MILLENNIUM M827 Chess Classics Element User Manual
- June 5, 2024
- Millennium
Table of Contents
Quick Start Manual for
MILLENNIUM Chess Classics
Chess Classics Element M827
Chess Classics Exclusive M828
User Manual
Important information
Before using this product, please read the following safety notes and operating instructions completely, and pay careful attention to them. Please store this user manual with the roduct, so that you can refer to it later if needed. If you later give this product to another user, please also give them this manual.
1.1 Safety instructions
Please note that this device is not a child’s toy within the meaning of
Directive 2009/48/EC. If you let your children use it, instruct them
accordingly and ensure that the device is used only as intended.
- Keep the packaging bags and film away from babies and small children, as there is a danger of suffocation!
- In order to avoid damage, do not expose the device to heat, e.g. from radiators or from direct sunlight, and do not expose it to any kind of moisture.
- In order to avoid malfunctions, do not operate this device on or near devices that create magnetic fields or electromagnetic radiation, such as for example televisions, loudspeakers, mobile and cordless telephones, WiFi devices etc.
- Do not open the device under any circumstances. It does not contain any serviceable parts. In the event oa f malfunction, contact the service address or your local shop.
1.2 Notes on storage and cleaning
- Please note that real wood needs extra care. Handle the wood carefully, always store the device where it is dry and do not expose it to strong sunlight.
- When required, only clean the device’s surface with a slightly damp cloth and ensure that no moisture can penetrate into the device.
- Do not use solvents or other aggressive or abrasive cleaning agents, as these can damage the device’s surfaces and lettering.
1.3 Notes on the power supply
Only operate the device with the original AC adaptor supplied with the
MILLENNIUM chessboard.
Input: 100–240 V 50/60 Hz, 0.45A max
Output: 9V DC 1A
When using the AC adaptor, please observe the following:
- The power socket should be located close to the device and should be easily accessible.
- The device should not be connected to any other power sources than recommended.
- The electrical contacts must not be short-circuited.
- Before cleaning the device, ensure you disconnect the adaptor from the mains.
- Regularly check the product and the AC adaptor for damage, and do not use either of them if they are damaged. Never open them up.
- Please observe any safety information printed on the AC adaptor.
Getting started
2.1 Connecting the cables
At the rear of the computer un,it there are three sockets.
-
Take the AC adaptor (supplied with the MILLENNIUM M820 chessboard) and insert the small connector on the end of the cable into the right-hand socket at the rear of the Chess Classics computer unit.
-
The cable with identical connectors at both ends (also supplied with the MILLENNIUM M820 board) is for connecting the computer unit to the chessboard. Please handle it carefully – note that each connector must be the right way up when you insert it into its socket. The connector has four narrow pins and one wider pin. Turn the connector so that the wider pin is at the bottom, to enable it to fit precisely into the openings in the socket. The wider opening in the socket is indicated by the arrow in the illustration below:
-
Plug the cable into the socket on the right-hand side of the MILLENNIUM chessboard, and also into the left socket on the rear of the computer unit.
-
Connect the AC adaptor to a power supply. A sound signal is emitted.
2.2 Selecting the Chess Engine
After switching on the unit, select which chess engine you want to play with. You will see the following display:
Pressing a GREEN button selects the King Program and displays its “Comfort”
menu.
If instead, you press ↑or ↓ and then GREEN, you go to the main menu of
the ChessGenius Program. If you want to change the engine again later, simply
press the ON/OFF button and then a RED button (for ENGINE, see a figure in
section 2.8), and you will return to the initial screen as shown above.
2.3 Selecting the language with The King
When you first acquire it, the computer is set to operate in English. If you
want to change the language, you have to select “Options” in the “Comfort”
menu, where you can see the Language selector in the second line.
German: English: German: English: One line of the screen contains a flashing
character ( ▋); this is the cursor. By repeatedly pressing **↑or↓**, you can
move the cursor up and down and display all the functions one after the other.
