Dedicated Chess Computers

All Things Chess
1

Hi All
i wonder how many members own the old(or new) stand alone dedicated computers?
in this day and age of high tech Iphones and Cell Phones which can play chess… having a real board and real pieces is always nice i think

i own a few of these oldies myself:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10261668@N05/sets/

Best Regards
Steve

2

I have one of the Excalibur things that I bought about 7 or 8 years ago, but I only used it a couple of times. Even then, it was just as easy to find a game against real humans on the internet any time of day or night, so why bother with the computer game?

Just this week, I downloaded a chess app so I can play against a computer on my phone. I beat it up at beginner level, just to try it out. I doubt if I use it much, but it’ll be nice to have next time I’m standing in line at the DMV. :stuck_out_tongue:

3

Thanks for your reply
well i guess the stand alone computers are good if you want to play on a real chess board with real pieces
Internet servers and the IPhone apps are 2d and 3d graphic representations of a chess board
but to each his own of course
Regards
Steve

4

I always prefer to play against a human, instead of a machine. I do prefer a real 3D board, but that’s part of why I like tournaments. But for practice games or a quick blitz fix, playing on the internet is better than nothing.

5

I have an old relic, the Fidelity Chess Challenger that I got at a yard sale for a ten bucks. Has its own little briefcase and magnetic pieces. The “talking” chip burned out a long time ago. I let the kids play against it; they love it. It teaches them algebraic notation because they have to type the moves in. It is perhaps 1000 strength.

6

Yes that would be the Fidelity Voice Challenger
the very first dedicated computer to have a voice feature
a really nice computer as you mentioned
these old dedicated chess computers do have ratings
the Voice Challenger was rated 1359 Fide elo (not USCF elo)
thats about 1500 USCF so your kids have a great teacher and sparring partner

http://www.schach-computer.info/wiki/index.php/Fidelity_Chess_Challenger_Voice

Best Regards
Steve

7

That is one awesome collection you have. :slight_smile:

I always longed after one of the Mephisto auto-sensors, or for a Sapphire II, but never had the spare cash for them… I’ve owned probably three or four chess computers, ranging from a Radio Shack tabletop model to a handheld LCD computer. Never did beat any of them.

Today, though, I have Chess Tiger 15 on my Palm TX, and Fritz 12 on my laptop. I still lust after a DGT board to interface Fritz to. :slight_smile:

8

Thank you for the kind words
i see you are a Fritz fan…Franz Morsch programmer
many dedicated models were programmed by Morsch some even for Radio Shack
actually a couple of the high-end dedicated computers do run Fritz 11-12 and even an early version of Rybka
but these are extremely expensive dedicated models and quite honestly they are of interest only to collectors and not for the usual casual or club player

Regards
Steve

9

I remember in was around 1988 to 1990, someone was selling a chess expansion card for your computer. I remember it being advertized in Chess Life. Don’t remember its advertized strength, but I’d imagine it was around 1900 to 2000. In any event, it wasn’t long before Chessmaster (and newer computers), relegated the chess card to the dusty annuls of yesteryear.

Might have been part of the Mephisto line of dedicated chess computers, although its been so long, I can’t remember.

10

Actually i can remember a few PC chess expansion type cards
Mephisto released this plug-in module which connected a Mephisto board to the PC

http://www.schach-computer.info/wiki/index.php/Mephisto_PC_Modul

and Tasc released two versions of a PC chess card:
http://www.schach-computer.info/wiki/index.php/The_final_chesscard

http://www.schach-computer.info/wiki/index.php/ChessMachine

a really rare chess computer was the Wunder Machine by Mephisto
an actual PC built into a Mephisto Chess Board
it was supposed to be a “bridge” between the dedicated chess computer and the PC
only about 5-10 of these were actually sold:
http://www.schachcomputer.at/wundermaschine2.jpg

