Thank you for using Chess Giants.

The goal of this chess software is to be the easiest to use of all computer chess games. The author hopes that it will give you much pleasure and satisfaction.

This document presents succintly the purpose and rules of chess, an introduction to the use of the Chess Giants software, and a list of answers to the most common questions and issues about the software.

To facilitate your reading, the table of contents of this document is interactive: just click on a title to be taken to the paragraphs it covers. Similarly, at the end of each section, an interactive icon will give you the opportunity to come back directly to the table of contents below.

Chess is a very old strategy game – this game is more than 1500 years old – where two medieval armies wage war on a battlefield, the chessboard.

           

On both sides of the chessboard, the white army and the black army engage battle under the command of their respective kings. As in the Middle Ages, the goal is to surround the King of the opposing army and to force him to surrender (we say in old french: lui faire eschec et le mater, which can be translated as: circumvent and subdue). Since the other army tries to do exactly the same thing, it is often necessary to knock out a large number of units to reach that goal.

Both sides start the battle on equal terms. Each army is composed of:

• Eight infantrymen, called pawns (peons),
• Two siege towers, called rooks (belfries),
• Two knights (this is light cavalry),
• Two bishops (they're actually heavy cavalry in armor, like the Knight Templars),
• A maid (more commonly called the Queen), hero of the army,
• A King, for whom everybody fights.

The pawn

The pawn is the base soldier. In the Middle Ages, the infantryman advances in line, on foot, and always straight ahead. Fitted with a polearm (such as spades), the infantryman may attack diagonally only, to the left or to the right, but always ahead of him. It is a matter of honor: at war, the King's infantry never goes back. Destroy the enemy!

Therefore, the pawn moves on the chessboard one square at a time, and always forward. Except when he rushes from his starting line; at that time, the soldier is still rested, and he is allowed to rush one or two squares forward, at will.

The rook

Usually built of wood and mounted on wheels, the siege tower was in the Middle Ages an armoured vehicle designed for crossing a rampart. Once oriented, it was headed in straight line towards the enemy walls, or towards a particularly well-defended position, and it served as a tank. Such a belfry could also be used to protect other units sheltering behind it.

Therefore, at chess, the rook moves on the chessboard in any orthogonal direction (that is to say at right angles), and any number of squares in that direction.

The knight

The cavalry was a formidable military class and a powerful asset in a medieval army. Horses could jump over enemy lines. Once behind, an agile horseman was quick to wreak carnage.

Thus, the knight is the only piece that is not stopped by enemy units across its road. It moves by leaps, in any direction, crossing both squares at once where the passageway is easier for a horse, that is to say between both, such as on the image on the right where a knight crosses a line of pawns. This is what gives his movements their very characteristic "L"-letter shape.

The bishop

In the Middle Ages, there was a kind of prestigious, armored cavalry. Equipped with heavy armor and mounted on powerful steeds, they tumbled at full speed screaming Diex aye!, all swords and maces swinging, hitting the enemy ranks full force. Before the opposite army could pull itself together, such madmen had time to send in paradise many enemy fighters.

Formerly called alphin (for in the East heavy chivarly rode elephants), the bishop is recognizable by its cracked miter, perhaps to remind the famous Templar soldier-monks militia. Like the rook, this piece moves as many squares as it wants, but this time diagonally.

The queen

Each medieval army had its hero. Often it was a vassal of the King particularly mighty and seasoned, such as a duke or a count. Sometimes the hero was the operational chief of the armies himself, or sometimes it was the eldest prince, son of the King in person. In the Far East, from where chess comes, this piece was called the vizir. In the West, it was first called in Old French la fierge, probably in tribute to the famous hero and warlady Joan of Arc. Her helmet is decorated, and she is visible from afar.

The queen is the mightiest of all chess pieces. Highly combative, she combines the movement possibilities of the rook (chariot) and the bishop (heavy cavalry). Thus, she moves in all directions as many squares as it wants.

The king

True head of the army, the King is the one for which everyone fights. Even if he was once a famous warrior, like the current hero of his army, he is most often old and hardly fights now. Generally set back, protected by his best men, he leads the battlefield from afar. Truly, when the King engages himself in the battle, then the outcome is close!

And so the King moves like the queen, but strongly diminished, that is to say in any direction, but one square at a time. It is essential to always protect his King: if an enemy threatens him, he is in check and he must react; if he can neither escape nor any of his men save him, then he is taken: he is checkmate! And it's the end of the battle.

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has standardized the shape of chess pieces.
From left to right: a pawn, a rook, a knight, a bishop, a queen, the King.

Course of the game, fights, victory and defeat

White engage the battle. After what, each player moves one unit in turn, according to the specific rules of movement that are proper to it.

