Collector's Corner..On Dedicated Chess Computers...

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Steve B
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Post by Steve B »

Two Very Rare Exotic Birds..La Regence and Le Empereur

TSB IV La Regence
Considered by knowledgeable collectors as one of the top 5 rarest computers
ever released for sale ,the TSB IV La Regence was one of the last computers released by
Applied Concepts before it went belly up

very little literature exists on the TSB IV but it did manage to receive a rating
of 1460 Elo

released in 1983 with a 6502 processor running at 2.5 Mhz with 12k Rom and 48k Ram
it had an opening book of 4000 moves ..i am not certain which program was in it
but i think it was the Sargon 2.5 or perhaps an early version of Cyrus

the computer is a large wooden tournament sized auto-sensory board with a two-tiered highly unique layering of wood
the playing surface is raised from the base of the board yielding a "platform" type of effect

Image

legend has it that only 10 were made and sold
this one is number 6

more photos of it can be seen here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10261668@N ... 39/detail/

wanting to test it i decided to take it for a spin and so i decided to lock horns with this rare bird for a game 30 minutes
there is no actual level like this so i played on the level closest to it(30 sec
per move avg)

in the game the TSB was out of book by move 5 and typically achieved ply
count's of 4-5 in most positions

[White "Steve B"]
[Black "TSB IV La Regence"]
[Time Control "Game 30 min"]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5 5.Bd3 e6 6.Bxf5 exf5
7.cxd5 Qxd5 8.Nc3 Bb4 9.a3 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 Nbd7 11.O-O O-O 12.Bb2 Rfe8
13.Rc1 Qc4 14.Nd2 Qd5 15.c4 Qd6 16.Qc2 Ng4 17.Nf3 Re4 18.Qc3

[fen]r5k1/pp1n1ppp/2pq4/5p2/2PPr1n1/P1Q1PN2/1B3PPP/2R2RK1 w - - 0 18[/fen]

setting up the Q-B mating battery which could come in handy later


18..Ndf6 19.h3 Nh6 20.Ne5 Rh4 21.f3 Rd8 22.Rfd1 g6 ???

[fen]3r2k1/pp3p1p/2pq1npn/4Np2/2PP3r/P1Q1PP1P/1B4P1/2RR2K1 w - - 0 23[/fen]

his honor the TSB is oblivious to the coming onslaught and actually assists in
its own demise
my how i love this rare birds of yesteryear
:)

23.d5 cxd5 24.Rxd5 !

[fen]3r2k1/pp3p1p/3q1npn/3RNp2/2P4r/P1Q1PP1P/1B4P1/2R3K1 w - - 0 24[/fen]

ripping open the Black position .
probably not a forced win yet but i was relying on the Q-B battery and the low
ply count of the TSB to win the game for me

24..Nxd5 25.cxd5 Qxd5???

the final blunder
almost anything else is better such as Qf6

26.Nxg6!!
[fen]3r2k1/pp3p1p/6Nn/3q1p2/7r/P1Q1PP1P/1B4P1/2R3K1 w - - 0 26[/fen]

A bone breaking,spine cracking ,game ending,fatal blow

did i fail to mention it was a violent ,shocking ,devastating move?
:roll:

what follows is an example of the "Horizon effect" typical of chess programs of
its day
the computer will make any move to push the mate outside of its search horizon

26.. Rd4 would be better here but of course all is lost for black
anyway


26..Qd1+ 27.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 28.Kh2 Rxh3+ 29.gxh3 Ng4+ 30.hxg4 f6 31.Qxf6
Rd2+ 32.Kg3 f4+ 33.Kxf4 Rd4+ 34.Bxd4 hxg6 35.Qg7# 1-0

FINAL POSITION:
[fen]6k1/pp4Q1/6p1/8/3B1KP1/P3PP2/8/8 w - - 0 35[/fen]