Steve

11

I recently found my old disks for the Sargon computer program. They are red disks and compatible with both Apple and IBM/IBM clone computers. Had a small database of 107 classic games on one disk. But who has a computer anymore that can read 5.25" floppies? Ooo, you need 128K of memory, too! I also found the 5.25" floppy for the Chessmaster 2000 program. This program required 256K of memory to run. The pamphlet that came with it has an invitation to join the USCF. I believe Sargon came out around 1982 and Chessmaster 2000 in 1986 or 1987. Good programs for the general public. The Hitech and Deep Thought programs were developed in the mid-1980’s at Carnegic Mellon University; they were about 2450 - 2550 ELO. We had to wait until Fritz and Rybka for comparable monster strength programs for the general public to use. But I still liked the cheesy graphics and silly moves of the old programs. They were great for kids to learn chess and get over their anxiety of using computers. Sigh, I am getting old if I still remember this Jurassic age of computer chess.

12

I bought two of the Voice chess challengers, the second being much stronger then the first. I had that one up graded to th the champion/elite. Everything works like new even now, and at the time there were no computers nor friends to play against, so they are very enjoyable. I did do the mail/chess thing if any one remembers that, lolo?

Recently I purchased five computer programs thanks to the advice of some of the fine people here. Two of them are Rybka 4 Extreme, and CT-Art 4.0, So I played them against the champion/elite, all I can say is wow, its like two chess masters living in my house. I also have two computers so I played Extreme against 4.0, and guess who won???

I feel chess is going to stay alive and attract interest because of the computer, and the new programs. One thing and I hate to admit this but I always disliked losing to humans, but not to my chess computers and programs. But I am not a poor loser kicking the board over lolo though some times I would like to :laughing: especially when I blundered a winning game away.
Bob

13

Hi Bob
that Champion/Elite is a pretty rare chess computer
good that you keep it in working condition all of these years
Best Regards
Steve

14

Thanks Steve, Chess has brought me many fond memories over the years. I never had much as a youngster, so every thing I own I take care of it, looks like new if I sell it, I even keep all the boxes and original intructions. Drives my wife crazy :smiley:

15

Yes, from a collecting standpoint …keeping original boxes and manuals are a must
finding original pieces for a particular old chess computer is not so hard as they usually pop up on Ebay (with the computer of course)
but over the years owners generally town to lose/discard the boxes and manuals
i would have to say that owning the box as well as the original manual adds about 25% to the value of a particular computer
copies of many different manuals are available on-line these days

Steve

16

Nice collection Steve, Right now Im at work so Im unable to see all your pics. Im turning green of envy. I have a Mephisto Munchen Rome (32 bit) and a Fidelity (I forgot the model but it is wooden, has a printer ranks 2265 us elo- model II something) and I’ve just got a DGT bluetooth chess board, so now I get my ass kicked by a different engine everyday. Do you play with your computers a lot? is just a hobby? Im thinking selling my fidelity because Im afraid is gonna break one of these day and I wouldnt know who repair these thing. What do you think? Any special advice about how to store these machines. I dont have the original boxes. It is that 5000 dollars (Resurrection) chess computer worth the money? why? I was gonna get one but I figured the dgt chess board with the bluetooth can connect to any pc/laptop and have many more engines.

Again , congrats in this nice collection. Where do you live, Spain, USA?

Bye Miguel

17

Hi Miguel
Thanks for your kind words … i am located in NYC in the US

Thats two very fine computers you have there
the Fidelity is the Elite Avant Guarde V2…On Ebay you could get at least $1000 for it depending on condition
if you dont have the original box then i suggest keeping it away from direct sunlight
i certainly do play against the computers myself and i pit them against each other
the Resurrection is of course very expensive and there really is no way to justify the price except to say that it is the "Rolls Royce " of dedicated computers and as a collector its a “Must Have” for the collection proper
the board and pieces alone are the finest chess set i have ever seen or owned
and of course there are many on board engines and Blue tooth capability

Regards
Steve