man(1) Manual page archive

chess(6) - Unix First Edition Manual Page
11/3/71CHESS (VI)

NAME chess -- the game of chess
SYNOPSIS /usr/games/chess
DESCRIPTION Chess is an attempt at computer chess. The program `speaks'in algebraic chess notation. The initial board


configuration in this notation is as follows:


8 R N B Q K B N R7 P P P P P P P P 6 - * - * - * - *5 * - * - * - * - 4 - * - * - * - *3 * - * - * - * - 2 p p p p p p p p1 r n b q k b n r a b c d e f g h A move is specified by the `from' co--ordinate followed bythe `to' co--ordinate. Thus the white P--K4 move would be `e2e4'. The black P--K4 would be `e7e5'. The following commands are recognized by the chessprogram:


moveMake the move if legal. The program does not keep track


of who is to play. The move is made for what ever sideis specified.


move xMake the move regardless of legality. This is a good


way to either set up a desired situation or to cheat.The initial move `e2e8x' is a winner.


mw The program will compute and make a move for the white


pieces. m The program will compute and make a move for the black


pieces. lab Set the level parameters to a and b, where a and b are


numbers between 0 and 9. The initial settings are 2 and8. The first parameter increases computation time rapidly while the second parameter only increasescomputation exponentially. Currently move times run from 20 seconds to 10 minutes. It was hoped that thesenumbers would be usefully related to the program's competence.


11/3/71CHESS (VI)



p The board is printed. u The last move is un--made. This is another


good way to cheat. t All the moves to date are printed.


s


The current game situation is saved on thefile c.tmp.


r The game situation on the file c.tmp is restored.


! commandThe unix command is executed by the mini-- shell. An interrupt (DEL) will pull the program out of itscomputation. If it is trying to make a move, the best move to date is made.
FILES c.tmp
SEE_ALSO msh
DIAGNOSTICS ? if an illegal move is attempted, or if an unknown commandis typed.


BUGS The current version does not recognize castling, promotionand en passant. A new version is in the mill.
OWNER ken