When a piece lands on a square occupied by an enemy unit, the enemy unit is put out of action and removed from the chessboard. Whatever be the respective values of the pieces, the attacker always wins, because it's his turn to strike. Thus, even a queen can be defeated by a simple pawn.

After a move, if the opposite King is directly threatened by one of your pieces, then it is said to be in check and he is obligated to react. He can do so by moving to escape from the threat, or by ordering another piece of his army to come and save him, either by eliminating the threat, or by interposing (but note that a move that would leave your own King threatened is prohibited. You will soon see why).

When the King can no longer escape the enemy, and when none of his units can come to his rescue, he is defeated and must surrender: he is then said to be checkmate. The fighting cease; it's the end of the game.

It is frequent that one of the opponents surrenders before his King be effectively checkmate. This is the case when, for example, the greater part of his army has been massacred on the battlefield, and he feels he can no longer win. In this case, to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, the King surrenders on his own will to the enemy and the fighting ceases by agreement.

« The King is not taken, neither at war, nor at chess! » – Louis VI the Fat facing the Normans, battle of Brémule, 1119

Causes of drawn games

• A King cannot put himself in check. This would be for the King to commit suicide, yet suicide in the Middle Ages was the greatest sacrilege: people who committed suicide were denied funeral! So, when one of the players can't help but put his own King in check (for example, because he no longer has any other piece to play, his King being not presently in check but will be whatever move he's about to make), then the game is a draw due to stalemate. Everything happens as if the assaliant admitted he was responsible for the abominable crime against God that the enemy King was about to commit, and spared him of this sacrilege by ceasing the fight. There is then no winner and no loser.

• Another cause of nullity is when the two opponents have decimated their armies so much that there is not enough of their fighters alive to threaten each other. The game is then said drawn due to insufficient material to checkmate.

• A game may also declared drawn by mutual agreement between both players. It is often in the interest of a belligerent who feels he is beginning to lose the stuggle to seek armistice, and he who receives such a proposal most frequently considers it with suspicion: if he accepts peace, he deprives himself of a possible victory!

• A game may finally be declared drawn if, for 50 moves, no piece was taken out of the chessboard. The opponents are then considered to be of equal strength, and the fighting to have lasted long enough. It's the honourable peace.

Special moves and promotions

Castling

If neither the king nor either of the two rooks have moved yet during the game, the king can put himself to safety behind the rook. This maneuver is called castling. At this time, exceptionally, the king moves two squares towards the rook behind which he wants to protect himself, and in the same move the rook comes and put itself in place behind him.

All the space between the king and the rook must be unoccupied, neither of both pieces shall have moved and none of the squares that the king crosses shall be threatened by the opponent. Distinction is made between kingside castling, when the king moves towards his side of the chessboard, and queenside castling, when he moves towards the other side.

En passant capture

When a pawn rushes (that is to say, moves two squares from his starting line), if he lands just aside an opposite pawn, on the same line, the enemy pawn may incapacitate him as if the first pawn had moved one square only. The enemy pawn does his capture move diagonally, and the first pawn is removed from the chessboard as if he had been captured on this square.

It is considered that this capture is possible because when moving two squares, the pawn crosses a square that is threatened by the opposing pawn, and this latter one may very well slay him with his pike as he passes. Hence the French name of this capture: en passant.

Promotion

A pawn that managed to cross all the battlefield and make it out alive is definitely a brave and immediately receives honors. He can thus choose to become a rook, a knight (horseman), a bishop (heavy cavalry) or even a queen (hero of the army). No matter what he chooses, his experience of the battlefield will definitely make him worthy of his new rank!

Many are the pawns who choose to become a queen, because she's the migthiest of all. There may thus be several in the game. But there are cases where it'd be more useful for the army to get a new knight, for example. Everything depends on the player's strategy and how he foresees the end of the game: maybe a knight will be more useful than a queen?

 

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« You know, O'Kelly, when I get to the other side, I'll have a great advantage over Lasker and Capablanca. For I'll arrive with the latest theoretical findings! » – Ossip Bernstein (on his deathbed)

 

Chess strategy is a complex topic that fascinates players from thousands of years, to the point that this game was called the king of games.

Many books have been written on the subject. It is not the scope of this documentation to enumerate them, but know that almost all the international greatmasters have written at least one.

There are also (in your country and in the world) many chess clubs, by which every beginner will be able to find opponents of his skill who will help him progress. In order to know the clubs in your country, inquire at your local Chess Federation which will in turn give you the address of the club next to you.

There are also on the Internet many websites and forums dedicated to chess. Your favorite search engine will surely find some for you.

Chess Giants is a chess software for Windows that enables two people to play chess on the same screen, or one person against the computer, or else against other opponents over the Internet in a virtual chess club.

