Más de 2,500 Juegos

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ Más de 2,500 Juegos / CD2.iso / zipdat / 1493 / 1493.txt next >

Wrap

Text File | 1998-05-02 | 18.7 KB | 389 lines

╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ TOMMY'S DUMB & DUMBER XIANG QI, DOS VERSION, (C) COPYRIGHT 1998 BY ║ ║ TOMMY'S TOYS (TM). ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ║ ║ MAILING ADDRESS: P. O. BOX 11261, DENVER, CO 80211 USA. ║ ║ CATALOG #TM-202-1A ║ ║ HTTP://WWW.TOMMYSTOYS.COM TOMTOYS@AOL.COM ║ ╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ INSTRUCTIONS: ***TO EXIT, HIT FUNCTION KEY F1, THEN THE Y KEY. ***TO DISPLAY THESE INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE PROGRAM, HIT FUNCTION KEY F5. XIANG QI (PRONOUNCED ZHANG KEY) OR CHINESE CHESS IS ONE OF THE THREE MAJOR VERSIONS OF EARTH CHESS, THE OTHER TWO BEING OCCIDENTAL (WESTERN OR CLASSICAL) CHESS AND SHOGI (JAPANESE CHESS). SINCE THE ENGLISH ARE BARBARIANS, THEY LOST THE ORIGINAL NAME OF SHAK-MAT (CHECKMATE), AND HENCE ZHANG-KEY AND SHO-GI SOUND FUNNY AND DON'T RING A BELL (HA HA). THE CHINESE VERSION IS MORE LIMITED AS TO THE MOVEMENT AND NUMBER OF ATTACKING PIECES; AND THE PRESENCE OF A "CASTLE" FOR EACH SIDE'S KING THAT IT CAN NEVER LEAVE AND CAN END UP TRAPPED IN, IS ALSO LIMITING -- BUT OVERALL THE GAME CAN BE JUST AS CHALLENGING WHEN IT IS ACCEPTED AS MUCH MORE FAST-PACED AND TACTICAL THAN STRATEGIC IN NATURE. LIKE ANYTHING CHINESE, IT IS PLAYED BY COUNTLESS MULTITUDES, AND YOU CAN BUY XIANG QI SETS AT ANY CHINATOWN CHEAP (GRIN). DUMB & DUMBER XIANG QI MODE: AND WHEN YOU'RE READY, TRY TOMMY'S DUMB & DUMBER XIANG QI <TM>, WHERE THE RULES CHANGE FROM GAME TO GAME! THERE ARE SEVERAL NEW TYPES OF PIECES WITH THEIR OWN RULES OF MOVEMENT AND CAPTURE, AND WHY NOT? YOU CAN ONLY HAVE AT MOST ONE OF EACH TYPE OF PIECE AT THE START OF EACH GAME! DUMB AND DUMBER (HA HA)! DIFFICULTY LEVELS: YOU CAN SET THE DIFFICULTY LEVEL AS ANY NUMBER FROM 1 (EASIEST) TO 9 (HARDEST); WHILE THE PC IS THINKING, YOU CAN FORCE IT TO QUIT THINKING AND TAKE THE CURRENT BEST MOVE (NOT OFTEN THE BEST MOVE POSSIBLE!) BY HITTING THE ESC KEY. *NOTE: UNREGISTERED SHAREWARE VERSIONS CAN ONLY GO TO LEVEL 1. THE BOARD: THE BOARD SIZE IS 10 ROWS BY 9 COLS. SINCE EAST IS EAST AND WEST IS WEST, AND NEVER THE TWAIN SHALL MEET, THE GAME IS PLAYED ON THE INTERSECTION OF LINES RATHER THAN INSIDE BOARD SQUARES. BUT, TOMMY'S