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Frequently Asked Questions
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Q: I used to be able to play, but it won't work anymore.
A: Try uninstalling from Add/Remove Programs. If this doesn't help, you can manually delete your installation directory which can usually be found at C:\Program Files\Shizmoo. Macintosh is no longer supported.
Q: I just get a little picture icon on the top left of the window and can't play.
A: Make sure you're using Internet Explorer version 5 or higher. Currently our games require Microsoft Windows.
Q: I just get a little red X on the top left of the window and can't play or the game doesn't show up at all.
A: There are several possible causes for this problem:
1) Your security settings may need to be adjusted. To do this go to the Tools/Internet Options menu in Internet Explorer. Choose the "Settings" tab, and adjust it to the Medium security level.
2) If you are using Windows XP and are not logged in as the administrator you will have to have the administrator log in and install the game. From then on you will be able to play from other accounts.
Q: The game runs badly on my computer. What can I do?
A: There are several things that may help:
1) Try turning off music and sound by pressing the "Music" and "SFX" buttons in game. Kung Fu Chess also runs much better in 16 bit desktop mode in Windows. To change to 16 bit mode, you can right-click any empty area on the desktop and select Properties. Then select the Settings tab and change from 8, 24 or 32 bit color to 16 bit color.
2) Some programs can interfere with the games. Norton Firewall is one of them. Try disabling any firewall programs you have enabled and see if that helps.
Q: I'm having trouble logging in. How can I play?
A: Make sure you're using Internet Explorer. Try closing all your Internet Explorer windows. (Not just the game window) Sometimes rebooting may also help. You may also have firewall software installed that is blocking your access to the game servers. If you still have problems, please email us at
and we will
try our best to remedy the problem.Q: Why do I get "Internet Connection Delay" a lot while playing?
A: Unfortunately, your Internet service provider is at fault for having some major issues routing packets to kungfuchess.com. If possible, try using a different ISP.
Q: My avatar (player picture) looks like a female eagle. How do I change it?
A: Log in to the Edit My Profile section, available from a link on the main page.
Q: Some people have clan names before their name. What is that and how do I get one?
A: Some people like to show that they are affiliated with a specific group of players, known as a clan. Anyone may put any clan tag before their name by logging in to the Edit My Profile section, available from a link on the main page.
Q: My rating shows up as a question mark symbol. How do I get a rating?
A: You are only allowed one account. If you use a single account on your computer for a week straight and do not log in using any other name, that will become your rated account.
Q: Why do some people have a purple 'M' or 'A' symbol beside their names?
A: A stands for administrator. These are the people who run the site. M stands for moderator. Moderators are players who have been found to be trustworthy by the administrators and have accordingly been given extra privileges so that they can help the community. Although moderators are generally interested in helping out fellow players having a problem, they are not required to.
Q: How do I become a moderator?
A: Sorry, we don't accept applications for moderator status. It is granted at our discrection to the players who we personally trust and feel give a lot to the community. Asking to become a moderator generally hurts your chances of becoming one.
Q: Why do some players have a check mark in their rating box?
A: These are subscribers. They pay for extra features, like access to the tournament schedule, the ability to make up new kinds of games, and more. You can find out more about subscriptions here
Q: How does the rating system work?
A: It is the standard USCF rating system, as used on ICC. However, you can not lose points for winning or gain points for losing unless you are a newbie. See http://www.chessclub.com/help/ratings for details.
Q: Why did I lose points for winning/win points for losing?
A: Until you are no longer a 'newbie', you can lose points for winning and win points for losing. This might seem annoying, but there is a good reason for it. The basic problem is that the server has no idea how good you are until you have played several games against opponents of different strengths. Don't worry - once you are no longer a newbie you will no longer lose points for winning. (See next question)
Q: How many games do I have to play before I'm no longer a newbie?
A: After 20 games you are no longer considered a newbie and will recieve a regular colored 'belt' reflecting your rating.
Q: How do I register to play in a tournament?
A: If you are a subscriber, you can look up the tournament schedule to find out when the next one is slated to begin. All times are given in Central Standard Time (CST), which is one hour earlier than time on the East Coast of the USA and two hours later than the time on the West Coast of the USA. If you are in a room where a tournament is beginning, you will be notified that the tournament is about to start several minutes before it does. You should click the tournament option from the list of game types on the bottom of the lobby screen. The tournament table will then be on the top of the list of tables. Click it, and press the 'register' button. Stay there and when the tournament begins it will notify you where you are supposed to play.
Q: What does the 'acquire' button do?
A: Subscribers can play special games made up by themselves or other players. The acquire button lets them gather games that they have played and enjoyed, so that they can then play them again later whenever they like. To acquire a game into your list of games, just press the acquire button when at a table of the appropriate game type. The game will then show up in your scrollable list of game types in the lobby screen and you can accordingly make new tables of that type by clicking it before pressing the 'Create Table' button.
Q: How do I make up new kinds of game variants?
A: Firstly, you need to be a subscriber. Then, you can do it by editing text files and placing them in your shizmoo games configs directory (usually at c:\Program Files\shizmoo\webgames\kfc\cfg, where 'kfc' is the particular game Kung Fu Chess). There is no official documentation on making up new games, but there are plenty of websites that go into detail about the process. There is also a lot of information on the subscriber only and configs message boards, that you have access to when you are a subscriber.
Q: How do I send messages to other players?
A: You can click the person's name, then click 'whisper' in the popup dialog that appears. The next message you type will be whispered to that person. Alternatively, you may type "/msg {name} {text}".
Q: How come 'unrated' is grayed out?
A: Either you are not the owner of the table, or you are playing on nonstandard settings. The owner of a table is the person who created the table. Only he may change the settings. Also, only certain 'regular' games may be rated. In Kung Fu Chess this includes Standard and Fast 4-Way at their default speeds.
Q: What happens when my opponent resigns?
A: You get a win. Losing is the same thing as resigning.
Q: How do collisions while pieces are moving work in Kung Fu Chess?
A: When two pieces collide while moving, the one that moved first takes the one that moved second.
Q: What are the rules about the corners in four player mode?
A: The areas where the player faces are shown are not considered to be board squares. Therefore, you can not make any move that would pass over them. This includes pawns taking diagonally, bishops moving diagonally, and knights making moves that would pass over them.