A Test Game with Parker Chess on an Atari

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spacious_mind
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A Test Game with Parker Chess on an Atari

Post by spacious_mind »

Today I felt like booting up my Atari 600XL and play a game with Parker Chess, a program that was written by David Broughton.

Image

The specs are as follows:

Computer: Atari 600XL
Year: 1983
Processor: 6502
Speed: 1.79 MHz
ROM: 24 KB
RAM: 16 KB


Program: Parker Chess
Year: 1983
Publisher: Parker Brothers
Programmer: David Broughton
Media: External Chess Cartridge for Atari 400/800

Here is a close up of the Parker Chess Cartridge inserted into the Atari 600 XL:

Image

Since the program was written by David Broughton, Parker Chess has to be very closely related to SciSys Chess Champion MK. V. Therefore as it's opponent I chose Excalibur's LCD Chess Model 375-1, as I knew from past experience playing against MK. V that the game should be competitive. I estimate that LCD Chess Model 375-1 is an 8 Bit Single Chip Processor running at 5 MHz with 1 KB RAM.

Image

Parker Chess played at level 5 which corresponds to approximately 30 seconds per move average time and LCD Chess played at level 21 which also corresponds to approximately 30 seconds per move.

Excalibur rated LCD Chess Model 375-1 at 1750 USCF.

[Event "Test Game"]
[Site "Pelham, AL"]
[Date "2014.09.13"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Excalibur LCD Chess Mod. 375-1, LV 21."]
[Black "Atari 600XL Parker Chess, LV 5."]
[Result "0-1"]
[PlyCount "126"]
[EventCountry "USA"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 {Atari 600 Parker Chess out of book} dxc4 {
Excalibur LCD Chess 375-1 out of book} 5. e4 Nc6 6. e5 Nd5 7. Bxc4 Nxc3 8. bxc3
Bg7 9. O-O O-O 10. Rb1 Rb8 11. Be3 Bf5 12. Bd3 Qd7 13. Bxf5 Qxf5 14. Nh4 Qe4
15. Bg5 b5 16. Re1 Qd5 17. a4 Rfd8 18. axb5 Rxb5 19. Be3 Rdb8 20. Qc2 Rxb1 21.
Rxb1 Rxb1+ 22. Qxb1 Qc4 23. Qb7 Qxc3 24. Qc8+ Bf8 25. g3 Nxd4 26. Bxd4 Qxd4 27.
Qxc7 Qd5 28. f4 e6 29. Kf2 Bc5+ 30. Ke2 Qe4+ 31. Kd2 Qd4+ 32. Kc2 Qc4+ 33. Kd1
Qd3+ 34. Ke1 Qb1+ 35. Kd2 Qb2+ 36. Kd1 Qb3+ 37. Kd2 Qe3+ 38. Kc2 Qf2+ 39. Kd3
Kg7 40. Qc6 Qd4+ 41. Kc2 Qc4+ 42. Kd1 Qd3+ 43. Ke1 Qe3+ 44. Kd1 Qg1+ 45. Ke2
Qxh2+ 46. Qg2 Qxg2+ 47. Nxg2 Kf8 48. Ne3 Ke7 49. Kd3 a5 50. Ke4 Bxe3 51. Kxe3
a4 52. Ke4 a3 53. f5 gxf5+ 54. Kd3 a2 55. Kd4 a1=Q+ 56. Ke3 Qxe5+ 57. Kf3 Kd6
58. Kg2 Qe2+ 59. Kg1 Ke5 60. Kh1 Qf2 61. g4 f4 62. g5 f3 63. g6 Qg2# 0-1

In the endgame Parker Chess took a little while to find the right solution to win, but I think overall this was a fun game and quite impressive. I would guess that a game between Parker Chess and SciSys Chess Champion MK. V would be an interesting comparison.

Best regards,
Nick
Wardy
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Post by Wardy »

Thanks for posting, never owned any of the Atari machines so great to see it in action.
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Post by spacious_mind »

Wardy wrote:Thanks for posting, never owned any of the Atari machines so great to see it in action.
Yes the old home computers influenced my youth so I love going back to them from time to time.

Regards
Nick
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Fernando
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Post by Fernando »

I had an Atari and with it I played two programs coming in cassette, one Colossus IV and the other...I do not recall the name. Colossus 4 was quite strong and I bested me many times.
In those years I was a young man without the great knowledge I have now....when I lose somewhat later.....

Fern
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spacious_mind
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Post by spacious_mind »

Fernando wrote:I had an Atari and with it I played two programs coming in cassette, one Colossus IV and the other...I do not recall the name. Colossus 4 was quite strong and I bested me many times.
In those years I was a young man without the great knowledge I have now....when I lose somewhat later.....

