============================== CHESSU4 INFO FILE - OPTION "I" ============================== What's new with this version? Version 2.3.1. 1/29/96 CM4000 import - import an analyzed ChessMaster 4000 game. ChessU4 will convert selected annotations into evaluated PGN variants. Waxman import - much easier; no hand-editing. Use Waxman to & game entry enter new games or read the Waxman position file directly when doing a position search (just enter "waxman" as the file name after requesting a position search). Position searching - "halfmoves" have been dropped; the numbered move and surrounding notation is now listed during the step-back position search (option p*). enhanced - no input prompt should require an extension (except when names are non-exclusive) fixed - 11.f3 in game headers will no longer be confused with move 1 - an incorrect file name entered can now be corrected in most instances - q (quit) now functions after more prompts included - an accompanying readme titled, Reorg.txt. which contains a process for reorganizing all games in your PGN collection. Finally, this Info file has been revised and cleaned up considerably. If you've gotten lost before, give it a new try. Remember, as before, that a good way to find a topic is to use the search function of your editor to locate key words topics (just below). Topics: With the "Find" feature of your text editor search for the following topics. Those with an asterisk at the end have special sections. For a general search, leave out the asterisk. boolean_logic* chessu3* cm4000* copy/paste* collection* diagram* diagrammed_game* ECO* export* features* find* figurine* font* header_search* hints* ICCF_notation* import* map* map_file* NORMAL.exe* NOT_complement* PGN* pos_file* position_search* postal_games* register* registration* setup* translate* tree_search* utilities_other* waxman* waxman.pos* Features Overview (features*) ================= ChessU4: - Reads and displays nearly all algebraic notations including annotated games - Exports and imports games to CM4000 and Waxman's Chess program - Enter new games and set up search positions with Waxman - Show a whole game diagrammatically--or a single position by interfacing with Tilburg or Linares chess fonts - Convert games scores to International Figurine notation - Easy to use header searches with optional Boolean logic - Performs position searches or searches by ECO - "Step back" position search to find most-similar games - Organizes large ASCII game collections - Record postal games with free-format bracketed comments and dates - Add ICCF international postal notation {5254} to a game score - Use copy/paste to quickly capture and review NET posted games even while remaining signed on - New! for pasting and playing a clipboard game quickly, start U4 and type * at the input prompt - use Drag & Drop to start U4 or run from Windows Run menu * Special Note: Jack Woodbury's STARTU4.exe (STRTU4.ZIP) is available. StartU4 provides a front-end for ChessU4 which has the standard Windows file dialog, allowing you to easily review ASCII game files on your hard disk and open them automatically with ChessU4. No more typing long DOS path names! When looking for a topic in this document, do a quick scan first (with your editor) of all keyword occurrences before deciding which is the most meaningful section. [Update History - See top for v2.3.1] Version 2.3 - Full-featured Demo ----------- -Game loading much faster! -New exports: options "x" and "u" export to CM4000, and using ICCF notation, respectively. -Much improved Waxman export when Waxman and ChessU4 share the same directory -New feature: start U4 and type * at the Input prompt to paste and quickly proof any external game score you have copied to the clipboard. -Improved: NTR-style game headers can now be multiple lines deep... Example: Jones,J. - Beckman,R cr ICCF Section W/MT/914 1995 Beckman's address: 10108 Parrish Ave NE etc. + various notes, etc. 1.e4 ... This is often handy for maintaining one's own correspondence games. Such headers will still show perfectly using U4's "l" (list) option. Version 2.2 - 7/9/95 -Major New Feature: find* (option f) enhancement. Boolean logic can now be used to combine "ands" and "ors" for game searching to quickly find games having complex characteristics. (Search on keyword find in this documentation to locate the "find Section" for instructions on use.) -New feature: "drag and drop" -- just drop a file onto the ChessU4 icon and the file will be opened. You can also run ChessU4 from the Windows "Run" menu item, e.g., Run: "c:\chess\chessu4 myfile.pgn" -Bug fix: using restart (option r) on several large files in succession will no longer waste memory and will not slow down as more and more files are read. -Bug fix: long file names (a path several directories deep) are now accepted Version 2.1 - 4/11/95 ----------- -Bug fix: {comment} just ahead of game terminator is now ok. Before, it would cause Logic Error 375 (chesseasy) (Thanks to Lee Young for pointing this out. Everyone else was silent ) Version 2.0 - 2/15/95 ----------- New Features -Full featured -Ability to handle annotated games and include comments in recorded scores. -New