Move it to “Language” and select the desired language with the **↑or↓**
buttons. Detailed explanations of the numerous menu functions can be found in
the King Element manual on the MILLENNIUM website; the link is at the back of
this manual.
2.4 Selecting the language with ChessGenius
The menu first appears in English. If you want to alter the language, proceed
as follows.
- In the main menu shown above, you must first move the flashing cursor to “OPTS” (for advanced options), using the
↓button. Then confirm your selection by pressing a GREEN button. - Next press
↑to bring the “LANGUAGE” function onto the screen. - Press GREEN. The character * is replaced by .
- Use the arrow keys
**↑or↓**to choose between German, English, French, Dutch, Italian, Spanish or Russian. - Press GREEN (for OK) when the desired language is shown. The character reverts to *. Now pressured to return to the main menu.
2.5 Preparing for a game with The King
When the display is in the language you want, press the NEW button. The screen
shows “New game?” and either the word “Classic” or an arrangement of chess
pieces to start a game of “Chess 960”. You can use **↑or↓** to switch
between these displays.
A detailed explanation of the game variant “Chess960” (also called “Fischer
Random Chess”) can be found on the MILLENNIUM website:
https://computerchess.com/en/how-to-play-
chess960/
When “Classic” is displayed, you can start a game of normal (“classic”) chess.
To do this, press GREEN or simply place all 32 pieces on their starting
squares. Either White or lack can play from your side. If you press RED
instead, the “New Game” command is canceled, and the current game remains
unchanged.
2.6 Preparing for a game with chess genius
When the screen is in the required language, press the NEW button and the
question “New game?” will be displayed. To confirm this, press a GREEN button.
If you press GREEN (for MENU) again, you will re-enter the main menu where you
can select the desired game level and make use of any of the functions.
Detailed explanations of the numerous menu functions can be found in the
ChessGenius manual on the MILLENNIUM website.
2.7 Adjusting the backlight
The LCD display has a backlight that you can adjust by pressing the button as
many times as necessary.
2.8 Switching on and off / Changing the engine
When you switch on the computer, the display depends on whether or not the
unit has been completely disconnected from the mains before. If the former is
the case, the engine selection menu (see section 2.2) appears, with the last
engine used as default. Otherwise, the last selected program is directly
available without offering an engine selection.
If the computer is switched on and you press the power button, the computer
goes into “USB mode” and the display shows the current program version of the
currently selected engine. For The King, the screen looks like this:
For
ChessGenius, it looks like this:
If
the computer is connected to a PC or laptop via a USB cable (type A to B), you
can now perform operations such as loading or saving games or installing
software updates. For further information, see the user manuals on the
MILLENNIUM website.
If instead you press a GREEN button, the computer switches off. Or if you
press a RED button, the display reverts to the starting screen as in Section
2.2. You may then press GREEN to continue the current game.
If switched off in the correct manner (as above), the computer will still
retain the current game in its memory, even if you afterward disconnect the
power. The parameters (level, etc.) that you have specified will remain
unchanged. When the power is reconnected, the computer automatically switches
on. To switch on when the power has not been disconnected, press the button.
After switching on, you can resume play from where you left off.
2.9 The buttons and their functions (summary)
Either GREEN button Confirms an instruction.
Either RED button Cancels an instruction.
Note: The RED and GREEN buttons have various uses depending on the
situation. Their functions at any particular moment are indicated by the
“inverted” wording (i.e. text on a dark background) in the bottom line of the
display: RED in the left corner, GREEN in the right corner. The corner of the
display is blank if the button has no function in the current situation.
| Switches the computer on or off.
---|---
NEW| Starts a new game.
| Adjusts the display’s backlighting.
| Retracts moves.
****| Replays moves.
⇐| Moves the cursor left. Switches screens. Alters a parameter.
