Collector's Corner...On The Fidelity Elite Champion

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Steve B
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Collector's Corner...On The Fidelity Elite Champion

Post by Steve B »

With all of this recent talk about Elite Champions and whether they are working or not...i thought it a good time to test mine to see if they were still alive
i have two odd numbered Elites..17 and 399 (rumor has it that the even numbered Elites were more prone to defects and played weaker)
#17 has a blank un-inscribed plaque
sadly #399 has now gone mute after all of these years
thankfully that is the only defect in either Elite(until the next time i test them)

a review of the Elite Manual shows a hastily written one by Fidelity
the manual still makes mention of the 64 Great Games and 64 Book opening variations features ..which were present in the Champion Sensory but removed in the Elite
also..the manual makes no mention of the fact that the position evaluation score can be displayed
(an addendum to the Elite Manual did correct these errors)

i set up a game pitting Champion No.399 Vs. Champion No.17
TC was 1 Min.Avg
17 won the coin toss to move first


In The Game...
i decided to force 17 to start off with the English
both computers were out of book at move 15!
play on both sides was pretty reasonable until 17 establishes a dangerously advanced b Pawn which causes 399 to blunder away a P on move 45
up a P in a B's of opposite color endgame ..17 shows good technique in converting what could have been a draw into a solid win

[Date "2015.6.7"]
[White "Elite Champion #17"]
[Black "Elite Champion #399"]
[Time Control "1 Min./Avg."]
[Result "1-0"]

1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.O-O O-O 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4
Nxd4 9.Qxd4 d6 10.Qd3 a6 11.Bd2 Rb8 12.e4 Be6 13.b3 Qd7 14.Rac1 Rfc8
15.Na4 Qd8 16.Be3 b5 17.cxb5 axb5 18.Rxc8 Qxc8 19.Rc1 Qb7 20.Nc3 Qa6
21.Qe2 Bd7 22.a4 Qa5 23.axb5 Nh5 24.Qd3 Bxc3 25.Qxc3 Qxb5 26.Rb1 Ra8
27.Bf1 Qc6 28.Qxc6 Bxc6 29.f3 Bb7 30.b4 d5 31.exd5 Bxd5 32.f4 Be4 33.Rc1
Ng7 34.Rc7 Kf8 35.Bc5 Nf5 36.b5 Ra1 37.Rc8+ Kg7 38.Rd8 Ra2 39.b6 Rc2
40.Bb4 Bc6 41.Rd3 f6 42.Rc3 Rxc3 43.Bxc3 e6 44.g4 Ne3 45.g5 Nd5 46.Bxf6+
Kf8 47.Bg2 Ke8 48.Bb2 Kd7 49.Bxd5 exd5 50.Bd4 Bb7 51.Kf2 Kc8 52.Ke3 Kd7
53.Kd3 Ke6 54.Kc3 Kf5 55.Be3 Kg4 56.Kb4 Kf3 57.Bd2 Kg2 58.Be3 Kf3 59.Bc1
Kg2 60.Kc5 Kxh2 61.Kd6 d4 62.Kc7 Bd5 63.b7 Bxb7 64.Kxb7 d3 65.Kc6 Kg3
66.Kd5 Kf3 67.Kd4 Ke2 68.Kc3 Kd1 69.Be3 Ke2 70.Bd2 Kf3 71.Kxd3 Kg4
72.Ke4 Kg3 73.f5 gxf5+ 74.Kxf5 1-0

FINAL POSITION

[fen]8/7p/8/5KP1/8/6k1/3B4/8 w - - 0 74[/fen]

I Resigned for #399 here
both computers were showing eval's of +/- greater then 5.00
Its Over



J/K About Even Numbered Elites Being Weaker Regards
Steve
Larry
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Re: Collector's Corner...On The Fidelity Elite Champion

Post by Larry »

Steve B wrote: i have two odd numbered Elites..17 and 399 (rumor has it that the even numbered Elites were more prone to defects and played weaker)
#17 has a blank un-inscribed plaque


A little known factoid: the blank plaque Elite plays 70elo stronger
on Fridays. So the game was an unfair pairing unless played on a day
other than Friday.
Also, it's well known that all chess computers play slightly stronger
in winter. This means the computer closer to the window has an unfair
advantage.
L
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Re: Collector's Corner...On The Fidelity Elite Champion

Post by klute »

Steve B wrote: #17 has a blank un-inscribed plaque
Hi Steve

It's good to see Elite #17 that you acquired from me all those years ago is still going strong!

I'd been wondering how #17 was faring since the plaqueless "no adapter / can't test / sold as is / no returns" frankenelitethingy popped up on eBay.

