Battle Chess II:
Interplay Productions 3710 s. Susan, Suite 100 Santa Ana, C:A 92704 (714) 549 - 2411 Loading Instructions Movement
Graphics - CGA, Sound Loading Board - Internal Speaker, Movement Input device - Keyboard. Instructions NOTE: Mouse and When you are finished For IBM/Tandy joystick operations and 100% Compatibles with configurations make are the same. sure you save them to disk Battle Chess II requires at Using Keyboard - To least 640K to play. Before 3. If you want to play move your chess pieces, you begin, make a backup BCII from your hard disk, use the arrows to position create a subdirectory (we of your Battle the flashing square under Chess II disks. suggest creating one called the piece you want to (Refer to your CHESS2) and copy all files move, then press < enter > DOS User’s from all disks into it. (Refer to select it. Select the Manual for in- to your DOS user’s manual desired destination point structions on for instructions on how to by using the arrows and how to make create directories and how press < enter > . (You will backups.) to copy files.) notice that legal moves are MAKE SURE 4. To load BCII from here, solid green squares and il- YOU PLAY WITH YOUR make sure you are in the legal ones are solid red.) BACKUP DISKS ONLY proper directory or at the You can also move the 1. Boot your computer proper drive prompt, and flashing square by using al- with DOS. If you have a type CHESS2
SETTINGS don’t have a mouse. The piece, and press the Battle Chess II game will be loaded with
Take Back while illegal ones are solid Plays Blue and Human proximately that long to red. This defaults to on. Plays Red. If you wanted think per move. This option will take back the computer to play the last move made by Sound On/Off against itself, set IBM Plays Shortcut Keys either side. You can take Blue, IBM Plays Red. Any Toggles the combat and If vou don’t want to use back as many moves as you animation sounds on and combination of these is al- the’mouse to want, back to the first lowed (Exception: Modem off. select the move you made. Plays Red, Modem Plays menus, certain Music On/Off Blue) as long as one side shortcut keys Replay plays Red and the other are available in Toggles the individual Let’s say you’ve just plays Blue. combination music scores for each piece taken back a move, then with the ALT on and off. decided it wasn’t such a Levels key See the box bad move after all. Just 3D Board Levels Novice through 8 below for the select Replay to put the are available. Novice is the keys. piece back where it was. Shows the board in its easiest, and 8 is the hardest. splendid three-dimensional The longer Battle Chess II Check Suggest Move view with all pieces animat- thinks, the more carefully When your ing. Want a hint for your next planned its moves will be, King is in possible move? The sug- 2D Roman and the better game it will gest Move option will give play. Under the Novice you that hint. Flashing Shows the Two-dimen- level, Battle Chess II only icon. It will chan highlights will appear on a sional board with Roman does one simplistic board the normal point occupied by one of lettering carved into the evaluation. Remember, if your pieces and the sug- pieces. it’s taking too long, you the Ring es- gested destination point can always override the capes check I (this command is not in- 2D Chinese thinking time by using the stantaneous). Shows the two-dimen- Force Move option. sional board with Chinese Show Layout lettering beautifully Set Time If this is selected, a win- engraved into each piece. This lets you change Bat- dow will appear showing tle Chess II’s average think- the 2D board and pieces. Human/IBM/ ing time to any amount This is advantageous when Modem Plays you want, from 1 minute to you want to see the board 10,000 minutes. A window layout without pieces in Red/Blue will appear after you pick the way. Use these six settings to this option. Type a number determine who plays measured in minutes and Help Move which side. For example, if press the
answer. To dial a number, using the modem’s AT com- Playing Battle press the
