™

CHESS
The Beam Directing Strategy Game

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

AGES
8 to Adult
two-player
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 INTRODUCTION
INCLUDES:
A game of capture has never been this much fun! Laser Chess Game Tokens-(26 total)
combines the fun of bending lasers and illuminating pieces with
chess-like strategy. You have to strike your opponent’s King while
protecting your own from getting zapped! Simple rules and only a
few basic moves make Laser Chess easy to learn and quick to play.

KING SWITCH DEFENDER

1 ea. 2 ea. 2 ea.

DEFLECTOR LASER
7 ea. 1 ea.
Game Grid

CAUTION–Use of controls or adjustments or performance of procedures

CAUTION other than those specified herein may result in hazardous radiation exposure.
LASER RADIATION This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject
DO NOT STARE INTO BEAM
≤ 0.039mW MAX OUTPUT at
to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful
635-670 nm interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received,
CLASS I LASER PRODUCT
This Device complies with including interference that may cause undesired operation.
21 CFR part 1040.10 and 1040.11
CAN ICES-3 (B)/NMB-3(B)

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 TOKEN GUIDE: HOW TO PLAY:

Laser: Each player has one Laser that remains OBJECT: Be the first player to strike your opponent’s King with a Laser.
in the corner of the game Grid throughout SETUP: The first time you play, pull the tab from the bottom of
the game. Press the button on top at the end each Laser piece to activate the batteries.
of each turn to activate the laser. The Laser is
not a playing token and cannot be eliminated
from play.

Deflector: The mirrored side of the Deflector

reflects the laser 90 degrees. A Deflector is
eliminated from play when any of its non-
mirrored surfaces are hit by the laser.

Defender: The front side of a Defender blocks

the laser and the Defender will remain in play
if hit from the front. However, a Defender can NOTE: Laser Chess requires two standard model LR44 button cell
be eliminated from play if the laser strikes batteries (AG13). See page 11 for instructions on replacing batteries.
either of its sides or its back.
1. Determine which player will use the gray/red tokens and which
Switch: Both sides of the Switch reflect the
player will use the blue/white tokens.
laser 90 degrees. The Switch can also swap
places with an adjacent Deflector or Defender. 2. Select a board setup found on page 10 and set up the board
A Switch can never be eliminated from play. as shown. If you are new to the game, begin with the ACE
configuration. As you become familiar with the game you can
King: The game ends when the laser strikes advance to CURIOSITY, GRAIL, MERCURY and SOPHIE. Once
a King. you’ve mastered play, use your creativity to invent your own
starting positions!

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 STEPS TO PLAY: IMPORTANT: The Laser is fired only one time at the end of a player’s turn
and the turn is over whether or not the laser hits a token. A Laser cannot
be fired as a “test” mid-turn while a player is still deciding on a move to
1. The blue/white player goes first. Players take turns with each make. Once a move is made the move cannot be taken back and the Laser
player moving only their own tokens. All playing tokens, must be fired.
including Kings, can be moved.
MOVEMENT RULES:
2.On a turn a player must first take one of the following actions:
a
a. Move any one token one space in any 1. A token may only be moved OR rotated in one turn, not both.
direction (including diagonally) following
2. A token may only be rotated 90 degrees at a time.
the Movement Rules on pg. 7.
3. SPECIAL MOVE – This move is made only by a Switch token. The
b. Rotate a token 90 degrees in either
Switch may swap places with an adjacent Deflector or Defender
direction without moving spaces.
b
of either color. Neither token rotates during the swap. A Switch
c. Rotate his or her own Laser to point in cannot swap places with a King or another Switch piece.
the direction of either the first column or
the first row. Rotation of the Laser must
always be done before it is fired.
3. To complete a turn, a player activates
c
the laser by the button on top of his or
her own Laser. Tokens are then removed
from the board based on where the beam
lands. Refer to the Token Guide on page
4 for a description of when to eliminate
pieces from play.
If the laser beam lands on a player’s own
token, the token is still eliminated from
play according to the descriptions in the
Token Guide.
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 4. Red/gray tokens can never move into spaces with white helix ABOUT THE INVENTORS:
patterns and blue/white tokens can never move into squares
containing red helix patterns. (Located along the edges Laser Chess™ was invented by Luke Hooper, Founder of FACTOR 10
of the board.) Design. A biomedical and mechanical engineer, Luke dreamed up
the concept behind the game while he was in college. Since then,
Luke has made a career out of creating interactive new products
that expand the way we think. He hopes Laser Chess will help
achieve his goal of changing the way people see the world through
innovative play.
Michael Larson earned his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from
MIT. He has co-founded four companies which make products
ranging from surgical instruments to headbands that help people
get better sleep. He has enjoyed teaching others about invention,
design and product development during his 25 years as a university
professor. He has seven issued patents with six patents pending.
WINNING THE GAME: Michael has won numerous awards, including “Inventor of the
Year” by the University of Colorado. He has piloted a jet aircraft,
When either laser beam lands on a King token, that King is steered a nuclear submarine, and can wiggle his ears. One at a time.
removed and the game is over. If you are the player whose
King remains– YOU WIN!
If you accidentally hit your own King—your opponent
wins the game.
NOTE: If at any time during play an identical board arrangement appears
for a third time in the same game (i.e. the same tokens of the same colors
occupy the same squares in the same orientations), the player making the
next move can declare a stalemate.

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 BOARD SETUPS: BATTERY REPLACEMENT:

ACE CURIOSITY

IMPORTANT: BATTERY INFORMATION CAUTION

1. Always follow the instructions carefully. Use only batteries specified and be
GRAIL MERCURY sure to insert them correctly by matching the + and – polarity markings.
2. Remove batteries if product is not to be played with for a long time.
3. Do not mix old batteries and new batteries, or standard (carbon-zinc) with
alkaline batteries.
4. Remove exhausted or dead batteries from the product.
5. Do not short-circuit the supply terminals.
6. Do not use rechargeable batteries. NON-RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES ARE
NOT TO BE RECHARGED.

SOPHIE
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