Master 2200X Chess Computer
(600-2213)                 Play Levels                Faxback Doc. # 47016

When you play against the computer, you can select a play level that
matches your skill level.  You can also select from many time-controlled
play levels, including several that simulate tournament play.  Some of the
levels even let you use the computer to learn chess strategies or analyze
chess problems.

The 64 different play levels include:

  16 training levels (A7 through H8)

  8 mate search levels (A6 through H6)

  8 beginner levels (A5 through H5)

  8 sudden death levels (A4 through H4)

  8 tournament levels (A3 through H3)

  1 indefinite response time level (H2)

  15 normal play levels (A1 through G2)

TRAINING LEVELS [8] & [7]

8A - TRAINING                 8B - TRAINING               
       Search Depth 9 Ply            Search Depth 10 Ply         

8C - TRAINING                 8D - TRAINING
       Search Depth 11 Ply           Search Depth 12 Ply

8E - TRAINING                 8F - TRAINING
       Search Depth 13 Ply           Search Depth 14 Ply

8G - TRAINING                 8H - TRAINING
       Search Depth 15 Ply           Search Depth 16 Ply

7A - TRAINING                 7B - TRAINING
       Search Depth 1 Ply            Search Depth 2 Ply

7C - TRAINING                 7D - TRAINING
       Search Depth 3 Ply            Search Depth 4 Ply

7E - TRAINING                 7F - TRAINING
       Search Depth 5 Ply            Search Depth 6 Ply

7G - TRAINING                 7H - TRAINING
       Search Depth 7 Ply            Search Depth 8 Ply

MATE SEARCH LEVELS [6]

6A - MATE SEARCH              6B - MATE SEARCH
       Mate in 1 move                Mate in 2 moves

6C - MATE SEARCH              6D - MATE SEARCH
       Mate in 3 move                Mate in 4 moves

6E - MATE SEARCH              6F - MATE SEARCH
       Mate in 5 move                Mate in 6 moves

6G - MATE SEARCH              6H - MATE SEARCH
       Mate in 7 move                Mate in 8 moves

BEGINNER LEVELS [5]

5A - BEGINNER                 5B - BEGINNER
       1 second per move             2 seconds per move

5C - BEGINNER                 5D - BEGINNER
       3 seconds per move            4 seconds per move

5E - BEGINNER                 5F - BEGINNER
       5 seconds per move            6 seconds per move

5G - BEGINNER                 5H - BEGINNER
       7 seconds per move            8 seconds per move

SUDDEN DEATH LEVELS [4]

4A - SUDDEN DEATH             4B - SUDDEN DEATH
       5 minutes per game            10 minutes per game

4C - SUDDEN DEATH             4D - SUDDEN DEATH
       15 minutes per game           20 minutes per game

4E - SUDDEN DEATH             4F - SUDDEN DEATH
       30 minutes per game           45 minutes per game

4G - SUDDEN DEATH             4H - SUDDEN DEATH
       60 minutes per game           90 minutes per game

TOURNAMENT LEVELS [3]

3A - TOURNAMENT               3B - TOURNAMENT
       40 moves in 1:30              35 moves in 1:45

3C - TOURNAMENT               3D - TOURNAMENT
       40 moves in 1:45              35 moves in 1:30

3E - TOURNAMENT               3F - TOURNAMENT
       40 moves in 2:00              45 moves in 2:30

3G - TOURNAMENT               3H - TOURNAMENT
       50 moves in 2:00              40 moves in 3:00

NORMAL PLAY LEVELS [2] & [1]

2A - NORMAL PLAY              2B - NORMAL PLAY
       45 seconds per move           1 minute per move

2C - NORMAL PLAY              2D - NORMAL PLAY
       1.5 minutes per move          2 minutes per move

2E - NORMAL PLAY              2F - NORMAL PLAY
       3 minutes per move            5 minutes per move

2G - NORMAL PLAY              2H - NORMAL PLAY
       10 minutes per move           Indefinite Response

1A - NORMAL PLAY              1B - NORMAL PLAY
       1 second per move             2 seconds per move

1C - NORMAL PLAY              1D - NORMAL PLAY
       3 seconds per move            5 seconds per move

1E - NORMAL PLAY              1F - NORMAL PLAY
       10 seconds per move           15 seconds per move

1G - NORMAL PLAY              1H - NORMAL PLAY
       20 seconds per move           30 seconds per move

When you install batteries or press ACL to reset the computer, it resets
itself to level D1.  After that, the computer remains on the last selected
level.

