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Hidden Chinese Chess

FAQ
NES 1989

Version: 1.01

BASICS
===============================================================================

The aim of the game is to win against the other opponent, either a CPU player
or real person.

The controls are simple. Move around with the d-pad to the desired piece and
use the A button to uncover it. If you can capture another piece on the board
the select an already uncovered piece and move it on the other one to do so.

To forfeit the game, press B. It is unfortunate this may happen by accident and
the CPU won't ask you to

The computer keeps count of the wins and rounds.


HIDDEN CHINESE CHESS
===============================================================================

The game is based on Chinese Chess which is different to the chess you might
know. However, no board is involved in this variation which is a simple 4 by 8
grid.

Player take alternate turns. In each turn, a player must either uncover a piece
or move one of his team color. Capturing an opponent's piece with one of
his/her own in the process is also allowed. The captured piece is removed from
the game.

The winner of the round is who capture the opponent's general or does not allow
the enemy to make any more moves that would be illegal. An illegal move is to
move the general into check.


Pieces:
```````

The pieces are hidden at random. There is a total of 32 and they are ideograms
in the team colors (blue or red). The images and names are described below.
Each color has the same amount of pieces but their ideograms are often
different to distinguish the sides better.

   *    *        *     *
 * *   ****    ****  *****
****  *  *     *  *  * * *
   * ****      *  *  * * *
****     *     ****  * * *             General
 * * ******    *     * * *
*  *     *     ****  * * *
*  *  *  *     *  *  * * *
*  *   * *     *  *  * * *
*  *    *      ****    *

     *            *    *
     *           *     *
     *          **     *
     *         * *     *
***********      * *********           Mandarin
     *           *     *
     *           *     *
     *           *     *
     *           *  *******
 *********       *

   ******        *
  *    *        ***  *******
 *********       *   *     *
**   *   *      ***  *******
 *********     * * * *     *           Elephant
   *          *  *   *******
  * *            *   *     *
 *  ** *         *   *******
*  *  *          *   *     *
  *  * *         *
    * * **                  
       **

***********      * ***********
*    *          *  *    *
*********      **  *********
*    *          *  *    *
*********       *  *********           Horse
*    *    *     *  *    *    *
************    *  ************
          *     *            *
* * * *   *     *  * * * *   *
 * * * * *      *   * * * * *

     *            *    *
***********      * *********
     *          **     *
 *********       *  *******
 *   *   *       *  *  *  *            Chariot
 *********       *  *******
     *           *     *
***********      * *********
     *           *     *
     *           *     *

  *               *    *
 ********       * * * *******
*        *      * ** *       *
 ***     *      * *   ***    * 
 * *     *        *   * *    *         Cannon
 ***    *         *   ***   *
 *                *   *
 *               * *  *
 *       *       * *  *      *
  *******       *   *  ******

     *                  **
***********           **
  *     *          ***
 * *   * *        *
*   * *   *       ***********          Soldier
     *            *      *
***********       *      *
     *           **************
     *              *     *
     *             *       *


Each player has one General, five Soldiers and two of each of the rest of
pieces.


Moving of the Pieces:
`````````````````````

Each piece has rules of how they can move around on the board. Because this is
not a traditional Chinese Chess board, they have been made much easier to use
in this game.

General:  One square in any non-diagonal direction.

Mandarin: One square in any diagonal direction.

Elephant: Two squares in any diagonal direction. It must move two points, and
	  cannot leap another piece of either color.

Horse:    One point in any non-diagonal direction, then one point in a diagonal
	  direction. Similar to the Knight's move in the Western chess. It is
	  important to remember that the non-diagonal part of the move comes
	  first.

Chariot:  Any number of squares in any non-diagonal direction. It cannot leap
	  over any other piece. Like the rook's move in Western chess.

Cannon:   When not capturing, moves just like the chariot. When capturing, must
	  leap a single piece of either color before proceeding to the square
	  occupied by the target.

Soldier:  One square in a non-diagonal direction.


Strategies:
```````````

To start with, it's basic guessing which pieces to turn over. Once you have a
few it is time to plan a strategy. It takes a little bit of luck to gain good
pieces early.

Move the pieces into good position, capturing enemies if possible.

When you discover either your or the opponent's general, the strategy changes
to defend yours while trying to checkmate the enemy.

Try to turn over more pieces if you don't have enough and the enemy seems to
have more colors on the board. Otherwise, don't bother turning over more if it
seems that it will be the enemy pieces. Let the CPU spend turns on doing that
while you use your pieces.

Don't feel safe when there are still unturned pieces on the board. A single
piece can change the entire strategy of the current layout.


===============================================================================
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