50 Computer Tournament (now underway)

[LWSteve]

50 Computer Round Robin Tournament

Hi everybody,

In my tournament there are 50 table top computers involved and me. (total of 51 participants)
Total of 2550 games will be played
Everybody will use the same time controls.
3 min. avg. response = 40/120 -- 20/60 -- 20/60 -- 20/60

I am the Tournament Director and I will determine draws, stalemates,
stalling tactic draws, resignations etc.

No travel sets, LCD hand sets or peg sets are allowed in the tournament.

There will be no cheating or take backs and my decisions are final!

There will be game brilliancy awards issued out at the end of the tournament.

There will also be an award given out on whoever can checkmate Fidelity Gambit in the fewest moves.

The top 5 finishers with the best records will then go into a round robin best of 3 playoff
to determine the champion. Tie breakers that will be used are #1 past head to head and
#2 a one game playoff, whoever had the White pieces in their round 1 game will then get the Black pieces in their playoff game.

There will also be a Team Championship on the line.
There are a total of 6 teams...

Team Novag
Team Mephisto - Saitek
Team Fidelity
Team Radio Shack
Team Excalibur - CXG
Team Mongrel Mutt (the leftover outcasts)

Each team will have at least 8 players.
The top 7 finishers from each team will then add up their win - loss
records to determine the World Team Championship.
If there is a tie then the team with the lower elo average wins.

I don’t have an elo at this time but at the end of the tournament I will have one.
I’m an average player. And the first time I played Mephisto Master Chess I was up material and I drew with the white pieces. (repetition draw)
I’m not good enough however to make the top 5 and win this tournament. Not with a stacked Team Novag like it is.
But these box tops are not going to walk over the top of me either. It will be interesting…

The teams are below. (most ratings come from Wiki)

Team Novag

Star Diamond - - - - elo 2183
Diamond - - - - - - - elo 2149
Diamond II - - - - - elo 2134
Citrine - - - - - - - - elo 2050
Zircon II - - - - - - elo 2041
Turquoise - - - - - elo 2013
Obsidian - - - - - - elo 2011
Constellation 3.6 - elo 1756
　
　
Team Mephisto - Saitek

Berlin 68000 - - - - - - - - - - - elo 2172
Master Chess - - - - - - - - - - elo 2160
Kasparov Cougar - - - - - - - elo 2060
Explorer Pro - - - - - - - - - - - elo 2060
Centurion - - - - - - - - - - - - elo 2018
GK 2000 - - - - - - - - - - - - elo 1973
Talking Chess Academy - - elo 1962
Turbo Adv. Trainer - - - - - - elo 1947
　
　

Team Fidelity

Excel 68000 Mach III - - - - elo 2020
Excel 68000 Mach II - - - - - elo 1954
Excel 68000 - - - - - - - - - - elo 1910
Designer 2100 Display - - - elo 1878
Par Excellence - - - - - - - - elo 1852
Excellence - - - - - - - - - - elo 1841
Chesster - - - - - - - - - - - elo 1835
Designer 2000 - - - - - - - elo 1828
　

Team Radio Shack (aka Team Rat Shack)

2250XL - - - - - - - - - - - - - elo 2055
2200X - - - - - - - - - - - - - - elo 2000
Master Chess 60-2217 - - - - elo 1947
Mega 2050X - - - - - - - - - - elo 1897
2150 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - elo 1750
2150L - - - - - - - - - - - - - - elo 1720
1680X - - - - - - - - - - - - - elo 1422
1850 Deluxe - - - - - - - - - elo 1300


Team Excalibur - CXG

Grandmaster - - - - elo 1845
Igor - - - - - - - - - elo 1845
Ivan - - - - - - - - - elo 1845
Ivan II - - - - - - - elo 1845
Alexandra - - - - - elo 1645
Phantom Force - - elo 1645
Super Crown - - - elo 1638
King Arthur - - - - elo 1325



　
Team Mongrel Mutt (the leftover outcasts)

