Viewing of Tutorial Example

The tutorial window simultaneously shows the game board, comments, chess notation, chess special characters, information about the current time limit, and statistics about the player’s learning success.

viewing tutorial example 2

First, the start position of the learning example is displayed on the chessboard. If a move has text comments, these are automatically displayed in the comment window below the chessboard when the commented move is reached. These comments can contain the estimations of individual moves or the position, or explain the plans of the players.

Above the notation, information (player, place, year, topic, and sub-topic) is given for example.

Below the notation, the player’s points and relative score are displayed.

Bonus – Indicates the points awarded for a correct solution and shows the elapsed clock in the form of a bar.

Stand – Shows the sum of points scored up to this point.

Total Score – Indicates the total score achieved in the current work session. Please note: If you create a new list of examples, the count starts from the beginning!

Number of attempts – Here you can preset the number of required solution attempts (up to 9 attempts are possible!) in a key setting.

Finding a solution in critical key position

When you encounter a key position while working through an example, the program prompts you to make a suggestion for the next move.

finding solution key position2

For each correct solution, the user is awarded with Bonus points. A limited amount of time, controlled by a timer, is given to solve the problem.

Please set the desirable number of attempts to solve the position in the Total Attempts field. You can select from 1 to 9 attempts.

Notice that it is impossible to change this parameter when the task is already presented.

Before solving the current position, a message like “Your Move!” or “How should White continue?” is displayed on the board. You have to make a correct move on the board or select a correct variant of solution from those proposed.

To enter moves with the mouse: move the mouse cursor to the piece you want to move. Press the left mouse button, move the cursor to the desired square, and then depress the left mouse button.

Castling is done by moving the king two squares to the right or to the left, depending on which castling is desirable – short or long.

In the case of pawn promotion, a window appears on the screen showing the pieces (Queen, Rook, Bishop, Knight) to which the pawn may be promoted. You have to select the appropriate piece and you could not close this window without choice.

If you make a correct move the program displays a picture. You will be also awarded the Chess Oscar and Bonus points (1 or 2) for the correct solution if you guess it on the first attempt.

If you make a wrong move – the program takes back this move, displays the correct move on the board and in the message box under the board as well, and displays a picture.

Between the chess notation box and the chess board, a clock is displayed. It indicates the time limit for making the move. This may be a simple clock or hourglass (see Timer command from the Options menu).

The same indicates the color bar in the Bonus field.

The Score field displays the number of moves that have been solved successfully, the total number of tasks in this current tutorial example, and its percentage.

The Total Score field displays the number of moves that have been solved successfully, the total number of tasks in this current session with Chess Academy Tutorial, and its percentage.

Please note: The prompt to find moves yourself appears only when you play through an example forwards for the first time. After you have undone all the moves, the program will not ask you any more questions! If, on the other hand, you want to solve the example yourself a second time, select the Repeat command in the Example menu. Keyboard: Ctrl+Pos1.

The use of the help function (hints) when solving a key position

To get help in solving the current key position, choose Hint from the Example menu or click on the icon image147.

chessacademy keyboard Keyboard: Alt+Space or ?

hint option

If the current key position is too difficult for you, you can get help (hint) from the program.

hint option2

At the first hint, the program will show you the piece on the board that will make the solution move.

At the second hint, the program also shows you the target square.

After the third hint, the program executes the correct move on the board itself.

The use of graphical comments in the tutor window of the Tutorial and Training program

Suppose that you are a trainer and you want to draw your students’ attention to a certain point or chess piece. In such a case we recommend the use of board markers (in the Edit menu). This allows you to graphically represent piece threats, key squares, and game plans in the simplest way (for a detailed overview, see the chapter on graphical annotations).

on board marks

Of course, you can graphically annotate the main variant of learning examples as well as variants.

Afterwards, you jump back to the beginning of the game using the menu command Repeat and play the example again. The graphic comments entered will now serve as valuable aids for your students.

hint option 2

Note: All entered comments are available as long as no other example is loaded. Unlike the Chess Academy database program, Chess Academy does not save the graphical comments in the tutorial for further use.