To see the current level, press LEVEL.  The computer beeps and the display
shows the code for the current level.

LEVEL CODE DISPLAYS

When you select a level, the display shows information about that level.

For example, if you choose level B2, the display shows L 1:00.  L means
that the computer is set to a normal play level, and 1:00 (one minute) is
the maximum amount of time the computer has to calculate each move during
a game.  See "Choosing a Level" below.

TRAINING LEVELS [8] & [7]

8A - PLY : 9 TRAINING            8B - PLY : 10 TRAINING
       Search Depth 9 Ply               Search Depth 10 Ply

8C - PLY : 11 TRAINING           8D - PLY : 12 TRAINING
       Search Depth 11 Ply              Search Depth 12 Ply

8E - PLY : 13 TRAINING           8F - PLY : 14 TRAINING
       Search Depth 13 Ply              Search Depth 14 Ply

8G - PLY : 15 TRAINING           8H - PLY : 16 TRAINING
       Search Depth 15 Ply              Search Depth 16 Ply

7A - PLY : 1 TRAINING            7B - PLY : 2 TRAINING
       Search Depth 1 Ply               Search Depth 1 Ply

7C - PLY : 3 TRAINING            7D - PLY : 4 TRAINING
       Search Depth 3 Ply               Search Depth 4 Ply

7E - PLY : 5 TRAINING            7G - PLY : 6 TRAINING
       Search Depth 5 Ply               Search Depth 6 Ply

7G - PLY : 7 TRAINING            7H - PLY : 8 TRAINING
       Search Depth 7 Ply               Search Depth 8 Ply

MATE SEARCH LEVELS [6]

6A - (+/-),n : 1 MATE SEARCH     6B - (+/-),n : 2 MATE SEARCH
       Mate in 1 move                   Mate in 2 moves

6C - (+/-),n : 3 MATE SEARCH     6D - (+/-),n : 4 MATE SEARCH
       Mate in 3 move                   Mate in 4 moves

6E - (+/-),n : 5 MATE SEARCH     6F - (+/-),n : 6 MATE SEARCH
       Mate in 5 move                   Mate in 6 moves

6G - (+/-),n : 7 MATE SEARCH     6H - (+/-),n : 8 MATE SEARCH
       Mate in 7 move                   Mate in 8 moves

BEGINNER LEVELS [5]

5A - bEG : 1 BEGINNER            5B - bEG : 2 BEGINNER
       1 second per move                2 seconds per move

5C - bEG : 3 BEGINNER            5D - bEG : 4 BEGINNER
       3 second per move                4 seconds per move

5E - bEG : 5 BEGINNER            5F - bEG : 6 BEGINNER
       5 second per move                6 seconds per move

5G - bEG : 7 BEGINNER            5H - bEG : 8 BEGINNER
       7 second per move                8 seconds per move

SUDDEN DEATH LEVELS [4]

4A - bL : 5 SUDDEN DEATH         4B - bL : 10 SUDDEN DEATH
       5 minutes per game               10 minutes per game

4C - bL : 15 SUDDEN DEATH        4D - bL : 20 SUDDEN DEATH
       15 minutes per game              20 minutes per game

4E - bL : 30 SUDDEN DEATH        4F - bL : 45 SUDDEN DEATH
       30 minutes per game              45 minutes per game

4G - bL : 60 SUDDEN DEATH        4H - bL : 90 SUDDEN DEATH
       60 minutes per game              90 minutes per game

TOURNAMENT LEVELS [3]

3A - tr 40/ 1:30:00 TOURNAMENT   3b - tr 35/ 1:45:00 TOURNAMENT
       40 moves in 1:30                 35 moves in 1:45

3C - tr 40/ 1:45:00 TOURNAMENT   3D - tr 35/ 1:30:00 TOURNAMENT
       40 moves in 1:45                 35 moves in 1:30

3E - tr 40/ 2:00:00 TOURNAMENT   3F - tr 45/ 2:30:00 TOURNAMENT
       40 moves in 2:00                 45 moves in 2:30

3G - tr 50/ 2:00:00 TOURNAMENT   3H - tr 40/ 3:00:00 TOURNAMENT
       50 moves in 2:00                 40 moves in 3:00

NORMAL PLAY LEVELS [2] & [1]

2A - L O:4 5 NORMAL PLAY          2B - L 1:0 0 NORMAL PLAY
       45 seconds per move               1 minute per move

