Media Depot 5/mediadepotvolume51993.iso/FILES/23/CHESSU4.ZIP/U4KEY.TXT

Text File | 1996-01-29 | 19KB | 427 lines

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Shareware

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Advertisements...

::ECOClass.ZIP - the newest U4 utility!

ECOClass assigns ECO, NIC, or even your own user-defined codes to PGN
chess games. It comes with 2000 predefined opening lines (130,000
positions) which you can modify--or even replace with new opening
classification downloads. Assigns opening descriptions as well. You'll
find ECOClass fast--competing with the big chess databases and capable of
any desired level of accuracy--assigning even five-digit ECO codes.
Opening lines up to 30 moves deep can be added and there is no practical
limit to total positions.

ECOClass: A great way to organize your PGN collections. Use with PGNSRT
and CChunk to group your files by opening.

::Reorganizing your PGN Collection

If you're relying primarily on your word processor or editor, you're
missing out. Unless each new addition is already grouped by opening,
your collection is likely getting more and more random. Arrange games
instead by ECO. At minimum, you'll need ECOClass, ChessU4, and CChunk.
Here's one process: 1) classify any games missing ECO (ECOClass); 2)
break each file into the 5 volume classes of ECO (ChessU4); 3) assemble
the volume segments into larger files (CChunk).

With PGNSrt it's even easier--just batch all ECO-assigned games in files
of 4000, sort by ECO, and use the "signal-string" (<<) feature of CChunk
to break at any ECO level. Assemble the "chunks" with CChunk. (This
provides for very fine divisions.)

With the last method, you can even forget ECO and instead break out your
collection by opening description. PGNSrt will bring them all together;
ECOClass will have provided the descriptions.

::NORMAL.ZIP

The mainstay of any set of programs for dealing with ASCII chess game
collections. You'll want NORMAL (especially) if you have one of the large
database programs as it performs the first step in getting new games into
a reliable, proofed format. Normal checks notation and converts game
headers to PGN. It's able to scan most any text document and retrieve
games, making it indispensable for building up your collections from the
latest games posted on the on-line services and the Internet. NORMAL
forgives the untidy game score and converts it to perfect standard
algebraic.

Version 3.1.1 is now out and 25% faster than 3.1 which in turn was 50%
faster than last year's 2.1.

::The Interface

The author (that's me) of the U4 programs apologizes (just a little) for
the interface. Full-Windows, GUI interfaces are easy to use and look good
besides. Why then the plain White screen? Simple, most programmers spend
85% or more of their time building the interface. That's fine for a single
application but when someone has many ideas for chess utility programs and
not enough time to do each one, it's better to provide a useful number of
products than spend all one's time perfecting a single idea. With the
simple interface, many more programs have been made available.

...And if you don't believe I can write a Windows front-end, you didn't
see ClassC.EXE!
::ChessU4 features you didn't know existed:

Version 2.3 now allows you to export directly to CM4000. There's no
longer any need to rely on your editor to insert all those little
semi-colons.

Coming soon! CM4000 import, complete with annotations!

::PGNSrt.EXE

When you hear someone talk of a large chess collection you might
automatically deduct 30% due to duplicated games. Why do we have so many
of them? Because, despite the claims, they are extremely difficult to
remove from collections....and here we are talking about the big chess
databases. Why not remove them before putting them in? That's the main
function of PGNSrt and it's much faster than other methods--PGNSrt can
sort 4000 games in seconds (a DB will often take 5 minutes!). In addition,
PGNSrt may be the only program which can successfully locate and remove
partial dups. The next version will handle annotated games as well.

For ASCII users, PGNSrt also helps organize collections. Games can be
arranged by notation or ECO. A file can be sequenced by sorting on any
PGN field, or a combination.

::ChessU3.ZIP

The tree searches of Chess Assistant or ChessBase are good for a rough
cut but to really get down into your data, extract 500 or so games of the
line you are interested in--then print to PGN. Do a ChessU3 analysis of
the file and you'll be amazed what you were missing before: lines you
thought were separate will be found to weave in and out; blind
transpositions are eliminated; perpetual draws pointed out. Mini-max
backsolving shows the absolute best line before you've left move 1.

