Checkers/Draughts instructions

CHECKERS

Cartridge Instructions

(For 1 or 2 Players)

New tricks to the old game! Beat a friend, electronically. Or take on

the canny computer in the time-honored contest of strategy,

patience, and skill. Think you've played checkers? You've never

played it like this! INTELLIVISION checkers is a game with all the

moves!

OBJECT OF THE GAME

To sweep the board of your opponent's men (checkers) by "jumping"

them, or to trap them so that your opponent is unable to make a

move.

CHECK YOUR CONTROLS

[1] YOU VS. OPPONENT (2 Player Mode)

[2] YOU VS. COMPUTER -- You Move First

[3] YOU VS. COMPUTER -- Computer Moves First

[5] COMPUTER SUGGESTS MOVE -- Gives advice on your best next

move.

[6] HI SKILL

[8] LO SKILL -- Determine difficulty of game. (Use ONLY when

playing computer.)

[Clear] CLEAR -- Lets you change a move.

[0] SELECT MAN -- Registers choice of man to move.

[Enter] ENTER -- Makes choice of move final.

DIRECTION DISC -- Moves man/cursor. Imagine Disc divided into 4

quarters. Press quarter that corresponds to direction you want to

move.

SIDE BUTTONS - Not used in INTELLIVISION Checkers.

BRING ON THE BOARD

Press the Direction Disc and the checkerboard appears on the TV

screen. This is the standard board you're familiar with. Board has 8

rows of 8 alternating red and black squares.

NAME YOUR GAME!

There are 5 different ways to play INTELLIVISION Checkers. Pit your

wits against the computer and choose between 2 different game

modes (YOU MOVE FIRST or COMPUTER MOVES FIRST) and 2

different skill levels (LO SKILL or HI SKILL). Or play another person

(YOU VS. OPPONENT).

Press one of the 3 control buttons on the top row of your Hand

Controller to select your game mode. Checkers will appear on the

board in their starting positions.

In both YOU VS. OPPONENT and YOU MOVE FIRST modes, white

checkers appear at the top of the board, blue on the bottom. In

COMPUTER MOVES FIRST mode, this order is reversed.

When playing the computer, whoever moves first controls the blue

checkers. (Use either Hand Controller.) When playing another person,

the right Hand Controller moves the blue checkers, left Hand

Controller moves the white checkers.

INSPECT YOUR MEN!

At game's start, checkers are called SINGLE MEN. Single Men may

move diagonally on the black squares IN A FORWARD DIRECTION

ONLY.

When a Single Man reaches his KING ROW (opposite his starting end

of the board), he is CROWNED and becomes a KING. A King may move

EITHER FORWARD OR BACKWARD on the black squares.

SINGLE MAN appears as a plain disc.

KING appears as a disc with a DASH in its center.

CURSOR is a tan disc with a square "WINDOW" in its center. It is used

to move your men around the board.

YOU ARE NOW READY TO PLAY INTELLIVISION CHECKERS!!!

HOW TO PLAY INTELLIVISION CHECKERS (YOU VS. COMPUTER)

1. Select who moves first and skill level of game.

If computer moves first, it will make its move after you select skill

level.

If you move first, computer will instruct you to SELECT MAN TO

MOVE. The instruction will print out on your TV screen.

2. Use the DIRECTION DISC to move the CURSOR into position over the

man you wish to move. Press SELECT MAN button. A LOW TONE will

sound.

3. Computer will instruct you to SELECT MOVE. Use the Direction Disc

to move man to an open, adjacent black square.

4. Press ENTER button to complete your move. You will hear a series

of VARYING-PITCHED BEEPS as computer "thinks over" its next move.

When the computer moves, 2 LOW TONES will sound.

5. TO JUMP, follow instructions for a regular move. Although you will

move more than one square, press the Direction Disc only ONCE for

each jump. Computer will advance your man to the correct square

and move the "jumped" man to the side of the board. (Press the Disc

twice to double-jump, 3 times to triple-jump, etc.)

6. To change a move, press CLEAR button. Man and cursor will return

to their original position and you may then select a different square

or man. AFTER ENTER BUTTON IS PRESSED, YOU MAY NOT CHANGE

YOUR MOVE.

7. If you attempt an illegal move (moving more than one square, not

taking a jump, etc.), a BUZZER will sound and computer will not

complete your move.

8. When a Single Man reaches his King Row and is crowned, a DASH

appears in the center of the checker to mark it as a King. Crowning

completes a move, even if the new King is now in position to jump an

opponent's man.

9. You may pick the computer's brain for advice on your next move

by pressing COMPUTER SUGGESTS MOVE [5]. Cursor will automatically

move to the suggested man and a small white arrow will indicate the

suggested move. If you wish to take this move, follow instructions

for a regular move. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO FOLLOW COMPUTER'S

SUGGESTION.

10. END OF GAME. If you win, computer plays a VICTORY TUNE. If

you lose, computer gives a BRONX CHEER and prints "YOU LOSE" on

the screen.

(YOU VS. OPPONENT)

1. Flip a coin to decide who controls the blue checkers (right Hand

Controller). This person moves first.

2. Computer will print out instructions on the TV screen for BOTH

you and your opponent to SELECT MAN TO MOVE and SELECT MOVE.

These will appear for you in the color of your men, for your

opponent in the color of his/her men.

3. A LOW TONE will sound for you and your opponent after SELECT

MAN and ENTER buttons are pressed.

4. Computer WILL NOT suggest move when you play another person.

If you press COMPUTER SUGGESTS MOVE button [5] in this mode,

computer will print out "I CAN'T HELP YOU."

5. END OF GAME. Computer plays a VICTORY TUNE for the winner and

prints out "YOU LOSE" in the loser's color.

SOME BASIC CHECKERS RULES

* Your moves must be DIAGONAL, one space at a time.

* You MUST jump your opponent's man when he occupies a black

square adjacent to and in front of your man, and when there is an

empty square beyond him into which you can jump.

* YOU CANNOT JUMP YOUR OWN MAN.

* If more than one jump move is possible, you may CHOOSE which

jump to take. If you can jump more than one of your opponent's men

in a row, you MUST take a double-jump.

* A KING MAY JUMP EITHER FORWARD OR BACKWARD.

* TIED GAME (DRAW). The game will end in a draw if neither player

can capture the other's men or prevent the other from making a

move.

* ILLEGAL MOVES won't work. BUZZER will sound. No time limit on

moves and you can change your mind on a move.

HOW TO WIN

* Think before you move! Try to stay one "jump" ahead of your

opponent.

* Sacrifice a man if his loss puts you in a position to jump 2 of your

opponent's men.

* Keep your men in tight formation. The more they are strung out,

the more vulnerable they are.

* Keep your opponent from getting crowned. The first player to be

crowned has a decided advantage.

* Use kings wisely. Remember: Kings can move both forward AND

BACKWARD.

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