you press the piece symbol key.  If
you continue to press the piece symbol key, the display and the rank/file
board lights show you the location of each of the other color's pieces of
the same type.

NOTE:  If you press a piece symbol key more times than the total number of
       pieces of that type on the chess board, the display shows the piece
       symbol only.

Press CLEAR to return to normal play.

TALKING BACK MOVES

This function lets you take back any move made by you or the computer after
the move has been completed.  The computer even reminds you to return a
previously captured piece to the board or a castled rook to its original
square.

NOTES:  If you are not sure about the position of a previously captured
        piece or castled rook, see "Verifying Piece Positions", above.

        If you change your mind about a move before pressing a piece down
        on its TO square, follow the procedures in "Correcting Accidental
        Wrong Moves", on Faxback Doc. # 33669.

1.  Press TAKE BACK.  The rank/file board lights show the TO square of the
    last move, and the display shows (BLACK [] ) and (WHITE [] ), the piece
    symbol for the last-moved piece, the FROM square, and the TO square of
    the last move.

2.  Press the piece on the indicated TO square.  The rank/file board lights
    change to show the FROM square of the last move.

3.  Move the piece from the TO square to the FROM square.

4.  Press the piece on the indicated FROM square.

    NOTE:  The game timer shows the total amount of time the computer has
           taken to move during the current game.

5.  Repeat Steps 1 through 4 to take back additional moves.  You can take
    back up to 30 ply of moves (a ply is one of your moves or one of the
    computer's moves).

PROBLEM SETUP

You can use the setup mode:

    To erase, re-enter, or relocate pieces any time before or during a game

    To set up problems or puzzles for the computer to solve

NOTE:  If you have already started a game, you must press POSITION during
       your turn to enter the setup mode. Otherwise, you can press POSITION
       any time.

Before using this mode to create your own positions, familiarize yourself
with this procedure by setting up the board positions described in the
following examples.

Full Board Setup

In a full board problem setup, the computer records the positions you enter
into memory and assumes all other pieces remain in their initial positions.
You only need to go through these steps for pieces that you want to remove
or move from their initial positions.  Follow these steps to set up a game
with most of the chess pieces in their original positions.

1.  Set up all of the pieces on the board.

2.  Press NEW GAME.

3.  Press POSITION.  The computer displays - POS -.

4.  Press the piece symbol key for the piece you want to move or remove and
    (WHITE [] ) / < or (BLACK [] ) / >  to change the color, if necessary.
    The computer displays (BLACK [] ) or (WHITE [] ) and the piece symbol
    for the piece you want to move or remove.

5.  Press the piece you want to move or remove on its FROM square.  The
    computer displays (BLACK [] ) or (WHITE [] ) and the piece symbol, -,
    and the square the piece is on.  The rank/file board lights also show
    the piece's FROM square.

6.  If you want to move the piece, move the piece to the desired square,
    then press it on the square.  The computer displays (BLACK [] ) or
    (WHITE [] ) and the piece symbol, +, and the TO square the piece is on.
    The rank/file board lights also show the piece's TO square. If you want
    to remove the piece, just remove the piece from the board.  The display
    does not change.

7.  Repeat Steps 5 and 6 for any other pieces you want to move or remove.

8.  When you finish setting up the pieces, press (WHITE [] ) / < or (BLACK
    [] ) / > until the computer displays (BLACK [] ) or (WHITE [] ) for the
    color that will start, then press CLEAR.  Or, simply press CLEAR, then
    choose the level you want and begin the game.

NOTE:  If the computer beeps an error tone, one or more pieces were moved,
       removed, or entered illegally.  To correct the set up, see
       "Correcting Illegal Setups", on Faxback Doc. # 33671.

Partial Board Setup

Follow these steps to clear the chessboard and set up only a few pieces.

1.  Press NEW GAME.

2.  Press POSITION.  The computer displays -POS-.

3.  Press ENTER.  The computer displays [===] and clears the positions of
    all pieces from the board.

4.  Press ENTER again.  The computer displays (WHITE [] ).

5.  Press the piece symbol key for the piece you want to add and the (WHITE
    [] ) / < or (BLACK [] ) / > to change the color, if necessary.  The
    computer displays (BLACK [] ) or (WHITE [] ) and the piece symbol for
    the piece you want to add.

6.  Press the piece you want to add on its TO square. The computer displays
    (BLACK [] ) or (WHITE [] ) and the piece symbol, +, and the square the
    piece is on.  The rank/file board lights also show the TO square.

7.  Repeat Steps 5 and 6 for any other pieces you want to add.

8.  When you finish setting up the pieces, press (WHITE [] ) / < or (BLACK
    [] ) / > until  the computer displays (BLACK [] ) or (WHITE [] ) for
    the color that will start, then press CLEAR.  Or, simply press CLEAR,
    then play the game.

NOTE:  If the computer beeps an error tone, one or more pieces were added
       illegally.  To correct the set up, see "Correcting Illegal Setups",
       on Faxback Doc. # 33671.

Adding Pieces During a Game

Follow these steps to add pieces during a game.

1.  Press POSITION.  The computer displays -POS-.

2.  Press the piece symbol key for the piece you want to add and (WHITE
    [] ) / < or (BLACK [] ) / > to change the color, if necessary.  The
    computer displays (BLACK [] ) or (WHITE [] ) and the piece symbol for
    the piece you want to add.

3.  Press the new piece onto the square where you want to add it.  The
    computer displays (BLACK [] ) or (WHITE [] ) and the piece symbol, +,
    and the square the piece is on.  The rank/file board lights also show
    the square.

4.  Repeat Steps 2 - 3 for any other pieces you want to add.

5.  When you finish setting up the pieces, press CLEAR.

NOTE:  If the computer beeps an error tone, one or more pieces were added
       illegally.  To correct the set up, see "Correcting Illegal Setups",
       below.

Removing Pieces During a Game

Follow these steps to remove pieces during a game.

1.  Press POSITION.  The computer displays -POS-.

2.  Press the piece symbol key for the piece you want to remove and (WHITE
    [] ) / < or (BLACK [] ) / > to change the color, if necessary.  The
    computer displays (BLACK [] ) or (WHITE [] ) and the piece symbol for
    the piece you want to remove.

3.  Press the piece you want to remove onto its square, then remove it. The
    computer displays (BLACK [] ) or (WHITE [] ) and the piece symbol, -,
    and the square the piece was on.  The rank/file board lights also show
    the square.

4.  Repeat Steps 2-3 for any other pieces you want to remove.

5.  When you finish setting up the pieces, press CLEAR.

NOTE:  If the computer beeps an error tone, one or more pieces were removed
       illegally.  To correct the set up, see "Correcting Illegal Setups",
       below.

Correcting Illegal Setups

To be legal, a setup must meet the following conditions.

    Each side has one king.

    The king for the side which is to move is not in check.

    There are no pawns on the first or eighth rank.

If the computer beeps an error tone, one or more pieces were set up
illegally.  To correct the set up:

    1.  Press the piece symbol key for each piece on the board to verify
        piece positions.  See "Verifying Piece Positions", above.

    2.  Set up a piece, remove the illegal piece, or replace an incorrectly
        placed piece with the correct piece for that square.  See "Erasing
        or Adding Pieces During a Game", above.

    3.  Press CLEAR.

(WL/EB 5/30/96)