CLJ Le Empereur

Another of the rarest chess computers ever released for sale, the Le Empereur was released in 1984 and featured a medium sized wooden auto-sensory board which sported a 6502 processor running at 4 Mhz with 16k Rom and 2k Ram
the engine was an improved version of Lang's original Cyrus program



Sadly i no longer own the Le Empereur as i traded it away for several rare computers which i was searching for at the time
a fatal mistake that i regret to this very day because as it turned out,every single computer i received in return for it i could have subsequently acquired by other means.. but i have never come across another Le Empereur
:cry:

this taught me a very valuable lesson which i adhere to ..even to this day
namely..
NEVER close one hole in the collection by creating another hole

i did keep three photos of it which i now offer for your viewing pleasure:

Image
Image
Image


For Jose And Alain and With Regrets To This Very Day Regards
Steve
Last edited by Steve B on Thu Sep 13, 2007 6:08 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Alain
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Post by Alain »

Hi Steve,

thanks a lot for this post !
Steve B wrote:i am not certain which program was in it
but i think it was the Sargon 2.5 or perhaps an early version of Cyrus

Steve
According to Pierre Nolot, it was Cyrus. Here is a (French) article about it, published in Europe Echecs, February 1983 (click on the pictures to get larger versions)
Image

Image

Thanks again regards,
Alain
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Post by Steve B »

Alain wrote:Hi Steve,

thanks a lot for this post !
Steve B wrote:i am not certain which program was in it
but i think it was the Sargon 2.5 or perhaps an early version of Cyrus

Steve
According to Pierre Nolot, it was Cyrus. Here is a (French) article about it, published in Europe Echecs, February 1983 (click on the pictures to get larger versions)
Image

Image

Thanks again regards,
Alain

And thanks for those articles!
i have already edited my original post so it seems like i knew all along it was the Cyrus program

:P

Great Information Regards
Steve
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Terry McCracken
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Post by Terry McCracken »

Steve B wrote:One of my favorite all time great games is the Classic encounter between Botvinnik and Capa at AVRO in 1938

while the game is not in the CGG Module it is in the CG64 Module

Playing with the White pieces and down a pawn Botvinnik is on the move in this position:
[fen]8/p3q1kp/1p2Pnp1/3pQ3/2pP4/1nP3N1/1B4PP/6K1 w - - 0 30[/fen]

here the Future World Champion uncorks the counter intuitive and devastating 30.Ba3!
the Cuban continued the game for 11 more moves hoping for a perpetual check.. all to no avail and resigned at move 41
the Fidelity Elite Avante Guarde-V9 does not find 30 .Ba3! after 15 minutes and 9 ply
preferring instead to play 30.Ne2 and scoring the position as -1.02

and after the EAG as Black takes the renegade Bishop in this position:
[fen]8/p5kp/1p2Pnp1/3pQ3/2pP4/qnP3N1/6PP/6K1 w - - 0 31[/fen]

the V9 scores the position equal(0.00) after 10 ply and 70 minutes(yes 70 minutes because i received a phone call after i set up the position and forgot that the computer was still pondering!)




Image
Mischa Sends His Regards
Steve
Well not the most difficult combination, it has a rare beauty to it and is quite possibly my favorite position.

Indeed, I'd love to hang that position on the wall as art!

Masterpiece Regards,
Terry
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Jose
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Post by Jose »

Hi Steve,

your weekend begins early :wink:

Many thanks for that great article and i really in mourning with you and your lost CLJ! Interesting why this two very rare, rare computers have french designations. Coincidence? One reason more for Alain to search particularly well. :D

Have CLJ only the "Le Empereur" produced?

I hope this rare unit will cross you a second time.

Many thanks Regards
José
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Post by Steve B »

Jose wrote:Hi Steve,

your weekend begins early :wink:

Many thanks for that great article and i really in mourning with you and your lost CLJ! Interesting why this two very rare, rare computers have french designations. Coincidence? One reason more for Alain to search particularly well. :D

Have CLJ only the "Le Empereur" produced?