XIANG QI PRESERVES THE WESTERN CHECKERBOARD CONFIGURATION TO BE DIPLOMATIC (HA HA). THE RIVER AND THE CASTLES: THE INVISIBLE BOUNDARY BETWEEN THE MIDDLE TWO (5TH AND 6TH) ROWS IS CALLED THE RIVER, AND REPRESENT THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN THE TWO KINGDOMS AT WAR. THE KING ON EACH SIDE IS THE TARGET OF CHECKMATE, AND HIS MOST UNUSUAL FEATURE IS HIS LACK OF MOBILITY, BEING LIMITED TO A 3 X 3 "KING'S SQUARE" OR CASTLE AT THE REAR OF HIS ARMY. ANOTHER UNUSUAL FEATURE IS THAT THE KINGS CANNOT FACE EACH OTHER ACROSS AN OPEN FILE. IN DUMBER XIANG QI THE COMPUTER RANDOMLY SELECTS (NON-SOLDIER) PIECES FROM THE LIST BELOW, AND EACH PLAYER GETS THE SAME. THERE WILL NEVER BE MORE THAN 1 PIECE OF A GIVEN TYPE SELECTED. THE PIECES ON EACH SIDE ARE THEN SHUFFLED RANDOMLY TO MAKE IT EVEN DUMBER! (SHUFFLING IS OPTIONAL IN DUMB XIANG QI, MANDATORY IN DUMBER XIANG QI). THE GAME ENDS WHEN THE PLAYERS AGREE TO A DRAW, ONE PLAYER FORFEITS THE GAME, WHEN ONE PLAYER LOSES HIS KING (IS CHECKMATED), OR WHEN STALEMATE IS REACHED (STALEMATED PLAYER, WHO CANNOT MOVE, LOSES). HOME ROW: EACH PLAYER'S HOME ROW IS THE ROW CLOSEST TO HIM, WHERE THE KING STARTS OUT. THE SOLDIERS ARE ALWAYS STARTED OUT IN THE FOURTH ROW. MOVING TOWARDS THE ENEMY'S HOME ROW IS CALLED MOVING FORWARD. OPENING POSITION: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 J T--H--E--V--K--V--E--H--T | | | | \|/ | | | | I ------------------------- | | | | /|\ | | | | H ---C-----------------C--- | | | | | | | | | G S-----S-----S-----S-----S | | | | | | | | | F ------------------------- | | | RIVER | | | E ------------------------- | | | | | | | | | D S-----S-----S-----S-----S | | | | | | | | | C ---C-----------------C--- | | | | \|/ | | | | B ------------------------- | | | | /|\ | | | | A T--H--E--V--K--V--E--H--T 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 THE SQUARES DEFINED BY A4-C4-C6-A6 AND J4-H4-H6-J6 ARE CALLED THE CASTLES. A KING CAN NEVER LEAVE HIS CASTLE, BECAUSE HE DOESN'T WANT TO SOIL HIS EXPENSIVE SILK ROBES (JUST KIDDING, HA HA). PIECES: S = SOLDIER (PAWN) C = CANNON (ROOK) T = TANK (ROOK) H = HORSE (KNIGHT) E = ELEPHANT (BISHOP) V = ADVISER K = KING (KING) THESE INITIALS COME FROM THE LITERAL TRANSLATION OF THE CHINESE CHARACTER INTO ENGLISH (EXCEPT FOR TANK). THE LETTERS IN PARENTHESES REPRESENT THE CLOSEST WESTERN EQUIVALENT OF THE PIECE. ADVISOR THIS PIECE IS LIMITED TO