Contrarily to other chess software who generally target a somewhat experienced audience, Chess Giants's goal is to be the most intuitive, the finest and the most enjoyable chess software to use, and this no matter the level at chess of the person who uses it.

Some may find that Chess Giants largely mimics Windows^® Vista's Chess Titans, at least for the aesthetics part. This software indeed has the same appearance and the same behaviour. But in addition to the standard features, it offers you many other things:

• It doesn't need a powerful computer to run.
• It reads and saves games in the PGN and FEN formats.
• It has many additional options, such as a display of the game history and a game clock.
• It can change appearance thanks to visual themes that the user can create himself.
• The computer can play at an International Great Master level thanks to the Crafty chess engine.
• It can interface with many other chess engines.
• It enables online play on the main Internet chess clubs such as FICS.
• The user can easily add new translations to the software so that it displays in his language.
• The specifications of this project are open, which means you may contact the author and ask him to add such or such new feature.

The software may be downloaded from the Internet at this address, on its author's website: http://www.pmbaty.com/chess/

Pierre-Marie Baty
pm@pmbaty.com

The author deliberately chose to provide the utmost care to the finishing of the software and hopes that you will enjoy it with much pleasure. If however you encountered the slightest defect, don't hesitate to contact him so that the problem be corrected in a new version as quickly as possible.

When you start Chess Giants, at the center of the screen displays a menu similar to the image above.

Click on the bottom button (the one framed in red on the picture) to begin a chess game against a person that is physically present next to you.

It is up to you to decide which of you will take the white side and who will side with the blacks. When your choice is made, the player who plays white takes control and begins the game by moving a piece (refer to Answers to common questions – How to move a piece? in the present document if you wish to learn how to move a piece).

Once your move is made, the chessboard automatically rotates around itself* and ends up presenting the opposing side, which is your opponent's. He takes then control of the software and plays his turn. You and him now alternate moves in front of the chessboard until either of you wins the game, or until the other resigns.

* This option can be turned off in the Game – Options menu (also accessible via the F4 key)

When you start Chess Giants, at the center of the screen displays a menu similar to the image above.

Click on the middle button (the one framed in red on the picture) to begin a chess game against the computer.

For convenience, the side that is attributed to you is the white side and the computer sides with the blacks. The game thus begins as soon as you move a piece (refer to Answers to common questions – How to move a piece? in the present document if you wish to learn how to move a piece).

Once your move is made, the computer ponders his own (this may take some while according to the difficulty level that you chose in the Game – Options menu) and plays his turn. You and him now alternate moves in front of the chessboard until either of you wins the game, or until the other one resigns.

How to switch sides?

If you wish to play black, just switch sides at the beginning of the game using the Chessboard – Switch sides menu command. The chessboard automatically rotates around itself; you then take on the role previously assigned to the computer, and it takes on yours.

Note that you can switch sides at any time during the game.

How to adjust the computer play level?

To adjust the computer play level, go to the Game – Options menu (also accessible via the F4 key) and choose the settings that suit you best in the tab indicated in red on the image.

By adjusting the Computer play level slider left (Easy), the computer will have a more limited intelligence of the game and will become a more easily defeatable opponent. By adjusting this slider right (Difficult), the computer will be allowed to think more. It will foresee the course of the game further and will become a stronger opponent.

WARNING: if you move the slider too far right, be prepared to wait some time for the computer to decide about its moves. This can last as long as during an untimed game in an international competition!

To increase realism, especially for beginning players, you can also set the frequency at which the computer does « blunders », that is to say, moves that are moderately or even very poorly played. If the Allow the computer to commit blunders checkbox is checked, the computer will have a percentage of chances that each played move be a blunder determined by the position of the slider under it (N.B. this slider can only be adjusted when the checkbox is checked).

When this slider is positioned to the left (1% chance), the computer will have one chance out of 100 to commit a blunder each move. When this slider is pushed to the right (100% chance), the computer will play literally stupidly, since 100% of his moves will be blunders. You may so adjust the thoughtlessness or concentration of your computer opponent so as to make the game more sustainable for a beginner.

Finally, you can adjust the computer's obstinacy to carry out the game to its end, or to resign when its situation becomes hopeless. When the Allow the computer to resign checkbox is checked, the position of the slider below it determines its obstinacy level. When this slider is positioned to the left (Yielding), the computer will resign the game as soon as it'll find itself in serious inferiority. When this slider is pushed to the right (Obstinate), the computer will persist in playing as long as possible, until its defeat becomes truly unrecoverable.

Don't hesitate to try out different settings to adjust the computer's play style to your needs. If you've lost the thread of your settings, refer to the image above to restore the original settings.

How to obtain an advice from the computer?