reflects the Chinese culture is when a piece moves A Brief History of and philosophy. For in- Basics of from one intersection to Chinese Chess stance, since the Chinese Chinese Chess another intersection. Each were the early developers kind of piece moves in its The central theme in all of gunpowder, a piece rep- The goal of playing a own individual way, forms of chess is that chess resenting a cannon was game of Chinese Chess is described in the section of is a representation of war added to the set. Each identical to that of many the manual titled, “The In- without the randomness or piece has a unique history other games - specifically, dividual Pieces.” associated with it which inequalities of real war defeating your opponent. l No piece (except the Both sides begin the battle reveals something of In Chinese Chess, this is Cannon) may jump over or Chinese culture. The river done by placing your pass through any other in the middle of the board opponent’s King in check- piece on the board when it represents the ‘Celestial mate or stalemate. moves. Only one piece can River’ or the ‘Yellow River’ Here are the rules of be on an intersection at a dividing the “Northern Ter- time. ritory” from the “Southern Chinese Chess in a nut- Territory”. shell: - Any piece may capture l Two opponents play any of the opponent’s All in all, Chinese Chess against each other. One pieces by landing on the of chess can be traced back is perhaps a more colorful player is usually red, and same point with it. The cap- representation of war It to seventh century India, the other, blue. tured piece is removed combines a richer historical where the game was called from the board and is out feeling characterized by l Each player has one ‘Chaturanga’. Soon, it of the game. You may only spread to the nearby the symbolic presence of Ring, two Rooks, two Can- capture one piece per turn. regions of Persia and each piece with a greater nons, two Knights, two China. By the eleventh scope of movement al- Ministers (blue Ministers l When an opponent’s century, the game had lowed by the larger and are sometimes replaced by piece threatens the Ring migrated throughout more open board. Elephants), two Counsel- and that piece could cap- Europe by way of Spanish lors (or guards), and five ture the King on the next and Italian traders. During Pawns. move, the King is said to this time, it underwent be in “check”. l The object of the game many modifications until it is to put the opponent’s l If your Ring is in check, became the international Ring in “checkmate” or you must either move the version of chess that is “stalemate”. King out of check, block seen today. the attack with another l The red player moves piece, or capture the piece While all this was happen- first and then the two putting your Ring in ing in Europe, chess was players alternate moves. undergoing different chan- check If you cannot escape You must move when it is check in one of these ways, ges in China. The Chinese your turn. version of chess differs the King is in “checkmate”, from its western counter- - You may only move you lose, and the game is part in that it more so one piece per turn. A move over. Basics of Chinese Chess The Board
- If your King cannot make a legal move and is The Board not in check, your op- ponent has achieved a vic- As you can see by looking at your screen, the chessboard consists of nine vertical and ten horizontal a statlernate vic- lines. When you boot Chinese Chess, all the pieces are in their starting positions. All Chinese through check- Chess games start from this mate. initial position. l A draw oc- Each side has an Imperial curs when Palace made up of nine neither side is points in the 3 x 3 square capable of marked by the diagonal achieving a vic- lines. The open section, tory in the ways described called the river, in the cen- herein. ter of the board divides the northern territory from the southern. The mark- ings at some of the intersec- tions denote the starting positions of the pawns and the cannons. The Pieces The Pieces
in check or that he will be direction within the Im- Knights: The Pieces directly facing the enemy perial Palace. King. Knights may move one Kings: point forward, backward, left, or right, fol- The King may lowed by one move one point point diagonal- forward, back- ly left or right. ward, left, or Unlike conven- right, but may tional chess, the never move Knight may not diagonally He is leap over pieces also restricted to to make its movement within move. For ex- the Imperial Moves of the King Moves of the Counsellor ample, if a Palace. The King point directly may never move ahead of the Knigh so that he is in Ministers: cupied, the Knight cannot check or directly move forward in that direc- across the board Ministers may move exact- tion. from the enemy ly two points in a diagonal King with no direction along the same pieces in be- Counsellors: line. They may never cross tween. Also, another piece the river and they cannot may not move in such a Counsellors may move jump over or through way that the King will be one point in any diagonal obstructing pieces.