LWSteve (the T.D.) - - - - - - - - - - - elo - ????
Saitek Team Mate adv. Trainer - - - elo 1650
Saitek Conquistador - - - - - - - - - - elo 1617
SciSys Turbo 16K - - - - - - - - - - - - elo 1617
Fidelity Little Chesster - - - - - - - - - elo 1575
Novag Carnelian II - - - - - - - - - - - elo 1550
Novag Mentor 16 - - - - - - - - - - - - elo 1535
SciSys Turbo S-24K - - - - - - - - - - elo 1514
Fidelity Voice CC - - - - - - - - - - - - elo 1394
Novag Accord - - - - - - - - - - - - - - elo 1390
Fidelity Gambit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - elo 1061

This is not your normal chess computer tournament because the time controls are
more like official USCF time controls.
This is also not a Blitz or game in 15 or game in 60 tourney!
Therefore you will see some amazing games and we should see some surprising results.

I usually play two games at once to speed things up. In about 10 to 14 days everybody will have played
2 or 3 games and then I will update all the results.



Some highlights so far…

The biggest upset so far is Radio Shack 2250XL (B) defeating Mephisto Berlin 68000 (W)
I called the game off after 41 moves. 0-1

Last night Radio Shack 2250XL (W) was up a pawn most of the way on Cougar (B) but the game
ended up a draw after 54 moves.

Diamond (B) & Diamond II (W) battled to a 82 move draw.

Fidelity 68000 (W) had a nice bishop sacrifice against R.S. Master Chess (B) - - Master Chess’s
King side castled position was stormed and the Black King went for a nice walk and almost made
it to the other side of the board. 1-0

Excalibur GM (W) checkmated CXG Super Crown (B) in 30 moves. 1-0

Citrine (W) checkmated Fidelity Chesster (B) in 31 moves. 1-0

Mephisto Talking Chess Academy (W) checkmated Fidelity Voice CC (B) in 30 moves. 1-0

More results with updated standings in the following weeks.

LWSteve

[Larry]

Hi LWSteve, This tourney is going to last until Christmas, I figure.
I'm betting on team Novag followed closely by team Mephisto.
I'm also betting you will win the prize for the quickest checkmate
versus Gambit.
I'm surprised the D outrates the D2, even at fast time control.
forward into battle regards...
Larry

[LWSteve]

Hi LWSteve, This tourney is going to last until Christmas, I figure.
I'm betting on team Novag followed closely by team Mephisto.
I'm also betting you will win the prize for the quickest checkmate
versus Gambit.
I'm surprised the D outrates the D2, even at fast time control.
forward into battle regards...
Larry

Hi Larry,

With the time controls the way they are, this tournament is going to take a "long time" to complete.

But an event like this you want it to last. You don't want it to be over in a week or two.

Also, I'm just an average player Larry.
If I end up in the top 20 then I will be happy.

One thing I've already noticed...
And that is the importance of the opening book that these computers possess.

Last night Excalibur Ivan had a threefold repetition draw with one of the "big wigs" in the tournament.
What got him the draw mainly was the opening book that Ivan has inside of him. So from now on Ivan's new nickname is "Chip".
I'm going to keep you guys in suspense for now as to which computer "Chip" had a draw with. I will tell all later.
Chip is now 0-0-3 in his first 3 games. Yep 3 draws in his first 3 games.
Two of his 3 draws are threefold repetition draws.
And Chip can really talk the trash too!
So when Chip plays Chesster I may have to get between both of them at some point.
Sort of like what they do on the Jerry Springer show. hahahaha!

Don't throw it if you lose to it Regards

LWSteve

[LWSteve]

In my tournament... here is the game between Fidelity Excel 68000 and Radio Shack Master Chess

R.S. Master Chess plays the French Defense and Excel turns it into the advance variation with a 4.e5 push. Then on move 11. Excel sacrifices his bishop!

[Date "2013.02.27"]
[White "Fidelity Excel 68000"]
[Black "Radio Shack Master Chess"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C18"]
[White - - Elo "1910"]
[Black - - Elo "1947"]


1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Qg4 O-O 8. Nf3
Qa5 9. Bd2 Nbc6 10. Bd3 c4

[fen]r1b2rk1/pp2nppp/2n1p3/q2pP3/2pP2Q1/P1PB1N2/2PB1PPP/R3K2R w KQ - 0 11[/fen]

11. Bxh7+! Kxh7 12. Qh5+ Kg8 13. Ng5 Rd8 14. Qh7+ Kf8
15. Qh8+ Ng8 16. Nh7+ Ke7 17. Qxg7 Re8 18. O-O Kd8 19. Qxf7 Bd7 20. Nf8 Nge7
21. Rfd1 Kc8

Position below after 21 completed moves. White is up +1.30 according to Fritz 13 at this point.
So R.S. Master Chess was able to weather the storm a bit.
White's soon to be passed pawns will decide this one!

