On.. A Day In The Life Of the Hardcore Collector

[Steve B]

Of the various big auto-sensory models, which ones seem to have the best auto-sensory reliability? I'd like to have a full-sized auto-sensory chess computer, but I want one that's known for reliable function over a long time. Is there a rating list for this?

Well there is no rating list that i know of which rates the quality of the various boards but i can offer my opinion on that

i have owned these boards since they were first released for sale and i can say that the Fidelity boards usually wind up with Reed Switch problems eventually
unless you can replace the defective reed switch it basically renders the board unplayable

however i have yet to have any problem whatsoever with any of the Mephisto auto-sensory boards
this would be the Mephisto Munchen and Exclusive boards
they are not as pretty as the Fidelity boards but they are built like bricks
Mephisto also sold a plastic auto sensory called the Modular board but if you are gonna go for Auto-Sensory you might as well go for wood

Thick as a Brick Regards
Steve

[mhull]

Of the various big auto-sensory models, which ones seem to have the best auto-sensory reliability? I'd like to have a full-sized auto-sensory chess computer, but I want one that's known for reliable function over a long time. Is there a rating list for this?

Well there is no rating list that i know of which rates the quality of the various boards but i can offer my opinion on that

i have owned these boards since they were first released for sale and i can say that the Fidelity boards usually wind up with Reed Switch problems eventually
unless you can replace the defective reed switch it basically renders the board unplayable

however i have yet to have any problem whatsoever with any of the Mephisto auto-sensory boards
this would be the Mephisto Munchen and Exclusive boards
they are not as pretty as the Fidelity boards but they are built like bricks
Mephisto also sold a plastic auto sensory called the Modular board but if you are gonna go for Auto-Sensory you might as well go for wood

Thick as a Brick Regards
Steve

Thanks, Steve. If it's not impolite to ask, how much do you reckon a good Munchen or Exclusive would set me back? I'm not too particular about playing strength, as long as it can pose problems for a B player.

[Steve B]

that will depend on the module in the board Matt
the Mephisto boards were made to accept different modules of varying playing strength unlike the Fidelity boards which had the engine fixed inside the computer on an Eprom and not really interchangeable

Mephisto boards sell on Ebay all the live long day with different modules in them

you can see here on this site ..the prices the Mephisto boards sold for on many past auctions on Ebay
click on "Exclusive" and on pg.5 "Munchen":

http://www.elpeon.com/index.php?mod=mephisto

but if your prefer something still available as new today
the Novag Citrine is really nice
came out about two years ago and the board seems very solid although a bit smaller then full tournament sized
full auto-sensory wood with wooden pieces
ELO about 2050

lots of threads here about the Citrine
these babies go for about $350 Shipped

the Citrine can actually be hooked up to your PC and with Arena you can play with any engine that can be played in Arena

but now we are straying a bit outside of my area of knowledge



http://www.chessusa.com/Merchant2/merch ... ct_Count=3
Best Regards
Steve

[mhull]

that will depend on the module in the board Matt
the Mephisto boards were made to accept different modules of varying playing strength unlike the Fidelity boards which had the engine fixed inside the computer on an Eprom and not really interchangeable

Mephisto boards sell on Ebay all the live long day with different modules in them

you can see here on this site ..the prices the Mephisto boards sold for on many past auctions on Ebay
click on "Exclusive" and on pg.5 "Munchen":

http://www.elpeon.com/index.php?mod=mephisto

but if your prefer something still available as new today
the Novag Citrine is really nice
came out about two years ago and the board seems very solid although a bit smaller then full tournament sized
full auto-sensory wood with wooden pieces
ELO about 2050

lots of threads here about the Citrine
these babies go for about $350 Shipped

the Citrine can actually be hooked up to your PC and with Arena you can play with any engine that can be played in Arena

but now we are straying a bit outside of my area of knowledge



http://www.chessusa.com/Merchant2/merch ... ct_Count=3
Best Regards
Steve

Would Excalibur be a reliable board? What is your opinion of the overall system?

[Steve B]

Do you mean the Excalibur GrandMaster??

if so..
very reliable full tournament sized board
made out of plastic but with very heavy solid plastic pieces
green and white buff Vinyl squares
same type of board as seen in USCF weekend open tournaments
lcd display screen which shows position evals.Clocks..hints..etcetc
rated about 1800 Elo
programmed by the FATHER of all commercial chess engine programmers..Ron Nelson..who programmed the very first dedicated chess computer released in 1977

a few quirks:
you cannot turn off the sound(beeps on every move and key press)
limited opening book(actually the computer will only play a limited number of openings on its own but you can force it to play many opening lines that it would not otherwise choose on its own)
you cannot play Black from bottom ..you have to turn the board around to play with the black pieces but there is an LCD screen on both sides of the board

all in all ..for the price ..it is a very nice chess computer
Regards
Steve

[Steve B]

