chess state that a player can claim
a draw. If you wish, you can ignore
the message and continue the
game. When a stalemate is
reached, the display will read
StALE.
Game-Ending Messages
Touch Chess will announce mate
in two (MAtE2) and mate in three
(MAtE3). It will also dMAtE
when executing a checkmate.
When you checkmate Touch
Chess, it will display I LOSE.
When you want to claim a win,
draw, or want to resign, press the
2nd key and then START.
Screen Symbols
When a ‘+’ appears on the screen,
it is a reminder that you are in
check. When an ‘O’ appears on the
screen, the game you are playing
can be rated. When an ‘=’ appears,
it indicates you are in two human
player mode. Lastly, when an ‘!’
appears on the screen, you are
being warned that one of your
pieces is threatened with capture.
(This is similar to the friendly "en
garde" warning sometimes used
by human players when they are
attacking an opponent’s queen.)
Levels of Play
Generally, the higher the level you
select, the better Touch Chess will
play, and the longer it will think dur-
ing its moves. The first four levels
(1, 2, 3 and 4) are beginner levels
and take approximately 4, 8, 12
and 16 seconds per move, respec-
tively. Level 5 is a fixed 1-ply (one-
half move) search. Levels 6
through 15 take about 1 second
per level number, so level 10 will
average about 10 seconds per
move. Levels 16 through 72 take
about 2 seconds per level number.
The amount of time taken will vary
depending on the position, the
stage of the game, and whether or
not the FAST level option is on.
(See “Level Options,” page 3.)
Level 73 is an infinite level. Touch
Chess will take as long to move as
you want it to, or until it finds a
mate position in its search. Level
73 is good for problem solving (like
the MATE problems available
under OPTIONS), or it can be used
to play against. When you are tired
of waiting, press the MOVE key
while the computer is thinking, and
the computer will stop thinking and
play the best move it’s found so far.
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