Does Excalibur Chess Wizard Have a Fundamental Flaw?

[afos99]

I have two of these machines.

One is the original Einstein, the other the later chess wizard. Both will not complete a full game without "crashing". This takes various forms but not long into the game the display can either become corrupt, lock up or go blank.

I was suspicious about them only using two AA batteries so I modified one to run on three AAs (like Alexandra) by removing the blanking plate, and adding a set of contacts. Unfortunately in less 10 moves it crashed again.

Has anyone had a full game with the wizard? It a shame as I like the program. I could use Alexandra but the buttons are difficult to use.

Dave

[Fernando]

I have two of these machines.

One is the original Einstein, the other the later chess wizard. Both will not complete a full game without "crashing". This takes various forms but not long into the game the display can either become corrupt, lock up or go blank.

I was suspicious about them only using two AA batteries so I modified one to run on three AAs (like Alexandra) by removing the blanking plate, and adding a set of contacts. Unfortunately in less 10 moves it crashed again.

Has anyone had a full game with the wizard? It a shame as I like the program. I could use Alexandra but the buttons are difficult to use.

Dave

Hi

The fundamental flaw of those contrivances is that they are too cheap, so they were made on the cheap by Chinese cheap workers and cheap engineers.
Better call Saul regards
Fern

[Four.nine]

Better call Saul

I believe, Chilean, you may actually have some redeeming value.
Is your middle name Gustavo?

[Fernando]

Better call Saul

I believe, Chilean, you may actually have some redeeming value.
Is your middle name Gustavo?

No, no intermediate name. Gustavo? What do you mean?


So...
Better call me just Fern regards
Fern

[Four.nine]

Better call Saul

I believe, Chilean, you may actually have some redeeming value.
Is your middle name Gustavo?

No, no intermediate name. Gustavo? What do you mean?


So...
Better call me just Fern regards
Fern

Gustavo Fring...a central (and Chilean) character on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.

So Fern, Watch both shows

[Fernando]

Better call Saul

I believe, Chilean, you may actually have some redeeming value.
Is your middle name Gustavo?

No, no intermediate name. Gustavo? What do you mean?


So...
Better call me just Fern regards
Fern

Gustavo Fring...a central (and Chilean) character on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.




I saw both but I did not remember that guy.

No chauvinistic impulses regards
Fern
So Fern, Watch both shows

[paulwise3]

I have two of these machines.

One is the original Einstein, the other the later chess wizard. Both will not complete a full game without "crashing". This takes various forms but not long into the game the display can either become corrupt, lock up or go blank.

I was suspicious about them only using two AA batteries so I modified one to run on three AAs (like Alexandra) by removing the blanking plate, and adding a set of contacts. Unfortunately in less 10 moves it crashed again.

Has anyone had a full game with the wizard? It a shame as I like the program. I could use Alexandra but the buttons are difficult to use.

Dave

I just got one today, in mint condition.
Unfortunately, in the two games I already played, I had exactly the same behaviour as you mention above.
And yes, it is exactly the same program as that of the Alexandra.

Contacting my repairman regards,
Paul

[Fernando]

I have two of these machines.

One is the original Einstein, the other the later chess wizard. Both will not complete a full game without "crashing". This takes various forms but not long into the game the display can either become corrupt, lock up or go blank.

I was suspicious about them only using two AA batteries so I modified one to run on three AAs (like Alexandra) by removing the blanking plate, and adding a set of contacts. Unfortunately in less 10 moves it crashed again.

Has anyone had a full game with the wizard? It a shame as I like the program. I could use Alexandra but the buttons are difficult to use.

Dave

I just got one today, in mint condition.
Unfortunately, in the two games I already played, I had exactly the same behaviour as you mention above.
And yes, it is exactly the same program as that of the Alexandra.

Contacting my repairman regards,
Paul

Those contrivances were made too much on the side of cheapness to be good, so I advice just to play old good Alexandra that is trusty and gives a good game.

Alexandra regards

[paulwise3]

In the meantime I played a number of games between the Einstein Chess Wizard and some of my other machines. And most of the time without crashes, but some did happen. I have the feeling that setting option Info to On gives more risc on crashes, as the display is more heavily used.
I had a similar problem with my CXG Sphinx Concerto. Also a feeling that the Concerto is less sturdy or stable then it's clone the Krypton Challenge.

[mclane]

I do have such a machine for many years and it never crashed. I do normally play 40/120 games with it.

It uses almost no battery. If all my dedicated chess computers would use that small amount of energy, I would be a rich man.

[Fernando]

I do have such a machine for many years and it never crashed. I do normally play 40/120 games with it.

It uses almost no battery. If all my dedicated chess computers would use that small amount of energy, I would be a rich man.

how good or bad you consider it is?
F

[paulwise3]

I do have such a machine for many years and it never crashed. I do normally play 40/120 games with it.

It uses almost no battery. If all my dedicated chess computers would use that small amount of energy, I would be a rich man.

how good or bad you consider it is?
F

It is the same program that runs in the Excalibur Alexandra. But it has a sloppy man's voice, probably quite electronic. Elo around 1640, or 1800 USCF.
It is the same program as that in the Grandmaster and Igor, but with some modifications because of the different CPU-unit, and has no permanent brain.
And it seems to be an "angstgegner" for the Horvath program (e.g. Krypton Challenge and others), as in my personal experience their score is about even in rapid chess, while the Challenge is 120 elo-points stronger...
.

[Fernando]

I do have such a machine for many years and it never crashed. I do normally play 40/120 games with it.

It uses almost no battery. If all my dedicated chess computers would use that small amount of energy, I would be a rich man.

how good or bad you consider it is?
F

It is the same program that runs in the Excalibur Alexandra. But it has a sloppy man's voice, probably quite electronic. Elo around 1640, or 1800 USCF.
It is the same program as that in the Grandmaster and Igor, but with some modifications because of the different CPU-unit, and has no permanent brain.
And it seems to be an "angstgegner" for the Horvath program (e.g. Krypton Challenge and others), as in my personal experience their score is about even in rapid chess, while the Challenge is 120 elo-points stronger...
.

Yesterday Alaxandra won a game -to me- that looks like of a far above stronger player.... Pretty atytyack, knowledge of ending, etc.
There are days like those....

Fern

[TomEmm]

Hello Dear People.

I was asked to fix an “Excalibur Chess Wizard” with all the symptoms described here, for those who haven't thrown the Exalibur away yet, here is the solution to the problem. The Exalibur is a 1 chip machine in the one I opened (screws also under the 4 caps). Then all the screws that hold the circuit board in place. Now cut 2 plates of approximately 25/30 mm square from tin (iron). Take thick double-sided foam tape and stick it in its entirety on the 2 plates. Now stick 1 plate on the black dot (is the 1 chip) and 1 on the other side exactly opposite on the printed circuit board. Make sure that the mounting points remain free! Now take an insulated wire and make a connection between the plates and the - of the battery holder. Make sure the wires also run freely when you put it back together. This is the solution to resolve all malfunctions.
Hope that this helps a lot of people.

Kind regards,
Tom
t.emmelotATgmail.com
Amsterdam
The Netherlands