I hope this rare unit will cross you a second time.

Many thanks Regards
José
hi Jose
yes sometimes my days begin early and my weekends also
:wink:

i am not certain but i think there is a connection between CLJ->CGL->CXG
and of course CGL released several computers

but for the name CLJ i think only the Empereur

The Early Bird Catches The Worm Regards
Steve
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Jose
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Post by Jose »

Steve B wrote: hi Jose
yes sometimes my days begin early and my weekends also
:wink:

i am not certain but i think there is a connection between CLJ->CGL->CXG
and of course CGL released several computers

but for the name CLJ i think only the Empereur

The Early Bird Catches The Worm Regards
Steve
Yes perhaps you are right - I also thought, that CLJ looks like CGL!?

The early Bird catches the worm and give it to his "family" Regards
José
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Post by spacious_mind »

Hi Steve:

Very nice writeu-ps on the TSB IV La Regence and CLJ Le Empereur !!

Thanks for sharing all this info.

Best regards
Nick
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Post by Steve B »

spacious_mind wrote:Hi Steve:

Very nice writeu-ps on the TSB IV La Regence and CLJ Le Empereur !!

Thanks for sharing all this info.

Best regards
Glad you found the post interesting Nick
My Best
Steve
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Terry McCracken
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Post by Terry McCracken »

Steve B wrote:
spacious_mind wrote:Hi Steve:

Very nice writeu-ps on the TSB IV La Regence and CLJ Le Empereur !!

Thanks for sharing all this info.

Best regards
Glad you found the post interesting Nick
My Best
Steve
Hey...I liked your post, and your bone crushing game! :o

Sorry I didn't comment earlier....It may have been due to the fact I.....

Threw Out Hundreds of Game Scores With Brilliant Combinations I Played Between 1990-1995 :x :cry: Regards..... :oops:
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Post by Steve B »

Terry McCracken wrote:
Steve B wrote:
spacious_mind wrote:Hi Steve:

Very nice writeu-ps on the TSB IV La Regence and CLJ Le Empereur !!

Thanks for sharing all this info.

Best regards
Glad you found the post interesting Nick
My Best
Steve
Hey...I liked your post, and your bone crushing game! :o

Sorry I didn't comment earlier....It may have been due to the fact I.....

Threw Out Hundreds of Game Scores With Brilliant Combinations I Played Between 1990-1995 :x :cry: Regards..... :oops:

Glad you enjoyed the post as well Terry
as for the game..
i realize i am playing against very weak computers and i am playing to their weaknesses (small ply searches etc) so i dont show the games to indicate any level of strength on my part
i only try to show how the computer plays and that it still does work

Searching For Shelby Lyman Regards
Steve
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Terry McCracken
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Post by Terry McCracken »

Steve B wrote:
Terry McCracken wrote:
Steve B wrote:
spacious_mind wrote:Hi Steve:

Very nice writeu-ps on the TSB IV La Regence and CLJ Le Empereur !!

Thanks for sharing all this info.

Best regards
Glad you found the post interesting Nick
My Best
Steve
Hey...I liked your post, and your bone crushing game! :o

Sorry I didn't comment earlier....It may have been due to the fact I.....

Threw Out Hundreds of Game Scores With Brilliant Combinations I Played Between 1990-1995 :x :cry: Regards..... :oops:

Glad you enjoyed the post as well Terry
as for the game..
i realize i am playing against very weak computers and i am playing to their weaknesses (small ply searches etc) so i dont show the games to indicate any level of strength on my part
i only try to show how the computer plays and that it still does work

Searching For Shelby Lyman Regards
Steve
Very Droll...haha....Regards....
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Post by Steve B »

Might as well post the Atlanta test here as well:

http://hiarcs.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1824#1824

Testing All Over The Place Regards
Steve
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Post by Steve B »

Ed Schroder was well know for his Mephisto programs running on the 8 bit 6502 processor..Indeed many collectors today consider Schroder to be the Premiere 8 bit chess programmer of all time

