Checkers

Checkers -------- Version 1.2 - (27 February, 1992) This 32 bit version of Checkers for OS/2 2.x is largely based on the sample program by Charles Petzold described in Microsoft Systems Journal Vol 4 No 6 and Vol 5 Nos 1, 2 and 5. The structure and presentation of Petzold's program has been retained with some enhancements to dialogs and profiled settings. Unfortunately Petzold left the computer playing logic partly broken and this version includes a complete re-write of the playing strategy module. Checkers, I think, now plays an interesting game up to 6 moves ahead with acceptable response. Greater levels of play can be attempted by those with faster machines by upping the strategy levels with the Levels dialog. Ideally EVEN numbers of moves should be set for best play. There are a few bugs remaining (or introduced!) in this version which may be fixed if I come back to this code in the future. Also, the strategy could be improved with more sophisticated logic than that implemented herein, addressing especially the end game strategy (or more accurately, tactics). This version was tested with OS/2 2.0 pre-release level 6.177 and hopefully will work unchanged on future releases. Note that at 6.177 the Colors dialog may take a long time to appear, due to some inefficiencies in the VALUESET control. Also, this version (apart from a small assembler subroutine) is totally unoptimized due to erratic behaviour experienced when so compiled with the current pre-release level of the IBM C Set/2 compiler. Stephen Best FidoNet: 3:620/243.4 CompuServe: 100033,340 P.O. Box 3097 Manuka A.C.T. 2603 Australia