Chess Computer Vintage (Hardware and Software)

Discussion of anything and everything relating to chess playing software and machines.

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Albert Silver
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Re: Chess Computer Vintage (Hardware and Software)

Post by Albert Silver »

Jouni wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 8:33 pm My first computer was SciSys Explorer with full 256 bytes RAM! http://www.chesscomputeruk.com/html/explorer_chess.html. Next Novag Constellation. It was really strong and good looking. And last either Novag Forte B or Mephisto Mondial don't remember sure. From 1990 only PC software.
I only owned one: the Fidelity Excel 68000. It wasn't as strong as the Mach II, its more expensive sibling, but it still contained the first example of hashtables in a standalone (together with the Mach II). It was a fun machine.
"Tactics are the bricks and sticks that make up a game, but positional play is the architectural blueprint."
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towforce
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Re: Chess Computer Vintage (Hardware and Software)

Post by towforce »

Albert Silver wrote: Thu Sep 16, 2021 1:10 am
AdminX wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 9:22 pm
towforce wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 9:00 pm
AlexChess wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 7:23 pm
towforce wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 6:05 pm This thread has inspired an article in Chessbase - link. :D
I hope that they don't want to sell this incredible open source virtual machine as their next own new product, too :lol:

:lol:
Really people! Just wait for Fritz 18, I am sure it should have all these ROMS playable from their new drop down menu with no installation required at a price of $99 USD. :D
You guys are a class act.

These remarks are jokes with smileys. Your misfortune is that they are good jokes, which are actually quite funny!
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AlexChess
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Re: Chess Computer Vintage (Hardware and Software)

Post by AlexChess »

towforce wrote: Thu Sep 16, 2021 3:37 pm
Albert Silver wrote: Thu Sep 16, 2021 1:10 am
AdminX wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 9:22 pm
towforce wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 9:00 pm
AlexChess wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 7:23 pm
towforce wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 6:05 pm This thread has inspired an article in Chessbase - link. :D
I hope that they don't want to sell this incredible open source virtual machine as their next own new product, too :lol: and

:lol:
Really people! Just wait for Fritz 18, I am sure it should have all these ROMS playable from their new drop down menu with no installation required at a price of $99 USD. :D
You guys are a class act.

These remarks are jokes with smileys. Your misfortune is that they are good jokes, which are actually quite funny!
I've found a lot of interesting people and memories thanks to this topic, starting from Ed Shroeder (once a time I was a Rebel customer and reseller, too :wink: ) ...and this is priceless :lol:
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AlexChess
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Re: Chess Computer Vintage (Hardware and Software)

Post by AlexChess »

Jouni wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 8:33 pm My first computer was SciSys Explorer with full 256 bytes RAM! http://www.chesscomputeruk.com/html/explorer_chess.html. Next Novag Constellation. It was really strong and good looking. And last either Novag Forte B or Mephisto Mondial don't remember sure. From 1990 only PC software. Novag Forte B was very strong and Super VIP, too!
I haven't never seen it before, but it's very similar to Kasparov Travel Champion 2080 that was one of my preferred, and quite strong!

OT: Jouni, on my updated crosstable Stockfish-dev is still number 1, but with Omar Khalid now supporting SugaR, ShashChess and BrainLearn will be hard to keep the leadership :) forum3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=78112&p=904428#p904904
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Re: Chess Computer Vintage (Hardware and Software)

Post by AlexChess »

Image

Psion chess by Richard Lang was my first 1800 ELO program :)
Last edited by AlexChess on Fri Sep 17, 2021 9:55 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Chess Computer Vintage (Hardware and Software)

Post by AlexChess »

Image

Cyrus Chess 16K (no room for opening) for ZX Spectrum in 1982 was 1400 ELO strong!
Last edited by AlexChess on Fri Sep 17, 2021 9:57 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Chess Computer Vintage (Hardware and Software)

Post by AlexChess »

Image

That's incredible that was possible to write 1K chess program for this 1981 home computer!
Last edited by AlexChess on Fri Sep 17, 2021 9:58 am, edited 3 times in total.
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AlexChess
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Re: Chess Computer Vintage (Hardware and Software)

Post by AlexChess »

Sir Clive Sinclair died yesterday :cry:

Why I remember him here? Because was strictly related to my chess player experience.

Home computers ZX81, ZX Spectrum and Sinclair QL opened chess programs availability to the masses!

Image

Image
https://worldofspectrum.org/archive/sof ... search-ltd by Richard Lang :)

Image
https://www.chessprogramming.org/Psion always by Richard Lang!![/img]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yU_VUN9 ... x=1&t=249s
Last edited by AlexChess on Fri Sep 17, 2021 9:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Chess Computer Vintage (Hardware and Software)

Post by AlexChess »

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towforce
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Re: Chess Computer Vintage (Hardware and Software)

Post by towforce »

AlexChess wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 10:46 am Thank you Mr Clive Sinclair!

RIP

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ ... es-aged-81

Image

At the time, he was a national hero!

Former Sinclair employee, Chris Curry, formed Acorn, another successful British computer company, and "Acorn" is the "A" in ARM - the world's best selling CPU, which Acorn created.

RIP Sir Clive.
Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there!
He wasn't there again today,
I wish, I wish he'd go away!