What is ChessU3?? Be waiting for the main ChessU3 banner.

::ChessU3.ZIP

If you're a strong postal or correspondence player and don't own ChessU3
then likely you've lost at least one game unnecessarily. When your
opponent dodges the line you've selected, you can often jump ahead and get
him back on track with a "U3" analysis. This feature works especially well
for the most complex openings such as the Semi-Slav, the Queen's Indian,
and many English openings.

::ClassC (for the Abstract Thinker)

Ever wonder what an entire chess game collection would look like if you
could see it on your screen all at once? In full color?

Most people don't. Wonder that is....but for those that do, ClassC.exe
has a full Windows interface (yes, opening dialogs yet!) to point out
characteristics of chess that have never been seen before. ClassC works
best with opening collections or collections covering a single player.
You'll see that Botvinnik would often play a completely different style
of game depending upon whether he had the White or Black pieces; you'll
notice the deep openings--and those that quickly go off into uncharted
territory. In time, you'll recognize openings by their color-banded
signatures.

::ChessU4.ZIP

The nimble reader... Have you ever asked yourself why someone posting a
game score didn't bother to proof the notation first? Answer: the reader
they own is not ChessU4. With "U4" it's a 15 second operation, and I
know, I just tried it. To do so, type an asterisk instead of the file
name at the startup (input) prompt...

First second: click the ChessU4 icon, it opens; 3rd second: type "*",
NotePad opens; 6th second: Paste (Ctrl/V); 9th second: choose "Save";
12th second: choose "Close" (NotePad); 15th second: press Enter twice.
Voila!

Actually my best time (and on a 386) was 10 seconds. So what's the rush?

::CChunk.ZIP

One of the most difficult tasks when working with ASCII chess collections
is combining games from individual files and breaking larger files into
smaller pieces. Most editors are simply not up to the task. Use CChunk
instead to split and combine files--it's designed to work with chess games.

Incidentally, Ver. 2.0 has been completely rewritten. You'll find the new
interface much easier to use!

::ChessU4 features you didn't know existed

There are a lot of nice chess readers, both shareware and commercial, on
the market these days and some have some very good features. When working
with large ASCII collections, however, ChessU4 is usually your best
bet--it's much faster and designed for the big jobs. It seems to be the
only one with position and header searches....quickly scanning up to 4000
games in a file. Version 2.0 introduced "logic" searches.

Some "Find" (f) examples:

  <Kasparov><Karpov>     [find any game which includes both players]
  <Kasparov>,<Karpov>    [find any game played by either player]

Any PGN field can be combined in the search. Complex AND/OR Boolean logic
search statements can be constructed--including the use of nested
conditions.

::PERTO.ZIP (Part I)

"PERTO" is short for "repertoire." It is a program which will help you
eliminate surprises by plugging the holes in your stock of openings.

Before, players were limited to a general choice of openings. Now, for the
first time, PERTO allows one to choose a specific, advance position--then
plugs all holes leading up to it. This feature makes it perfect for the
OTB player who wishes to cover all bases--or the correspondence player who
hopes to lead the game into one's own territory and avoid that chosen by
the opponent.

::PERTO.ZIP (Part II)

For a chosen line leading to a position of any depth, PERTO will scan up
to 8000 PGN games and locate _every_ game which contains the position or
_any_ line leading up to it. All possible lines thus selected are
summarized to each unique series of moves which achieve the selected
position.

During the summarization, all "stoppers" which could break away from
the main line are likewise summarized and counted. Summarization can be
for both sides or from a White or Black perspective only. If you're White
and hope to continue your game in the lines of the Najdorf--you'll see
every advance move required and the probabilities of alternative moves to
expect should your opponent wish to steer the game elsewhere.

...Want to reach the winning position in Alterman - Kamsky? PERTO will
show you how.

