Mega 2050X Chess Computer (600-2441) Game Options Faxback Doc. # 33673 The computer's game options let you select the computer's optional features any time before or during a game. These options control how the computer works, selects moves and displays information during play. The game options are divided into the following groups. Operation Mode Playing Mode Rotating Display Each group of game options contains 8 different settings. The chart on Faxback Doc. # ______ , shows the available game options. NOTES: When the computer displays an option, it also displays + or - before the option. + shows that the option is on, and - shows that the option is off. The chart shows the default setting for each option when you install batteries or press ACL to reset the computer. The only two options which go back to their default state when you start a new game are Auto Answer (A1) and Play White from the Top (H1). SELECTING AND CHANGING OPTIONS 1. Choose the option group containing the setting you want to change by pressing OPTION. Once to select the Operation Mode group (see "Operation Mode Options", below). Twice to select the Playing Mode group (see "Playing Mode Options", below). Three times to select the Rotating Display group (see "Rotating Display Options (A3 through H3)", below). The display shows the first option in the option group you selected. 2. Repeatedly press (WHITE [] ) / < or (BLACK [] / > until the display shows the option you want to change. For example, if you want to change option C1 (Silent Mode), press (BLACK [] / > twice. The display shows + (if the option is on) or - (if the option is off). 3. To change the option's setting, either press ENTER or the board square corresponding to the option. 4. Press CLEAR to continue a game, or repeat Steps 1-3 to select and change another option. NOTE: During a game, you can change options A1 (Playing Against Another Person) and H1 (Playing White From the Top of the Game Board) by using these steps. If you press NEW GAME, the computer resets these options to their default settings. OPERATION MODE OPTIONS Playing Against Another Person (A1) The computer normally displays a countermove when you enter a move. However, you can set the computer so it will not answer with a countermove when you make a move by setting this option to -. This option lets you use the computer as a referee when you play against another person, enter a series of moves, or replay a part of a game. NOTES: If you are playing against another person and set this option to -, either player can still use the computer to suggest a move by pressing INFO. The display shows the suggested move. If you are playing against another person and set this option to -, either player can let the computer enter a move for them by pressing ENTER. The display shows the move suggested by the computer. After the player makes the suggested move, this option remains set to -. Sound (B1) The computer normally beeps whenever you press a key or square. However, you can set the computer so it will not beep when you press a key or square by setting this option to -. NOTE: If you set this option to -, the computer still beeps when it moves or when you make an illegal move or press a wrong key. Silent Mode (C1) The computer normally beeps whenever you make an illegal move or press a wrong key. However, you can set the computer so it will not beep at all by setting this option to +. Ticking Clock (D1) The computer's clock is normally silent. However, you can set the computer so the clock ticks like a real chess clock by setting this option to +. Countdown Clock (E1) The computer's clock normally counts up the elapsed time as you play. However, if you are playing a tournament or sudden death level, you can set the clock so it counts down instead of counting up by setting this option to +. Test Program (F1) A service person can display troubleshooting information by setting this option to +. Press ENTER and CLEAR at the same time to stop the test. Automatic Power-Off (G1) The computer normally stays on until you press GO/STOP. However, you can set the computer so it turns itself off after 15 minutes if you do not press a key or make a move by setting this option to +. NOTES: The computer saves game information if it turns itself off. The computer will not turn itself off while it is computing a move. After the computer turns itself off, you can press GO/STOP to continue playing the same game. Playing White from the Top of the Game Board (H1) The computer normally plays the black pieces on the top of the game board and you play the white pieces on the bottom. However, you can set the computer so you can play the white pieces from the top of the game board by setting this option to +. When you set this option to +, set up the board with the black pieces closest to you. PLAYING MODE OPTIONS The computer's playing mode options let you control how the computer selects moves during play. Search Algorithms (A2) The computer contains two types of search algorithms it can use to search for moves during play: selective search and brute force. The selective search algorithm helps the computer limit its search for moves to only those most likely to be successful. The brute force algorithm allows the computer to check every move possibility during play, but results in slower play. The computer normally uses the