Champion 2250 XL Chess Computer
(600-2215) Game Options Faxback Doc. # 46725
The computers game options let you select the computer's optional features
any time before or during a game. These options control how the computer
works, selects moves, and displays information during play.
The game options are divided into the following groups:
Operation Mode
Playing Mode
Rotating Display
These charts show the available game options.
Operation Mode Options
Playing Against Another Person
Sound
Ticking Clock
Coach Mode
Count-Down Clock
Display Contrast
Automatic Power-Off
Playing Black from the Bottom of the Game Board
Playing Mode Options
Search Algorithms
Easy Mode
Random Mode
Opening Books
Rotating Display Options
Principal Variations
Progress
Evaluation
Position Examined/Time Spent
Selecting and Changing Options
1. Choose the option group containing the setting you want to change by
pressing OPTION:
Once to select the Operation Mode group (see "Operation Mode
Options" below).
Twice to select the Playing Mode group (see "Playing Mode Options"
below).
Three times to select the Rotating Display group (see "Rotating
Display Options" below).
The display shows the first option in the option group you selected.
2. Repeatedly press ENTER until the display shows the option you want to
change.
3. Repeatedly press WHITE/- or BLACK/+ to change the option's setting.
4. Press CLEAR to continue a game, or repeat Steps 1-3 to select and
change another option.
Operation Mode Options
Playing Against Another Person/Computer Playing Against itself
The computer normally displays a countermove when you enter a move. This
option is normally set to PLAY O (option) P (player) -C (computer).
However, you can set the computer so it will not answer with a countermove
when you make a move by setting this option to PLAY O P-P.
This lets you use the computer as a referee when you play against another
person, enter a series of moves, or replay a part of a game.
You can also use this option to watch the computer play against itself by
setting this option to PLAY O C -C.
Notes: If you are playing against another person, either player can still
use the computer to suggest a move by pressing INFO. The display
shows the suggested move.
If you are playing against another person, either player can let
the computer enter a move for them by pressing ENTER. The display
shows the move entered by the computer.
Sound
The computer normally beeps whenever you press a key or square (this
option is normally set to Sound O on). However, you can set the computer
so it will not beep when you press a key or square, by setting this option
to Sound O oFF.
Note: If you set this option to Sound O oFF, the computer still beeps
when it moves or when you make an illegal move or press a wrong
key.
Ticking Clock
The computer's clock is normally silent (this option is normally set to
tick O oFF). However, you can set the computer so the clock ticks like a
real chess clock, by setting this option to tick O oN.
Note: The computer's clock ticks automatically if you turn on one of the
rotating display options. See "Rotating Display Options" below.
Coach Mode
The computer normally does not warn you if it thinks you made a mistake
(this option is normally set to Coach O oFF). However, you can set the
computer so it beeps twice and displays the move it thinks you should
make, by setting this option to Coach O on.
Count-Down Clock
The computer's clock normally counts up the elapsed time as you play (this
option is normally set to Clock O uP). However, if you are playing at a
tournament or speed level, you can set the clock so it counts down instead
of counting up, by setting this option to CLocK O don.
Display Contrast
The display contrast of your computer is preset to the middle level (this
option is normally set Lcd O 5). However, you can adjust the display
contrast by changing the number of this option from 1 to 10. The larger
the number, the darker the display contrast.
Automatic Power-Off
The computer normally stays on until you press GO/STOP (this option is
normally set to AutoP O oFF). However, you can set the computer so it
turns itself off after 15 minutes if you do not press a key or make a
move, by setting this option to AutoP O oN.
Notes: The computer saves game information if it turns itself off (if
batteries are installed).
The computer will not turn itself off while it is computing a
move.
After the computer turns itself off, you can press GO/STOP to turn it
back on and continue playing the same game.
Playing Black from the Bottom of the Game Board
The computer normally plays the black pieces on the top of the game board
and you play the white pieces on the bottom (this option is normally set
to blAcK O toP). However, you can set the computer so you can play the
white pieces from the top of the game board, by setting this option to
blAck O bot.
When you set this option to blAcK O bot, set up the board with the black
pieces closest to you.