I wonder if my Excel 68000 is on steroids?

[fen]r1k1rN2/pp1bnQ2/2n1p3/q2pP3/2pP4/P1P5/2PB1PPP/R2R2K1 w - - 0 22[/fen]

22. Nxe6 Rb8 23. Ng7 Nd8 24. Qf6 Ng8 25. Qf3 Re7 26. Qf8 Bg4 27.
Re1 Qc7 28. Ne8 Rxe8 29. Qxe8 Qg7 30. Qb5 Bf3 31. g3 Ne7 32. e6 Nec6 33. Bf4
Ra8 34. Qc5 Qe7 35. Bd6 Qe8 36. e7 Nf7 37. Bf4 Kd7 38. Re3 Be4 39. f3 Qxe7 40.
Qxe7+ Nxe7 41. fxe4 dxe4 42. Rxe4 Nd5 43. Bd2 Rg8 44. Kg2 Nd6 45. Ree1 a6 46.
a4 b6 47. h3 Nf6 48. g4 Nde4 49. Bf4 Nxc3 50. Bd2 Nfe4 51. Bxc3 Nxc3 52. Re5
Rg6 53. a5 b5 54. Rf1 Kd6 55. g5 Nd5 56. h4 Re6 57. Rxe6+ Kxe6 58. Rf3 b4 59.
g6 Ne7 60. g7 Kd5 61. Re3 Ng8 62. Re8 Nh6 63. Rh8 Ke6 64. Rxh6+ 1-0

[LWSteve]

Here is a game from my tournament just over with...

Saitek Cougar plays the Budapest Gambit against Diamond II

Cougar was outclassed from the get go!
I stopped the game after 38 moves.

These Novag Diamonds... when you play them on 3 min. avg. response time
they play at near IM levels! Thanks to Kittinger the positional prowess
of these Novag Diamond table top computers is simply amazing!

A good example below...


[Date "2013.04.04"]
[White "Novag Diamond II"]
[Black "Saitek Cougar"]
[T/C 3 min. avg. response]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A52"]
[White Elo "2134"]
[Black Elo "2060"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 Ng4 4. Bf4 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bb4+ 6. Nc3 Qe7 7. Qb3 Na5
8. Qc2 Nxc4 9. a3 Ba5 10. b4 Bb6 11. e3 Ncxe5 12. Nd5 Qd6 13. O-O-O f6

At this point Cougar is a pawn up. But look at the position Diamond II has with the White pieces.
Fritz 13 at this point has White ahead +2.63




[fen]r1b1k2r/pppp2pp/1b1q1p2/3Nn3/1P3Bn1/P3PN2/2Q2PPP/2KR1B1R w kq - 0 14[/fen]

14. h3 Nh6
15. Bxh6 gxh6 16. Qe4 Rf8 17. Be2 Qc6+ 18. Kb1 Qe6 19. Nxe5 d6 20. Bh5+ Kd8
21. Qg4 Qxe5 22. Qg7 Re8

At this point Diamond II has penetrated the Black defense.
And all thats left for White is to swap off a few pieces (reduction of arms)
and to pick off the Black pawn on f6.



[fen]r1bkr3/ppp3Qp/1b1p1p1p/3Nq2B/1P6/P3P2P/5PP1/1K1R3R w - - 0 23[/fen]

23. Bxe8 Qe4+ 24. Ka2 Qxe8 25. Qxf6+ Kd7 26. a4 Qe6
27. Qxe6+ Kxe6 28. a5 Bxa5 29. bxa5 Kd7 30. f4 b6 31. e4 bxa5
32. e5 Rb8 33. Rhe1 Ba6 34. e6+ Kc6 35. Ne7+ Kb7 36. Rb1+ Ka8
37. Rxb8+ Kxb8 38. Rb1+ Ka8
1-0

Diamond II goes to 3-0-1 only blemish was a 82 move draw to its brother Novag Diamond

Cougar goes to 1-1-1 Its only victory so far was over Fidelity Mach III

[fen]k7/p1p1N2p/b2pP2p/p7/5P2/7P/K5P1/1R6 w - - 0 39[/fen]

[LWSteve]

For all the Citrine fans out there... (of which I am one)

He is doing well in the tournament right now.
Citrine plays a "tuff game" at 3 min. avg. response time.

