What was your first chess computer?

[Bryan Whitby]

It was a Mephisto 1 or 2, it's that long ago I can't actually remember which!!
When it arrived I do remember my wife saying "Is that it, where is the chess board"

Long, long time ago regards
Bryan

[Dave C]

It was a Mephisto 1 or 2, it's that long ago I can't actually remember which!!
When it arrived I do remember my wife saying "Is that it, where is the chess board"

Long, long time ago regards
Bryan

Bryan - maybe everyone in this forum that is married has a wife that thinks we are crazy. My wife will say to me, "a box arrived today. Is it another chess computer? How many do you need?".

Maybe she is right....regards,
Dave

[Bryan Whitby]

Dave

Exactly what my wife Susan says!!
Then when another chess computer arrives I have to go into my old routine of saying " I only paid £**** for it and it's worth a fortune it's that rare.

Then when I moan about running out of room in the loft because she won't get rid of some of her old items like a thirty year old silver cross pram or her thirty odd year old Toyota knitting machine, she always comments, "well maybe if you got rid of some of those old chess computers you have up there you might have a bit more room for something else"

Running out of room regards
Bryan

[Alain]

First = Chess Challenger 7
Second = Par Excellence
Third = Mephisto Supermini

Fourth = Fidelity Sensory 8... = start of the buying frenzy

[Dave C]

First = Chess Challenger 7
Second = Par Excellence
Third = Mephisto Supermini

Fourth = Fidelity Sensory 8... = start of the buying frenzy

Did you buy the CC7 a long time ago and been collecting ever since, or did you start more recently? I know what you mean about "buying frenzy". I don't mind buying a chess computer occasionally, but with my luck 2 or 3 desirable units will appear on ebay during the same week and it can be a frenzy... it is bitter/sweet if you win all three. Exciting to have the additions....but painful to pay for that many computers all at once and the glares from my wife can be painful too.

Recovering from a frenzied February...regards,
Dave

[Dave C]

Dave

Exactly what my wife Susan says!!
Then when another chess computer arrives I have to go into my old routine of saying " I only paid £**** for it and it's worth a fortune it's that rare.

Then when I moan about running out of room in the loft because she won't get rid of some of her old items like a thirty year old silver cross pram or her thirty odd year old Toyota knitting machine, she always comments, "well maybe if you got rid of some of those old chess computers you have up there you might have a bit more room for something else"

Running out of room regards
Bryan

Bryan - I wonder if everyone on this forum has this storage problem? My office is crowded with chess computers and just as crowded with the boxes for the chess computers. Plus, power supplies, extra chessmen, and instruction manuals tucked around the room. I have had a Robot2 disassembled on a bench for two months waiting for inspiration to bring it back to life....not sure I'm up to the task...

I need to get organized...regards,
Dave

[Alain]

First = Chess Challenger 7
Second = Par Excellence
Third = Mephisto Supermini

Fourth = Fidelity Sensory 8... = start of the buying frenzy

Did you buy the CC7 a long time ago and been collecting ever since, or did you start more recently? I know what you mean about "buying frenzy". I don't mind buying a chess computer occasionally, but with my luck 2 or 3 desirable units will appear on ebay during the same week and it can be a frenzy... it is bitter/sweet if you win all three. Exciting to have the additions....but painful to pay for that many computers all at once and the glares from my wife can be painful too.

Recovering from a frenzied February...regards,
Dave

CC7 = December 1980
Par Excellence = August 1987
Mephisto Supermini = no idea, probably around 1990
Sensory 8 and others... between 2003 and 2012

[Steve B]

Bryan - maybe everyone in this forum that is married has a wife that thinks we are crazy. My wife will say to me, "a box arrived today. Is it another chess computer? How many do you need?".

Maybe she is right....regards,
Dave

Yeah my wife used to say that a lot..but I found a fairly elegant solution to that...


X-Wife Regards
Steve

[paulwise3]

Maybe we could ask a second question: What was your first wooden (or autosensory) chess computer?
My first autosensory was the Excalibur Grandmaster. I first saw it at the Leiden november 2014 tournament, operated by Hein and his daughters. A great look, only drawback is that it needs a lot of room on the table, so my wife was not very happy with it . But within a few weeks I will have a lot of room in my attic room, so then I will play a number of games with it!
My first wooden (also autosensory) was the Novag Citrine. In fact I was looking for it because our neighbour wanted one that could be connected with a PC. But after I showed him the offer on internet, he decided he would go for a DGT board (which he still did not buy...). I had already contacted the seller about it. So I contacted him again to say the buy was off, and that I myself had only 150,- to spend. Then to my surprise he agreed, and I had my first wooden board!

Enjoying autosensory regards,
Paul

[Steve B]

Maybe we could ask a second question: What was your first wooden (or autosensory) chess computer?

First Wooden...My Answer would be the same..the 1977 CC1 which was in wood

First Auto-Sensory...Hmmm ..that's a deep question...
probably the Fidelity Prestige(1982)..would have to double check that though..

Auto-Checking Regards
Steve

[paulwise3]

I need to get organized...regards,

Hi Dave,

That is exactly the stage that I reached .
Right now cleaning the attic and getting rid of all the programming stuff that I saved in the last 25 years for after my retirement... I did retire a few years ago, and these chessmachines are more fun then recapturing all the programming hobby plans I had. But maybe I will try to get on with my old chessprogram again...

Retired and still short of time regards,
Paul

[Alain]

Maybe we could ask a second question: What was your first wooden (or autosensory) chess computer?

Exclusive Senator, bought (new) in September 2003.

[Dave C]

Maybe we could ask a second question: What was your first wooden (or autosensory) chess computer?

My first wooden chess computer was also an autosensory board, a Fidelity Elite A/S in July of 1984. It is remarkably durable as I've only replaced a couple of LEDs and one sensor. My second wooden autosensory board was many years later, in 2014, a Citrine that a pawn shop in Hawaii was selling too cheap online. That purchase restarted my collecting....darn!

I have the same feelings about retirement. How did I ever have time to work..regards,
Dave

[blaubaer]

Hi,

my first was a Mephisto Mondial 68000 XL - after years of wandering through department stores and playing with offered chess computers there, I finally had enough money to buy my first one in 1988 (see here) .... - the first wooden one was a Novag Sapphire II with Universal Electronic Chess Board in '97; a package called "Sapphire II de Luxe" (see here).

Years passed and I earned more money to buy used and new ones for my collection - but I had less time to play them (I was not the only one I guess).

Now, after 18 months of retirement, time is back and collection is still there!

With great chess computer future regards,
Michael

[Cyberchess]

My first unit was Ronald C. Nelson's Fidelity Chess Challenger 7 back in late 1979. Of course, having been an avid chess player since Bobby Fischer claimed the World Championship title for the U.S. in '72, I had heard about the long heralded release of the first dedicated chess computer, the original Chess Challenger released in '77, but was dissuaded by the rather high for me retail price and early glitches in the debut unit.

In early 1980, I would furnish free technical advice to Fidelity Electronics (then headquartered in Chicago, IL), for which I received a letter of acknowledgement from Fidelity's customer relations representative.

Lifelong Fascination Regards,
John