Playing Mode Options
The computer's playing mode options let you control how the computer
selects moves during play.
Search Algorithms
The computer contains two types of search algorithms it can use to search
for moves during play: brute force and selective search.
The brute force algorithm allows the computer to check every move
possibility during play, but results in slower play.
The selective search algorithm helps the computer limit its search for
moves to only those most likely to be successful.
The computer normally uses the brute force algorithm (this option is
normally set to Srch O brutE). However, you can set the computer so it
uses the selective search algorithm to search for moves, by setting this
option to Srch O SElEc.
Easy Mode
The computer normally uses the time while you are thinking of a move to
compute its own move (this option is normally set to EASY O oFF). However,
you can set the computer so it computes only during its own turn, by
setting this option to EASY O on. This makes it easier for you to beat the
computer.
Random Mode
The computer normally selects moves at random that are similar in type and
difficulty during a game (this option is normally set to rAnd O oN). This
lets you see and react to a greater variety of moves during a game,
resulting in more difficult play. However, you can set the computer so
it does not randomly choose moves during its own turn by setting this
option to rAnd O off.
Opening Books
The computer's opening book memory contains most major opening strategies
so the computer can respond more rapidly during a game's opening moves by
selecting an opening book option. This option is normally set to booK O
Full (full opening booking), but you can change it.
The computer has the following opening books:
Full
Passive
Active
Tournament
None
You can influence the computer's style of play by changing any of these
options. When you select an option, the computer selects positions more
often from that option. When you deselect an option, the computer selects
fewer positions from that option.
Note: After you play through the computer's opening book, changing these
options has no effect on how the computer plays. However, the
computer usually continues to respond actively even after it
completes the opening moves.
Full Opening Book
The computer is preset to choose freely from any move in its opening book,
including questionable or bad moves.
No Opening Book
The computer normally selects moves from one or more opening books during
the first few moves of a game. However, you can set the computer so it
cannot use any of its opening books, by setting this option to book O oFF.
Note: If you set this option to booK O oFF, the computer must compute a
response to an opponent's move "from scratch," resulting in slower
play.
Tournament Opening Book
The computer normally chooses from moves ranging in difficulty from easy
to difficult. However, you can set the computer so it can choose only the
most efficient moves, by setting this option to booK O tour.
Active Opening Book
The computer normally chooses only some of the moves from its opening book
However, you can set the computer so it can choose any move from its
opening book by setting this option to book O Act.
Note: If you set this option to book O Act, the computer might make
questionable or illogical moves during play. This is because its
opening book contains responses to many known lines of play (even
illogical ones), in case the opponent plays them.
Passive Opening Book
The computer normally chooses opening moves that follow active openings
and open positions. However, you can choose moves that follow more passive
and closed strategies, by setting this option to booK O PAS.
Rotating Display Options
The computer's rotating display options let you continuously view the game
information described in "Viewing Game Information" in Faxback Doc. #46724
while it computes a move, without interrupting the game in progress.
As it computes its move, the computer displays each statistic you select,
one at a time, at 1-second intervals.
Notes: The computer does not display the count-up game clock while
displaying rotating display information.
The computer displays ----- and the rotating display option if
it has not yet computed the option.
Follow the steps in "Selecting and Changing Options" above to select the
statistics you want the computer to display.
You can select any of the following options:
Principal Variation
Line O oFF - displays no countermove or play information.
Line O x Ply - displays the countermove or play the computer is currently
considering (see "Principal Variation" in Faxback Doc.
# 46724), where x is the countermove or play (from 1-6).
Progress
Prog O on - shows the depth to which the computer is computing, the move
that the computer is currently considering, and the number of
moves that have been examined.
Evaluation
Eval O on - shows the depth to which the computer is computing, the best
move that the computer has computed so far, and the move's
evaluation value. The evaluated value is displayed as n:nn.
A positive value means that white has an advantage over black.
A negative value means that black has an advantage over white.
The higher the number, the greater the advantage.
Positions Examined/Time Spent
node O on - shows the current number of positions per second that the
computer is checking while determining its countermove, and
the amount of time it has spent determining its next move.
(LB/eb 3/6/98)
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