MOVING ONE SPACE ONLY ON THE DIAGONALS V IN THE KING'S CASTLE: O-----O | \|/ | ---O--- <-- KING'S CASTLE | /|\ | O-----O THE O'S MARK THE POSSIBLE POSITIONS OF THE ADVISOR. THIS PIECE CANNOT LEAVE THE CASTLE. OTHER NAMES FOR THIS PIECE ARE THE MANDARIN AND THE GUARD. KING LIKE THE ADVISOR, THE KING MUST STAY WITHIN THE CASTLE. K INSTEAD OF MOVING ON THE DIAGONALS, THE KING MOVES ONLY ORTHOGONALLY (UP/DOWN, LEFT/RIGHT). IN OTHER WORDS, IT CAN MOVE LIKE THE WESTERN KING MINUS DIAGONALS. ANOTHER NAME FOR THIS PIECE IS THE GENERAL. BESIDES ITS REGULAR MOVE, THE KING HAS THE THEORETICAL POWER OF ATTACKING THE OPPOSING KING ALONG AN OPEN FILE, MOVING JUST LIKE A TANK. ANY MOVE THAT PUTS THE KINGS OPPOSITE ONE ANOTHER ALONG AN OPEN FILE, MAKING THEM FACE EACH OTHER, IS THEREFORE EQUIVALENT TO MOVING INTO CHECK, AND, WHILE LEGAL, LOSES FACE (HA HA). TANK MOVES AND ATTACKS JUST LIKE A ROOK. THIS PIECE CAN CROSS THE T RIVER. THE ACTUAL TRANSLATION IS CAR OR THE ANCIENT EQUIVALENT OF ONE. ANOTHER NAME FOR IT IS THE CHARIOT. ELEPHANT MOVES AND ATTACKS LIKE A BISHOP EXCEPT THAT IT ALWAYS HAS TO E MOVE TWO SQUARES AT A TIME. IT CANNOT CROSS THE RIVER. THEREFORE, THE ELEPHANTS ON THE BOTTOM WILL ONLY BE ABLE TO OCCUPY A3, E3, A7, C1, C5, C9, AND E7. SOLDIER THIS PIECE CAN ONLY MOVE FORWARD WHEN IT IS ON THE SIDE OF S ITS OWN COLOR. AFTER IT CROSSES THE RIVER, THOUGH, IT CAN MOVE LEFT AND RIGHT INSTEAD. THE SOLDIER CAN NEVER MOVE BACKWARDS. HORSE THIS PIECE MOVES LIKE A KNIGHT IN WESTERN CHESS EXCEPT IT H CAN BE BLOCKED BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY HAS TO LAND ON THE INTERVENING SQUARE, I.E., IT MUST BE EMPTY. FOR EXAMPLE: 1-----------2 ------8-----9 | | | | | | | | | | ---C--H------ ---7--------- | | | | | | RIVER | 3-----------4 ---------H--- | | | | | | | | | | ---5-----6--- ------------- TO INSURE ONLY ONE PATH FOR A HORSE FROM ONE POINT TO ANOTHER, A HORSE MUST MOVE ONE SQUARE ORTHOGONALLY (UP/DOWN/LEFT/RIGHT) AND THEN ONE SQUARE DIAGONALLY (CONTINUING IN THE SAME ORTHOGONAL DIRECTION), NEVER VICE-VERSA -- IN OTHER WORDS, DOWN THE LONG LEG FIRST. THEREFORE, THE LEFTMOST HORSE ABOVE CAN REACH THE NUMBERS 2, 4, 5, AND 6, BUT THE NUMBERS 1 AND 3 ARE BLOCKED BY THE CANNON; THE HORSE CANNOT MOVE OVER A PIECE AND CONSEQUENTLY CANNOT REACH 1 AND 3. A HORSE CAN CROSS THE RIVER AS SHOWN ABOVE RIGHT. IF THE RIGHTMOST HORSE WERE TO CROSS THE RIVER IT WOULD LAND AT 7 OR 8 