cleaner look for validated/registered copies Version 1.7.2 - 9/25/94 ------------- New Features: -Step-back position search: a partial game line determines a position. If the terminating position is not found, the p* option will step back one halfmove at a time until one or more matching games are found. Version 1.7.1 - 9/14/94 ------------- New Feature: -Complete game diagramming using a matrix of chessboards designed to evenly fill a single page or multiple pages. ...or boards can be spaced in even increments of moves including single moves. (Requires a chess font) Version 1.7 9/14/94 ----------- -Maximum game limit changed from 1000 to 4000 -Diagram creation using such fonts as Tilburg* or Linares* -ability to translate games to Figurine notation -NOT_complement* on header and position searches -cleanup of prompts using more defaults Version 1.6.1 9/9/94 ------------- -position search capability added - see Topics above -cleanup of PGN games list - more header information is shown Version 1.6 ----------- - New features: f* command - save selected game subset to a file Version 1.5 1/31/94 ----------- -PGN* (Portable Games Notation) introduced -NotePad interface -Options r - restart n - notes i - info Version 1.4 1/26/94 ----------- -find (f) Option -Reads long algebraic (Bb7xg2), computer (b4xg2), and short (cd) in addition to standard USCF notation. -now starts Waxman's chess program automatically (option 'W') Version 1.3 1/11/94 ----------- -Options s - save single game e - edit collection Version 1.2 10/21/93 ----------- -analysis interface to Waxman Chess Program Copyright (C) 1992 Check-Tech Software, Inc. Waxman may be found on many chess bulletin boards including CompuServe's Chess Forum (Hardware and Software library) Enter 'W' at game prompt to export to Waxman. Waxman can be started without quitting ChessU4. In Waxman, go to the "Game" menu then select "Load Game." Select the game a second time in ChessU4--minimize the text window, and you can have both chessboards active on the screen at once. Version 1.1 10/05/93 ----------- -Options h - help menu l - list (game list) Version 1.0 7/31/93 ----------- -basic collection reader--Trial.txt only REGISTRATION ============ For current registration information, see file ReadMe.txt which came with your download. ChessU4 is generally purchased as a package with other "U4" programs and utilities. Prices range from $10 to $35. Also, contact: Paul Onstad 70641.3236@compuserve.com OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS (setup*): ====================== Put ChessU4.exe, ChesDll.dll, U4Key.txt, the ReadMe files, and the chess collection Trial.txt all in a single directory. Run ChessU4.exe. Enter a game number to play a game; use 'q' to quit. If your copy includes .map* files for font diagramming, put them in the local (executing) directory as well. Always use the latest keyfile. This program can be re-posted as shareware provided it is accompanied by all the files just mentioned and that no changes have been made to this documentation or to the executing modules. Any commercial use is prohibited without prior consent of the author. Note: If you have the ChessU3 tree_search*er, there is no reason to keep two copies of ChesDLL.dll. If you place ChesDLL.dll in your Windows directory, it will operate for both ChessU3 and ChessU4--even if they are in different directories. If you have registered ChessU4 in the past year and need a new validation for keyfile U4KEY.TXT, just drop an EMail note to the author. For prior years, discounts are available. Hope you enjoy ChessU4! ---------------------- SPECIAL TOPICS ============== find* Section ============= (Searching for games by header and/or game notation) Games are searched using the "f" option. Appending an asterisk (f*) allows you to save the found games to a file. Version 2.2 adds Boolean logic to the find command, providing a wide range of control over searching. A single "find" keyword can be entered immediately following option f... f kasparov ...this will find any game where "Kasparov" appears in the game text. If the search string is to contain more than one keyword, enter "f" (only). A following prompt will then ask for the string. Example... main prompt: > f following prompt: > 23.Bxc3 Nxc3 (boolean_logic* find) Complex find statements can be composed. These are always entered at the prompt following "find" (f or f*) ... > f* > ,, ...the < > characters enclose separate strings or keywords. The separating commas indicate "OR" conditions. (If commas are omitted, the assumed conditions are "AND".) In a file containing PGN games with ECO codes, the above search criteria would find any Benko Gambit game (ECO A57-A59). Knowing PGN formatting, we can separate White players from Black... > <,,> ...the above is equivalent to the English statement: "Select any game which has ECO A57 *or* A58 *or* A59 *AND* further qualify it to select only such games where Kasparov was the player of the Black pieces. In other words, select any game where Kasparov played the Benko Gambit. Note that the extra set of brackets surrounding the ECO codes are required. A clarifying example: Select if... 1). <,,> *RIGHT* 