To learn how to use Help choose "Using Help" from the Help menu or press F1.
How to Play
To move a piece, place the mouse cursor over the piece, click the left mouse button once, move the cursor to the desired square and click again. To enter a move using the keyboard enter F2. A dialog box will be displayed. Enter the move in algebraic notation. To castle enter o-o, for a queen side castle enter o-o-o. To promote a pawn onto the last rank enter the move followed by the first letter of the piece to promote to. (ie q for queen, r for rook, b for bishop, n for knight.) To abort a move or change your mind about what piece to move click on the square the piece was originally at.
When the computer is calculating its move you can abort the look ahead and force it to immediately take a move by entering Control C.
Commands
GNU Chess menu commandschess_menu
Background Information
Article: What is GNU Chessarticle_1
Article: Experiences of communal developlmentarticle_2
GNU Chess Copyright noticecopyright
GNU Chess move generatormove_gen
GNU Chess heurisiticsheuristics
GNU Chess sample match with MACHsample_game
# $ + GNU Chess Menu Commands
All the commands to control actions of the game are controlled via menus. Select the specific menu item you require help on.
Filecommand_file Save and restore a game
Editcommand_edit Change board setup
Optionscommand_options Adjust game options
Skillcommand_skill Adjust the degree of difficulty of the game
Sidecommand_side Choose what side to have to computer play
Colorscommand_colors Sets up screen colors
Hintcommand_hint Provides a suggested move
Help Enters the help system
# $ + File Menu
The File menu allows the saving and restoring of games. Specific functions available are:
New Starts a new game.
Save Saves an in progress game. A dialog box will be opened to enter a file name
Open Loads a saved game. A dialog box will be opened to enter a file name
List Lists the moves of a game in print-out format. A dialog box will be opened to enter a file name.
Exit Exit the game.
# $ + Edit Menu
The Edit menu allows the board setup to be changed and moves to be taken back.
Setup Board Choosing this command places the game into setup mode. A new board setup is provided. You adjust the setup by selecting a piece with mouse and placing it on the desired square. To remove a piece from the board pick it up a blank square and place it on the piece to be removed.
Undo Removes the last played move
Remove Removes the last complete move ( Basically 2 undo's)
Force Toggles manual mode. Lets user enter moves for both sides or allows use by two players as an electronic chess board.
# $ + Options Menu
The Options menu allows adjustment of the behavior of the game.
Tone When checked the computer beeps after taking a move. To make the game silent select this option, the check mark will be removed.
Coordinates When checked the algebraic notation will be printed along the edge of the board
Search Stats When checked a status box will display the moves GNU chess is evaluating for use.
Test This selects a speed test. The numbers presented in the results box can be compared to other versions of GNU chess.
Hash Enables internal move hashing
Book When checked GNU chess uses its opening book
Both Auto Play mode. Choose any square to abort. Sometimes after aborting autoplay the game will perform a bogus move. Use UNDO or REMOVE to cancel.
A Window Sets an internal move generator value
B Window Sets an internal move generator value
Contemp Sets an internal move generator value
# $ + Skill Menu
Adjusts playing ability of GNU Chess.
Time Presents a dialog box to choose the time limits for the game.
Random This cause GNU chess to randomly select among equally rated moves.
Easy When checked this enables "easy" mode, where the computer not allowed to think while the user takes a move. To have GNU Chess play a stronger game uncheck this option. The look ahead is aborted when the mouse is clicked.
Depth Presents a dialog box to set the maximum number of moves to look ahead.
# $ + Side Menu
Allows the user to choose which side the computer will play
Reverse Rotates board 180 degrees.
Switch Switch sides with the computer. (If computer is black it becomes white)
Black Computer plays black
White Computer plays white
# $ + Colors Menu
Allows the colors of the screen to be set. The color settings are saved in the file CHESS.INI in the windows directory. Choosing "Default Colors" restores color settings to program defaults.
# $ + Hint Menu
The Hint menu provides a suggested move. The hint is based on GNU chess's projection of what move the user will take when calculating its look-ahead. The quality of the hint is dependent on the amount of time GNU chess has to think.
# main_index
$ Help Index
+ index:0005
# chess_menu
$ GNU Chess menu commands
+ index:0010
# command_file
$ File Menu Command
+ command:0005
# command_edit
$ Edit Menu Command
+ command:0010
# command_options
$ Options Menu Command
+ command:0015
# command_skill
$ Skill Menu Command
+ command:0020
# command_side
$ Side Menu Command
+ command:0025
# command_colors
$ Colors Menu Command
+ command:0030
# command_hint
$ Hint Menu Command
+ command:0035
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# main_index
$ Help Index
+ index:0005
# chess_menu
$ GNU Chess menu commands
+ index:0010
# command_file
$ File Menu Command
+ command:0005
# command_edit
$ Edit Menu Command
+ command:0010
# command_options
$ Options Menu Command
+ command:0015
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