Mychess

MYCHESS is a championship microcomputer chess playing Program, winner of the Fifth West Coast Computer Faire (1980) tournament, and the top finisher among microcomputers in the lOth ACM North American Computer Chess Championship (1979).
The skill level of MYCHESS may be varied by altering the ply level, or number of half moves which the program looks ahead. By setting the appropriate ply level, players from beginner to expert can make MYCHESS a reasonably well-matched opponent.
The program offers considerable flexibility in setting up and playing the game. MYCHESS can play a game from the beginning, playing either white or black. Or a position may be set up and the game continued from that point. You can also save a game in progress and resume it later. At any move, the player can switch pieces with MYCHESS, and begin to play the opposite side. This can be done on every move, so that MYCHESS plays both sides of a game.
The moves can be recorded automatically on a line printer as the game is played. Or, at the end of the game, you can save a listing of the moves on a text file for later viewing or printing. And if you grow impatient waiting for MYCHESS to move, it can be forced to stop thinking at any point and play the best move it has discovered thus far.
The program starts off by asking a number of questions which determine the parameters of the game. For now, just type the RETURN key after each question. The one question that can not be answered this way is "Skill level (l-9)?" Type l for a very fast game, 2 for a rapid game, 3 for a moderate game (a minute a move), and 4 for a slow game (4 minutes a move). The more time {MYCHESS has to think, the better it will play.
MYCHESS will make the first move and display the board. (You can make the first move by answering Y to "Do you want white?") At this point you should enter a command, or enter your move.

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