USCF Chess instructions

CHESS

Cartridge Instructions

(For 1 or 2 Players)

YOUR CONTROLS

On Either Hand Controller:

[1 - 6] Selects pieces when setting up special chess moves:

[1] -- Bishop

[2] -- Rook

[3] -- King

[4] -- Knight

[5] -- Queen

[6] -- Pawn

[Either Top Side Button] PICK UP/SET DOWN -- Pick up and set down

chess piece

[Left Lower Side Button] TAKE BACK -- Before move is completed,

moves piece back to last position

[Right Lower Side Button] FORCE MOVE -- Forces computer to make

its move

On LEFT Hand Controller:

[7] SIDES -- Reverses the view of the board (If White is at the top of

the screen, press and Black is on top)

[8] COLOR -- In Player vs. Computer, press to switch colors with the

computer or to have the computer make your next move

[9] NEW GAME -- Begins a new game

[Clear] DIFFICULTY LEVEL -- Choose skill level: beginner to advanced

chess

[0] BLANK -- Removes piece when setting up special chess moves

[Enter] MODE -- Choose playing mode: player vs. player, computer vs.

player, computer vs. computer

On RIGHT Hand Controller:

[7] SETUP -- Set up special chess moves

[8] TIMING OPTIONS -- Blanks clocks or blanks screen on computer's

moves

[9] RETRACT -- Takes back completed moves

[Clear] CLEAR BOARD -- Clears the chess board

[0] BLANK -- Removes piece when setting up special chess moves

[Enter] REPLAY -- Replays moves that were retracted

OBJECT OF THE GAME

INTELLIVISION Chess offers many playing options. Play competitive

chess against an opponent or against the computer! Study the

computer's techniques as it plays against itself! Or arrange special

chess situations for problem solving! NOTE: This cartridge does not

teach the fundamentals of chess.

BEGIN THE GAME

To begin the game, press RESET then press the DISC. The game

automatically begins in the Player vs Computer mode at Level 1.

SELECT PLAYING MODE

INTELLIVISION Chess offers three different playing modes. You can

play against the computer, learn from watching the computer play

itself, or compete against another player.

In Player vs Computer, the computer is your opponent. You may use

many special features: play White or Black chess pieces, take back

moves, set up special chess moves, reverse the view of the board,

have the computer give you hints or make moves for you. To chose

this mode, press MODE [Enter] on the left hand controller until you

see PvsC in the upper left corner of the screen.

In Computer vs Computer, you can watch the computer play against

itself. This is a great way to improve your game by watching the

computer's moves.

To choose this mode, press MODE [Enter] on the left hand controller

until you see CvsC in the upper left corner of the screen. Then press

Color [8] on the left hand controller. The game continues

automatically. NOTE: You can interrupt this game at any time, select

another playing mode and continue the game. To do this, hold down

MODE [Enter] until the computer makes its present move. Now choose

the playing mode you want.

In Player vs Player, you challenge another player! You can select the

same features listed above under Player vs Computer.

To choose this mode, press MODE [Enter] on the left hand controller

until you see PvsP in the upper left corner of the screen.

SELECT SKILL LEVEL

If you chose Player vs Player, the skill level has no effect on your

game. It can be set at any level.

If you chose Player vs Computer or Computer vs Computer you have

a choice of six levels of difficulty, and two other playing options.

Level 1 is for beginning chess players. The computer makes its

moves fairly quickly, and plays a simple game of Chess.

In Levels 2-4, the computer progressively plays a more difficult

game. As the level increases, the computer takes longer and longer to

move.

Levels 5 & 6 are for very serious chess players and the computer

may take hours to decide on a move. If you choose level 5 or 6, see

"Timing Options".

In Level 7 the computer continually looks for a better move until

you force it to move. If you choose level 7, see "Timing Options".

In Level 8 you set up a board position and the computer tries to

checkmate in the least number of moves. This is the problem solving

level. The more complex the checkmate, the longer it will take the

computer to move. If you choose level 8, see Set Up Special Chess

Moves.

To chose the skill level, press DIFFICULTY LEVEL [Clear] on the left

hand controller. Press this key until the number in the upper right

corner of the screen matches the skill level you want.

As you press this key, the numbers cycle 1 through 8 then begin

over again. You can change the skill level during a game when it is

the player's move.

PICK UP A CHESS PIECE

Once you choose the playing mode and skill level, you can begin.

Press the edge of the DISC to move the cursor from square to square.

When the cursor is on top of the piece you want to pick up, press the

PICK UP [upper side] button on either hand controller. The piece

flashes, indicating it has been "picked up".

If you decide you don't want to play the piece you picked up, press

TAKE BACK [lower left side button] on either hand controller. The

piece returns to its last position. Now you can pick up another piece.

MOVE A CHESS PIECE

After you pick up a chess piece, press the DISC to position the piece.

When the piece is on the desired square, press the SET DOWN [upper

side] button on either hand controller. The move is now completed.

If you try to make an illegal move, the computer buzzes, returns the

piece to its last position, and displays a ?. This lets you know you

have attempted an illegal move.

NOTE: When it is your turn, you can use any of the keys on both hand

controllers. Once it is the computer's move, the only key you can

activate is FORCE MOVE [lower right side button].

THE SCREEN GOES BLANK

The screen automatically goes blank after about 4 minutes if no keys

or buttons are pushed. To reactivate the screen, press the DISC for

one second. (If the screen goes blank on the computer's move, you

can wait until you hear a gong and the screen automatically returns

when the computer has a move.)

You can make the screen go blank by pressing BISHOP [1] and NEW

GAME [9] simultaneously on the left keypad. This is helpful when

you want to leave the game for a moment.