2C - L 1:3 0 NORMAL PLAY          2D - L 2:0 0 NORMAL PLAY
       1.5 minutes per move              2 minutes per move

2E - L 3:0 0 NORMAL PLAY          2F - L 5:0 0 NORMAL PLAY
       3 minutes per move                5 minutes per move

2G - L 10:0 0 NORMAL PLAY         2H - 9 : 99 : 99 NORMAL PLAY
       10 minutes per move               Indefinite Response Time level

1A - L 0:0 1 NORMAL PLAY          1B - L 0:0 2 NORMAL PLAY
       1 second per move                 2 seconds per move

1C - L 0:0 3 NORMAL PLAY          1D - L 0:0 5 NORMAL PLAY
       3 second per move                 5 seconds per move

1E - L 0:1 0 NORMAL PLAY          1F - L 0:1 5 NORMAL PLAY
       10 seconds per move                 15 seconds per move

1G - L 0:2 0 NORMAL PLAY          1H - L 0:3 0 NORMAL PLAY
       20 seconds per move                 30 seconds per move

CHANGING THE LEVEL

To change the current level, press LEVEL, then press the square on the
game board that corresponds to the level you want.  Or, press []/< or []/>
until the display shows the level you want.

To quickly move through the levels, repeatedly press LEVEL to skip over
eight levels at a time.

When the computer displays the level you want, simply press ENTER, then
continue the current game.  Or, press CLEAR to remain on the last selected
level.  You can change the level at any time during a game.

CHOOSING A LEVEL

If you are a beginner, start out with the beginner levels (A5 through H5)
or training levels (A7 through H8).  The computer purposely makes mistakes
on the beginner levels so you can beat the computer and learn while you
play.  The training levels restrict the computer's search depth, resulting
in weaker play.

If you are an intermediate or advanced player, try the normal play levels
(A1 through G2).  These range from easy all the way up to difficult.

Note:  When you set the level, keep in mind that the more time the
       computer has to think about its moves, the better it plays.

Beginner Levels (A5-H5)

The eight beginner levels let beginners and average players play (and win)
more easily than in other levels.  The computer makes common mistakes such
as leaving pieces unprotected, failing to capture unprotected pieces, and
capturing pieces while leaving the king unprotected.

Level A5 is the easiest, and the computer's playing strength increases
gradually up through level H5.

The following table shows:

  The square you press to select the level (after you press LEVEL.)

  The average amount of time the computer takes to determine its move

  What the computer displays when you select the level

    Square            Time Per Move        Display

    A5                1 second             bEG: 1

    B5                2 seconds            bEG: 2

    C5                3 seconds            bEG: 3

    D5                4 seconds            bEG: 4

    E5                5 seconds            bEG: 5

    F5                6 seconds            bEG: 6

    G5                7 seconds            bEG: 7

    H5                8 seconds            bEG: 8

Note:  The time-per-move figure is the average time the computer takes to
       make a move.  During the opening moves of a game, the computer
       might move more quickly.

Training Levels (A7-H8)

The 16 training levels are designed especially for beginners.  At the
lower training levels, the computer moves almost instantaneously, not
allowing itself to study a move in any depth.

Level A7 is the easiest, and the computer's playing strength increases
gradually up through Level H8.

The following table shows:

  The square, you press to select the level (after you press LEVEL)

  The number of ply the computer will search to find a move.

    Square            Display

    A7                PLY: 1

    B7                PLY: 2

    C7                PLY: 3

    D7                PLY: 4

    E7                PLY: 5

    F7                PLY: 6

    G7                PLY: 7

    H7                PLY: 8

    A8                PLY: 9

    B8                PLY: 10

    C8                PLY: 11

    D8                PLY: 12

    E8                PLY: 13

    F8                PLY: 14

    G8                PLY: 15

    H8                PLY: 16

Note:  A ply is one of your moves or one of the computer's moves.

Normal Play Levels (A1 - G2)

The 15 normal play levels increase in difficulty from level A1 (the
easiest) to level G2 (the most difficult).

The following table shows:

  The square you press to select the level (after you press LEVEL).

  The average amount of time the computer takes to determine its move.

  What the computer displays when you select the level.

