Suggestion: "Famous" Mode

[DJ Dekker]

Hi PicoChess users,

Here is a suggestion for a new mode in PicoChess.

Some old chess computers contained a small but interesting database of "Famous Games"", making it possible to replay the best chess games from history and try to find the same great moves as Capablanca, Alekhine, Tal, Fischer etc. Would this be an interesting addition to PicoChess?

If so, it could work like this:

The user selects "Famous" mode (for example with Black queen on g5) and selects the game Keres-Reshevsky (Zurich 1953). By default, the user tries to find White's moves and PicoChess responds as the Black player, so in this case the player tries to play Keres' moves and PicoChess plays Reshevsky's moves. Of course, the user could choose to find Black's moves instead and have PicoChess play White.

At every move the user gets two chances to play the correct move:

* If the user's first try is correct, then PicoChess responds 'ok' and displays the following Black move. The user carries out Black's move and continues guessing the next White move.

* If the user's first try is wrong, then PicoChess responds 'takeback' and the user must take his move back. Then the user can try a new move. If the new move is correct, then PicoChess responds 'ok' and displays the following Black move; the user carries out Black's move and continues guessing the next White move. If the second try is also wrong, then PicoChess displays 'takeback' followed by the correct move. After the user has carried out the correct move, PicoChess displays 'ok' followed by Black's next move. The user carries it out and continues with the next White move.

The user can also ask PicoChess to display the correct move directly without guessing by pressing the middle button.

When the user has guessed a wrong move and taken it back, he can choose to play the same (incorrect) move again. In that case he leaves the famous game and continues playing against the engine in "Normal" mode.

Greetings,

DJ

[Wilhelm]

Hello DJ,
I find this idea interesting. With the appropriate database, it would certainly be possible to practice opening variants and finals.

Greeting Wilhelm

[Jürgen Precour]

Hi DJ,

i would change the following:

- second try and y guessed wrong, and get "takeback", then y have to takeback the move in real, and THEN picochess will display the correct (w) move.
- instead of takeback move, and replay it to leave this mode, i would do it directly with a button press, perhaps Lever, cause now picochess should think for its new move (as b)

Some remarks:
Dont y think, user wants to play for both sides?
Is the clock stopped or running in this mode?
How to get to the point, a game is loaded?

Jürgen

[Al]

Hi,

Nice idea, how will it be invoked or coded?

Cheers,

Al.

[Uwe Badermann]

Hi DJ,

sounds intersting and looks similar to the „hide following moves“ or „training“ funktions some GUI have i.e. solving tactic puzzles.

To be honest, I think, that the general setup is not ideal for such trainings (going forward an backwards through the games).
A desktop might be much more feasible for it.

What might be easier to create are opening books or the like and to use their technique.
i.e. it contains just all games a player played with one colour - so you have to create 2 books.
This might not lead to the result, that you can follow exactly 1 game, but at least get those moves the favorite player has chosen.
if picochess gets out of book, it should be indicated on the display.
And if the human player wants to play like xyz, the observe maybe can do the job?

Just some ideas, not knowing if easier for Santa Juergen to develope.

Have a nice evening

Uwe