Copyright: Black Box Chess Copyright ® 1995 The Code Zone


Contents
Rules Summary

The object of Black Box Chess is to guess which chess pieces are occupying the spaces marked "?" on the board.  Clicking on any empty square on the board will show you how many times that square is threatened by the pieces.  The pieces can move over other pieces, unlike real chess (see Making a Guess in the Black Box Chess Rules page for an example).  Drag the pieces from the right of the board to the "?" squares to register your guesses.  Click the "Guess" button to make your guess.  You start the game with 100 points.  Clicking on empty squares costs 2 points.  Wrong guesses cost 5 points.  Try to get the highest score possible!

Black Box Chess Rules

Black Box Chess Options

Black Box Chess Commands


Game Rules
Object of the game

The object of Black Box Chess is to guess the positions of the hidden chess pieces on the board.  On the board, one King, one Queen, one Rook, one Bishop, and one Knight are hidden under the "?".

Try to place the chess pieces in as few moves as possible.  The score is kept on the Title bar.  For help on chess piece movement, see below

Chess Movement

Chess pieces can move in the following ways. . .

A King can move one space in any direction

A Queen can move in vertically or diagonally any number of spaces. . .

A Rook can move vertically and diagonally any number of spaces. . .

A Knight moves two spaces vertically or horizontally followed by one space perpendicular to its original movement (two up, one over). . .

A Bishop can move diagonally any number of spaces. . .

A square is threatened if a piece can move to it.  For example, in the board below, the marked space is threatened by the Knight. . .

Making a Guess

To get a clue as to the configuration of the chess pieces on the board, click on an empty space on the board.  The square will display the number of times that square is threatened.  For example, if a board square shows a 2, then it is threatened by two pieces.

Clicking an empty square for a clue costs you 2 points.

Note that the threats on a square assume that the other pieces do not exist.  For example, in the following board. . .

The marked square is threatened two ways.  Note that this is different from real chess where pieces cannot move over others.

When you think you have all five pieces placed correctly, press the "Guess" button.  If you did not guess correctly, you will lose 5 points.

Hints

Don't be afraid of a wrong guess.  If you've got the configuration down to two or three possibilities, it may be better to guess at one than to remove all doubt by getting more clues.

Be sure to look back at the previous clues you have gotten.  Sometimes a number you ignored before will clue in to the final configuration.

Help Contents

Black Box Chess Options

Black Box Chess Commands


Game Options
How to set Options

To bring up the Options dialog box, choose the "Options..." menu item from the "Game" menu.  If any option is changed within the Option dialog box, the current game being played will be abandoned.  If you do not wish to abandon the current game, select the Cancel button and return to the game.

The Options dialog box is broken up into various sections shown by the tabs at the top of the dialog box.  Clicking on a tab shows the options available for that topic.  For example, the "Extras" tab allows you to choose the background color or texture of the game, and to change the sound options.

Tab Descriptions

Board Tab

The Board tab allows you to change the appearance of the game board. The options for this tab will not affect the rules of the game; however, the look of the board will change..

Board Names

The "Board Names" list box shows the names of all of the board tiles available.  Clicking on a name in the list box selects the new board and previews the tiles in the "Board Preview" area.

Extras Tab

The Extras tab allows you to change the background of the main game window, or to change the sounds used in the game.  Changing the options in the Extras tab does not affect the rules of the game.

Screen Background

The box framing the "Screen Background" list box shows the current background color or texture of the screen.  Highlighting the name of a color or texture in the list box will preview the new background color or texture of the game window.

Game Sounds

Game Sounds Enabled

The "Game Sounds Enabled" check box turns the game sounds on or off.  This option is checked on by default.  Un-checking the box will turn the game sounds off.  If this option is turned off, the rest of the controls below it are disabled.

If your system does not have any sound support (i.e. you are not using a windows-hosted sound card), this option will not be available.

Path...

The Path... button allows you to choose a sound file to be played during a game event.  The game events that can have sounds attached are listed above the button.  You can associate any windows wave file (*.WAV) with a game event.

Test

The Test button plays the sound associated with the game event selected in the list box above the button.  If there is no sound associated with the event, or the selected file is invalid, no sound will be played.

Animation Tab

Drag Pieces

The Drag Pieces radio button shows the piece as you are dragging it.

Hint:  This is the preferable action when dragging with the mouse.

Drag Outlines

The Drag Outlines radio button shows an outline of the piece when it is being dragged.

Hint:  This option is recommended for people with slower computers that cannot keep up with dragging playing pieces.

Show Drag Zones

If the Show Drag Zones option is checked, the game flashes an outline over pieces that can be moved as you move the mouse over them.

Show Drop Zones

If the Show Drop Zones option is checked, the game flashes an outline over areas where you are allowed to drop a piece as you are dragging.

Help Contents

Black Box Chess Rules

Black Box Chess Commands


Game Commands
How To Move Pieces

Clicking on a square with the left mouse button will display a number which indicates how many times that square is being threatened by a chess piece.  Only empty spaces can be clicked.  Spaces that have already been clicked cannot be clicked again. Spaces marked with a "?" cannot be clicked.

Placing chess pieces in Black Box Chess is accomplished by "dragging" them with the mouse.  To drag a piece, click the left mouse button on the piece and hold the mouse button down.  While holding the button down, move the mouse to a "?" square "drop" the piece by releasing the left mouse button.

If you have the "Show Drag Zones" and "Show Drop Zones" options set (found in the Options dialog box on the Animation tab), you will be able to see a ghost image of where the pieces can be picked up and dropped.

Menu Commands

Game Menu

New

Starts a new game.  Abandons any game currently in progress.

Hitting the F2 function key on the keyboard will also start a new game.

Show High Scores...

Shows the high score table.

Options...

Brings up the Options dialog box.  Abandons any game currently in progress if any options are changed.

Exit

Quits Black Box Chess.

Hitting the Alt key plus the F4 function key on the keyboard will also quit the game.

Help Menu

Index

Brings up the main help index.  The help index gives you an introduction to the game and a quick synopsis of the rules.

Hitting the F1 function key on the keyboard will also bring up the main help index.

Game Rules

Displays an in-depth version of the rules.  The Game Rules page provides play examples and hints.

How To Play

Brings up the help page you are reading now.

Balloon Help

Toggles the help balloons on and off.  The help balloons display quick information about each menu item along with a quick synopsis of the rules.

Balloon help is a check-able toggle.  Choose it to turn the balloon help on.  Choose it again to shut it off.

Hitting the Alt key plus the F1 function key on the keyboard will also toggle the balloon help on and off.

About Black Box Chess...

Information about the product.

Panic Button

If you want to quickly pause and minimize the game, hit the Escape key on the keyboard.

Help Contents

Black Box Chess Rules

Black Box Chess Options