    Square            Time Per Move        Display

    A1                1 second             L 0: 01

    B1                2 second             L 0: 02

    C1                3 seconds            L 0: 03

    D1                5 seconds            L 0: 05

    E1               10 seconds            L 0: 10

    F1               15 seconds            L 0: 15

    G1               20 seconds            L 0: 20

    H1               30 seconds            L 0: 30

    A2               45 seconds            L 0: 45

    B2               1 minute              L 1: 00

    C2               1 minute 30 seconds   L 1: 30

    D2               2 minutes             L 2: 00

    E2               3 minutes             L 3: 00

    F2               5 minutes             L 5: 00

    G2              10 minutes             L 10:00

Note:  The time-per-move figure is the average time the computer takes to
       make each move.  During the opening moves of a game, the computer
       might move more quickly.

Tournament Levels (A3 - H3)

At these levels, you must make a specified number of moves within a given
amount of time.  If you exceed the allotted time before making the
specified number of moves, the computer beeps, tImE flashes on the display
with the elapsed time, and the game is over.

Notes:  When you play at a tournament level, you can set the computer's
        chess clock to display the count-down time instead of the elapsed
        time.  See "Count-Down Clock (E1)" in Faxback Doc. # 47019.

        When you play at a tournament level, the computer times itself and
        you.  See "Remaining Time in a Sudden Death/Tournament Game" in
        Faxback Doc. # 47018.

The following table shows:

  The square you press to select the level (after you press LEVEL).

  The number of moves you must make within the allotted time.

  The allotted time for the game.

  What the computer displays when you select the level.

Square    Moves    Time Per Game               Display (Alternating)

A3        40       1 Hour 30 Minutes           tr 40/1:30:00

B3        35       1 Hour 45 Minutes           tr 35/1:45:00

C3        40       1 Hour 45 Minutes           tr 40/1:45:00

D3        35       1 Hour 30 Minutes           tr 35/1:30:00

E3        40       2 Hours                     tr 40/2:00:00

F3        45       2 Hours 30 Minutes          tr 45/2:30:00

G3        50       2 Hours                     tr 50/2:00:00

H3        40       3 Hours                     tr 40/3:00:00

Sudden Death Levels (A4 - H4)

At these levels, you must finish the game within a given amount of time.
If you exceed the allotted time, the computer beeps and tImE flashes on
the display with the elapsed time.

Notes:  When you play at a sudden death level, you can set the computer's
        chess clock to display the count-down time instead of the elapsed
        time.  See "Count Down Clock (E1)" in Faxback Doc. # 47019.

        When you play at a sudden death level, the computer times itself
        and you.  See "Remaining Time in a Sudden Death/Tournament Game"
        in Faxback Doc. # 47018.

The following table shows:

  The square you press to select the level (after you press LEVEL).

  The maximum amount of time allowed for the game.

  What the computer displays when you select the level.

    Square          Time Per Game            Display

    A4              5 Minutes                bL: 5

    B4             10 Minutes                bL:10

    C4             15 Minutes                bL:15

    D4             20 Minutes                bL:20

    E4             30 Minutes                bL:30

    F4             45 Minutes                bL:45

    G4             60 Minutes                bL:60

    H4             90 Minutes                bL:90

Mate Search Levels (A6 - H6)

The eight mate search levels allow you to set up a position (see "Problem
Setup" in Faxback Doc. # 47017) and let the computer try to checkmate the
opponents king within 1 to 8 moves, regardless of the opponent's defense.
The computer searches for the shortest possible solution to checkmate
problems.  If no checkmate is possible or the computer cannot find a
checkmate, it sounds an error beep.  Then you must change levels to return
to normal play.

The following table shows:

  The square you press to select the level (after you press LEVEL).

  The mate problem the computer will try to solve.

  What the computer displays when you select the level.

   Square           Problem                   Display

    A6             Mate in 1                 ( ) in: 1

    B6             Mate in 2                 ( ) in: 2

    C6             Mate in 3                 ( ) in: 3

    D6             Mate in 4                 ( ) in: 4

    E6             Mate in 5                 ( ) in: 5

    F6             Mate in 6                 ( ) in: 6

    G6             Mate in 7                 ( ) in: 7

    H6             Mate in 8                 ( ) in: 8

Indefinite Response Time Level (H2)

At H2 (the indefinite response time level), the computer searches until it
finds a forced mate or you stop the search by pressing ENTER.  Use this
level to have the computer analyze complicated positions for hours or even
days.

When you select this level, the computer displays 9:99:99.

To stop the search and force the computer to make a move, press ENTER.

(BR/eb 7/28/98)

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