Citrine is 3-0-1 right now

With wins over Centurion, Chesster, and Rat Shack 2150
and a draw with GK 2000

There is one table top in the tournament however who is a dark horse.
I knew this going in. And.....

The Saitek Turbo advanced Trainer (elo 1947)
Right now he is 3-1-0

With wins over Novag Const. 3.6, Fidelity 2000 and Fidelity Excel 68000
His loss was to Novag Star Diamond

He just got done demolishing Fidelity Excel 68000.
I stopped this game after 55 moves.
Saitek Turbo adv. Trainer was up a bishop and a knight after 55 moves.
And that was the end of that...

I really like this little plastic table top chess computer.
And I will take it over a Mach IV any day of the week.
It has a special feature that no other table top chess computer has. (that I know of)

Can anybody out there tell me what this special feature is?

LWSteve

[Steve B]

It has a special feature that no other table top chess computer has. (that I know of)

Can anybody out there tell me what this special feature is?

LWSteve

I'll guess your thinking of the "Master Study Games" Feature
if so...all of Saiteks "Advanced Trainer" series computers have this feature
the Portable Advanced Trainer,Champion Advanced Trianer and the Team Mate Advanced Trainer all have it

Also the Excalibur Grandmaster has the same exact feature only with 32 Master games instead of just 8

if this isn't the feature your thinking about i'm interested in hearing what the feature is


Training Wheels Regards
Steve

[SirDave]

It has a special feature that no other table top chess computer has. (that I know of)

Can anybody out there tell me what this special feature is?

LWSteve

I'll guess your thinking of the "Master Study Games" Feature
if so...all of Saiteks "Advanced Trainer" series computers have this feature
the Portable Advanced Trainer,Champion Advanced Trianer and the Team Mate Advanced Trainer all have it

Also the Excalibur Grandmaster has the same exact feature only with 32 Master games instead of just 8

if this isn't the feature your thinking about i'm interested in hearing what the feature is

Training Wheels Regards
Steve

Has me stumped and I'm familiar with the unit. Following on Steve's point, the Champion Advanced Trainer is just a smaller, portable, less-powered version of the Turbo and the manuals are similar.

[LWSteve]

OK, we've had two good guess'es so far from Steve B and SirDave...

Now it is time to "spill the beans" about this fine little table top.

I don't own as many computers as Steve B does or Larry does or some of
you other guys, so I'm sure there is at least one other computer out there with this feature.

With the Saitek Turbo adv. Trainer it has what they call a Non Auto mode.
You set the pieces up in their starting positions, set the level,
press "Non Auto", and then move each piece, (pressing down as you go) until you reach your desired position.
Then you press "Non Auto" again to get out of non auto mode.
Then you press "play" to have the computer make its move.

This feature Saitek did put in many of their computers that they made after
the Turbo adv. Trainer. (Like Cougar for example) But they screwed it up by putting it in the options mode.
And the computer only played one move there after.
And then you would have to press "play" each time there after for the computer to make one more move. etc... etc...

With the Turbo adv. Trainer you press the "play" button only once and then you can play a whole game between you and the computer from the starting position that you setup.
And never have to press another button.
Or use the "take back" key or any other key.

In this way you can setup any starting position, from any variation, from any opening, in a matter of seconds and play a full game against the computer.
All this I can do in only a matter of seconds!

The Cougar for example has something similar to this that they called the Auto Answer Mode.
But first you have to go into "options mode"... press another key...
then press another key... slow slow slow...
And then you had to press the "enter" button each time you wanted the computer to move.
Not the same however!

