Novag 2Robot

Larry · Post by **Larry** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:10 am

While I was in an electronics store today, the salesman noticed
me taking an interest in this thing. I remember a couple of years
back they were retailing for about $249 around here... too much
for me. I bought something else and was about to leave when he
offered the 2Robot to me for $60. I could'nt resist. It was the last
one he had, and he was probably sick of the sight of it. I'm not a
really big fan of the chess robots, and being bulky, they are not
suitable for international shipping. But as a conversation piece they
are great.
Larry

ricard60 · Post by **ricard60** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 11:02 am

Great deal Larry,

Hope some day a can find one novag 2 robot for 60 bucks.

cheap robot regards
Ricardo

Larry · Post by **Larry** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 11:39 am

ricard60 wrote:Great deal Larry,

Hope some day a can find one novag 2 robot for 60 bucks.

cheap robot regards
Ricardo

Hi Ricardo, yeah, good deal alright. Actually it was a display model,
and on closer inspection I noticed a couple of indentations in the 'f1'
square. You know what some roughnecks are like with display stuff,
press too hard in the wrong place on the squares. Apart from that it
is truly new.
They could have made the thing stronger. Admittedly I only played it
a couple of times, and then on it's 5sec/move level, but it did'nt seem
to put up much of a fight. Why did'nt they put the Star Diamond engine
in it, with maybe endgame tablebases and even a 400mhz processor?
It would boogie then...!
As it is, it will probably end up as a nice gift for one of the younger
family members.
all the best,
Larry

Bryan Whitby · Post by **Bryan Whitby** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 12:18 pm

Hi Larry
You hit the nail on the head with your last paragraph.
The 2Robot WAS designed just for children who had just taken up chess and might find the robot a novelty.
The only strong computer that didn't see the light of day and was on track to be released was the Star Citrine. Unfortunately Novag's MD wanted to spend more time with her family and Solar Wide's parent company wanted to get their hands on the Novag medical equipment they produced in China, plus a big fat cheque was being waved, Novag as we knew it slowly disappeared.
Bryan

Larry · Post by **Larry** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 12:32 pm

Chessmaster Ireland wrote: The 2Robot WAS designed just for children who had just taken up chess and might find the robot a novelty.

Yes Bryan, it would be more suited to children, provided they are not
too young. The 2Robot would be quite breakable in the wrong hands,
I'd imagine. And of course the pieces would end up stuck in their throats.
"Star Citrine"... well we half jokingly considered this among ourselves
a few years back. I would have been at the front of the queue to get one.
To be fair to the MD, family must and should be top priority. She is likely
a fairly well to do woman with little profit incentive, and I heard from a
pretty reliable source she has little business acumen.
all the best...
Larry