If held down, buttons will “auto-repeat”.
3
Playing against the computer
3.1
Your move
3.1.1
Ordinary moves
Make your move just as you would on an ordinary chessboard. The move is acknowledged with a short buzz.
Normally the computer waits for about 0.3 seconds before registering your piece on its new square. This
means that you can carry the move out either by picking the piece up or by quickly sliding it.
If you slide the
piece, it must not linger for too long (more than 0.3 seconds) on an intermediate square, or your move will be
misinterpreted.
To carry out a capture, either your own or the computer’s piece may be picked up first.
3.1.2
Special moves
•
En passant
capture: The captured pawn may be removed before, during or after the move of your
own pawn.
•
Pawn promotion: Move the pawn to the promotion square, or simply remove it from the board. Place
the queen (or other piece) on the promotion square.
•
Castling: First move the king, then the rook.
3.2
The computer’s move
To announce the computer’s move, the red LEDs on the chessboard “blink”, indicating the “from” and “to”
squares alternately. The move is also shown in notation on the “Game score” screen (see Section 4.3 in the
King Element and ChessGenius instruction manuals).
After you move the computer’s piece, it may be necessary to complete a “special” move. The LEDs indicate the
square or squares where a piece must be placed or removed. Note also the “prompts” at the bottom left of
the screen:
The King:
ChessGenius:
In this example, the square h8 must be vacated and the black rook must be placed on f8 (to complete a
castling move).
If the computer gives check, its move is followed by a double buzz, and the lights round the square of your
king and the checking piece(s) will momentarily “blink”.
3.3
Errors
If the position on the chessboard is incorrect
–
for example if you have knocked a piece over or tried to make
an illegal move
–
the “prompts” in the bottom line will indicate the square, or two of the squares, where
something must be adjusted; and the red LEDs at the corners of the squares will shine.
If you need further guidance on where all the pieces should be placed, you can select the “Verify” (VERFY)
function from the King or Chess Genius menu. Until the position is corrected, you cannot start your next
move.
3.4
Symbols displayed in the bottom line
•
(rotating hourglass): The computer is thinking about its move.