
intro_moving

MAKING MOVES IN A CHESS MATCH

  Once you have arranged for a match, you begin playing and moving the pieces
around.  There are two ways to make chess moves during a match.  Many user's
have a graphics interface.  In this case, the user moves the piece on the
graphics board using the computer mouse, and the interface software translates
this move into chess notation and sends the move to the server for processing. 
Read the interfaces information file for a few details about graphics
interfaces.

  If you don't have a graphics interface, you will need to enter your moves
using a keyboard.  In order to do this, you have to know what kind of chess
notation the server uses.  Chess players use one of two different notational
systems: descriptive and algebraic.  The server understands algebraic.  (The
server also understands a computer version of chess notation; see below.)

  In algebraic notation, each square has a unique label.  Each rank is labeled
1 to 8, with the rank on White's side being 1.  Each file is labeled a to h,
with the file on White's left side being a.  So each square has a file label
and a rank label, with the file listed first.  In algebraic notation, each
chess piece has its own symbol: k = king; q = queen; b = bishop; n = knight; r
= rook; p = pawn (though the "p" is not really used).

  Here is a sample of a match position as displayed in the default style 1. 
For this example, White is at the bottom of the board and Black is at the top. 
Symbols are in capital letters; the * means the piece is Black's.

        ---------------------------------
     8  |   | *R|   |   | *R|   | *K|   |
        |---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
     7  | *P|   |   | *B| *P| *P| *B| *P|
        |---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
     6  |   |   |   |   |   | *N| *P|   |
        |---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
     5  | *Q|   |   | *P|   |   | B |   |
        |---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
     4  |   |   |   |   |   | P |   |   |
        |---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
     3  |   |   | N | B | P |   |   |   |
        |---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
     2  | P | P |   |   | Q |   | P | P |
        |---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---|
     1  |   |   | R |   |   | R | K |   |
        ---------------------------------
          a   b   c   d   e   f   g   h

  Black's king (*K) is on the g8 square; White's king (K) is on the g1
square, and so on.  It is Black's move.  Suppose Black wants to place the
knight (*N) on the e4 square.  The move to enter in algebraic would be Ne4.
Moving pawns is simpler; you don't use the "p" for the piece and just give
the square the pawn is moving to.  Suppose Black decides to move the pawn
(*P) on the h7 square to the h6 square.  The move to enter would be h6.  In
many board positions, more than one rook, knight or pawn could move to the
same square.  In this case, you have to indicate which of the two pieces you
want to move.  For example, suppose Black has knights on c2 and e2; they could
both move to d4.  To move the knight on c2 to d4 you could type Ncd4, where
the "c" serves to tell the server which knight to move.

  In algebraic notation, captures are usually denoted by "x".  Suppose Black
wants to capture White's b2 pawn (P) with the rook (R) on b8.  Black would
enter the move Rxb2.  However, the server would also understand the simple Rb2
and know that a capture is implied.  So, for this server, you can enter the
square the piece will capture on.  To make a castle move, use O-O to castle on
the king's side and O-O-O to castle on the queen's side.

  Many computers want very explicit instructions on how to move pieces.
This "computer" notation has the following format: square_from-square_to

  For example, in the above board position, moving the Black rook from b8 to
b2 would be entered b8-b2.  Piece symbols are never used; only the squares.
The server understands computer notation as well.

  In short, to move a piece during a chess match, enter the move.  Each time
you and your opponent make a move, the server updates the board position and
sends the new position to both you and your opponent.  It's that simple!

See Also: interfaces  style

[Last modified: June 16, 1995 -- Friar]