Fern
Hi Fern,

Yes Colossus IV is a must keep program. I play it on the PC, Atari, Commodore, BBC, Sinclair and Amstrad. Unfortunately for all these computers the play strength remains about the same :)

Hey if you get the time, why don't you try out the other test that I posted yesterday? I need volunteers!! :P

Best regards
Nick
Nick
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Fernando
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Post by Fernando »

No time for that. I have not time even to play my comps.
Writing two books besides my other jobs.
a hug
Fern
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Steve B
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Post by Steve B »

Fernando wrote:No time for that. I have not time even to play my comps.
Writing two books besides my other jobs.
a hug
Fern
you are a lucky man..
many jobs and writing many books

while I am homeless, unemployed with no jobs
the bright side of my situation is that I do have time

Nick...
I have already completed both sides of the game as the human player
now I will have the Novag Citrine play both sides at 3 Min./Avg per move

Where do I send the completed spread sheet?
an email address perhaps ??

Vagabond Regards
Steve
Last edited by Steve B on Mon Sep 15, 2014 6:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Fernando
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Post by Fernando »

Steve:
I have a job for you in my residence. You know, just a bit of cleaning the pool, caring the garden and driving my car.
I can pay you 250 buck a month, plus one meal a day.

A friend is a friend, always.
Fern
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Steve B
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Post by Steve B »

Fernando wrote:Steve:
I have a job for you in my residence. You know, just a bit of cleaning the pool, caring the garden and driving my car.
I can pay you 250 buck a month, plus one meal a day.

A friend is a friend, always.
Fern

I am waaay to proud to take charity ..even from a friend
I would rather strave to death then to lose my honor
all I have left it my pride...

Make it $275 and im in Regards
Steve
Last edited by Steve B on Mon Sep 15, 2014 6:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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spacious_mind
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Post by spacious_mind »

Steve B wrote:
Fernando wrote:No time for that. I have not time even to play my comps.
Writing two books besides my other jobs.
a hug
Fern
you are a lucky man..
many jobs and writing many books

while I am homeless, unemployed with no jobs
the bright side of my situation is that I do have time

Nick...
I have already completed both sides of the game as the human player
now I will have the Novag Citrine play both sides at 3 Min./Avg per move

Where do I send the completed spread sheet?
an email address perhaps ??

Vagabond Regards
Steve
Hi Steve,

Great!!! Thank you!

You can send it to me at:

nick@spacious-mind.com

I will send it right back to you with the evaluation unlocked, and will add a couple of computers that I tested with it as well.

Best regards
Nick
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spacious_mind
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Post by spacious_mind »

Fernando wrote:No time for that. I have not time even to play my comps.
Writing two books besides my other jobs.
a hug
Fern
A hug?

Can't remember the Spanish but the Portuguese use that all the time with Abracao. :P

best regards
Nick
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Post by Steve B »

spacious_mind wrote:
Steve B wrote:
Fernando wrote:No time for that. I have not time even to play my comps.
Writing two books besides my other jobs.
a hug
Fern
you are a lucky man..
many jobs and writing many books

while I am homeless, unemployed with no jobs
the bright side of my situation is that I do have time

Nick...
I have already completed both sides of the game as the human player
now I will have the Novag Citrine play both sides at 3 Min./Avg per move

Where do I send the completed spread sheet?
an email address perhaps ??

Vagabond Regards
Steve
Hi Steve,

Great!!! Thank you!

You can send it to me at:

nick@spacious-mind.com

I will send it right back to you with the evaluation unlocked, and will add a couple of computers that I tested with it as well.

Best regards
OK
its an interesting excercise
When Citrine is done I will email the sheet to you
it might be a good idea to ignore my moves when tabulating your results
I will probably bring down the overall score for the human players by 1000's of ELO
:P

Lower End Of Bell Curve Regards
Steve
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spacious_mind
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Post by spacious_mind »

Steve B wrote:
OK
its an interesting excercise
When Citrine is done I will email the sheet to you
it might be a good idea to igonr my moves when tabulating your results
it will probably bring down the overall score for the human players by 1000's of ELO
:P

Lower End Of Bell Curve Regards
Steve
That is if we get other responses!! :P So far you are the first and only one. If it remains like this then I will be forced to officially announce you as the Human 15th Century World Champion!! That's assuming you beat the score of the two 15th Century Players!

Regards
Nick
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Steve B
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Post by Steve B »

spacious_mind wrote: If it remains like this then I will be forced to officially announce you as the Human 15th Century World Champion!!
I know I am much older then you...
but do you have to rub it in??

Senior Moment Regards
Steve
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spacious_mind
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Post by spacious_mind »

Steve B wrote:
spacious_mind wrote: If it remains like this then I will be forced to officially announce you as the Human 15th Century World Champion!!
I know I am much older then you...
but do you have to rub it in??

Senior Moment Regards
Steve
I suspect you are not much older than me :cry:

Getting old fast regards.
Nick
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