If you want the computer to analyze your position and suggest you the move it would do if it was itself in your situation, use the Chessboard – Suggest me a move menu command. The computer will then select for you the piece to play and let blink, for a couple seconds, the position on the chessboard where it suggest you to move that piece.

Note however that the advice that will be given to you will reflect the play level that you chose for the computer. It will not give you a smarter advice than one that corresponds to the level that it's been allowed to play (blunders excluded), which is why decision to follow such advices blindly won't necessarily lead you to the quickest victory.

When you start Chess Giants, at the center of the screen displays a menu similar to the image above.

Click on the top button (the one framed in red on the picture) to begin a chess game against an online opponent on the Internet (note: this action is possible only if your computer has a working Internet connection).

The software will then connect to your virtual chess club (see below: what is a virtual chess club).

The software then displays the « Connecting » message ...

If you set up a nickname (handle) and its associated password*, the software will use this identifier to connect to the virtual chess club. If you didn't specify any identifier in particular, you will be connected as guest (note: to create an account on the FICS virtual chess club, head up to the Options menu (also accessible via the F4 key), under the Internet tab.

As soon as the connection is established, the virtual chess club's message of the day and the administration robot's welcome message display in two distinct windows**, that you can close after having read them. Since the administration robot has an identifier just like any player, its message displays in a private discussion window, identical to those that you'll use when you'll want to chat with another player.

Once connected to the virtual chess club, you have the possibility to either display the list of connected players so as to choose an opponent and/or chat with him, either display the list of sought games, i.e. games sought by those very players, or tell the club you're seeking a game yourself according to particular criteria.

When no game has begun yet, and you are connected to the virtual chess club, the game displays an interface similar to the image above, of which here are the main elements.

• The Internet menu contains all the commands that apply to online play. There you can look at the sought games, at the online players list, at their card and their statistics, at the different public chatter channels to which you can participate, as well as review the virtual chess club's message of the day, that sometimes announces important information.
• The first icon on the left representing a person sitting behind a chessboard, enables you to display the list of people that are seeking an opponent for a particular type of game. You may choose to answer their request by confronting them, or add your own game seek demand yourself if none of the criteria required by the currently sought games suit you.
• The second icon on the left representing a group of people, enables you to display the complete list of connected players, with different informations such as their nickname, their play level, their possible title, and whether they are currently playing a game, a tournament, busy, available or away (the pictures next to their nickname indicate their state).
• The bottom area of the screen contains the last messages that have been emitted by the players on the public chatter channels of which you are a member. By default, the software makes you join the Guest Help and Guest Chat channels, as well as the channel that corresponds to your language, if such a channel exists in the virtual chess club.

* You may specify these identifiers with the Game – Options menu command (also accessible via the F4 key)
** You may ignore these messages by unchecking the Display messages from the virtual chess club checkbox in the Game – Options menu

What is a virtual chess club ?

A « virtual chess club » is a place on the Internet where chess enthusiasts gather together to play their favorite game. It's a bit like the great hall of a chess club in the real world.

Several virtual chess clubs exist on the Internet. The two best known are the ICC (Internet Chess Club, whose website is at the address www.chessclub.com) and the FICS (Free Internet Chess Server, whose website is at the address www.freechess.org). Access to the ICC requires a monthly fee, whereas the FICS is free for everybody.

Chess Giants connects to the FICS virtual chess club.

Chatter channels

A chatter channel may be seen as a group of people who are talking together in the great hall of the chess club. Their discussions aren't really private and may be heard by everybody who chooses to listen to them. You may choose to join them so as to participate in the discussion, or simply listen to them, or ignore them.

It is customary that all messages emitted on a chatter channel be more or less relevant to its topic. For example, help requests ought to be emitted on a channel whose topic is about player help, and not on any channel, even if it's the channel in which you're currently listening to the conversation.

To join a chatter channel, head up to the Internet – Chatter channels... menu. The following below appears, indicating the list of chatter channels that exist in your virtual chess club, their topic, the number of people listening to each of them, as well as the names of the players that have joined the channel you selected.

The left column gives the list of chatter channels available in this virtual chess club, their topic and the number of persons who listen to them. A green dot means that you joined that channel, that is to say it's a channel of which you follow the discussions. A red dot means you haven't joined that channel, and thus you won't see the messages exchanged by its members.

To join or leave a channel, all you need to do is to double-click on its name*. When its icon turns green, then the virtual chess club allowed you to join this channel and the discussions that happen in it will now appear on the main game screen, in the area dedicated to public discussions. When its icon turns red, it means you left this channel, and the discussions that happen in it will no longer reach you.

The chatter channel whose line is selected is the one on which the messages you type will be sent. On this picture, it's the Guest Chat channel, which is the typical idle chat channel for guests.

The right-hand list gives the names of the players who are currently members of this channel. It is possible to begin a private talk with either of them by double-clicking on his nickname.