OR 9. CANNON THIS PIECE MOVES LIKE A ROOK BUT ATTACKS DIFFERENTLY. C INSTEAD OF "RUNNING INTO A PIECE" AS THE ROOK DOES, THE CANNON JUMPS OVER ONE PIECE AND CAPTURES THE ONE BEHIND IT. FOR EXAMPLE: ---T-----H-----C--- | | | | | | | ------------------- THE CANNON CAN JUMP OVER THE HORSE AND TAKE THE OPPONENT'S TANK; IT CANNOT TAKE THE HORSE UNLESS THERE IS SOMETHING (EITHER COLOR) BETWEEN IT AND THE HORSE. THE CANNON CAN CROSS THE RIVER. NOTE THAT ONLY THE TANK IS EXACTLY LIKE ITS COUNTERPART IN CHESS. THE HORSE IS LIKE THE KNIGHT BUT MUST ALWAYS TAKE THE "STRAIGHT" PART OF ITS MOVE FIRST, AND CAN BE BLOCKED BY A PIECE OF EITHER COLOR AT THE ELBOW OF ITS PATH. THE CANNON CANNOT LEAP UNLESS IT IS CAPTURING, AND CANNOT CAPTURE WITHOUT LEAPING -- MORE PROOF, IF ANY IS NEEDED, THAT THE CHINESE INVENTED GUNPOWDER (HA HA). PLAYERS AND FIRST MOVE: RED HAS THE FIRST MOVE. PROGRAM DEFAULT IS FOR KEYBOARD TO PLAY RED, COMPUTER BLACK -- USE FUNCTION KEYS F3 AND F4 TO CHANGE. ON EACH PLAYER'S TURN HE MUST MOVE, RESIGN, OR OFFER A DRAW TO THE OPPONENT. CAPTURES: ONLY ONE GAME PIECE IS PERMITTED ON A BOARD SQUARE AT A TIME. A PLAYER MAY THEREFORE NOT LAND ON A SQUARE OCCUPIED BY HIS OWN PIECE, BUT HE MAY LAND ON A PIECE OCCUPIED BY THE OPPONENT'S PIECE, THEREBY CAPTURING IT AND TAKING IT OFF THE BOARD AND OUT OF PLAY. PLAY: EXACTLY LIKE WESTERN CHESS, PLAYERS TAKE TURNS MOVING THEIR PIECES WITH THE INTENT OF CAPTURING THE OPPONENT'S KING. "CHECK" IS SAID WHENEVER THE KING IS IN CHECK. IF A "LOOP" OCCURS IN THE GAME, THE ATTACKING PIECE MUST END THE LOOP AFTER THE LOOP HAS OCCURRED THREE TIMES IN A ROW. IF NEITHER SIDE HAS ANY ATTACKING PIECES (TANK, HORSE, CANNON, SOLDIER), OR IT IS UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE TO BREAK THE LOOP, THEN A STALEMATE OCCURS AND A DRAW IS DECLARED. A STALEMATE IS VERY UNCOMMON. TO ENTER A MOVE: JUST TYPE THE MOVE IN, FIRST THE "FROM" PIECE -- ROW (1..9,A=10) THEN COL (1..9); THEN THE "TO" SQUARE -- ROW (1..9,A=10) THEN COL (1..9). OR USE YOUR MOUSE AND POINT AND CLICK. NOTE: ROW 1 IS AT THE TOP, AND COL 1 IS AT THE LEFT. NOTE: TO START OVER AFTER TYPING-IN PART OF A MOVE, HIT "0" OR THE ESC KEY. WHEN USING THE MOUSE, IF YOU CLICK A "FROM" PIECE AND CHANGE YOUR MIND BEFORE CLICKING A "TO" PIECE, JUST CLICK THE "FROM" PIECE AGAIN TO START OVER. TO OFFER A DRAW TO THE OPPONENT, HIT THE "D" KEY INSTEAD OF A MOVE. TO RESIGN (FORFEIT THE