2. Manual for the impatient

This part of the manual will teach you enough about the program to start playing against the computer as quick as possible.

If you want to know everything about all the different menu-options, then you will have to read the next chapters.

2.1 Game Setup

You can change the strength of the computer-player with the "Setup"-option in the File-menu.

Choose one of the levels for computer strength and press the OK-button. Level 1 is a very bad player, on 1 is a very bad player, only appropriate for beginners. Level 8 is a very, very good player, but one move from the computer make take an hour or longer. Level 4 and 5 are strong players which don't take too long thinking about their moves.

2.2 Start a new game

You start a game with the New-option from the File-menu.

The window shown contains several areas: For general things about the new game and things that must be setup for each player separatly.

The first thing you should choose is what kind of game to play. The 3 different games described in the GIPF-rules are available: basic, standard and tournament.

The "Timed game"-option allows you to make the game more difficult by restricting the time you have for playing a complete game. If you check this option, you can also change the time each player has for the game. (You can give the players a different time.)

Now you have to choose who will play white and black. For each color you can choose if it will be controllet will be controlled by a human- or a computer-player, you can enter the player-name, and if you chose the "Timed game"-option, then you can also change the time allowed for a game.

When you are happy with your selections, press OK and the game will start.

2.3 Play the game

single pieces on the board are white (really light yellow) and black. Gipf pieces of both colours have an extra gray circle on them.

How to make a move:

• Click on one of the black circles around the gameboard to set the point from where you want to add a piece. The new piece will be shown on that position
• Click on the point where you want to move your new piece. A red cross will appear there.
• Now click on the 'Execute move'-button under the gameboard and your move will be executed.
• At the beginning of a tournament game you can add gipf-pieces, when you want to stop adding gipf-pieces just click again on the piece you are adding. this will replace the gip will replace the gipf-piece with a normal piece. (Clicking again will change the piece to a gipf again.)

In some circumstances the program will ask you if you want to remove a row of pieces or gipf-pieces. The relevant pieces are shown on the board with a red cross on them.

The program automatically detects if the game is finished and will tell you who won and how many moves it took.