To send a public message in the selected chatter channel, press the Space key in the main game screen. Your nickname and the channel name light up at the bottom of the screen and you can type your message. It will be sent when you hit Enter.

IMPORTANT : the language used in the virtual chess clubs on the Internet is english! Although some chatter channels may be used to speak in your native language, all the public discussions on the other channels are supposed to happen in english.

* Notice that the virtual chess club disallows access to other channels to players who connect as guest, that is to say players who don't have an account with an identifier and a password yet, than to the « Guest Help » and « Guest Chat » channels.

The players list

To display the list of all players currently present in the virtual chess club, head up to the Internet – Show the online players list menu (also available via the F9 key). The following window shows up, telling who are the current players, what they are up to, and what are their possible responsibilities within the virtual chess club.

The Player name column indicates which nickname the player chose for himself, and the colorful icon before him indicates what he is currently up to. If you are about to start a conversation with someone, or are thinking about inviting him to play a game, you will then be able to make sure that you aren't disturbing him.

• - This player is present and does nothing in particular at the moment
• - This player is studying a game
• - This player is inactive for some time (maybe he went away from his computer)
• - This player is already playing a game
• - This player is doing a simulation
• - This player is currently engaged in a tournament
• - This player wishes not to be disturbed (don't invite him)
• - This player just disconnected from the chess server

The FIDE title column contains the optional title attributed by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) to this player. For example, if the player is Greatmaster, this column will show "GM" as well as the distinctive sign of his gender (because the FIDE distinguishes between male and female titles).

The Status column precises what this player is currently doing, and whether he accepts invitations or not.

The Ranking column indicates the play level (relative to the virtual chess club) of a player. This level corresponds more or less to his Elo rank.

The other columns bear a checkmark whether the player is human or a machine, and/or whether he has the following responsibilities within the club.

• Computer - This player is not a human but a machine.
• Administrator - This player is involved in the administration of the virtual chess club.
• Blind - This player is blind, a characteristic that you may or not take in account.
• Team - This player is a collective. There are several persons helping out behind the computer.
• Advisor - This skilled player is ready to help weaker players to make progress.
• Representative - This player has the responsibility to help out newcomers around the virtual chess club.
• Tournament director - This player organizes tournaments.
• Mamer manager - This player handles the Mamer tournament management program (more info here).
• Unregistered - This player has no account on the virtual chess club (he connected as guest).

To sort the list according to a column, simply click on the wanted column. A first click to establish the sort in increasing order (from A to Z, or from the smallest to the greatest number), another click to establish the sort in decreasing order (from Z to A, or from the greatest to the smallest number).

You may choose to filter this list so as to display less players, according to particular criteria. For example, if you wish to find all players whose name contains "john", enter john in the field labeled Filter by name. Names like LongJohnSilver, John1234, JohnLeRouge, johnny678, etc. will then display. You may also filter players according to their status (for example, to display only players that are available), or according to their Elo rank.

To contact a player and start a discussion with him (make sure he's available beforehand), double-click on his nickname.

Private chat

When the following window shows up, you are in private chat with a particular player. Only you and him will know what you say.

This interface is very similar to the one of an instant messaging program, and works in the same way. It is resizeable, and may be placed anywhere on your screen, for example on the side of the chessboard window.

The player name as well as his status are displayed in the window title. The top right icon reminds whether the player is available, playing, inactive, or else not wishing to be disturbed (please note that this status may be inaccurate at the very time of display. It is such as the virtual chess club noticed it the last time).

To send a message to this person, just type it in the bottom left text field, then press Enter (or else click the Send button). Your conversation displays in the top left text area, each phrase being preceded by the nickname of its emitter. To ease your reading, your nickname displays in grey, the one of your partner in black (thus, you spot his messages more easily).

The first button under the player's icon enables you to challenge him for a game, but only if his status allows him to accept invitations. For example, if his status is "busy / do not disturb", this button will be greyed out and you will not be able to use it. In the opposite case, clicking on it, a new window will appear in which you'll be able to specify what sort of game you want to challenge him to.

The second button under the player's icon, labeled View profile, enables you to display his player card, which contains his personal message (if he has one), and his stats. Please note that only players with a registered account on the virtual chess club may retain their stats and their personal message. Guests don't have this privilege.

During a game, the instant chat window with your opponent may be open anytime by clicking on this button on the top left of the screen, just below the game history arrows.

 

The player card

A player's card shows his personal introduction message (if he bothered to write one), and his statistics.

The personal introduction message is a text in which a player introduces himself. Everybody has full freedom to write whatever he wants on it (although its length is reasonably limited).