GAME), HIT THE "R" KEY OR "F" KEY INSTEAD OF A MOVE. DRAWS: IN THIS PROGRAM, IF PLAYER A OFFERS PLAYER B A DRAW, AND PLAYER B REFUSES, THEN PLAYER B HAS 10 MOVES TO WIN, ELSE A DRAW IS DECLARED. HOWEVER, IF THE BOARD POSITION EVER REPEATS, THE DRAW IS IMMEDIATE. THE COMPUTER OFFERS DRAWS ONLY IF ALLOWED TO BY THE USER. QUICK DRAW: WHEN PROMPTED FOR A MOVE FROM THE KBD, OR WHILE THE PC IS THINKING, YOU CAN HIT THE "!" KEY TO CAUSE THE GAME TO IMMEDIATELY END AND BE DECLARED A DRAW. GIVEAWAY XIANG QI OPTION: IN THIS POPULAR VARIANT, ALSO CALLED TAKEAWAY XIANG QI, LOSING XIANG QI, OR VINCIPERDI, THE GOAL OF THE GAME IS TO LOSE ALL ONE'S PIECES FIRST. THERE IS NO CHECK OR CHECKMATE, THE KING BEING JUST ANOTHER PIECE. CAPTURE IS MANDATORY IF POSSIBLE. THE FIRST PLAYER TO LOSE ALL HIS PIECES, OR BECOME STALEMATED AND HAVE NO MOVE, WINS. DUMB & DUMBER PIECES: THE POSSIBLE PIECES THE COMPUTER CAN CHOOSE AND THEIR RULES ARE: BISHOP CAN MOVE UP TO 8 SQUARES DIAGONALLY IN A STRAIGHT LINE, BUT ONLY B AS LONG AS THE ROAD IS CLEAR. IF IT ENCOUNTERS ANOTHER PIECE ON THE ROAD IT CAPTURES IT AND COMES TO A REST. ROOK SAME AS A BISHOP ONLY IT MOVES ONLY UP/DOWN OR LEFT/RIGHT, NEVER R DIAGONALLY. KNIGHT THE CLASSIC OCCIDENTIAL KNIGHT. MOVES 2 SQUARES ORTHOGONALLY THEN N 1 SQUARE AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THAT. HOPS OVER INTERVENING PIECES. CAPTURES WHAT IT LANDS ON. QUEEN SAME AS A BISHOP AND A ROOK PUT TOGETHER: CAN MOVE IN ANY STRAIGHT Q LINE, UP/DOWN, LEFT/RIGHT, OR DIAGONALLY. EARL HOPS 2 SQUARES IN ANY STRAIGHT DIRECTION (UP/DOWN, LEFT/RIGHT, L DIAGONALLY). CAPTURES WHAT IT LANDS ON. WIZARD CAN MOVE 1 SQUARE IN ANY DIRECTION, BUT CAN'T CAPTURE ANYTHING! SO IT CAN ONLY MOVE TO AN EMPTY SQUARE. BUT, IT HAS THE POWER OF FREEZING ALL ENEMY PIECES IT TOUCHES SO THAT THEY CAN'T MOVE! JOKER CAN HOP TO ANY EMPTY SQUARE ON THE BOARD, BUT CAN'T CAPTURE J ANYTHING AND HAS NO POWERS OF FREEZING LIKE A WIZARD. IT WILL BLOCK A PAWN OR PLAY INTERFERENCE FOR THE KING FOR INSTANCE. ARCHER CAN MOVE 1 SQUARE FORWARD WHEN THE SQUARE IS EMPTY, LIKE A PAWN. A CAN HOP 2 SQUARES FORWARD IF THERE IS AN ENEMY PIECE IT CAN CAPTURE ON THAT SQUARE. IF IT REACHES THE ENEMY'S HOME ROW IT IS PROMOTED TO A QUEEN. DUKE MOVES AND CAPTURES LIKE A KNIGHT COMBINED WITH A QUEEN. D MOTHER AND ONE MEAN ONE TOO! SHE CAN HOP TO ANY EMPTY SQUARE OF THE M BOARD (CAN'T CAPTURE ON THAT TURN), OR MOVE AND CAPTURE