2). ,, *WRONG* Item number 2 is wrong because all strings on a single level are independent. Furthermore, all AND pairs are evaluated first so ChessU4 would begin by testing the game on the condition: "Is this an ECO A59 game AND played by Kasparov?" If not, it would still go on to ask, "...OR, is it an ECO A57 game OR an ECO A58 game?" The result would be ALL A57 & A58 games but only A59 games in which Kasparov was the Black player. This can be seen more clearly with the order changed so that the last condition is first. It would still be wrong however. When combining ANDs and ORs, used nested brackets Item number 1 evaluates the nested << >> items first; obtains a TRUE or FALSE; then, if TRUE, it goes on to test if Kasparov was the Black player. If you are acquainted with Boolean logic statements, you can create some very elegant searches. Items can be nested to any level with ANDs within ORs within ANDs, etc. Remember that the implied condition between two keywords or phrases is always AND. If you want the condition to be OR, use the comma to separate strings. Always remember to balance your brackets. Incidentally--for what it's worth--none of the chess databases (even those costing $350 and more) provide Boolean logic game searches. copy/paste* Section =================== If you have copied a chess score to the clipboard, you can quickly get it into ChessU4 by starting U4 and typing an asterisk (*) at the input prompt. This makes it easy to play or proof scores posted in messages--just copy, start U4, and paste. If on-line, the process is quick enough so there is no need to log off. Quick access to NotePad in ChessU4 provides many other possibilities for copy/paste. Remember, to edit the current file opened, all you need do is type "e". To edit any file while in ChessU4, type "e filename". font* Section (diagram*) ============= diagrammed_game* - Option d* - a complete game can be output as a matrix table of tiny chessboards. The translation is done with the aid of a map_file* which can be customized for any font. (The font.map* included is set up for both the Tilburg* and Linares* fonts.) Once option d* is selected, one has the opportunity to view how the arrangement of moves (output as tiny chessboards) will be configured. By setting the "vertical board" parameter to a high number, one is even able to diagram every move of a game. Each board is annotated with the move just played. To align these with the boards in your word processor, use the tab settings. The E/F parameter allows move annotation to be set to English notation or to Figurine. Spaces between boards horizontally can be set with the "SB" parameter. The "EI" parameter controls whether moves output are in discrete or proportionate ranges. ChessU4 can handle nearly any chess font by making appropriate edit changes to the font.map* file. The created output board diagram*s are output to a word processor. It also allow one to convert the notation of games in text files to figurine* notation. Font translations can be customized by editing a map_file*. (View the contents of the included file, font.map, with an editor or spreadsheet for information on such customization.) It's already set to go for the popular Linares and Tilburg fonts. The two font options are "D - diagram*" and, "T - translate* to Figurine". Option d without an asterisk simply outputs a single board position diagram. Tilburg* is a trademark of Chessworks Unlimited. See the Tilburg font demo in CompuServe's Library 5, Hardware and Software. Linares* is a trademark of Alpine Electronics, 526 West Seventh, Powell, WY 82435. It is available by mail order for $29.00 (specify PC font). cm4000* Section =============== ChessU4 now has both import*/export* with regard to ChessMaster 4000. When importing, it will carry along selected annotations that CM4000 added. To export, select a game first then choose option "x" (x-port). Once in CM4000, select "Import" using the "algebraic" notation format option. To import the format created by CM4000, choose option "y". This will save the game (in PGN format) to a file. Data for PGN headers can be added in CM by assigning full game information. There is also a shortcut; in the annotation panel--before move one has been played--type something to the following effect... Name, My - COMP ChessMaster 4000 Swindle at Game in Five 1996 1-0 Make sure you've entered carriage returns after each of the first two lines by pressing Enter (as you type into the CM annotation panel). Now the good part: if you've allowed CM to fully analyze the game (Mentor) and then exported to ASCII (from CM), ChessU4 will import the game and convert selected parts of the annotation to PGN standard variants. ChessU4 does this by examining the CM evaluation score differences and then including those where it looks like a mistake has been made. The inclusion of annotations on GM games will fall somewhat short, when it comes to providing insight, since most GM moves are by far better than CM4000 can produce. Still, the comparison is interesting. On the other hand, the annotations are very useful to point out blunders in one's own games (unless you're a GM!). waxman* Section (import*/export*) =============== Several new features have increased the utility of the Waxman/ChessU4 interface (Waxman is a shareware program available in most chess libraries.) For one, a Waxman .pos file can now be used as the search file to perform a position search--without having to make any edit changes to the .pos file. Secondly, ChessU4 will now automatically convert a game in the .pos file to a playable game without doing a hand edit. Conversion can take place, overwriting the .pos file itself (convert)--or by making a copy (no convert). The previous export-to-Waxman options allowed specific positions to be studied with free movement of the pieces. The new, easier-to-import, options make it easy to use Waxman to enter new games taken from printed game scores, magazines, and books. To make a final conversion of a Waxman's game to PGN, give it a temporary "NTR" header... Player,A - Player,B Tournament 1996 ...then convert one or more such games to PGN using NORMAL.exe*. Waxman's is ideal for setting up a game line for a position_search*. Just run Waxman starting at the initial board position, make the desired moves of the line, and save as a pos_file* (.pos). In ChessU4, open a file of games to be searched, then request the position search option... > p (or p*) U4 will request the "Line position file." Enter... > waxman That's all it takes (provided Waxman and ChessU4 share the same directory). U4 will find all the games in the specified collection which match the Waxman board position. position_search* Section ======================== (Note: The new option, p*, is the same as that described (following) except that it keeps stepping back from the original position line until a match is found. At any time when matching games are found there is an option to save to a file. If the option is not taken but the search is continued, the game selection accumulates to be saved later.) The position_search* is menu item "p" within ChessU4. Once selected you will be prompted for a position file (pos_file*). The default location is GamesU4.txt (you could also enter a Waxman-created .pos file--or just "waxman"). If the file exists and the line it contains is valid, the program will run automatically. Lines are specified just like games but are incomplete. Normally you would terminate them with 1/2. Even though the position line has a fixed string of moves, the games that actually are matched may have different sequences because of transpositions. You can create pos_file*s with Waxman, by typing, or by copying a portion of an existing game. If the file contains more than one search line, only the top one is used. This allows you to keep all your lines/positions in a single file. To select one for a search, just copy it from the body and place at the top of the file. The position_search* allows you to save matching games to a file. Over time, you should be able to categorize much of your game collection using this method. (See also ECO) Incidentally, when using the p* position search command over several iterations, and finding games at several depths, then saving to a file; the most similar games will be ordered in the file from most similar--to least similar. utilities_other* Section ======================== ChessU4 is just one of a number of chess utilities. (See ReadMe.txt for information on obtaining all programs). NORMAL - normalizer/proofer/game converter ECOClass - classifies games, assigning ECO codes and descriptions PERTO - repertoire analysis ChessU3 - mini-max tree searcher (chessu3*) HighRank - professional/amateur game sifter/player name normalizer PGNSrt - game sorter and "dup" eliminator/collection reorganizer CChunk - chess game file splitter/combiner/reorganizer ClassC - collection color analyzer (full Windows interface) NIC2PGN - NiCBase ASCII -> PGN converter CollEdit - table editor/Event-Site name normalizer Maintaining a collection* of games Section ========================================== With the find* (f*) command that saves a selection to a file (introduced in Ver. 1.6), it now becomes possible to organize collections. Here is one possible approach: 1). games of various types are acquired. 2). they are converted to PGN* with NORMAL.exe* and built up with CChunk.exe in large files (ChessU4 can handle up to 4000 games). Up to this point we have large ASCII files but the games are still in miscellaneous order. Using the find* command, one should be able to perform various separations by notation, opening names, or ECO codes. [for new approaches (v2.3.1) see Reorg.txt] The on-line services have also published lists of opening lines. Look for some of the following named files or similar ones... ECOIND.TXT - one-line list. ECOLST.ZIP - detailed list in long notation. ECOCODES.ZIP - similar list but in short notation NICKEY.ZIP - NIC codes and descriptions Also, U4 program, ECOClass (ECO*Class), comes with a very complete ECO code list and even assigns ECO codes and descriptions. One of the best ways to organize and clean up collections is to start with PGNSRT.exe. This will sort games by PGN* header information or the game notation itself. Using the latter, PGNSRT will automatically flag or