The game statistics are an array showing, according to each style of game practised by the player:

• The name of this style,
• The player's « pseudo-Elo » ranking for this game style,
• His statistical deviance (RD), which indicates whether his ranking varies often or not,
• The number of victories for all the played games,
• The number of defeats for all the played games,
• The number of draws for all the played games,
• The total of all played games.

The statistics are followed by a reminder of his current activity status, the game he is currently playing and the nickname of his opponent (or an invitation to contact him if he isn't playing one), as well as the duration of his connection to the virtual chess club (or the date of his last connection if he isn't currently connected). The last line tells how long elapsed since his last action, whatever that was. This information may be useful to find out whether the player is active or went away from his computer.

To display your own player card, and thus specify your own personal introduction message, head up to the Internet – Show your card menu command. For this, you can also look up your own nickname in the list of connected players, and double-click on it.

The different game types

The Internet – Show the sought games list menu command (or the F10 key) displays the list of players who are currently looking for an opponent.

The virtual chess clubs enable people to play chess according to various rules. Chess Giants enables to play all the game types that conform to the standard rules of chess.

The games whose rules are supported by the software are signaled by an icon showing a chessboard (). The games whose rules are unrecognized by the software are signaled by an icon showing a "no way" sign (). Here is their classification:

• Standard: game playable in a reasonable amount of time (more than 15 minutes) with the standard rules.
• Blitz: quick game that plays in less than 15 minutes, according to the standard rules.
• Lightning: very fast game that plays under 3 minutes, according to the standard rules.
• Atomic: game that plays with non standard rules, where a taken piece "atomizes" eight squares around it.
• Bughouse: game that plays in partnership on two chessboards with non standard rules, where any piece taken on your chessboard may be replaced on your teammate's.
• Crazyhouse: game that plays with non standard rules, where taking pieces enables you to earn new ones of your color.
• Losers: game that plays with non standard rules, where taking is mandatory and the loser wins.
• Wild: game that plays with non standard rules, where the initial placement of the pieces is different.

The array indicates whether the proposed game is rated (in which case, its results will be taken in account in both opponents' statistics), or unrated (in which case, it's just a friendly game).

The initial time and incrément respectively indicate the clock's start value for each player, and the number of extra seconds granted after each move.

Also indicated are the nickname and ranking of your opponent.

Some players only accept opponents whose level rates between such and such value in the global ranking. If this is the case, the ranking values required by these opponents will be specified in the Accepts from and up to fields. By courtesy, please do not reply to their proposals if you don't have the level, especially if their "filter" is shut off. When in doubt, ask them beforehand.

The Filter column indicates whether the player put a filter to stop receiving game proposals that don't match his level. If you try to answer the challenge from one of those players without having the required level, your reply will be blocked and will have no effect.

Lastly, the Automatic column, when ticked, indicates that the game will start automatically as soon as you will have replied to it: the opposite player won't need to accept your reply. In the opposite case, your opponent will be notified of your reply and will be able to choose whether he accepts a game against you, or not.

Never forget to stay friendly and polite towards the other players, no matter what happens!

How to move a piece?

Moving pieces is done very simply using the mouse. Here's how, with pictures.

     

For starters, do make sure that no window or dialog box (such as, for example, the game options menu) prevails on the screen. If such is the case, close that window or dialog box first, so that nothing prevails on the chessboard display.

Picture no. 1. The controlling player moves the mouse cursor over the chessboard and clicks on the piece he wishes to move.

Picture no. 2. The squares to which this piece is allowed to move lit up on the chessboard*.

Picture no. 3. The player then clicks on the square towards which he wants to move his piece. The move begins immediately.

Picture no. 4. When the move is over, the start and end squares are signaled for your opponent to notice*

It can happen that you have no choice for a move. This is the case, for example, when your King is in check. In such a case, only the moves that enable your King to get out of this dangerous situation will be accepted. If you attempt an unauthorized move then, an unusual sound will warn you that your move is forbidden.

* This option can be switched off in the Game – Options menu (also accessible via the F4 key)

How to view the board from another angle?

The chessboard may be seen from all angles, including from the top. You may choose the view angle that suits you best by holding the right mouse button pressed and moving the mouse around, as if you were pinching the checkboard between the fingers of your right hand and rotating it. Release the right mouse button when you are satisfied with the view angle that displays.

By using the mouse wheel, you can also get closer to the chessboard so as to see a detail better, or step back so as to have a better full view. The following image shows the chessboard seen from close range, under a particular view angle.

The F5, F6 and F7 keys enable you to switch quickly from one predefined view to the other.

• The F5 key enables you to view the chessboard from the top. This sort of view is the most common among the other chess software, and the most used by people accustomed to these software.
• The F6 key enables you to view the chessboard as it shows to a player sitting in front of it. This is the viewpoint with which each player begins the game.
• The F7 key enables you to instantly return to the last custom viewpoint that you set yourself (if you just set a viewpoint, then this key has no effect).