LIKE A QUEEN (APOLOGIES TO THE QUEENS OF MARS). PAWN OPTION: IF YOU CHOOSE THIS OPTION THEN THE SOLDIERS BECOME PAWNS LIKE IN WESTERN CHESS, ABLE TO MOVE ONE SQUARE FORWARDS TO AN EMPTY SQUARE, OR TO MOVE ONE SQUARE DIAGONALLY FORWARDS TO A SQUARE HELD BY AN ENEMY PIECE AND CAPTURE IT. THERE IS NO EN PASSANT. A PAWN THAT MAKES IT TO THE LAST RANK IS PROMOTED TO YOUR CHOICE OF STARTING PIECES OTHER THAN PAWN, SOLDIER, KING, ADVISOR, OR ARCHER. THE SYMBOL CHANGES TO P. FUNCTION KEYS: THE 10 FUNCTION KEYS F1-F10 HAVE THE FOLLOWING FUNCTIONS: FUNCTION KEY FUNCTION ------------ -------- F1 QUIT THE PROGRAM AND SAVE THE GAME IN PROGRESS AUTOMATICALLY. F2 SOUND EFFECTS TOGGLE. F3 CHANGE WHO PLAYS THE RED PIECES (KEYBOARD OR COMPUTER). F4 "" "" "" "" BLACK "" ("" "" "" ). F5 DISPLAY THESE INSTRUCTIONS. F7 DECREASE THE DIFFICULTY LEVEL. F8 INCREASE THE DIFFICULTY LEVEL. F6 (COLOR MONITORS ONLY) CHANGE THE COLOR OF THE "RED" PIECES. F9 (COLOR MONITORS ONLY) CHANGE THE COLOR OF THE "BLACK" PIECES. F10 (COLOR MONITORS ONLY) CHANGE THE SCREEN BORDER COLOR. AND, CONTINUED PRESSING CAUSES THE BOARD SQUARE COLOR TO CYCLE. NOTE FOR "TOGGLES": THE LEGEND DISPLAYED ONSCREEN WILL BE THE MODE THAT WILL BE ACTIVATED IF THE FUNCTION KEY IS PRESSED. ARROW KEYS: THE UP/DOWN ARROW KEYS ON THE NUMERIC KEYPAD CHANGE THE GAME SPEED. THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF TIME, IN SECONDS, THAT THE COMPUTER WILL TAKE TO THINK UP A MOVE, OR TO MAKE EACH HOP, IS DISPLAYED NEAR THE LOWER RIGHTHAND CORNER OF THE SCREEN. COMMAND LINE PARAMETERS: S START UP WITH SOUND OFF M FORCE MONO DISPLAY MODE C FORCE COLOR DISPLAY MODE D DISABLE MOUSE CHECK EXAMPLE: >XIANGQI MS NOTES ON PLAY: DON'T RELY TOO MUCH ON KNOWLEDGE OF WESTERN CHESS! XIANG QI IS A MUCH MORE OPEN, TACTICAL GAME, WITH READY-CLEARED FILES THAT PERMIT QUICK ATTACK BY THE TANK AND THE CANNON, THE MOST MOBILE PIECES. CONTROL OF THESE OPEN FILES, PARTICULARLY THOSE AIMED AT THE ENEMY CASTLE, IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE. THE CANNON IS AN INTERESTING PIECE. IT CAN BE DEVASTATING AT LONG RANGE, BUT ONCE IT HAS BEEN "SHOT" OVER THE ENEMY LINE IT CAN LOSE ITS EFFICACY, JUST LIKE A SPENT BALL. IT IS POWERLESS AGAINST AN ENEMY THAT IS IN CLOSE. AN IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS THAT THE CANNON CAN PIN TWO ENEMY PIECES AGAINST THEIR KING -- IF EITHER ONE MOVES, THE KING IS IN CHECK. WITH