selective search algorithm (except during mate search play). However, you can set the computer so it uses the brute force algorithm to search for moves by setting this option to -. Easy Mode (B2) The computer normally uses the time while you are thinking of a move to compute its own move. However, you can set the computer so it computes only during its own turn by setting this option to +. This makes it easier for you to beat the computer. Random Mode (C2) The computer normally selects moves that are similar in type and difficulty during a game. However, you can set the computer so it chooses moves randomly during its own turn by setting this option to +. This lets you see and react to a greater variety of moves during a game, and results in more difficult play. OPENING BOOKS The computer's opening book memory contains most major opening strategies so the computer can respond more rapidly during a game's opening moves. The computer has the following opening books: Passive Active Normal Abnormal You can influence the computer's style of play by activating or deactivating any of these options. When you activate an option, the computer selects positions more often from that option. When you deactivate an option, the computer selects fewer positions from that option. NOTE: After you play through the computer's opening book, changing these options has no effect on how the computer plays. However, if you played actively during the game's opening moves, the computer usually continues to respond actively even after it completes the opening moves. Passive Book (D2) The computer normally chooses opening moves that follow active openings and open positions. However, you can set the computer so it can choose moves that follow more passive and closed strategies by setting this option to +. Active Book (E2) The computer normally chooses opening moves that stress passive plays and gambits. However, you can set the computer so it can choose moves that stress more active plays and gambits by setting this option to +. Complete Book (F2) The computer normally chooses only some of the moves from its opening books However, you can set the computer so it can choose any move from its opening books by setting this option to +. NOTE: If you set this option to +, the computer might make questionable or illogical moves during play. This is because its opening book contains responses to many known lines of play (even illogical ones), in case the opponent plays them. Tournament Book (G2) The computer normally chooses from a wide range of moves, ranging in difficulty from easy to difficult. However, you can set the computer so it can choose only the most efficient moves by setting this option to +. NOTE: If you set this option to +, the computer plays extremely well and is almost unbeatable. However, this option also narrows the computer's choice of moves, and makes the computer's responses to moves more limited. Book On/Off (H2) The computer normally selects moves from one or more opening books during the first few moves of a game. However, you can set the computer so it cannot use any of its opening books by setting this option to -. NOTE: If you set this option to -, the computer must compute a response to an opponent's move "from scratch," resulting in slower play. ROTATING DISPLAY OPTION (A3 THROUGH H3) The computer's rotating display game option lets you continuously view the game information described in "Viewing Game Information" while it computes a move, without interrupting the game in progress. As it computes its move, the computer displays each statistic you select, one at a time, at 1-second intervals. NOTES: The computer does not display the count-up game clock while displaying rotating display information. The computer displays ----- and a chosen or selected rotating display option if it has not yet computed the option. Follow the steps in "Selecting and Changing Options", above to select the statistics you want the computer to display. If the computer displays the statistics too quickly, press INFO to freeze the display, then repeatedly press (WHITE [] ) / < or (BLACK [] ) / > to view each statistic one at a time. To unfreeze the display, press OPTION, then press CLEAR. Principal Variation, First move (A3) - the first countermove and the first ply the computer is currently considering (see "Principal Variation", see Faxback Doc. # 33672). Principal Variation, Second move (B3) - the second countermove and the second ply the computer is currently considering. Principal Variation, Third Move (C3) - the third countermove and the third ply the computer is currently considering. Principal Variation, Fourth Move (D3) - the fourth countermove and the fourth ply the computer is currently considering. Position Evaluation (E3) - the computer's current evaluation rating (see "Search Information", on Faxback Doc. # 33672). NOTE: The computer will not display an evaluation rating while set to a mate search level. Current Search Depth (F3) - the computer current search depth. NOTE: The computer will not display search depth information while set to a mate search level. Position Total (G3) - the current number of positions per second that the computer is checking while determining its countermove. Elapsed Time Per Move (H3) - the elapsed time since the last move (see "Chess Clocks", on Faxback Doc. # 33672). (WL/EB 5/30/96)