eliminate any duplicate games. It can even find dups where the openings have been transposed or where game endings are different. There's really not much you can't do with ASCII collections--even compared with the more expensive chess database systems. It just takes a little longer. postal_games* Section ===================== White,Player A - Black,Player B ICCF Postal 1995 Sent Postmarked Received W Rflct B Rflct 1.e4 { 29-Jan-95 31-Jan-95 3-Feb-95 } e5 { 4-Feb-95 4-Feb-95 9-Feb-95 1/1 } 2.Nf3 { 10-Feb-95 10-Feb-95 14-Feb-95 1/1 } f5 { 15-Feb-95 15-Feb-95 18-Feb-95 1/2 } {expected 2...Nc6} 3.Nxe5 { 19-Feb-95 19-Feb-95 22-Feb-95 1/2 } Qf6 { 23-Feb-95 23-Feb-95 26-Feb-95 1/3 } 4.Nc4 { 28-Feb-95 28-Feb-95 3-Mar-95 2/4 } fxe4 { 4-Mar-95 4-Mar-95 7-Mar-95 1/4 } 5.Nc3 { 9-Mar-95 9-Mar-95 12-Mar-95 2/6 } d6 { 15-Mar-95 15-Mar-95 18-Mar-95 3/7 } 6.d3 { 19-Mar-95 19-Mar-95 23-Mar-95 1/7 } exd3 { 24-Mar-95 25-Mar-95 28-Mar-95 2/9 } 7.Bxd3 { 29-Mar-95 29-Mar-95 1-Apr-95 1/8 } 1/2 The above is a typical score being recorded during postal play. Any sort of brackets are permitted but { } are generally reserved for comments. Here a "1/2" game terminator is kept with the score until a result is determined. To later present the score, freeware program NORMAL.exe* will quickly strip all comments and reformat the game in paragraph style. ICCF_notation* (International notation) Section =============================================== To reduce recording errors while playing international postal, simply enter your normal algebraic move in a ChessU4 document, then play and save the game with the "u" (using ICCF) option. Use the output score to validate both the incoming move you recorded and the move you sent. 1.e4 {5254} 1...c5 {3735} 2.Nf3 {7163} 2...Nc6 {2836} ECO* Classification Section =========================== [Note: (with v2.3.1) ECOClass.ZIP is now your best way of assigning ECO codes. See also Reorg.txt.] Many on-line services have posted ECO (Encyclopedia of Chess Openings) line classifications. (Look for names like "ECORPT" or "ECOLST".) These can be used with ChessU4 to classify games. Below is an excerpt from Franz Hemmer's ECO Deluxe: ------------------------------------ D60 ---------------------------------- D60 QGD: Orthodox defence 1.d2d4 d7d5 c2c4 e7e6 b1c3 g8f6 c1g5 f8e7 e2e3 e8g8 g1f3 b8d7 D60 QGD: Orthodox defence, Botvinnik variation 1.d2d4 d7d5 c2c4 e7e6 b1c3 g8f6 c1g5 f8e7 e2e3 e8g8 g1f3 b8d7 f1d3 D60 QGD: Orthodox defence, Rauzer variation 1.d2d4 d7d5 c2c4 e7e6 b1c3 g8f6 c1g5 f8e7 e2e3 e8g8 g1f3 b8d7 d1b3 Franz Hemmer --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Just take one line at a time and save to GamesU4.txt (be sure to put a 1/2 terminator on the end). Next, do a position search with ChessU4 using the line run against a large PGN file. You can split your file of unknown games into a classified file and an unclassified one using the NOT_complement* save. hints* Section ============== - if a game collection for study is saved as "TRIAL.TXT" in the executing directory, it can be opened without specifying a filename (just hit Enter when ChessU4 starts up). - if the extension of an input file is omitted when answering a prompt, the application will try names by appending .pgn / .txt / .doc -- in that order. In the case of a pos_file*, it will try .pos / .txt / .pgn. - when using the diagram* option or when creating a diagrammed_game* (Option - d*), DO NOT leave a Diagram.doc file open in Microsoft Word. This is because MS Word "claims" the file and will not let ChessU4 open or close it. This can cause ChessU4 to hang if it is terminated by clicking its window closed (close/wait/ready loop). - if you have PGN formatted games you can accomplish header_search*es for White and Black (and other fields). Example: find* all games where Kasparov played White... > f > White "Kasparov ... or where Karpov played Black... > f > Black "Karpov Where Karpov had the White pieces and Kasparov, the Black... > f > - download a chronological collection of games such as the 852 game World Championship collection and find (with the position_search*) when a variation was first played. For instance, the Najdorf first appeared in World Championship play in Moscow, 1969, Spassky vs. Petrosian. - to quickly create a position_search* file from an interesting game, use the "s" - save single game option - then edit as appropriate, removing most of the end of the game but keeping the terminating result. - the NOT_complement* save option of the find* and position_search* commands effectively gives one the capability to "subtract-out" the "found" games from a collection*... Think of it this way: Trial.txt holds a miscellaneous collection; I find all the Najdorf games with a position search--saving them as Najd.txt--then I save the complement back to Trial.txt. Once Trial is opened again, it will be missing all the games just selected. When splitting files in this way, work off a copy--not the original. register* / registration* ------------------------- For current registration information see file ReadMe.txt that come with your download--or drop an EMail note to: Paul Onstad 70641.3236@compuserve.com Play chess! Have fun!