Collector's Corner... Your Most Expensive Chess Computer...

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Steve B
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Post by Steve B »

Mike Watters wrote: [White "VEB Erfurt Chess-Master Table"]
Congrats on the acquisition of the Chess Table Mike

So How Expensive Was it? Regards
Steve
mauben
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Post by mauben »

Got two weeks ago a $9.95 Fidelity Excellence EP12 4MHz. Love the beige-green-banana-black pattern.

Mephisto gear can't remember, dates back to the 80's & 90's. Should ask Eric if he has good memory or receipts record.

M
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Bryan Whitby
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Post by Bryan Whitby »

Hi Mike

Happy New Year

Blimey, where on earth did you manage to get that from, bequeathed to you in Fidel's will?

Anyway in my eyes it's the "Jewel in the Crown" for any chess computer collector, very well done getting your hands on that beauty.

Thanks for the games which where very entertaining and great photos on your page!

Don't suppose that you would swop it for my piece of the Berlin Wall 😀

Regards
Bryan
Mike Watters
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Post by Mike Watters »

Steve B wrote:
Mike Watters wrote: [White "VEB Erfurt Chess-Master Table"]
Congrats on the acquisition of the Chess Table Mike

So How Expensive Was it? Regards
Steve
Hi Steve

Well it cost an arm and a leg. About the same as my Revelation II, unless you are counting shipping and repairs, in which case a bit more.

I have actually had it for two years. It arrived working but before I could figure out how to play a game it went belly-up. I didn't want to put a non-working one on the website so it has been a guilty secret standing on my landing since. About a year ago Steffen suggested Reinhard Berger in eastern Germany to do repairs and I have sent three or four repair jobs to him in the meanwhile. Eventually I plucked up courage to send him the Chess-Master Table.

I've no idea how many of these are in collectors hands and still working. Manfred Vellmer talked about his in the Selective Search 119 article - http://www.chesscomputeruk.com/SS_119.pdf.
Maurice has one - http://www.chesseval.com/RareBoard/VEB-Table.htm
Another was offered on Ebay without chesspieces in November. Who knows there may be another sitting on a dump somewhere in Cuba right now waiting to be rescued.

Rescuing old stuff regards
Mike
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Steve B
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Post by Steve B »

Mike Watters wrote:

Another was offered on Ebay without chesspieces in November.
Yes i saw that
i passed on bidding for the very reason mentioned in your post
repairing the table(should it become defective) would be very hard to do especially stranded here in the US..i know the legs can be removed but shipping would be an arm and a leg(pun intended)

anyway..congrats again
the Table could not be in better hands

Well Done Regards
Steve
Mike Watters
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Post by Mike Watters »

Chessmaster Ireland wrote:Hi Mike

Happy New Year

Blimey, where on earth did you manage to get that from, bequeathed to you in Fidel's will?

Anyway in my eyes it's the "Jewel in the Crown" for any chess computer collector, very well done getting your hands on that beauty.

Thanks for the games which where very entertaining and great photos on your page!

Don't suppose that you would swop it for my piece of the Berlin Wall 😀

Regards
Bryan
A Happy and Healthy New Year to you too Bryan

Fidel and I go back years. He helped scare the life out of me when I was an impressionable lad at school. But the truth is that the Table was offered on CCC.

Your on. A half mile of wall complete with the barbed wire, guard towers and checkpoint for my museum would be a more than acceptable swap.

Bridge of Spies fair swap regards
Mike
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Scally
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Post by Scally »

That is one nice table top chess computer .....

Al.
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Bryan Whitby
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Post by Bryan Whitby »

Hi Mike

So we have two Berger's repairing chess computers one in Germany and the other in Spain, very interesting.

If you get time would there be any chance of a YouTube video of the Chess-Master table in action?

Bryan
Mike Watters
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Post by Mike Watters »

Chessmaster Ireland wrote:Hi Mike

So we have two Berger's repairing chess computers one in Germany and the other in Spain, very interesting.
Both very good. Gerardo's repair of the Fidelity Thermal Printer that I recently sold as faulty in the Sale & Swap was exceptional.
If you get time would there be any chance of a YouTube video of the Chess-Master table in action?
Bryan
Yes I will put a video on the website when I have some time.

All the best
Mike
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pr1uk
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Post by pr1uk »

So look forward to the video Mike
King Performance Chess Computer M830
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paulwise3
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Post by paulwise3 »

That Chess-Table really is a treasure, congrats Mike!

I noticed that almost 2 years ago I mentioned having 16 comps. Right now I have more then 100, and still counting. Of course I am in the luxury position that right now all those oldies are very cheap to get, especially the plastic ones. My most valuable one right now is the Renaissance with Sparc and Brute Force module, which I got for free from a 94 years old man who didn't play against it anymore. Anyway he only had a playing strength left of about 1400 elo.
But It still cost me the fuel to ride 180 km and 2 bottles of good wine...

But apart from having that one, my most expensive one is the Analyst C 6 MHz for 375 euro, and I spend an extra 75,- for D+ and D++ eproms and EGR eproms. So a total of 450 euro.
EDIT1: I bought the Analyst before I got the Renaissance, for my Galileo board.
EDIT2: Don't tell my wife! She is still under the impression I never bought one for more then 100,-. And only seldom for more then 30,-...

And still I'm looking around, although every time I think it is time to stop now and spend more time playing with them...

Seem to be hooked 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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Steve B
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Post by Steve B »

paulwise3 wrote:. My most valuable one right now is the Renaissance with Sparc and Brute Force module, which I got for free from a 94 years old man
But It still cost me the fuel to ride 180 km and 2 bottles of good wine...
Hi Paul
it took TWO bottles of wine to hit the old man over the head ..knock him out and make off with the Ren??


:P
Just Kidding Regards
Steve
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paulwise3
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Post by paulwise3 »

Steve B wrote:
paulwise3 wrote:. My most valuable one right now is the Renaissance with Sparc and Brute Force module, which I got for free from a 94 years old man
But It still cost me the fuel to ride 180 km and 2 bottles of good wine...
Hi Paul
it took TWO bottles of wine to hit the old man over the head ..knock him out and make off with the Ren??


:P
Just Kidding Regards
Steve
Yeah, he was really hard-headed! :-P
And yes, everyone I told about it couldn't believe it and made about the same joke ;-)
While I was driving home then, I really thought I was dreaming!

Once in a lifetime 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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Fernando
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Post by Fernando »

My more expensive gear and besides that more valuable due to the way I got it is a.......which Steve B gave to me when we met in NY, years ago.
It was not the only gift from him, as you know. I have at least 6 comps coming from his hands.
He is a generous man and that's the reason I have hold the horses of my Serbian gunmen that wanted to raid his vaults and bring everything to me.
I said "no, eventually Steve will give it to me without need of shedding blood".
Lastly that has not happened, so I am beginning to think if I should leave my warrior to do his pleasure...

Ticking clock regards
Fern
Festina Lente
Larry
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Post by Larry »

Fernando wrote: I have hold the horses of my Serbian gunmen
Fern
Can you give me the contact details of the leading Serbian gunmen?
There's a few a**holes down here that need rubbing out.
L
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