wab (11/21/82)
After playing a few games of UNIX chess, I have noticed two bugs: The computer will not let you put it into check. It will inanely (or cleverly?) print "Illegal move" if the move you give it puts the computer into check. Others have had problems with this one before, but I think I found another one. The computer won't let you castle unless it has already done so. Using these tactics, the computer is unbeatable. Does anyone know how to fix these bugs? Bill Baker (teklabs!reed!wab)
stevenm (11/22/82)
The 'fix' for the problem of chess not letting you put him/it in check is to append a '+' to your move. This is the equivalent of saying 'check'. As for castling, I have never had any trouble. Castle is o-o to king's side, o-o-o to queen's side. 'oo' and 'ooo' are synonyms. Here is a little documentation for chess that you might be interested in: Commands: save - save file in ./chess.out test remove - remove the last move by each player exit - terminate the game manual - don't compete against the computer resign - terminate by resigning first - let the computer move first (take white) restore - restore from a saved game clock - print out time used by each player white - (only works in 'setup') black - (only works in 'setup') score - print history of moves setup - setup a board position hint - ask the computer for a hint repeat - ask the computer to repeat its move
jwp (12/02/82)
To put the program's piece in check you must put a '+' after your move. (Notifying your opponent when he is in check is a rule of chess.) I have experienced no problems with castling (and I just ran off a quick test case to be certain I castled prior to the program). It does, however, enforce the rules properly: Neither the king nor rook involved may have moved; the king may not be in check; no square between the king and the rook may be under attack by an opposing piece. (Given the program's love of B-B4 when it doesn't know what else it should do with a bishop the last of those occurs fairly often.)
ark (12/03/82)
Notifying your opponent when he is in check is NOT a rule of chess (unless the rules have changed recently) -- it is merely a courtesy.
dave (12/03/82)
I have run into the castling bug on v6 chess. It happened when I was in "manual" mode, playing with a friend. It wouldn't accept castling on the queen side, saying "illegal move". I can't remember the position - it was a couple of months ago, but castling was definitely legal at the time. (I've played enough tournament chess to know.)