Schroder was also one of the very first programmers to program for the Risc Processor

even to this day, his Risc I-1MB ( 2232 Elo) and Risc II-1MB ( 2261 Elo) are considered highly desirable additions to any collection
they are also very delicate finicky computers with a very high defect rate
in fact i had a Risc II go belly up on me a few years ago but luckily Ruud Martin (of Resurrection fame) was able to repair it

the power requirements for the Risc I and II call for a rather unusual 5 Volt adaptor (off hand i cannot think of any other computer that uses this voltage)
other then the start up screens the Risc's can be differentiated by the program modules casings which are some what different

Risc I:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10261668@N ... 922171154/

Risc II:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10261668@N ... 922171154/

it should be pointed out that i know of collectors who have the module casings reversed but i am fairly certain these are the original program casings for the programs

feeling a bit playful i wanted to experiment a bit and have some fun.

Veeery carefully and tenderly ..i set up the fragile Risc II and i took the white pieces playing at the normal start up level (10 sec.avg per move)
the game proceeded thusly:

[White "Steve B"]
[Black "Mephisto Risc II"]
[Level 10 sec.avg.per move]


1. d4 c6 2. c4 d5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nc3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5
8. Bd3 a6 9. O-O c5 10. Re1 Bb7 11. Bd2 c4 12. Bc2 b4 13. Ne2 Bd6 14. Ng3 O-O 15. Qe2 Rc8 16. e4 c3 17. bxc3 bxc3 18. Bg5 Be7 19. Qd3

the Critical position
[fen]2rq1rk1/1b1nbppp/p3pn2/6B1/3PP3/2pQ1NN1/P1B2PPP/R3R1K1 w - - 0 22[/fen]

on the 10 sec level Risc II proceeded with:
19.h6 and there followed:
20. Bxf6 Bxf6 21. e5 g6

[fen]2rq1rk1/1b1n1p2/p3pbpp/4P3/3P4/2pQ1NN1/P1B2PPP/R3R1K1 w - - 0 22[/fen]

not satisfied to end hostilities in this quick manner(up a piece for a pawn and with a strong King Side attack.. to boot) i then reset the position
back to the critical position and bumped up the level to tournament
strength-40/2hrs

from the critical position play then followed:
19..g6
20. Bh6 Re8 21. e5 Nd5 22. a3 Qa5 23. Nh5 Bxa3 24. Qe4 Rc7 25. Qg4 Nb4 26. Bxg6
hxg6 27. Nh4 Kh7 28. Qg5 c2 29. Bg7 c1=Q

[fen]4r3/1brn1pBk/p3p1p1/q3P1QN/1n1P3N/b7/5PPP/R1q1R1K1 w - - 0 22[/fen]
Risc II was very very pleased with its performance at this point and had me
down -3.65
that is until i unwittingly stumbled upon the eye gouging ..10 volt powerhouse..
30. f4!!

[fen]4r3/1brn1pBk/p3p1p1/q3P1QN/1n1P1P1N/b7/6PP/R1q1R1K1 w - - 0 22[/fen]
at this point the evaluation took a nose dive from +9.99 to -9.99
the game continued with..
Qxe1+ 31. Rxe1 Kg8
speaking directly to the 5 volt adaptor i was more then happy to announce a Mate in 5
32. Qh6 f5 33. Bf6 Re7 34. Qh8+ Kf7 35. Qg7+ Ke8 36. Qxe7# 1-0

Risk Taking Regards
Steve
Robert Weck
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Post by Robert Weck »

Steve B wrote: the power requirements for the Risc I and II call for a rather unusual 5 Volt adaptor (off hand i cannot think of any other computer that uses this voltage)
Risc 2500/Montreux also need 5V

IIRC all these computers/modules don't have a voltage regulator built in, so a common 9V adaptor delivers too much...


all the best,
Robert
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