Novag Aquamarine Milenio ?

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spacious_mind
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Novag Aquamarine Milenio ?

Post by spacious_mind »

I found this computer below, no pieces and box:

Image

I have never heard of it before. It has a Novag Model Number 3992. I am guessing it must have been made around 1999 or 2000 for the new Millennium. Most of the Aquamarines don't have an opening book so I tested a couple of moves on it and does have an opening book. I don't know how many levels it has but by pressing the level twice it switches from White levels to Black levels so it may have as many as 132. Novag Aquamarine has a 119 levels and C5 is 30 seconds per move so I will try and play some tests with it at this level.

Has anyone heard of this computer?

Best regards
Nick
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dedicate computers
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processor

Post by dedicate computers »

Hi Nick, some reference on the back of it? reports the processor?
Oswaldo
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spacious_mind
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Re: processor

Post by spacious_mind »

dedicate computers wrote:Hi Nick, some reference on the back of it? reports the processor?
Oswaldo

Hi Oswaldo,

Yes I will try and open the back this week end and see what processor it has.

Regards
Nick
Mike Watters
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Post by Mike Watters »

Hi Nick

I have noticed other Novags with unfamiliar names I think made for the Spanish market. Here is another Milenio with a little hardware info -

https://www.schachversand.de/d/detail/computer/570.html

and a Milenio II recently on Ebay -

http://www.ebay.pl/itm/Ajedrez-electron ... 641172425?

There seems no end to all the models and variations out there.
Tough to keep up with regards
Mike
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Bryan Whitby
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Post by Bryan Whitby »

Hi Nick

This is from the Novag catalogue of 2002 (Spanish site).

FOR NOVICE TO EXPERIENCED PLAYERS Est. strength: 1880 USCF
Computer of fine and elegant desktop chess with sensory Board technology.
Ideal companion of game for beginners or experienced players.
Strong program of play of 16K, with a rate of 8 Mhz.
Great selection of game with its 128 different levels, which include some especially designed for training, tournaments and solving problems being able to get to mate in six.
Great library of openings with 8500 stockings played with combinations middle game and end strategy.
Programmed in accordance with the international rules of chess, known castling, the en passant capture and the subpromociones.
Announces CHECKMATE positions, tie and Matt.
Fast response time.
You can play against itself.
Function reverse allowing back 25 half moves.
It incorporates functions HINT (of the Council) and TRAINING (which helps you to select the possible moves).
Testing and introduction problem for further analysis or a position.
Save the position in memory in the event of a shutdown of the computer.
Its large LCD display gives plenty of information.
It works with (both not included) power adapter or 6 alkaline batteries that allow more than 100 hours of gameplay.

Regards
Bryan
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Post by Steve B »

Mike Watters wrote:Hi Nick

I have noticed other Novags with unfamiliar names I think made for the Spanish market. Here is another Milenio with a little hardware info -

https://www.schachversand.de/d/detail/computer/570.html

and a Milenio II recently on Ebay -

http://www.ebay.pl/itm/Ajedrez-electron ... 641172425?

There seems no end to all the models and variations out there.
Tough to keep up with regards
Mike
The Novag 2Robot was released several years after the Aquamarine but it does have a very similar 16 key layout
with the arm turned off I wonder if the Robot is perhaps just one of the many Aquamarine Variants out there?
don't own any Aquamarines so I cant really tell

Aquatic Regards
Steve
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spacious_mind
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Post by spacious_mind »

Thanks everyone, I'll try and play some games with it. This one indeed came from Spain as Mike indicated. There is also a possibility that it could be related to Novag's Robot.

Who knows.

Best regards
Nick
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Post by spacious_mind »

I had some time to look into this Novag Milenio a little closer. Basically it seems to be the same as Novag Agate Plus but without the LCD Display. It has the same 25 Half Moves Take Back and the levels seem to be the same as well. I tested it on level White E7 (WE7) which is 30 seconds per move and it takes around 30 seconds per move to respond. It also has a fairly decently sized opening book so I think it is the same Agate Plus/Opal Plus book with 8500 Half Moves. In the test it scored ELO 1785.

Image

Best regards
Nick
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Post by paulwise3 »

So, given the same elo-fluctuations per testgame as the Carnelian II, I think we can assume that the programmer of this one is also Dave Kittinger?

Still testing the Carnelian II regards,
Paul.
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spacious_mind
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Post by spacious_mind »

paulwise3 wrote:So, given the same elo-fluctuations per testgame as the Carnelian II, I think we can assume that the programmer of this one is also Dave Kittinger?

Still testing the Carnelian II regards,
Paul.
Hi Paul.
The level WE7 gives it away. You can assume that Carnelian II probably has the same program as Agate Plus and Opal Plus. Now if these really are Kittinger I don't know if we can say that with 100% certainty either.

Best regards
Nick
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Post by paulwise3 »

spacious_mind wrote:You can assume that Carnelian II probably has the same program as Agate Plus and Opal Plus.
Hi Nick,

That is what our friend Hans told me too. I am still testing it, and have mixed feelings about its strength. With Colditz it got an amazing score of 1755 elo! But normal play against other machines shows its weaknesses. I get the feeling that it has a selective search that is focused on king's attack. When it has that chance, it sees easily 6 to 7 ply deep, whereas in other positions it seems to overlook rather simple threats.

Regards, Paul.
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