Collector's Corner..On Collecting Dedicated Chess Computers

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Steve B
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Post by Steve B »

TracySMiller wrote:Hmmmm....$250 for this thing?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Novag-Disney-M ... Sw-0xYjVIZ
Aaaahhh yes
The Famous Magic Castle
something of a collectors item
has two playing levels..1..terrible and 2.even worse
still... if I were looking for one I would pay $250 if it were in good condition,complete ,in the box with pieces and manual

very hard to find is this replacement set of 20 pieces...

Image



The Wonderful World Of Disney Regards
Steve
TracySMiller
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Milton Bradley Electronic Grandmaster

Post by TracySMiller »

Anyone know anything about this unit?:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Milton-Bradley ... SwXf1aaR~R
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Cyberchess
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Re: Milton Bradley Electronic Grandmaster

Post by Cyberchess »

TracySMiller wrote:Anyone know anything about this unit?:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Milton-Bradley ... SwXf1aaR~R
Yes indeed!

That’s the legendary Fidelity Phantom with the Milton Bradley logo affixed.

http://ismenio.com/chess_fidelity_phantom6100.html

We used to watch these play in the Macy’s window display (circa 1982).

Phantom of the Opera Regards,
John
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paulwise3
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Re: Milton Bradley Electronic Grandmaster

Post by paulwise3 »

Cyberchess wrote:
TracySMiller wrote:Anyone know anything about this unit?:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Milton-Bradley ... SwXf1aaR~R
Yes indeed!

That’s the legendary Fidelity Phantom with the Milton Bradley logo affixed.

http://ismenio.com/chess_fidelity_phantom6100.html

We used to watch these play in the Macy’s window display (circa 1982).

Phantom of the Opera Regards,
John
Correction, it is the Milton Grandmaster: same housing as the Phantom, but a lot weaker!

Under 1300 elo regards,
Paul
2024 Special thread: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12741
2024 Special results and standings: https://schaakcomputers.nl/paul_w/Tourn ... 25_06.html
If I am mistaken, it must be caused by a horizon effect...
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Bryan Whitby
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Post by Bryan Whitby »

Different chess engines and as Paul says, a lot weaker.
The MB Grandmaster chess engine was written by Mark Taylor and you can read more about it here from Mike Watters site.
http://www.chesscomputeruk.com/PCW_July_1983.pdf
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Cyberchess
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Post by Cyberchess »

Chessmaster Ireland wrote:Different chess engines and as Paul says, a lot weaker.
The MB Grandmaster chess engine was written by Mark Taylor and you can read more about it here from Mike Watters site.
http://www.chesscomputeruk.com/PCW_July_1983.pdf
Thanks for the info, Paul and Bryan.

Being that the mechanical form and function were identical, I had put the chicken before the egg, and assumed that Fidelity had patented the device and custom built them for Milton Bradley with their logo.

While the opening knight moves, captures and position resets were painfully slow, this machine created quite a spectacle in the Macy’s window display back in its day.

Playing strength had greatly improved with the adaptation of the Fidelity Chesster Phantom and the even cooler Chesster Phantom Eyeball. I had the opportunity to play the latter unit while it was on display at a department store countertop, and the wondrous machine kept the onlookers entertained with amusing comments while making me work for the point. It rather reminded me of playing one of the street hustlers, so prevalent in those years.

:) How About a Nice Game of Chess Regards,
John
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Steve B
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Post by Steve B »

I like the custom made display case/dust cover in this auction...


https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOVAG-CITRINE- ... SwNMVaX2yN


As the MCGE board looks almost identical to the Citrine board..this would be great for either computer

Now...How do we get the seller to part with the case alone?

Not A Simple Case Regards
Steve
X__Gandalf__X
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Post by X__Gandalf__X »

Steve B wrote:I like the custom made display case/dust cover in this auction...


https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOVAG-CITRINE- ... SwNMVaX2yN

Now...How do we get the seller to part with the case alone?


That's easy. Get a friend to pm the seller making an (off e-Bay) very high offer for the computer but they DON'T need the case. Whilst they negotiate a price, you pm him with a reasonable offer for the case. When you've got the case, your friends negotiations for the computer mysteriously dry up :D
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Steve B
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Post by Steve B »

X__Gandalf__X wrote: That's easy. Get a friend to pm the seller making an (off e-Bay) very high offer for the computer but they DON'T need the case. Whilst they negotiate a price, you pm him with a reasonable offer for the case. When you've got the case, your friends negotiations for the computer mysteriously dry up :D

lol
Ruthless Regards
Steve
lexman
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Post by lexman »

These kind of cases are easy to purchase ready made on ebay

http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/plastic-display-box

or a number of firms around the world make them bespoke for a reasonable price ie

http://www.puffinplastics.co.uk/categor ... gK3mPD_BwE

either might be the cheaper option

regards lexman
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Saitek Kasparov Leonardo

Post by TracySMiller »

What the heck is this thing? Anyone have any experience with this unit? I don't think I knew that Saitek made any wood chess computers.

https://www.ebay.de/itm/Schachcomputer- ... SwNDJafXac
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Steve B
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Re: Saitek Kasparov Leonardo

Post by Steve B »

TracySMiller wrote:What the heck is this thing? Anyone have any experience with this unit?

https://www.ebay.de/itm/Schachcomputer- ... SwNDJafXac
Sure.. i own the Leonardo..

Saitek released 3 tournament sized wooden auto-sensory boards
this one..The Leonardo
the Galileo
and the ever popular Renaissance
they released many OSA modules for these boards
Including the Brute Force and Sparc Modules

more here:

https://www.schach-computer.info/wiki/i ... enaissance

https://www.schach-computer.info/wiki/i ... enaissance

click around on the Wiki site where those links come from and you will see info on the Leonardo and Galileo and some of the many OSA Modules

The World Of Collecting Dedicated Chess Computers is...

Vast Regards
Steve
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spacious_mind
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Re: Saitek Kasparov Leonardo

Post by spacious_mind »

TracySMiller wrote:What the heck is this thing? Anyone have any experience with this unit? I don't think I knew that Saitek made any wood chess computers.

https://www.ebay.de/itm/Schachcomputer- ... SwNDJafXac
Tracy,
Its a big board so big table space needed. I love all 3 Scisys/Saitek boards, I need to get them out sometime and play them again.

regards
Nick
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Post by TracySMiller »

WHOA! I might have to get me one of these. So there were three boards, all large and rated around 1600. The Renaissance was the last and had the LCD screen (very Radio Shack-like). The OSA's were modules that could be used to increase the strength, including one that could interface with Arena to play any UCI engine. Am I interpreting all that right?
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Bryan Whitby
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Post by Bryan Whitby »

TracySMiller wrote:WHOA! I might have to get me one of these. So there were three boards, all large and rated around 1600. The Renaissance was the last and had the LCD screen (very Radio Shack-like). The OSA's were modules that could be used to increase the strength, including one that could interface with Arena to play any UCI engine. Am I interpreting all that right?
Tracy

Have a read of this about the OSA cable.
https://www.schach-computer.info/wiki/i ... _for_Arena

Also if you have a spare hour have a look at this and you will be able to familiarise yourself with what chess computers have been manufactured along with their technical data.
https://translate.google.com/translate? ... Hersteller

Enjoy
Bryan
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