match

Usage: match user [rated|unrated] [Start] [Inc] [Black_Start Black_Inc]
[White|Black] [board_category board]


SUMMARY
~~~~~~~
  This command allows you to challenge a given user to a game of chess.  To
challenge USER to a match, type "match USER".  The type of match being offered
depends on (a) your variable settings (preferences) and (b) information you
give in the match request.  USER will need to accept or decline the challenge. 
You can cancel a challenge you have made using the "withdraw" command.


MATCH VARIABLES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  You can specify the parameters for the match.  If no parameters are
specified, (a) the challenger's variable settings for "rated|unrated", "Start"
and "Inc" will be used (see "variables"), (b) the clock times will be the same
for both players, (c) the colors will be chosen by the server, and (d) the
board_category will be standard.  Here are details about each variable of the
match command.


RATED|UNRATED -- Sets whether the match will be rated or unrated.  If
undesignated, the challenger's variable setting for "Rated" will be used.  If
designated, it will override the challenger's "Rated" setting.  Example:
"match user rated".

START and INC -- Determine the clock variables for the match, where Start is
in minutes and Inc is in seconds.  If only 'Start' is given then 'Inc' is
assumed to be zero (example, "match user 5").  If values are given for Black
then the challenger will play the White side (example, "match user 5 0 5 0");
otherwise the side will be chosen "fairly".

WHITE|BLACK -- If a color is given, White or Black (w/b), that will be the
color of the challenger (example, "match user w").

BOARD_CATEGORY BOARD -- These two parameters must be used together.  They
specify a particular starting position for the game.  These parameters can
only be included when all of the other parameters have also been given.  If a
particular starting position is not supplied, then "standard" and "standard"
are used (that is, the "regular" starting position for pieces will be used
with no particular opening).  (See the "boards" help file for the categories.)


EXAMPLES OF MATCH REQUESTS (challenges):
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
match red
  Challenges user "red" to a match using your default values for Rated, Start
  and Inc.

match red 5
  Challenges user "red" to a match with Start = 5 and Inc = 0 using your
  default value for Rated.

match red 30 30 u
  Challenges user "red" to an unrated match using a 30 minute Start time and
  30 second Increments per move ("match red 30 30 0 0" would give the same
  result.)

match red 30 0 15 0 w
  Challenges user "red" to a non-standard, time-odds match with the challenger
  playing White and "red" playing Black.  White will Start with 30 minutes on
  the clock, and Black will Start with 15 minutes (note that all four values
  for the time controls must be given for a match with time odds).

match red 2 12 0 0 openings ruy-lopez
  Challenges user "red" to a match using the ruy-lopez opening position.
  (Note that to start from a given board, you must give all four time control
  values; in this example, you may NOT omit the two zeros.)

match red 2 12 0 0 wild 3
  Challenges user "red" to a match using the wild 3 starting position.
  (Again, all four time control values must be given.)

match red 5 12 bughouse
  Challenges user "red" to a bughouse match, once the bughouse teams have been
  arranged.  The word "wild" does not need to be used.


SPECIAL NOTES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(a)  COUNTER OFFERS:  If you receive a match request from a user and you
request a match with different time controls, then in essence you (a) decline
the first request but (b) make a request of your own.  If your counter request
has the same time controls, a game will begin.

(b)  RESUMING ADJOURNED GAMES:  Use the "match" command to resume an adjourned
game.  Resuming an adjourned game takes precedence over starting a new game. 
The match request, of course, can be declined by your opponent.  Adjudications
of adjourned games are possible.  

(c)  USING FORMULAS TO FILTER OUT MATCH REQUESTS:  Match requests from other
users can be filtered by using a formula.  If a request fails to meet your
formula, it is declined automatically for you.  Also, you will not receive
challenges from users on your "censor" list.

(d)  ALIASES:  Using aliases can make it easier to challenge other players to
matches.

(e)  EXAMINE MODE:  Matching yourself ("match your_handle") is a way to enter
examine mode.

(f)  MATCH TYPE:  It is not possible to request a type of match directly, such
as "match user blitz".  How a match is classified depends upon both the Start
time and the Inc time.  An equation is used to determine whether a match will
be blitz or standard (see the "blitz" help file).  You can, however, request a
bughouse match directly.

(g)  NOPLAY LIST:  If you do not want to receive match requests from a
particular user, place that person on your "noplay" list.


See Also:  accept  adjourn  adjudicate  alias  blitz  boards  bughouse  censor 
decline  examine  formula  intro_playing  noplay  variables [rated, start,
inc, etc.]  withdraw

[Last modified: December 25, 1995 -- Friar]