The Minister The Knight The Pieces The Pieces
Rooks: Pawns: Rooks may move any Pawns may move a single point forward, until they number of unobstructed The Pawn I points in a cross the river. After cross- horizontal or ing, they may move left or vertical direc- right in addition to for- tion. ward. Pawns may never move backwards and they Cannons: never promote upon reach- ing the far end of the Moves of The Cannon the Rook board. Unlike conventional moves much chess, they capture by like the Rook moving straight ahead. It may move leap the blue cannon any number of points in a to capture the knight. Moves of fhe The red cannon cannot Roman Lettering Knight horizontal or vertical direc- capture the blue cannon tion. However, in order to Each piece is represented capture a piece, the Can- with the following letter non must first jump over a on the 2D Roman board: single piece of either color. K - Kings This piece is called a “bridge” or “screen”. The G - Counsellors Cannon then moves to the (Guards) point occupied by the cap- Moves of the Cannon M - Ministers tured piece. N- Knights R - Rooks The Rook The Cannon C- Cannons P- Pawns The Importance of Each Piece The Importance of Each Piece
than the cannon because of of points: a Rook is worth The Individual its restricted movement about 9 points; a Cannon Importance of early in the game. During about 4.5; a Knight about 4; that time, it is used primari- a Minister or Counsellor Each Piece ly for defense. Its power about 2; and a Pawn about greatly increases toward 1. If the Pawn has crossed By now, you should be the mid-game as fewer the river, however, it getting a sense of the pieces get in its way should be considered power of each piece. about 2 points. Ministers and Counsel- The Rook is considered lors are extremely limited Because of the King’s im- the most powerful piece be- because the former can portance in winning the cause of its ability to move never cross the river and game, his value cannot be swiftly from one side of the latter cannot leave the assigned a point value. the board to the other. It is Imperial Palace. For this considered to have rough- Keeping this in mind, you reason, both are used ex- can see that you would ly the power of a Knight lusively for defense. Mini- and Cannon combined. Its come out well ahead in sters provide the outer power diminishes slightly power if you were able to defenses while Counsellors toward the end of the trade a Knight for a Rook block attacks within the Im- However, there will be game as it requires the help perial Palace. of other pieces to penetrate times when you may want a well-established enemy Pawns are considered the to sacrifice a high value defense. least powerful pieces be- piece for one of much cause of their limited move- lower value - if, for in- The Cannon is con- ment. Once across the stance, by trading a Rook sidered the second most river, however, the Pawn’s for a Counsellor you can powerful piece because of power increases as its set up for checkmate in the its ability to destroy from a movement abilities in- next move, then it doesn’t distance and its swift move- crease. Initially, a Pawn is really matter how many ment. Like the Rook, its used to block the enemy’s points you have lost. What power diminishes toward attacks and provide ultimately matters in the the end of the game be- bridges for the cannons. game of Chinese Chess is cause its capturing power Unlike conventional chess, whether or not you win is reduced as more pieces Pawns are not promoted the game. Everything else, are eliminated from play. when reaching the far including points, is second. However, it is perhaps the horizontal line. Therefore, most important piece it is not always wise to ad- during the opening both vance your pawns too far offensively and defensive- across the board. ly. A way of remembering all The Knight is considered of this is to think in terms only slightly less powerful Winning the Game Drawn Games
