Playing Fidelity Sensory 8

[fern]

Sensory 8 was my second chess computer, long ago gone as a gift I do not remember to whom. It was the first contrivance with a sensory surface and in that it was revolutionary. The program was not...Created by old, venerable, hall-of-fame-guy Ron Nelson, it was perhaps slightly better than Chess Challenger 7, which is to say it was almost equally weak.
In those times that trifling detail did not matter at all. Just the fact that a thing was capable of playing chess was amazing enough. We were young and we had a capability to awe and wonder that we have lost many years ago.
Sensory 8 was weak, as I said, but as it happens with every weak engine or machine, somehow managed to put you in such a relaxed manner and temper that not one but several times you could find that you was going to lose the game due to the fact that even a weak artificial player can spot, after all, a mate in two or how to win some materiel.
To recover the feeling of those old time I played this Gambit, which is a reincarnation of Sensory 8, not an atom stronger or weaker, just the same or almost.
There we went and of course I won every game we played, even with gambit given level 7, three minutes the move. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the old feeling. This old and weak machine is capable of decent moves most of the time if in a quiescent situation, but if attacked, sometimes does not see obvious combinations that kill it at once. sacrifices rarely see.
Even so you just cannot win in 10 moves or 15. The temptation to do that is there, but it is not possible. Somehow the machine is capable of seeing the kind of threats that comes in an opening phase, I mean, tactical and dirty tricks. So at last you must outmaneuver it, surround it, get an extra pawn here or there and only that you can go to the killing.
It is -it was- - a sober exercise in restrain.
Now Gambit goes again to the place where is kept and there he will sleep for another couple of years.
More powerful machines are waiting for me

Your correspondent from the land of never ending fascination with chess
Fern

[Steve B]

i am surprised to learn after all of these years that you own the Fidelity Gambit..this is not such a commonly seen computer
is it the normal Gambit or the Voice Gambit?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10261668@N ... 0922170604

Speechless Regards
Steve

[Dr.Wael Deeb]

i am surprised to learn after all of these years that you own the Fidelity Gambit..this is not such a commonly seen computer
is it the normal Gambit or the Voice Gambit?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10261668@N ... 0922170604

Speechless Regards
Steve

Fernando is that kind of mysterious,aggressive collector who will always have something to shock you with....
Big bucks can buy you almost any dedicated chess unit regards,
Dr.D

[fern]

This does not talk, which is an advantage because who could say of useful such a weak animal?

Fern

[JuLieN]

This does not talk, which is an advantage because who could say of useful such a weak animal?

Fern

Easy: "Fer-nan-do you are aw-sum! You out-played me a-gain!"