These functions are also accessible from the Chessboard menu, at the position given by the following image.

How to display (or hide) the symbols rather than the pieces?

When it's the top viewpoint that is chosen, the readability of the chessboard is eased by the fact that the software displays the pieces' standardized symbols, rather than their real appearance. Many persons who are familiar with chess software are used to this type of representation.

This option may, at your convenience, be disabled (or enabled again) in the Chessboard – Change appearance menu (also accessible via the F8 key).

By ticking the checkbox here framed in red, the parts instantly show up as symbols, just like in the above image. By clearing this checkbox, it's the real appearance of the parts that show up, as if a real observer was watching a real chessboard from the top down.

How to review the moves that have been played?

During a game, it is possible to play back the game history by using the left arrow and right arrow-shaped buttons, that are located at the top left of the display, just below the Game menu.

• Clicking the left arrow-shaped button enables you to view the previous move,
• Clicking the right arrow-shaped button enables you to view the next move in the game history.

The number of the currently displayed move and its color are displayed below these buttons. When the move on display is the last move, case which corresponds to the current state of the game, the text says "Current".

Tip: for convenience, the keyboard arrows have the same function.

If you wish to go directly to a move of which you know the number, you may use the Go to move... command in the Chessboard menu. This function displays a dialog box enabling you to specify the number of the move you wish to review, and also its color.

By clicking OK, you will instantly « travel in time », and the chessboard as it was at the move you specified will be displayed.

This dialog box is also accessible through the Ctrl+G key combo.

How to undo a blunderous move?

This feature is accessible via the Chessboard – Cancel last move menu command, and also through the usual Windows^® key combination for cancelling something: Ctrl + Z.

Please note that the rules of chess normally forbid to cancel a move that has just been played. Indeed, the rules say: any piece touched must be played. Hence, this feature is proposed for sole courtesy, and it is mandatory to ensure that you do have your opponent's agreement prior to using it.

This command works in several ways, according to the type of game that you chose:

• When you play against a person next to you, it's the move that has just been played that is cancelled.

• When you play against the computer, the last two moves are cancelled, that is to say the computer's move, and the move that preceded it (yours).

• Last, when you play on the Internet, it's the last move that is cancelled, but foremost this command will be submitted to your opponent for approbation, and he may choose to refuse, in accordance with the rules.

How to change the appearance of the board or its background?

You can change the appearance of the chessboard and its background at your convenience. This feature is accessible via the Chessboard – Change appearance menu command (also accessible via the F8 key).

This command displays a dialog box titled Change appearance. All you need to do then is to choose which decor theme to display by selecting it using the mouse among those proposed in the drop-down list of this dialog box. The change takes effect immediately.

You may also choose to replace the background by a photograph, or any other picture stored in your computer. To do so, tick the Custom background checkbox in this dialog box, then click the Browse... button to specify the location of the photograph or image that you wish to display in the background.

If you no longer wish to display a photograph, or if you wish to get the stock background back, untick the Custom background checkbox. The change takes effect immediately.

If you don't wish that the square coordinates be engraved around the chessboard (the a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h letters for the columns and the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 numerals for the rows), untick the Display the grid checkbox. Tick this case again when you want the coordinates to show up again.

Can I add new decor themes, or modify existing themes?

Sure. For that, use the Add/Modify visual themes command in the « ? » menu.

• To modify an existing theme, edit or replace the image (in the PNG format) and sound (in the Wave format) files in the selected theme's folder.
• To add a new theme, duplicate the folder of an existing theme and give him a new name. You can then modify its content to your wishes.

Please however note that your changes will be taken in account the next time you run the software.

How to switch language?
How to add a new translation?

The software comes in 8 languages at the moment, french (the creator's native language), english (main international language for the moment), russian, german, italian, dutch, portuguese (Brazil) and norwegian. The initial choice of the language is automatic and happens according to the language of your Windows operating system.

If you nevertheless wish to display another language, select it in the Display tab in the Game – Options menu (also available through the F4 key). The changes apply as soon as you validate the options by clicking the OK button.

In the same way, to add a new translation for a new language, duplicate one of the existing files (most preferably one that corresponds to a language that you are able to translate), give it the name of the language that you want (for example Russian.ini)*, then open this file with a text editor and translate each of the phrases this file contains. Important: do not translate the labels before these phrases! Labels are what precede the "equal" sign (=) before each phrase. These labels must stay untranslated so that the software recognizes the phrases to which they correspond.

* If you wish your new translation to be automatically chosen by the software, make sure to name it according to the language of your operating system.

How to use another chess engine?

Chess Giants comes with the Crafty, Fruit Reloaded, Toga II, Senpai, Texel and Stockfish chess engines but can work with many others.