check, but any move the not move back to point Y Winning the Game player makes will put him Drawn Games unlesss the Rook is protected at either A or B. in check (which is illegal), As in conventional chess, Because of the limitations the player has been Therefore, draws usually on many of the pieces’ if neither side is able to cap- stalemated and loses the ture the opposing Ring, occur when both sides are movements, Chinese Chess game. reduced in power so that games are generally the game ends in a draw. This often happens if neither can penetrate the shorter than conventional enemy’s defenses. chess games. Basically, neither side has any pieces there are two ways to win: remaining which can cross the river. There are two 1. Put your opponent in other rules, unique to checkmate. Chinese Chess, which help 2. Stalemate your prevent draws: opponent. 1. It is illegal for the same A checkmate occurs when piece to put the opposing a King is in check and he Ring in check three times has no way to escape the in a row. “Draw By Per- check A stalemate occurs petual Check”, as it is when a player has no legal called, is NOT allowed. moves to make. A player is 2. It is illegal for a piece to considered to be in check chase an opposing piece when his Ring can be cap- back and forth. If either tured by an enemy piece piece moves to more than on his opponent’s next two squares while the move. A player can escape “chase” occurs, then it is check in one of three ways: legal to continually 1. Move the Ring out of threaten that piece. the way to a safe point. Also, if the threatened 2. Move another piece to piece is protected at either block the path of the point, the chase can con- check tinue. 3. Capture the enemy For example, a Rook piece putting the Ring in moves from point A to check point B to avoid capture by an enemy Knight. The A player who cannot es- enemy Knight then moves cape check in one of these from point Y to point Z. If three ways is said to be in the Rook moves back to checkmate and the game is point A, the Knight could over. If a player is not in Chinese Chess Notation Strategy
for forward, “B” for back- decides to open similarly. Chinese Chess ward, and “H” for horizon- Strategy Otherwise, the central Pawn can advance with lit- Notation tal). The last digit The objective in Chinese represents one of two Chess is the same as in con- things: if the piece remains For the purposes of play- ventional chess, however, on the same vertical line, it ing Chinese Chess by com- the strategies involved are is the number of steps 123456789 puter, algebraic much different. In Chinese notation is used to taken forward or back- Chess, a positional ad- ward; if it changed lines, ’ enter and note vantage is very important, then it is the new line the moves. The letters since the Ring has such Other varia- piece is on. “a” through “i” run limited mobility. Often, a tions on this across the bottom The four opening moves substantial material ad- of the board from in Fig. 1 can be represented vantage can be offset by a left to right, while as follows: single Rook deep in enemy the numbers “1” 987654321 territory Remember that through “10” (or “0” Chinese Chess is much for our purposes) run from Algebraic seventh rank or, using the Some Opening I quicker and deadlier than Moves bottom to top. Therefore, H3-E3 conventional chess. It’s Cannons to defend ranks to move the red Cannon Bl-C3 very common to win or adjacent to the river from on the left to capture the G4-G5 lose in the first few moves attack blue Knight on the first B3-B7 of a game. Be aware of the Other strategies involve move, you type many ways a Ring can be moving pieces to free the B3
