Congratulations on your Chess Challenger Build, Shall we play a Game?

• This user guide was deliberately modeled after the original Chess Challenger "7" instruction booklet as a tribute to its creators.

When power is first applied you will be greeted with the message "Chess Challenger 2018".

A new game will automatically be started, this is denoted by the message "New" on the display.

• Pressing the RE key at any point during a current game will start a new game.

• Pressing the RE key at the end of a game will start a new game.

  • The level of play is set to 0 by default.
    • If the level is set by the user, a new game will be started with the user specified level.
  • Ponder is set to OFF by default.
    • If the user has set the ponder mode, a new game will be started with the user specified mode.

Chess Challenger presumes you will chose the White side of the board, thus you are ready to make the first move and commence playing.

To play the Black side of the board press the EN key, Chess Challenger will display the first move.

• Switching sides during the game is not recommended.
  • However this can be achieved by pressing the EN key, Chess Challenger will display the next move.

Each of the squares of the chess board is designated in accordance with international notation by a letter of the alphabet and a number, which must be conveyed to the computer when chess moves are made. The vertical (the file) squares are lettered A to H; the horizontal squares (the rank) are numbered 1 to 8. Therefore, when the game begins, the white King's pawn is on square E2; the black King's pawn is on square E7.

ALWAYS ENTER THE ALPHABETICAL LETTER FIRST, AND THEN, ENTER THE NUMBER.

Example: To move white king's pawn two squares forward:

1. Press key E5, The FROM window will display E.
2. Press key B2, The FROM window will display E2.
3. Press key E5, The TO window will display E.
4. Press key D4, The TO window will display E4.
5. Manually move white King's pawn from square E2 to square E4.
6. Press the EN key, which registers the move in the computer.
7. The computer will respond with its calculated countermove.
8. Manually move the computers piece according to the instructions in the display window. (As the computer is considering board positions and choice of available moves, the lights in the display window will flash. This movement indicates that the computer is "thinking").

To erase a move before it is entered into the computer, press the CL key (clear).

The computer will execute the En Passant maneuver when it deems such a move to be beneficial.

If you, the player, choose to execute an En Passant maneuver, simply enter the move in accordance with the rules of chess.

Example: From D5 to C6 would capture the computer's pawn which had just moved to space C5

Chess Challenger is programmed to castle when it decides such a move is 'advantageous'. The computer informs you that it has castled when its King moves two spaces across the last rank. From E8 to G8 indicates a castle to the King side, and from E8 to C8 indicates a castle to the Queen side.

If you, the player, should elect to castle, the procedure is the same. For King side castle, enter E1 to G1; for Queen side castle, enter E1 to C1. Castling can only be performed when the rules of chess permit this maneuver.

It is very important you do not let the computer play with itself. This event may rip a hole in the space time continuum and be the end of all civilization on earth. At which point Chess Challenger will asexually reproduce sentient offspring to rule the barren and lifeless planet.

In a normal game, when a pawn reaches the "8th Rank", you will have to manually specify which rank your pawn will promote too. To achieve this enter your move as normal, before you 'play' your move, select key A1 - D4 to choose your rank, once your ready to 'play' your move, hit the EN key as usual. If the computer makes a move that warrants a promotion, the pawn will automatically be promoted to the rank of Queen.

Key	Rank
A1	'Q' Queen
B2	'R' Rook
C3	'B' Bishop
D4	'N' knight

The computer will always respond with a legal move. Moreover, Chess Challenger expects the human player to do the same. If you make an illegal move, the computer will stop you by immediately flashing _ _ _ _ in the display window. Enter a legal move to continue with game play.

Turning the game OFF or pressing the RE key automatically resets the program. For lengthy games, leave the game ON, as Chess Challenger is designed to be left ON for days or weeks, as desired. If Chess challenger will be running for an extended period of time, plug in the micro USB charging cable. This will prevent accidental power loss due to insufficient battery voltage.

Chess Challenger possesses the ability to display the board state in Forsyth–Edwards Notation at any time during the course of the game. By pressing the PV key (position verification), 'FEN-' will appear on the display. Pressing the PV key again will advance the FEN string by 4 characters. The end of the FEN string is denoted by '-END', to stop the position verification press either EN or CL, this will allow you to resume normal game play.

Whenever Chess Challenger places your King in check, the 'CHECK' light will be activated. If Chess challenger should checkmate your king, the display will flash to designate that the computer has been victorious. If the computer's King has been checkmated, the display and 'MATE' light with flash to signal your victory.

Chess Challenger has the ability to issue a draw or resign in certain situation, Such as the 50 move rule, insufficient material or stalemate. When a draw is issued a message will scroll across the display indicating the type of draw, please refer to the table below. Pressing 'any' key will stop the display message and allow the computer to resume normal operation.

Display Message	Explanation
Stalemate	When the only valid move puts a player in check.
Draw	Draw by repetition.
Draw	Draw by insufficient material.
Draw by 50 rule	Draw in compliance with the 'Fifty-Move Rule'.
Resign	Chess Challenger resigns.

Chess Challenger possesses a 19mb opening book, bookfish.bin. When following a patterned book opening the computer play as normal, computer response times may seem faster. The computer will continue to follow a patterned book response until the player departs from the pattern.

Chess Challenger has the ability to suggest an optimal move based on the current board state. This can be thought of as a 'Hint'. Pressing the PB key will scroll the computers 'Hint' across the display, during this operation pressing any key will allow the user to return to normal game play.

To err is only human, for that reason Chess Challenger allows the user to undo a move. Pressing the DM key displays 'Undo' on the display, the computer then removes the the last two moves made, this can only be preformed after the computer has made a valid move.