SPECIAL GAME MOVES

Capturing: When you capture an opponent's chess piece, that piece

disappears from the board. It reappears at the side, showing which

pieces have been captured.

Castling: When this move is legal, move the King two squares towards

the Rook. The move then automatically takes place.

Pawn Promotion: When a pawn reaches the other side of the board,

press any legal chess piece on either hand controller. You can

promote to a Queen or under promote.

En Passant: When this move is legal, move the Pawn to the proper

square and the opposing Pawn will automatically be removed,.

Check & Checkmate: When one player checks the other, the display

shows: CHECK. When the checked King cannot move out of check, the

display shows CHECKMATE.

Stalemate: When a player or the computer has no legal move and is

not in check, the game is stalemated. You see STALEMATE on the

display. NOTE: The computer does not check for repetitions or check

the 50 move rule. You must check for these stalemates yourself.

UNIQUE PLAYING FEATURES

Take back the last move: If you want to take back a move, press the

RETRACT [9] Key on the right hand controller. There is a short delay,

then the last piece moved returns to its previous position. You can

press Retract as many times as you want.

NOTE: If you began by playing a game then switched to the Set Up

Mode, you can only retract to the point when you started the Set Up.

Replay moves: After you take back a move, you can replay it. To do

this, press the REPLAY [Enter] key on the right hand controller.

Change colors with the computer: In Player vs Computer, the player

begins at White and the computer is Black. Press the COLOR [8] Key

anytime in the game and you exchange colors with the computer.

When you press Color, the P & C on the screen switch colors. This lets

you know who is White and who is Black. You can press Color as

much as you like. This is helpful when you want to be Black. Press

Color and you have now changed position with the computer.

You might also want to press color when you want the computer to

make your move. (You can then Retract the computer's move, if you

wish, and make the move yourself.) After the computer has moved,

press COLOR [8] again to return to your original color.

Reverse view of the board: Your view of the board is with Black on

top of the screen and White on the bottom. If you want to reverse

this view, press SIDES [7] on the left hand controller. Now Black can

play from the bottom. You can press Sides as much as you want.

Set up special chess moves: You can enter Set Up during a game to

delete or add pieces, then continue your game. Or you can enter Set

Up, clear the board and create an entirely new board situation. You

can enter Set Up mode at any time. Once you set up the board to

your liking, return to play in order to use any of the other game

features:

To make a change in your game, press SET UP [7] on the right hand

controller.

Now press the DISC to move the cursor from square to square. Stop

the cursor where you wish to place or change a piece. Then press the

chess piece you want on either hand controller.

NOTE: In Set Up, White plays from the bottom.

For example, if you want to place a Queen in the Queen Pawn

position, move the cursor to this spot then press QUEEN [5] on the

keypad. Press once for a White piece and press again for a Black

piece.

You can also erase a piece on the board. To do this position the cursor

on top of the piece you want to erase then press BLANK [0] on either

keypad.

Once you have made all the changes you want, you have a legal

board situation, press SET UP [7] again. If you have an illegal set up,

you see a yellow ?. Correct the illegal situation and press SET UP [7]

again. (You cannot set up a situation where a check or mate can be

made on the first move out of Set Up.) The game continues with

clocks and number of moves at zero!

To set up a new board situation, press SET UP [7] and CLEAR BOARD

[Clear] on the right hand controller.

Add or delete pieces as described above. As you position a piece on

the board, it disappears from the side. When you have set up your

legal board situation, press SET UP [7] again.

Force Move: Press the FORCE MOVE [right lower side] button on either

hand controller and it forces the computer to immediately return

with its best move so far.

If an H appears next to the skill level the computer does not have a

move yet. You must press FORCE MOVE again in order for play to

continue. The computer now starts all over again trying to find a

move. When you press Force Move you are not playing at the skill

level you chose. You are forcing a move before it is ready. If you are

forcing the computer to move often, you should play at a lower skill

level.

NOTE: As long as the "H" is on the screen, you can select a new

playing mode or new skill level. Then clear the hold. (You will

confuse the computer if you select any other mode.)

New Game: Press NEW GAME [9] on the left hand controller and a

new game sets up either the same skill level and playing mode as the

previous game.

Timing Options: It often takes a long while for the computer to make

a move. By pressing TIMING OPTIONS [8] once on the right hand

controller, you can get up and go about other business while you

wait. You will hear a gong when the computer has decided on a

move. The computer's move is saved until you press the DISC. Then

the computer gongs again and makes it move.

You can also make the clocks disappear from the screen if you press

TIMING OPTIONS [8] twice. Press TIMING OPTIONS [8] a third time

and you're back where you started.

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UNITED STATES CHESS FEDERATION

186 Route 9W, New Windsor, New York 12550

Phone: (914) 562-8350

Congratulations on your choice of Mattel's USCF Chess. You now own

an exciting combination of one of the world's oldest games and some

of today's newest technology to help you enjoy it. I'm sure your

chess cartridge will provide you many hours of fun that will actually

improve your chess skill!

The U.S. Chess Federation is the official membership organization and

governing body of America's chess people. We represent the United

States in the World Chess Federation, linking our members with

chess lovers throughout the world. We exist to serve your chess

needs through our monthly magazine, chess rating, catalog sales,

tournament services, reference services, postal chess -- just about

anything for your chess enjoyment.

If we can help you, please drop us a line at the address above. Please

send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to USCF, and we will send

you "Let's Play Chess", a handbook of basic rules and tips on winning.

Meanwhile, good luck in your games against USCF Chess!

Sincerely,

Gerard J. Dullea

Executive Director

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