Hi,
I apologize... I have to post this question again in a dedicated thread, as the device triggers many comments and my question looks now to be buried alive.

So let me repeat myself: a question to TT Proelium owners (maybe answered by TCAII owners too, as both chess computers obviously share a lot): the SCORE feature isn't totally clear to me, from just reading the pdf manual.

I think I understand you can get 3 values:

- the score displayed at the end of the WHY? process in tutor mode, once the tutor announced a doubtful move. I trust it should be the resulting score IF you play your intended (presumably bad) move. Score of your potential position, so. This one is rather crystal clear.

- the score displayed if you press the relevant SCORE key while the computer displays its move. I guess the move is still to be executed by the player on behalf of the computer; LEDs (on the Proelium) are still flashing to show the piece move. My best guess is this score is the one computed in the process to choose the engine's displayed move, and according to the manual, a vertical double arrow is as well displayed.

- the score displayed once you moved the computer piece, if you press the SCORE key afterwards. I guess the computer's move is no more on display, at this step. This score is sayed by the manual to be the position evaluation. I wonder if this is just the above, negated, computer score , or is it a new run of an evaluation; in other words does the computer need some delay to compute this eval or does it sometimes show a different absolute value, compared to the above?

I plan to run the Khmelnitsky test once I can get my hands on it, using the most relevant score is key.
Thanks for feedback!
MfG,
Eric

Hi,
I now can answer my own question, as Santa provided me with the TabuTronic device.

As assumed, the WHY? score after a dubious move you entered is the resulting one, should you neglect the Tutor warning and confirm your initial choice. The sequence is:
- Tutor is on, it is your turn to play
- you enter your move
- the device computes on its turn; resulting in its own "S" score + intended move
- if the score shows a significant gain from the computer's point of view (POV), Tutor asks 'are you sure?' - thus suggesting you should better use the Take Back key (of course you may confirm your choice, using the Move key).
If you wonder why Tutor gave you this warning, you can ask using the Why? key; then Tutor will voice the reason why, and additional pushes on the Why? key provide further explanation, including the potential resulting score from the player's POV, which is -S.

Following a computer move, there is no more score computation: If you request it before entering the computer's displayed move, then it is the "S" score from the computer's POV; and once you actually moved the computer piece, requesting the score displays -S: same value, negated to reflect from player's POV.

MfG,
Tibono