::HighRank.EXE

HighRank is for serious collectors who take special pains in making
sure their collections are accurate and complete with regard to player
information. HighRank "researches" player names, assigns ratings, and also
categorizes games on player ability. A "fuzzy-name" matcher locates the
correct player even when spelling and punctuation differ. Using ratings
files, the program can split ASCII game collections into two parts--those
played by professionals and those by amateurs. It also normalizes player
names--assigning each a single, selected usage. No longer will your
collections have 15 different spelling for Viktor Korchnoi!

::NIC2PGN.EXE

This program is for users of NiC (New in Chess) databases--and for those
that receive their games. It converts NIC formatted game headers to PGN.

::ChessU4 features you didn't know existed:

...Want to send that brilliancy you just played to a chess magazine and
have is published? You could spend a couple of days annotating the game
score, print it out and mail it in--hoping the feature writer was having a
slow week and had time to play through the score or type it in.

On the other hand, you could use the "d*" command of ChessU4. All you need
in addition is a chess font such as Linares or Tilburg. The "d*" (diagram)
option produces a text file of the entire game in a series of tiny,
perfect chessboards. Just open and print with MS Word.

A layout feature allows you to compose a page and show all, or just some
of the diagrammed positions during the game.

The regular "d" (diagram) command produces a single, larger chess diagram
using your chosen chess font. You can then place these individually into
the ASCII chess score.

Finally, you can convert your chess score into full, international
symbolic.

::ChessU4 features you didn't know existed:

Want to turn your ChessU4 into a full-fledged chess publisher? You'll
need the Linares font. It's available (for about $35) from,

        Steve Smith
        [e-mail]
        Alpine Electronics
        526 West 7th St, Powell WY, 82435, USA

        Telephone: [phone]

::NORMAL.ZIP -- Don't forget Drag & Drop!

You've downloaded a half-dozen PGN game files and have them in a remote
directory....how are you going to remember all those file names when
NORMAL asks for them?? Don't. Just start the Windows File Manager and drop
the files one-by-one onto the NORMAL icon. You can append all output while
doing so. Drag & drop works also for ChessU4 and a number of other "U4"
family programs.

::ChessU4 features you didn't know existed:

You can't move the pieces with ChessU4 (boo!) since the DLL that produces
the board is "read-only." However, if you've downloaded the Waxman chess
program (sometimes found under "WaxChess") you're just a second or two
away from the possibility. With the new ChessU4 Version 2.3, the handy
little WaxChess board (by Check-Tech Software, Inc.) pops up in an
instant. Next, just open the default ".pos" file and the selected ChessU4
game is on your screen for analysis and "what if."

::Flash!

See an ad that interests you while running NORMAL but your Pentium is
reaching orbital speeds? Just press the mouse cursor to the window bar
and it will hold the message.

::ChessU3.ZIP

If there's a secret weapon in the U4 arsenal then its name is ChessU3.
ChessU3 was actually the first program ever developed in the family of
utilities. Trouble was, up till now, it was only available on disk. This
has changed--there is now a demo in a library near you.

ChessU3 is an ASCII tree-searcher. If you own ChessBase or Chess Assistant
then you know what a tree-searcher is. But how many times has this
happened? You are following a great line in your chosen defense; Black
scores 7 to 0 in the current position. You click the forward arrow, going
one position deeper in the tree, then Poof! The advantage disappears.
There are now 50 games and Black maintains only the slightest advantage.
What happened?? It was an illusion as one or more transpositions flowed
into the subsequent position and spoiled everything.

Your time following bum leads comes to an end with ChessU3 since it sees
through ALL forward transpositions ahead of time--even from move one. At
any position transpositions have already been taken into account and show
in the win/loss/draw statistics. How does ChessU3 do it? That's the secret!