To select the chess engine that will be your computer opponent, head up to the Game – Options menu (also accessible via the F4 key) and choose the program to use in the drop-down list at the top of the Computer tab. Note however that you cannot switch to another engine in the middle of a game. If you ask so while a game versus the computer is currently playing, the change will actually happen at the next game.

N. B.: if you're an advanced user, know that it is possible to add new chess engines to Chess Giants. To do so, use the Add/Modify chess engines command in the « ? » menu. To add a new chess engine, create a new folder and copy the engine.ini and init.txt files from the folder of an already existing engine (for example, GNU Chess). Place them in the folder of your new chess engine, and edit them so that they reflect the particularities of the engine you are setting up. The inline comments in those files will explain to you the role of each parameter. Chess Giants was written to support the maximum engines that communicate in text mode, as well of type CECP (also known as "WinBoard" engines, for example: Crafty), as of type UCI (recent engines such as Fruit, Shredder or Stockfish). See the Crafty configuration file for a CECP engine example and the Stockfish one for a UCI example.

The computer plays poorly, does blunders or plays completely stupidly!

The stock settings of the software are such that the computer sometimes commits blunders when it plays, so as to give a chance to total beginners. Verify that the Allow the computer to commit blunders setting in the Options menu (F4 key) is set to your liking. If you wish the computer to never commit any blunder at all, uncheck the checkbox that allows it. If you wish only to reduce their frequency, move the slider to the left.

I can't click anywhere on the chessboard, none of the commands have any effect!

It is possible that the software be waiting for your reply in a dialog box (a small rectangle displaying a message and one or several buttons). Use the Alt+Tab keys to browse through the active windows on your computer and look for the window, or the dialog box, that could be awaiting a reply from you.

The chessboard displays from a viewpoint that makes it unreadable!

Rotate it to the position that suits you by clicking the right mouse button, then holding that button down and sliding the mouse in the direction towards which you want the chessboard to rotate. Use the mouse wheel to get closer or farther from it. If you wish to return to the initial viewpoint, press the F6 key. If you wish to watch the chessboard from the top down, press the F5 key.

The computer takes an infinite time to play! It must have crashed!

If you have been too ambitious in the settings you gave to the computer, it is possible that a very long time happens before the computer plays its move. At the extreme settings, this delay may last as long as half an hour, or more according to your computer's performance! Don't forget that at such settings, the computer analyzes the chessboard as an International Greatmaster would: it thus takes all the time. If you wish for a faster game, moving the Computer play level slider in the Options menu (F4 key) to the left will limit the computer's depth of analysis: it will then finish computing faster.

I can't connect to the virtual chess club, the button is greyed out and doesn't react!

This means that Chess Giants did not detect a working Internet connection on your computer. You cannot connect to the virtual chess club if your computer isn't linked to the Internet for the whole duration of the game. You must first ensure that Internet is working, for example by visiting a website with your web browser, then ask for a new game in the Game – New game menu (F2 key).

I can't connect to the virtual chess club, the connection never completes!

Maybe the computer that hosts the virtual chess club (what is called the "server") is temporarily out of order, or enduring maintenance. If it's the case, you can't do anything from your side. Try again later.

I can't reply to certain invitations in the virtual chess club!

There can be several reasons. It is possible that the player that sent you such an invitation has a filtering formula, that prevents players who don't have the level to reply. It is also possible that the game he wishes to play follows rules that are not supported by the software (for not everybody uses Chess Giants to connect to the virtual chess club; many players use software that support more rules, but of which the interface is more austere). Lastly, it is possible that the player does receive your invitation, but chooses to refuse it, for reasons known only by him. When in doubt, you may contact the person in private to ask him about it.

My statistics aren't saved in the virtual chess club!

Did you register an account at the virtual chess club? If yes, do you connect to the virtual chess club using the very identifier and password that you specified then? Check that out in the Options menu (F4 key), Internet tab. Players who connect as "guest" cannot save their statistics and cannot save the personal introduction message they set up.

When I send messages in the virtual chess club, the special/accentuated characters are removed!

This is due to the fact that the virtual chess clubs use English as their main language, and in this language, no special/accentuated characters exist. The players are supposed to express themselves in English on the main public chatter channels and between each other, unless both of them agree to speak in another language. But in all cases, even if Chess Giants supports accentuated/special characters, the software that the virtual chess club uses, itself, does not. It is consequently not possible to transmit them.

I've found a problem that is not mentioned here!

In this case, let me know about it so that I can fix it in a next version of the software. This will be done with pleasure! And of course, you will be able to download this update for free. IMPORTANT: make sure anyway that it's actually a problem, and not a mishandling of the software! Foremost, tell me the steps to reproduce the problem, this is crucial for me to understand it. In advance, thank you.