like many players, Tai 20. G6F5 R5Hl Fictional Games 10. R2F7 C5F4 Tsung used his Pawns as of- 11. C5F4 N3F5 fensive spearheads for his 21. P6Fl RlF2 from History attacks. Here is one of his 12. R2H5 M3F5 22. G5B6 RlH2 1) Marco Polo (Red) rumored games against the 23. C7B3 C2Fl vs. Kublai Khan (Blue), 13. N4F5 R9Fl Emperor. 1275 AD 14. R2F7 R9H4 Notice Tai Tsung’s early 24. P6Fl N3Bl sacrifice of one of his Can- It is rumored that on one 15. N5F3 R4F4 25. C8H9 R2H4 nons for position. Then he of his visits to China, 26. K5H4 C2F6 Marco Polo engaged the 16. RSB4 C5B2 slowly advances his Pawn along the seventh rank to great Khan in a game of 17. RSH4 R4H5 27. P6Fl K5Bl Chinese Chess. Although- secure his victory. 18. G6F5 C5F4 28. C9F5 C2H6 neither player was a Red Blue master, Kublai was the 19. G4F5 G6F5 29. C9Fl G4F5 more experienced of the 1. C8F4 C8H5 20. R4F5 R5H3 30. P6Fl mate two. 2. NSF7 N2F3 21. K5H4 R3F4 Marco Polo’s fast and 3. C2F5 NSF7 3) Su Hsun (Red) furious attack on the 22. K4Fl R3H7 4. N2F3 C5H8 vs. Tai Sung (Blue), Khan’s territory is at first 23. N4F4 R7Bl 989 AD successful, but he sacrifices 5. RlH2 C8H9 too many pieces. The end 24. K4Bl R7H5 It is rumored that the 6. R2F6 P7F1 aging master Tai Tsung put result has Marco Polo with 25. R4B2 G5B6 only one offensive piece 7. R2Fl R9H8 his undefeated record on 26. R4F3 K5Fl the line against the poet Su remaining and a certain vic- 8. R2F2 N7B8 tory for the Khan. 27. R4Bl K5Bl Hsun. 9. M3F5 C9H7 Red Blue 28. R4Fl K5Fl Tai Tsung as usual moves 10. P7F1 c7F4 his Pawns out early, but Su 1. C2H5 N2F3 29. R4Bl K5Bl 11. N7F6 M3F5 Hsun reacts well to this 2. N2F3 C8H6 30. resigns movement. It is Su Hsun’s 12. N6F7 K5F1 Rooks, however, that move 3. RlH2 N8F7 13. M7F9 C7H1 in for the kill to give Tai 4. C8F4 C6F4 2) Xi Tsung (Red) Tsung his only recorded 14. R9H7 R1F1 5. P7Fl C2F7 vs. Emperor Chao (Blue), defeat. 975 AD 15. P7Fl N7F6 6. R9H8 C6Hl Red Blue Tai Tsung is one of the 16. PlFl RlH4 1. C8H5 N8F7 7. C8Fl ClH7 early masters of the game 17. R7F3 ClH5 2. C2F4 8. C8H3 C7B4 of Chinese Chess. His C2H5 strategy is unusual and 18. N3F5 R4F6 3. N2F3 C5F4 9. N3F4 C7H5 worthy of observation. Un- 19. P7H6 R4H5 4. N3F5 N2F3 -. Appendix A Appendix A
Chinese Chess and one 5. C5H3 M3F5 4) Dmur (Red) 6. PlFl C3F3 vs. Yung Le Ti (Blue), game of European Chess. 6. C3F4 P3Fl 1395 AD 7. R9H7 NSF9 After soundly defeating his 7. P3Fl N3F2 8. P3Fl R8H8 opponent in the European The great general of game, Morphy was quite 8. P7Fl P5Fl Southeast Asia, Timur, is 9. C8F5 R8F9 shocked to lose the rumored to have avoided a 9. P9Fl P5Fl 10. C8Hl M7F9 Chinese game in only conflict with the Ming eleven moves. 10. P9Fl PlFl Dynasty in China by chal- 11. P3H4 R8H7 lenging the best Chinese Morphy attempts one of 11. P3Fl M5F3 12. P4Fl R7H6 player at the time, Yung Le the standard openings in 12. NSF7 PlFl ‘Ii, to a game of Chinese 13. K5H4 P5Fl Chinese Chess, but his ex- perienced opponent uses it 13. N7F5 M7F5 Chess. The winner would 14. P4Fl C5H3 be allowed all of the ter- to set up the kill. Notice 14. NSF6 K5Fl ritories in Indochina 15. C3H5 P3Fl the power Ching ‘Ii has when his Cannons are 15. C3H6 N7F6 without interference from 16. P4H5 G4H5 the loser. One can only lined up together. Morphy 16. C6H5 K5H6 guess at how the history of 17. P5Fl K5Fl can move out of the way briefly, but not for long. 17. C2H4 C8H4 that region might be dif- 18. RlH6 C3F5 ferent if the outcome of N6F4 Red Blue 18. P3Fl this game had been dif- 19. R4F6 K5Fl 1. C8H5 N8F7 19. C5Bl RlF3 ferent. 20. R4Fl N2F3 2. P5Fl C2H5 20. C5H4 K6H5 Timur moves into attack 21. R4H5 K5H4 position early, while Yung 3. C2F4 K5Fl 21. RlH2 RlH6 Le Ii establishes his defen- 22. C5H7 C3B4 4. N2F3 C5F3 22. R2F8 K5Bl ses. Through careful 23. R7F3 C3Fl sacrifices, it is the great 5. C5F4 N7F5 23. C6H5 R6H5 24. R7F2 RlF2 general and strategist, 6. C2H5 C7H6 24. C5H8 N4B2 Timur, who comes out with 25. R7Fl M3F5 a victory. Note also 7. RlH2 C6F4 25. R9F4 M5F7 26. R7H6 mate Timur’s use of both Rooks 8. K5Fl C6H5 26. R2H6 C4H7 to achieve his checkmate. 9. K5H4 C5B3 27. R9F5 C7F7 Red Blue 5) Morphy (Red) vs. Ching Ti (Blue), 10. N3F4 C5H6 28. K5Fl P5H6 1. C2H3 C2H3 1860 AD 11. N4F3 C5H6 mate 29. K5H6 C7H4 2. RlF2 CSHS The great American 30. R9H6 mate 3. N8F7 C3F4 chessmaster, Palos Morphy, is rumored to have agreed 4. C3F4 P3Fl to play the Chinese master, 5. P3Fl P3Fl Ching Ti, one game of Index