::CMSTAT.EXE

Do you own CM4000? CMSTAT takes an analyzed score (Mentor) from Chess
Master 4000 and shows the ups and downs of the game visually by producing
an Excel barchart. It also creates an annotated game score where the
numeric evaluations from CM4000 have been converted to ?, !, ?!, and ?!
move comments. When a blunder or losing move is noted, the correct line is
also inserted into the game score. The PGN scores produced allow the
sub-variations to be played by your Chess Assistant or ChessBase database.

::ChessU4 features you didn't know existed.

Suffering from ICCF international postal notation paranoia? Do you go back
and forth checking your moves against the little numbered board that come
with your Section start-up kit? Stop worrying--just keep your postal
records in ChessU4 then use the "u" ("Using ICCF") option to export the
game just before filling out your postal card. View this file in NotePad
and transfer the numeric moves. The standard notation is listed right
alongside so you know you're sending the move you want.

::ChessU4 features you didn't know existed.

Eric Churchill's RECORD is a great way to keep track of on-line games but
when you're playing official postal (USCF, ICCF, etc.), move recording is
a bit more stringent. Here's an example of what you can do in ChessU4:

        Onstad,Paul - Kuthe,Hans-Peter
        cr ICCF WT/H/913 1995
        1.Kuthe,Hans-Peter, Schleswiger Weg 13, D-33102 Paderborn,
        Germany
                                {Sent     Postmarked Received } {W/B}

        1.e4 {5254}             {16-Nov-95 16-Nov-95 21-Nov-95} {1/-}
          c5 {3735}             {22-Nov-95 22-Nov-95 25-Nov-95} {-/1}
        2.Nf3 {7163}            {27-Nov-95}                     {2/-}

                        {Total Time - PWO: 3 / HPL: 1}
        {========}
        1/2

You can keep all your games in a single text document--the "List" command
of Version 2.3 works perfectly with the above format. Just restrain
yourself and avoid sending the little "1/2" terminator at the end!

::Now on CompuServe....SWREG!

The U4 author is a starving, unemployed, nearly homeless individual who
should be working (and can only afford a 386) but all he does is write
chess software! He can't afford a Visa/MC account. However, this has left
some out in the cold who haven't access to U.S. funds. There is now a
solution in CompuServe's software registration service....check the DES
when you do your download.

SWREG has a single price and that is 35 US$ for ALL "U4" family software.
You will receive an immediate validation by EMail with a disk Airmailed
the same day. There are no additional shipping charges.

FEDEX or other special delivery is available only if you compute the
additional charges and include the extra amount with your order.

::Registration

You've had NORMAL six months now and committed these banners to memory?
Well congratulations! Your next step is to send in your registration.
Doing so will have one disadvantage--these banners will go away. It's been
fun talking though!

Prices:

        Pkg 1: $10 - U4 family EMail validation for NORMAL, ChessU4,
                     PGNSrt--and your choice of one other
        Pkg 2: $15 - Pkg.1 + ChessU3, HighRank, PERTO, ECOClass
        Pkg 3: $20 - Pkg.1 + Pkg.2 shipped by disk. Additionally, includes
                     CChunk, CMStat, ClassC, NIC2PGN, CollEdit
        Pkg 4: $35 - Pkg.3 using CIS SWREG - shipped airmail overseas

Make out check or money order to:
                                        Paul W. Onstad
  [e-mail]             10168 Parrish Ave NE
                                        Elk River, MN 55330
                                        USA

::Special Offer -- Free Validation!

No offense, but if the only program you use from the U4 group is
NORMAL.EXE (or any other $5.00 program), you might still appreciate a
validation. Putting a $5.00 check in the mail is likely too much trouble
so here's the offer: (I'm usually in the market for some games of a
particular opening....so...)

If you have a fairly substantial collection, send me a note EMail. I'll
reply with an opening, ECO, line, or position I'm interested in. If it
sounds like a deal, we'll agree to the nearest 500 games (Normalized PGN,
of course). You send me the games in a ZIP file and I'll send you a
validation for NORMAL (or your other choice).

I already have most of the opening collections from CIS so I'd be more
interested if your collection was built from a variety of sources.

:: End