Novag Citrine - Quick Start Guide

The Citrine starts a new game whenever the pieces are set up in the initial position, and it is your move unless you change that.

Whenever it is your move, you can lift the Citrine's king off the board and replace it to make the Citrine change sides. When it is the Citrine's move, lifting your king off the board and replacing makes the Citrine move immediately. (The Go function).

To make a move, lift the piece to be moved, and put it down on its destination square. Your move will be shown on the LCD. Note the colour and piece indicators. Check is indicated by “+” on LCD box. The Citrine's reply is shown both by LEDs and the LCD box. You can verify a piece by lifting it. The LCD shows symbol, square and colour.

To capture a piece, lift the capturing piece, lift the captured piece, and put the capturing piece on its destination square. When a piece is captured, “x” shows on the LCD, along with “ep” for an en passant capture. When making an en passant capture, remove the captured pawn last.

When taking back moves, replace the captured piece after moving back the capturing piece. Exit take back mode by making a different move.

When the Citrine promotes, the LCD displays the promotion. When you promote, A1 to D1 flash. Raise and lower a piece on whichever of these squares held the promotion piece in the initial position.

Menu functions are accessed by pushing Menu button. The LCD displays functions in rotation, with the corresponding squares lighting up. To enter a function, lift the piece on the corresponding square and put it back, or place the function access piece on the square and lift it off. Some important functions are A8 = Level setting, C8 = Easy mode and E8 = Referee mode. Tap the piece on the square until desired setting is displayed on the LCD. Pushing the Menu button again saves and exits menu mode.

Level Menu A8. Average Time, B1...B8 (AT1...AT8). Beginner G1...G8 (BE1...BE8). Set the level by lifting and replacing the piece (or function access piece) on the corresponding square, and pressing the menu button to exit menu mode.

Easy Menu C8. Raising and lowering a piece on C8 cycles through the options (which are shown on the LCD). Easy indicates no thinking on the user's time. Easy ≡ indicates thinking on the user's time.

Referee Menu E8. Raising and lowering a piece on E8 cycles through the options. rEF indicates play against Citrine. rEF ≡ indicates play both sides. Referee mode can be exited by using the Go function (see above). Referee mode can be used to enter opening moves before starting a game.