Saitek Mephisto Talking Chess Trainer User Manual

Page 3

ENGLISH

KEYS AND FEATURES

1. LCD Display Window: The Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)

is used to show moves, game information, and chess

clocks for both players. For a complete list of the symbols,
refer to Figure 1.

2. Piece Symbol Keys

(King),

(Queen),

(Rook),

(Bishop),

(Knight),

(Pawn): Used to verify positions,

select various Teach Modes, and underpromote pawns.

3. Game Keys

a. GO/STOP Key: Press to turn the computer on; press

again to turn the unit off. The current game is retained in
memory for up to 550 hours.

b. NEW GAME Key: Press to reset the computer for a

new game of chess.

c. OPENINGS COACH Key: Press to enter Openings

Coach Mode for training on opening gambits and re-
sponses.

d. LEVEL Key: Press to enter Level Mode to adjust the

level of play to the complexity and type of game you
desire. Also used to select the Teach Modes.

e. TAKE BACK Key: Press to take back the last individual

move made. You may take back up to 14 individual
moves. Note that an individual move is a move for one
side.

f. NON AUTO Key: Press to enter Non Auto Mode, which

allows moves to be entered manually. Here, the com-
puter monitors the game, but makes no moves.

g. PLAY Key: Press to exchange sides with the computer.

Press while the computer is thinking to force it to move,
or press during your own turn to get a move suggestion

from the computer.

h. SOUND Key: Pressing this key causes the sound

option to cycle through three levels of operation. You

can tell which level you have selected by the number of
high tone beeps you hear, as indicated below:

SOUND LEVEL

SIGNAL WHEN SELECTED

Beep and Voice .......... 3 high tones
Beep only ................... 2 high tones

Silent .......................... 1 high tone

With Voice selected, you’ll get helpful coaching
remarks, and the buzzer will beep to show the

computer’s response to your actions. See Figure 1
for the meanings of the beeps. Pressing and
holding SOUND for a second or more activates the

“Say Again” feature, causing the last message to
be repeated.

4. Sensory Chessboard: Each square contains a

highly sensitive sensor that registers piece move-
ment. The squares are identified by file (letters) and
rank (numbers).

5. ACL (Reset): Recessed reset switch is located in the

base of the unit, and used to eliminate static dis-
charge after inserting a new set of batteries.

6. Battery Compartment: In base of unit. The computer

uses 3 “AA” (Type AM3/R6) alkaline batteries.

7. Piece Storage Area: Handy storage compartment

for your chess pieces.

8. Language Selection Switch: In base of unit. Used

to select either English, German, or French.

Figure 1. Display Symbols and Sounds

SYMBOLS

............ 1

............. A

..... King

............ 2

............. B

..... Queen

............ 3

............ C

..... Rook

............ 4

............ D

..... Bishop

............ 5

............. E

..... Knight

............ 6

............. F

..... Pawn

............ 7

............ G

.... Standard

............ 8

............ H

board

............ 9

............ 0

PM ............ Indicates player to move.

S ............... Indicates black to move.

............... Steady colon indicates that figures are

Minutes and Seconds

............... Flashing colon indicates that figures are

Hours and Minutes

ch:--

........ Black in check

ch:__

........ White in check

EnD-

........ Checkmate – black wins

EnD(

........ Draw

te:

............ Teach Mode

o(:3

.......... Openings Coach (Spanish Opening) -

computer plays both sides

o_:3

.......... Openings Coach (Spanish Opening) -

computer plays white

o):3

.......... Openings Coach (Spanish Opening) -

computer plays black

.......... Openings Coach (Spanish Opening) -

computer plays neither

SOUNDS

1 high tone ...... Acknowledge operation of any key or

sensory square

1 low tone ....... Error: Wrong move or wrong key pressed

2 low tones ...... Warning from Coach

3 high tones .... New Game or Beep and Voice set

3 low tones ...... In games against the clock, time has

run out