⇒| Moves the cursor right. Switches screens. Alters a parameter.
⇑| Moves the cursor up.
⇓| Moves the cursor down.
If held down, buttons will “auto-repeat”.
Playing against the computer
3.1 Your move
3.1.1 Ordinary moves
Make your move just as you would on an ordinary chessboard. The move is
acknowledged with a short buzz.
Normally the computer waits for about 0.3 seconds before registering your
piece on its new square. This means that you can carry the move out either by
picking the piece up or by quickly sliding it. If you slide the piece, it must
not linger for too long (more than 0.3 seconds) on an intermediate square, or
your move will be misinterpreted.
To carry out a capture, either your own or the computer’s piece may be picked up first.
3.1.2 Special moves
- En passant capture: The captured pawn may be removed before, during, or after the move of your own pawn.
- Pawn promotion: Move the pawn to the promotion square, or simply remove it from the board. Place the queen (or another piece) on the promotion square.
- Castling: First move the king, then the rook.
3.2 The computer move
To announce the computer’s move, the red LEDs on the chessboard “blink”,
indicating the “from” and “to” squares alternately. The move is also shown in
notation on the “Game score” screen (see Section 4.3 in the King Element and
ChessGenius instruction manuals).
After you move the computer’s piece, it may be necessary to complete a
“special” move. The LEDs indicate the square or squares where a piece must be
placed or removed. Note also the “prompts” at the bottom left of the screen:
In this example, the square h8 must be vacated and the black rook must be
placed on f8 (to complete a castling move).
If the computer gives a check, its move is followed by a double buzz, and the
lights round the square of your king and the checking piece(s) will
momentarily “blink”.
3.3 Errors
If the position on the chessboard is incorrect – for example, if you have
knocked a piece over or tried to make an illegal move – the “prompts” in the
bottom line will indicate the square, or two of the squares, where something
must be adjusted; and the red LEDs at the corners of the squares will shine.
If you need further guidance on where all the pieces should be placed, you can
select the “Verify” (VERFY) function from the King or Chess Genius menu. Until
the position is corrected, you cannot start your next move.
3.4 Symbols displayed in the bottom line
- (rotating hourglass): The computer is thinking about its move.
- : You are to move with White.
- : You are to move with Black.
3.5 Retracting and replaying moves
3.5.1 Retracting moves
If you want to take back the last move played, you may press the clockwise
arrow button . The red LEDs on the chessboard, and the prompts in the bottom
line of the screen, direct you to move the piece back. For example:
The white bishop must be returned from h4 to g5.
You may also simply retract the move without first pressing the clockwise
arrow button.
3.5.2 Retracting a sequence of moves
After retracting one move, you may also retract the previous one or a longer
sequence. To do this, you can repeat the same procedure as before.
3.5.3 Replaying moves
A move that you have retracted can be replayed by pressing the anticlockwise
arrow button and moving the piece on the board as prompted by the lights and
the screen.
To replay a sequence, you may repeat this same procedure to execute each
individual move. Alternatively, you may simply press several times and then
reconstruct the position at the end of the sequence.
At any time after retracting or replaying moves, you can resume the game from
the current position on the board. Carry out a move in the normal way, or
select “Move” from the menu, to make the computer play next
- you will then be playing for the opposing color.
3.6 Result of the game
The final move is accompanied by three “beeps”, and the result is announced in the bottom line of the display:
• Mate
• Stale
• Draw 3x
• Draw 50
• Monat
• too long| Checkmate
Stalemate
Draw by threefold repetition
Draw by 50-move rule
Draw due to insufficient material (neither side can mate the opponent)
The game cannot be continued, as it would exceed the available memory space
(maximum: 256 moves for each side).
---|---
If the computer thinks its position is hopeless, it may offer its resignation. In the following example, it thinks it has a disadvantage equivalent to 5.73 pawns:
Or if it thinks the position is very drawish, you may see:
In
either case, after pressing a GREEN or RED button, you may continue the
current game if you wish – or press NEW to start a new game.
