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-
- ChessMAGIC! -- Playing Area Help
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- The playing board is drawn using ANSI graphics. White pieces are
- white letters on a black background and black pieces are black letters
- on a white background. As shown, the pieces are letter equivalents:
-
- P = Pawn R = Rook
- N = Knight Q = Queen
- B = Bishop K = King
-
- Game data displayed includes game number, current move number, player
- names, ratings and clock times.
-
- The player whose move it is, is flagged with a "->" beside that
- player's name.
-
- The options box shows the available playing area commands.
-
- The status box will display various status messages when needed such as
- White Wins, Game Drawn, Message Waiting, etc. These messages will be
- highlighted and blinking, so as not to be overlooked. All moves and
- commands are entered in the designated "Enter Command/Move" box.
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Making moves
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Algebraic notation (i.e. e2-e4) is REQUIRED when making ChessMAGIC!
- moves. A delimiter is also required in move entry, consisting of any
- character (i.e. e2 e4, d2;d4, b1=c3, etc.).
-
- The only exception to algebraic notation is when castling. In that
- case, you MUST move as o-o (king-side) or o-o-o (queen-side). Use
- lowercase letters, NOT the numeral 0!
-
- After entry of your command/move, press <ENTER> and the system will
- perform upon your request. Invalid commands/moves will not be allowed,
- nor acted upon.
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Board Commands/Options
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- C - Used to display white & black list of captured pieces and their
- corresponding point values.
- D - Used to offer your opponent a draw, but only after you have made
- your move. Until your opponent makes his next move, the draw offer
- remains. Once your opponent has moved, the draw offer is
- automatically removed.
- R - Used to resign your game.
- T - Used to take back your current move. This command is not available
- during games played against computer opponents.
- I - Used to invert (i.e. reverse) the game board.
- K - Used to kill a waiting game. If someone reserves a game and has
- specified you as their opponent, but you don't wish to participate,
- this option is available. The game will be deleted without
- affecting either ratings or statistics (i.e. it never existed).
- L - Used to display complete list of game moves.
- M - Used to enter a message to your opponent (see next page for
- detailed description).
- N - Used to go to the [N]ext available game whether in view or play
- mode. When in play mode, this will take you to next game in which
- it is your move.
-
- By specifying a valid game number, you can go directly to that game
- without stepping through several others:
-
- n34 (will step directly to game #34)
-
- P - Used to access ChessMAGIC!'s Note Pad. This will enable you to
- enter private notes (unseen by your opponent) to yourself as an aid
- in the current game. (See next page for full description.)
- F - Used to refresh the game screen in case something such as line
- noise causes things to get jumbled.
- Q - Used to quit from play mode and return to ChessMAGIC!'s main menu.
- X - Used to exit ChessMAGIC! and return to BBS.
-
-
- * SPACE - Used to abort the computer's "thinking" process.
- * S - Used to resume the aborted computer "thinking" process
- mentioned above.
-
- * NOTE: These two commands are only available when playing against a
- computer opponent.
-
-