Blank plaques rule Regards
The Klute offers you the white pieces and the advantage of the first move.
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Re: Collector's Corner...On The Fidelity Elite Champion

Post by Steve B »

klute wrote: I'd been wondering how #17 was faring
Going Strong as Ever Cameron
you can be certain that if you see an Elite on Ebay it aint mine
I am saving one of these for Larry once I ..

Pass On Regards
Steve
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Steve B
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Re: Collector's Corner...On The Fidelity Elite Champion

Post by Steve B »

Larry wrote:
A little known factoid: the blank plaque Elite plays 70elo stronger
on Fridays. So the game was an unfair pairing unless played on a day
other than Friday.

L
actually I know about this
it was discussed in an obscure article in the Rhodesian(now Zimbabwe)
Computer Chess Journal back in the mid-1980's
I will try to provide several clickable links later..

about the Friday thing...
see if I play the game on a Friday it would already be Saturday for you guys from the land of Oz so
I need a ruling here please Regards
Steve
Last edited by Steve B on Mon Jun 08, 2015 11:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
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klute
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Re: Collector's Corner...On The Fidelity Elite Champion

Post by klute »

Steve B wrote:
klute wrote: I am saving one of these for Larry once I ..

Pass On Regards
Steve
Ok.

I'd like to reserve please a pair of unused and mint boxed Destiny Prodigy (must be later improved "S" version) and also a pair of unused and mint boxed Chess King Counter Gambit.

Humblest Regards
The Klute offers you the white pieces and the advantage of the first move.
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Steve B
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Re: Collector's Corner...On The Fidelity Elite Champion

Post by Steve B »

klute wrote:

I'd like to reserve please a pair of unused and mint boxed Destiny Prodigy (must be later improved "S" version) and also a pair of unused and mint boxed Chess King Counter Gambit.

Humblest Regards
See the problem you would have with any of my computers is the "Minty"
thing
actually none of my computers are anywhere's near mint
boxes ,manuals all show sign's of use
best ones I have would probably achieve a condition rating from you of no higher then "good" or "very good"
I play with them all the time and have for years.. so they all will have the normal amount of wear n tear(dings,coffee stains,cig butt stains,other stains which we need not get into here)
when I bought these babies I did so with the intention of never selling them so I was not restrained in playing with them in total comfort
I know they would all be worth more today if they were Mint but I have enjoyed playing with them in comfort for many years
some collectors I know are so concerned with the future sellable value of their computers that they don a surgical mask and Gloves before they will use them

To Each His Own Regards
Steve
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klute
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Re: Collector's Corner...On The Fidelity Elite Champion

Post by klute »

Steve B wrote: some collectors I know are so concerned with the future sellable value of their computers that they don a surgical mask and Gloves before they will use them
Well yes, I acknowledge I'm one of those driven by condition above all else (full working being a given) but it's not really from a sellability / value perspective.

It's more to do with going back in the time machine - having one example of a Schachcomputer still as fresh, crisp, complete and flawless as when it was new on the retailer's shelf - and having a second example to actually use...

...with surgical mask and gloves Regards
The Klute offers you the white pieces and the advantage of the first move.
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Re: Collector's Corner...On The Fidelity Elite Champion

Post by Steve B »

klute wrote: Well yes, I acknowledge I'm one of those driven by condition above all else (full working being a given) but it's not really from a sellability / value perspective.

It's more to do with going back in the time machine - having one example of a Schachcomputer still as fresh, crisp, complete and flawless as when it was new on the retailer's shelf - and having a second example to actually use...

...with surgical mask and gloves Regards
Well I wasn't really referring to you
anyway...I am a bit of a slob when I am not at work so that contributes
to the overall condition of the collection proper

Ooops There Goes another Coffee Spill Regards
Steve
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Re: Collector's Corner...On The Fidelity Elite Champion

Post by klute »

Steve B wrote: Ooops There Goes another Coffee Spill Regards
Fortunately the only liquid I've ever accidentally spilled on a computer was coffee on the keyboard of an IBM 765D ThinkPad in 1998 or 1999.

That was upsetting, but I'd be absolutely distraught if it ever happened to a Schachcomputer!

These days and as a safeguard against the onslaught of sporadic and involuntary senior moments (as we get fat / bald / wrinkled / hair coming out of the wrong body parts) I don't put liquids anywhere near a Schachcomputer.

This safety first strategy always works unless...

...I forget my strategy due a senior moment and spill coffee on a Schachcomputer Regards
The Klute offers you the white pieces and the advantage of the first move.
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Post by Fluppio »

Nice talk about the do's and don't with chess computers.

I remember my old Leonardo to use with a cold beer glass on the side of the board :lol:
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