1 order for $7.50 (U.S. currency), Technical Support which includes postage and han- Index dling, and Interplay will mail a re- placement to you. To receive a Loading Instructions 2 If you are having replacement, you should enclose Movement 3 problems getting the game the defective medium (including Battle Chess II Menus 4 to function properly, you the original product . Load Game 4 can call Customer Support label) in protective Save Game 5 packaging accompanied New Game 5 from 10:30 AM to 6:OOPM by: (1) a $7.50 check (2) Set Up Board 5 (Pacific Time Zone) at a brief statement Quit 5 describing the defect, Force Move 5 1-714-549-2411 and (3) your return ad- Take Back 6 dress. EXCEPT AS SET Replay 6 Suggest Move 6 INTERPLAY PRODUCTIONS FORTH ABOVE, THIS LIMITED 90-DAY WARRANTY WARRANTY IS IN Show Layout 6 LIEU OF ALL OTHER Help Move 6 Interplay Productions warrants WARRANTIES, Sound On/Off 6 to the original consumer pur- WHETHER ORAL OR Music On/Off 6 chaser of this computer software WRITTEN, EX- 3D Board 6 product that the recording PRESSED OR IM- 2D Roman 6 medium on which the software PLIED, INCLUDING 2D Chinese 6 programs are recorded will be free ANY WARRANTY OF Human/IBM/Modem 6 from defects in material and MERCHANTABILITY Levels 7 workmanship for 90 days from the OR FITNESS FOR A Set Time 7 date of purchase. If the recording PARTICULAR PUR- Shortcut Keys 7 medium is found defective within POSE, AND NO Check 7 90 days of original purchase, Inter- OTHER REPRESENTATION OR Playing By Modem 8 play Productions agrees to replace, CLAIMS OF ANY NATURE History of Chinese Chess 10 free of charge, any product dis- Basics of Chinese Chess 11 covered to be defective within SHALL BE BINDING ON OR OBLIGATE INTERPLAY The Board 13 such period upon receipt at its Fac- PRODUCTIONS. IN NO EVENT The Pieces 14 tory Service Center of the WILL INTERPLAY PRODUC- The King 14 product, postage paid, with proof TIONS BE LIABLE FOR SPECIAL The Counsellor 14 of date of purchase. This warranty INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUEN- The Minister 15 is limited to the recording medium TIAL DAMAGE RESULTING The Knight 15 containing the software program FROM POSSESSION, USE, OR The Rook 16 originally provided by Interplay MALFUNCTION OF THIS 16 Productions and is not applicable The Cannon PRODUCT INCLUDING The Pawn 17 to normal wear and tear. This war- DAMAGE TO PROPERTY AND, Importance of the Pieces 18 ranty shall not be applicable and TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED Winning the Game 20 shall be void if the defect has BY LAW, DAMAGES FOR PER- 21 arisen through abuse, mistreat- Drawn Games SONAL INJURY, EVEN IF INTER- Chinese Chess Notation 22 ment, or neglect. Any implied war- PLAY PRODUCTIONS HAS Strategy 23 ranties applicable to this product BEEN ADVISED OF THE POS- Openings 23 are limited to the 90- day period SIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. Midgame 24 described above. If the recording Endgame 25 medium should fail after the SOME STATES DO NOT Appendix A 26 original 90-day warranty period ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON Fictional Games 26 has expired, you may return the HOW LONG AN IMPLIED WAR- software program to Interplay Productions at the address noted RANTY LASTS AND/OR THE EX- below with a check or money LUSION OR LIMITATION OF