Kim-1 Simulation

What was it like to play Microchess on the Kim-1? If you would like to relive those days and compare the experience with using today's personal computers, you can try Charles Bond's Soft6502 Simulator. He has created a small Windows program with a keyboard and hex display, just like the Kim-1.

Soft6502 simulated Kim-1 keyboard

To enter a program, such as Microchess, use the keypad. Press the AD key to enter address mode. Enter the value 0000 to move to address $0000. Press the DA key to signal the entry of data. Press D and 8 to enter $D8 into address $0000. Press the + key to move to the next memory location. Enter A2. Press +. Enter FF. And so on until the entire program has been entered.

Download Soft6502.zip

To try Microchess, download the program by right clicking the link below and choosing Save Target As:

Microchess for Soft6502

1. Unzip and run the Soft6502 simulator.
2. Load the code file ( File | Load | microchess_1_soft6502.h65)
3. Select 0x0000 as the starting address or key in AD 0000
4. Press GO to run the program
5. Press C to reset the board
6. Press PC to make the program play the first move (1333 P-K4)
7. Press 6343 to respond with your move (P-K4)
8. Press PC to tell the computer to play

Read the complete manual to understand the board layout and program commands. Because the simulation works slightly differently from the Kim-1, it is necessary to watch the OUT LEDs on the left. When the program is expecting user input, the LEDs will be lit.

With the speed slider at full speed, the simulation will be faster than the original Kim on a new PC.

To make the program play itself, alternate between E to exchange sides and PC to play.

Many thanks to Charles Bond for adapting the simulator to handle the ROM routines for I/O and debugging the OCR code and making Microchess work.