The Turbo adv. Trainer has an elo of 1947.
But at 3 min. avg. response time I believe it plays closer to 2000 elo.
http://www.schach-computer.info/wiki/in ... ed_Trainer

I absolutely luv this chess computer!
The surfaces are semi-soft and not rock hard like on the 2250XL.
Talk about bang for your buck!
In the last year I've seen aprox. 7 of them on EBAY.
And yes I did snag some of them for around $40 to $50 each.

Trust me guys...
This Saitek Turbo advanced Trainer is a Bad Boy!

No training wheels required for this Saitek! LOL hahahaha!!

LWSteve

[Steve B]

This is a common feature found in many computers
its usually called the Referee mode or Monitor mode

you enter moves for both sides and then turn the mode OFF and then can play from either side against the computer

Steve

[LWSteve]

This is a common feature found in many computers
its usually called the Referee mode or Monitor mode

you enter moves for both sides and then turn the mode OFF and then can play from either side against the computer

Steve

You're right Steve...

But with these other computers you have to press the "move" key each time you want the computer to make one move.

With the Turbo advanced Trainer you press the "move" key only once and then the game continues from that point on till there is a winner.

LWSteve

[SirDave]

This is a common feature found in many computers
its usually called the Referee mode or Monitor mode

you enter moves for both sides and then turn the mode OFF and then can play from either side against the computer

Steve

Yup, Steve you beat me to it. I had thought that the Non-Auto feature was what was being referred to, but then discarded it on the basis that apparently no other desktop had the mystery feature while I knew that the Non-Auto feature was very much there on my Novag Obsidian and Novag Zircon II in the form of the dedicated Referee key (as you mention).

It's also there on the tiny Novag Jade II (portable version of the Zircon II) and Novag Amber.

[Steve B]

This is a common feature found in many computers
its usually called the Referee mode or Monitor mode

you enter moves for both sides and then turn the mode OFF and then can play from either side against the computer

Steve

You're right Steve...

But with these other computers you have to press the "move" key each time you want the computer to make one move.

With the Turbo advanced Trainer you press the "move" key only once and then the game continues from that point on till there is a winner.

LWSteve

Not sure of what you are saying
with the other computers(practically every Mephisto for example)
you engage the feature
make moves for both sides
turn the feature off(one time only)
and then you play the game from that point onward ..you make a move... the computer automatically responds... and so on ...like in a normal game ..no other key press is needed

anyway...its not a big issue
i am always interested to learn of features in the old computers that i wasn't aware of before ..which i am sure there are many

Monitoring The Referee Regards
Steve

[LWSteve]

This is a common feature found in many computers
its usually called the Referee mode or Monitor mode

you enter moves for both sides and then turn the mode OFF and then can play from either side against the computer

Steve

You're right Steve...

But with these other computers you have to press the "move" key each time you want the computer to make one move.

With the Turbo advanced Trainer you press the "move" key only once and then the game continues from that point on till there is a winner.

LWSteve

Not sure of what you are saying
with the other computers(practically every Mephisto for example)
you engage the feature
make moves for both sides
turn the feature off(one time only)
and then you play the game from that point onward ..you make a move... the computer automatically responds... and so on ...like in a normal game ..no other key press is needed

SomeWhat Confused Regards
Steve

Try this explaination...

Mephisto Explorer Pro acts the same way as the Saitek Cougar.

Turn off the feature (one time only)
Press the "move" key.
Then the computer makes one move and then just sits there and does nothing. You can make your next move but the Mephisto Explorer Pro
will not respond to it until you press the "move" key again.
Anotherwords... You will have to keep pressing the "move" key
over and over and over and over and over and over again to complete your game.

With the Turbo adv. Trainer...

Turn off the feature (one time only)
Press the "move" key.
The computer will make his move.
Then you make your move.
The computer will make his move.
Then you make you move.

No need to press any buttons to tell the computer to make his move.

Hope this helps,

LWSteve

[Steve B]

With the Turbo adv. Trainer...

Turn off the feature (one time only)
Press the "move" key.
The computer will make his move.
Then you make your move.
The computer will make his move.
Then you make you move.

No need to press any buttons to tell the computer to make his move.

Hope this helps,

LWSteve

Right
Many computers with this feature work the way you just described it(and i described it in the previous post)
it simply not a very unique feature
Steve