The Hardcore collectors day is not all fun and games testing one computer against the next
sometimes the Collector summons up enough courage to actually play a game himself against the old computers
losses are of course immediately forgotten but the rare win are forever memorialized in diaries ,discussions with fellow collectors and postings all over the Internet

here i played a game against the Novag Super Expert A5



The Expert A5 ran at 5 Mhz and was rated about 1850 Elo

TC was 5 min Blitz
SE5 had white and opened with the English ..
not wanting any of that i quickly transposed into a Queens Gambit Declined
at this fast time control the SEA5 hits 4 ply search depths .In the game SEA5 was out of book at move 8

1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 O-O 6.Nf3 h6 7.Bh4 Nbd7
8.Bd3

[d] r1bq1rk1/pppnbpp1/4pn1p/3p4/2PP3B/2NBPN2/PP3PPP/R2QK2R b KQ - 0 8
SEA5 is now out of book and rates itself up +.47 here

8..c5 9.O-O b6 10.Rc1 Bb7 11.cxd5 Nxd5 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.Bb1
Nxc3 14.bxc3 c4 15.Qc2 f5 16.Qe2 b5 17.Nd2 Nf6 18.a4 a6 19.Rfd1 Rad8
20.axb5 axb5 21.Ba2 Bc6 22.Nf3 Bxf3 23.Qxf3 Ne4 24.Bb1 Qb7 25.Bxe4
[d] 3r1rk1/1q4p1/4p2p/1p3p2/2pPB3/2P1PQ2/5PPP/2RR2K1 b - - 0 25
i had a choice to recapture the Bishop with either the Q or f pawn
normally against a computer i remove the Queens from play ASAP as this leaves me less chances of getting crushed
however here i liked the idea of capturing with the pawn and freeing up by rook even though i would be saddled with double pawns.i also had hopes of taking control of the A file and i wanted my Q to help in that goal if need be
25..fxe4 26.Qg4 Qd5 27.Ra1 Ra8 28.Rxa8 Rxa8
[d] r5k1/6p1/4p2p/1p1q4/2pPp1Q1/2P1P3/5PPP/3R2K1 b - - 0 29
having taken control of the A file i now try to exchange Queens but the SEA5 will not go along
the ensuing play is all centered around the control of the A File and the penetration of my Q+R deep into whites position

29.Qg6 Qf5 30.Qg3 Ra3
31.Rb1 Rxc3 32.Ra1 b4 33.Qb8+ Kh7 34.Qxb4 Rc2 35.Rf1 Qd5 36.Qa4 Rb2
37.Qa3 Qb5 38.Rc1 Rb1 39.Qc3 Rxc1+ 40.Qxc1 c3

[d] 8/6pk/4p2p/1q6/3Pp3/2p1P3/5PPP/2Q3K1 b - - 0 41
the c pawn cannot be captured because of the back rank mate and will soon promote..game over dude..
SEA5 does not realize this yet as it is making moves very quickly now because of the time control
here its eval shows -.14 but in two more moves grim reality sets in and the Eval plummets to -6.25..the computer will resign when its Eval reaches -9.00
41.Qc2 Qb2 42.Qxe5+ g6 43.f4 c2 44.Qc6 c1=Q+ 45.Qxc1 Qxc1+ 46.Kf2 Qd2+ 47Kf3 Qd3 48.Kf2 g5 49.fxg5 hxg5 50.h3 Kg6 51.Kf3 Qf1+ 52.Kg3 Qe2 53.RESIGNS

FINAL POSITION
[d] 8/8/4p1k1/6p1/3P4/4P2P/4q1PK/8 b - - 0 53

As soon as i win another game against a dedicated chess computer i shall be posting it here

Dont Hold Your Breath Regards
Steve

[mhull]

Next time you post a game against such a beautiful machine, the position diagrams must be photographs of the postion on the actual machine. Although, you must lose the glare and make them a little larger.

Enjoying the view regards,

[Steve B]

Next time you post a game against such a beautiful machine, the position diagrams must be photographs of the postion on the actual machine. Although, you must lose the glare and make them a little larger.

it seems the collectors life just keeps getting harder and harder
Sigh Regards
Steve
PS..

[mhull]

Next time you post a game against such a beautiful machine, the position diagrams must be photographs of the postion on the actual machine. Although, you must lose the glare and make them a little larger.

it seems the collectors life just keeps getting harder and harder
Sigh Regards
Steve
PS..

If you'll just send the machine to me, I'll see to it.

[Steve B]

Next time you post a game against such a beautiful machine, the position diagrams must be photographs of the postion on the actual machine. Although, you must lose the glare and make them a little larger.

it seems the collectors life just keeps getting harder and harder
Sigh Regards
Steve
PS..

If you'll just send the machine to me, I'll see to it.

my photo of the Super Expert is too bright ..but this one seems a bit too dark:
http://cgi.ebay.com/1987-NOVAG-SUPER-EX ... 0125779198

Squinting Regards
Steve