Kasparov Mk12 Manual

I am looking for some help with an old Scisys Kasparov MK 12 computer.  I don't have a manual and  I am not sure of how to underpromote, and also what some of the other keys do; i.e. Display move, Studies, Help, Evaluate.  Also unsure of the function of "coach'  I would be grateful for any help.  I have scoured the internet but can't find a manual.  Mine is not the a"trainer" model rather the # 164 model - silver and blue.

Thanks

Sounds like it's time to look around for a cheap older version of Fritz or ChessMaster at a local bargain bin or at amazon or eBay. You can also download WinBoard (a free chess program) and upgrade it with Houdini, Stockfish and/or Firebird, all free awesome chess engines.

Thanks for the sound advice.  Done that and you are right.  However, still wanted to mess around with the old stuff: blinking lights, buzzes, and burps.

From the MK12 manual

To underpromote

1. Press your pawn down on its from square.
2. Next, before pressing down on the to square, press the Piece Symbol key for the desired underpromotion piece.
3. Now move your pawn to its to square on the 8th rank to complete the move.

Display Move: Press and hold Display Move to see what move the computer is considering. It will turn on the from square for 2 seconds, then the to square for 1 second.

Studies: To select one of the study positions found in the "Easy Steps To Winning Chess" booklet that accompanied the computer.

Evaluate: The lights at the bottom cycle every time the computer has examined 250 positions. At the same time the lights on the left side of the board will tell you what the computer thinks of the current position.

The computer evaluates positions on a scale of 1-8. In a balanced position lights 4 or 5 will be on. If the side playing from the bottom improves its position, then the light number may increase to 6,7 or 8. Light 8 represents a very significant material advantage for the side playing from the bottom. The computer indicates that the side playing from the top probably has a winning position by switching on light 1.

Help: Cycles through Game mode ("NORMAL" LED, i.e. beeps), Hush mode ("SILENT" LED, no beeps) and Fun Help ("COACH" LED).

Fun Help: (i.e. the "COACH" LED)

1. During the opening it will warn you when you play a move that it does not know, i.e. not in its opening book. It does this by sounding a double beep and not computing a reply. You can take the move back by pressing Take Back and try another move, or you can simply press Play to continue the game in the normal fashion.
2. When one of your pieces is in danger, i.e. it is attacked by a piece of lesser value, then the computer will sound a low warning beep and flash the square of the endangered piece for about 7 seconds.

Regards,

Mark

@NimzoRoy

Sometimes it's nice to play with real pieces rather than look at a computer screen. I'd love something a little more powerful than my very old MK12 but the few I've seen just look tacky unless one spends hundreds of pounds. A compromise is to use an engine plus a real board and copy moves between the two.

Here Here  ....  !

You mean "Hear, Hear !"

While I totally agree it is nice to use real pieces, simply setup real pieces and make the computer moves on the board. I often play against Fritz 16 that way.