3.7 Saving and loading games
The computer’s memory contains 9 “slots” in which games can be saved (stored).
A saved game can later be loaded (retrieved), so that you can continue it or
play through the moves (using ), etc.
To use this feature, select “SAVE” from the King or ChessGenius menu. The
screen shows something like this:
The “blinking” cursor ( ▋) can be moved right/left and from one line to the
other by means of the “direction” buttons (⇐⇒⇑⇓).
In the above example, slots 1-3 are occupied, while 4-9 are vacant. The game
in slot number 1 is 38 moves long.
To save the current game: place the cursor on the “Save” line, bring it to the
slot where you want the game to be saved, and press a GREEN button. This will
erase any game that was stored in the slot previously.
To load a game: place the cursor on the “Load” line, bring it to the desired
slot, and press GREEN.
To clear an occupied slot: Save to this slot when the current game is still in
the starting position with no moves played.
To return to the menu without any saving or loading, press RED.
Note: Both chess programs share the game memory. For example, games that
you have played and saved with The King can be loaded to the ChessGenius
engine and vice versa.
Disposal
Dispose of packing materials in an environmentally friendly manner by using
the relevant collection containers provided for the purpose.
Within the European Union, the device must be disposed of properly at the end
of its service life, according to EC Directive 2012/19/EU. Suitable parts of
the device will then be recycled, reducing the environmental pollution. For
more information, please contact your local waste disposal company or your
municipal administration.
Warranty, servicing, and contact with manufacturers
For Germany/Austria/Switzerland:
Please contact our office in Germany, either by telephone at +49 (0) 2773 7441
222 or at [email protected].
If you purchased the product in a country other than Germany, Austria, or
Switzerland, and need service, please contact the shop where you purchased the
product.
For any questions or feedback, you can also email us at t
[email protected].
Technical specifications
PRODUCT:
ITEM NO:
HARDWARE:
SOFTWARE:
OPENING BOOKS:| Chess Classics Element / Chess Classics Exclusive
M827 / M828
ARM Cortex M7
Chess Programs
© Johan de Koning (NL) – The King
© Richard Lang (GB) – ChessGenius
“Master Book“ by M.Uniacke © Applied Computer Concepts Ltd (UK) – approx.
300,000 positions
“Aegon 1994 Book“ © C. de Gorter (NL) – approx. 61,000 positions
“London Book“ – approx. 57,000 positions
---|---
NOTE: This product is not protected against the effects of electrostatic
charges, strong electromagnetic radiation, or other electrical interference,
as malfunctioning as a result of these conditions is not critical.
Modification of specifications (especially in respect of technical advances)
reserved and errors excepted.
This user manual was carefully compiled, and its contents were carefully
checked for accuracy. If despite all expectations, these instructions
nevertheless contain errors, this shall not constitute grounds for any claims.
This user manual, including excerpts thereof, may not be reproduced without
prior written permission.
Product development by
MILLENNIUM 2000 GmbH
Heisenbergbogen 1
85609 Aschheim, Germany
www.computerchess.com
Copyright © 2021, MILLENNIUM 2000 GmbH, Aschheim, Germany
Further Information
Detailed manuals for the engines used can be found on our website in the
download section:
For the ChessGenius Engine: https://computerchess.com/downloads/#M820
For The King Engine, https://computerchess.com/downloads/#M823
Note on the King Program: You will find two different manuals here, one for
the Comfort Menu and one for the Expert Menu.
In Comfort mode, The King works with maximum user-friendliness, offering e.g.
game levels that adjust themselves to your playing strength and an easy-to-use
reduced menu system.
In Expert mode, you can access the full range of functions and playing
strength of the King Program, and even adjust the parameters of the engine.
The menu system in Expert mode is similar to that of the ChessGenius engine.