THIS IN MIND, MANY GAMES BEGIN WITH BLACK'S CANNON BEING MOVED TO THE CENTER FILE. SOME FASCINATING SITUATIONS DEVELOP WHEN TWO OR MORE ENEMY CANNONS LINE UP AGAINST ONE ANOTHER AND BEGIN LEAPFROGGING AT TARGETS. THE ELEPHANT, THE ADVISORS, AND FOR THE MOST PART THE KING ITSELF ARE DEFENSIVE PIECES, EXCEPT IN THOSE INSTANCES WHERE THEY PROVIDE A SCREEN FOR THE CANNON. BUT THEIR CONSTANT PRESENCE IN THE HOME FIELD GIVES THE TANKS, CANNONS, AND HORSES MORE FREEDOM TO GO ON THE ATTACK. AFTER DEVELOPING YOUR PIECES -- GETTING THE TANKS ONTO OPEN RANKS AND FILES, BRINGING THE HORSES OFF THE BACK ROW, DEPLOYING THE CANNONS BEHIND SCREENS -- MOVE QUICKLY AGAINST THE ENEMY. THERE IS NO PLACE IN XIANGQI FOR THE TENACIOUS, PASSIVE DEFENCE. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BUILD AN IMPREGNABLE, INTERLOCKED WALL OF MEN AS YOU MIGHT DO IN WESTERN CHESS -- CHIEFLY BECAUSE OF THE GREATER POWER OF THE SOLDIERS COMPARED TO PAWNS -- AND IT IS BETTER TO DEPLOY YOUR FORCES IN AN ACTIVE, AGGRESSIVE WAY. DO NOT OVERLOOK THE POWER OF THE PROMOTED SOLDIER. ONCE ACROSS THE RIVER THIS LITTLE PIECE TRIPLES IN STRENGTH, AND IN MANY SITUATIONS, ESPECIALLY CLOSE-IN ON THE CASTLE, IT CAN BE AS EFFECTIVE AS A TANK. AND DON'T FORGET THE KING'S ABILITY TO CLOSE OFF A FILE TO THE OPPOSING KING -- A POWER THAT FREQUENTLY CLINCHES MATE. FOR PURPOSES OF EVALUATING TRADES, COUNT ADVISOR AND ELEPHANT AT 2, CANNON AND HORSE AT 4, AND TANK AT 8. TRADING A HORSE FOR A CANNON MAY BE A GOOD IDEA EARLY IN THE GAME BUT BECOMES LESS WISE AS THE BOARD OPENS UP AND THE CANNONS BECOME RELATIVELY WEAKER. SOLDIERS START AT 1 BUT CAN GREATLY INCREASE IN VALUE DEPENDING ON THEIR POSITION. IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THE GAME THE ENEMY SOLDIERS ARE TEMPTINGLY EXPOSED TARGETS, BUT DON'T WASTE TIME ON THEM: IT IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT TO DEVELOP YOUR MAJOR PIECES AND NOT LOSE TEMPO. ---------------------- DID YOU LIKE THIS TOY? DON'T FORGET TO TRY OUR GOBS OF OTHER NEAT LOW-PRICED TOYS AND GAMES FOR THE IBM PC AND COMPATIBLES. OUR NIFTY DEMO DISK, CONTAINING AN ELECTRONIC TOY CATALOG AND OTHER GOODIES, IS ONLY $2 SHIPPING/HANDLING TO ANY U.S. ADDRESS, $3 OUTSIDE U.S. (U.S. FUNDS ONLY OR CHECK DRAWN ON U.S. BANK). (PLEASE SPECIFY 3.5 INCH OR 5.25 INCH DISKETTE). IF YOUR PC BORES YOU WRITE US NOW. TOMMY'S TOYS, P.O. BOX 11261, DENVER, CO 80211 USA. GOOD LUCK!