Spanish Exhibition of Chess Computers

Bryan Whitby · Post by **Bryan Whitby** » Fri Dec 30, 2016 11:24 am

Just before Christmas my good friend Berger (Solus Chess) set up an exhibition of chess computers at a chess event for children and young people. As the event was held in Bilbao, he asked Josu Bergara (Gavon) for help. Josu contributed with a Polgar, Fidelity Avantgarde and a Leonardo.

Berger said "All Saturday with kids! Lucky Josu came to help me, because it was exhausting, but a very very rewarding experience".

Enjoy some of the photos provided by Berger.

Josu on the left and Berger on the right.

jbergara · Post by **jbergara** » Fri Dec 30, 2016 2:56 pm

Many thanks for this post about Bizkaia gazte&chess on hiarcs forum!

I spent a very nice weekend with Berger, chess computers and kids here in Barakaldo.

Locally, there was not much information about the computers we brought to the exhibition, but hiarcs is a good place to publicity these events, kids like our 'retro machines' and now my wife knows I am not the only freak in the world that collect them!

Josu

Post by **Fernando** » Fri Dec 30, 2016 5:24 pm

jbergara wrote:Many thanks for this post about Bizkaia gazte&chess on hiarcs forum!

I spent a very nice weekend with Berger, chess computers and kids here in Barakaldo.

Locally, there was not much information about the computers we brought to the exhibition, but hiarcs is a good place to publicity these events, kids like our 'retro machines' and now my wife knows I am not the only freak in the world that collect them!

Josu

FREAK?
We are not freaks, sir.
We are madmen, which is an entirely different thing

From the madhouse regards
Fern

Dave C · Post by **Dave C** » Fri Dec 30, 2016 7:29 pm

Fernando wrote:FREAK?
We are not freaks, sir.
We are madmen, which is an entirely different thing

From the madhouse regards
Fern

Seems like an excellent event for the children. While some of the children may have Hiarcs or another fine program on their computers, I hope the displays and "hands-on" time with dedicated chess computers will cause some of them to prefer playing chess with a dedicated machine.

Too bad Millennium didn't donate a ChessGenius as a grand prize at the event.

Yes, madmen indeed....regards,
Dave

paulwise3 · Post by **paulwise3** » Sat Dec 31, 2016 6:19 pm

Great exhibition Josu and Berger! Who knows it might revive the interest for dedicated chess computers...

Madmen? I thought it was quite normal to have 100+ chesscomputers at the attic?

Best regards,
Paul

Berger · Post by **Berger** » Sat Dec 31, 2016 7:17 pm

Hi,

The truth is that it was all a bit hasty. The organization contacted Luis Barona (meca) with only 5 days in advance, Luis had other commitments for that weekend... so he called me. But until two days before the event I didn't even know if we were going to have showcases for the exhibition. They intended that we put the computers on tables!

It would have been better with more preparation. Anyway, a good experience... And I also liked meeting Josu in person.

Regards,
Berger

Cyberchess · Post by **Cyberchess** » Mon Jan 02, 2017 5:26 pm

Excellent photo coverage of this Spanish exhibition.
Thanks for sharing!

Lunatic Fringe Regards,
John

spacious_mind · Post by **spacious_mind** » Mon Jan 30, 2017 11:35 am

It is really impressive that you still have interest for exhibitions with dedicated oldie computers in Spain. Other than maybe Holland I cant think of any other countries doing this. Germany does a couple of tournaments annually, but not sure if they do any kind of exhibitions there.

Puts the new country to shame.

Also nice to see the faces of Josu and Berger!

Best regards

Berger · Post by **Berger** » Mon Jan 30, 2017 6:39 pm

spacious_mind wrote:It is really impressive that you still have interest for exhibitions with dedicated oldie computers in Spain.

Well, in this particular case, it was all a bit weird. A great tournament for children and young people had been organized, and the organization wanted a "technological corner", but they found themselves (a week away from the event) with nothing to show! Except for a small 3D printer... printing chessmen.

On the other hand, MECA organizes one or two events each year. Here you can see some photos: 01/2011, 08/2011, 12/2012, 03/2013, 01/2014, ...

spacious_mind wrote:Also nice to see the faces of Josu and Berger!

It was the best part of my trip... meeting Josu.

Regards,
Berger

Post by **Fernando** » Mon Jan 30, 2017 8:44 pm

Spain has been always a country where the chess computers awaken high interest. Problem is you gentlemen, as so many -99.99%- of anglo-saxons, just know english and no spanish, no french, no italian, etc and at the same time German and Dutch knows his tongue and english, but no spanish. There are MANY chess computer sites in Spain and so in spanish.

Hasta la vista, amigos

Fern

paulwise3 · Post by **paulwise3** » Mon Jan 30, 2017 9:19 pm

Fernando wrote:...
There are MANY chess computer sites in Spain and so in spanish.

Hasta la vista, amigos

Fern

There probably also is a site at the Chilean customs, where they keep every incoming and outgoing chesscomputer for at least 5 days

.
But fortunately for you they seem to be fed up now by losing all the time from this one, they released yours today

.

Turbo regards,
Paul

Post by **Fernando** » Mon Jan 30, 2017 9:22 pm

Really? It is 18:30 here and no signals of that, but maybe soon...

Chilean slowness regards
Fewrn

paulwise3 · Post by **paulwise3** » Mon Jan 30, 2017 9:48 pm

Tracking says it was released by customs almost 12 hours ago.
But then the shipping to you must still be organised, will be hard for them to get around your serbians...

spacious_mind · Post by **spacious_mind** » Mon Jan 30, 2017 10:37 pm

Fernando wrote:Spain has been always a country where the chess computers awaken high interest. Problem is you gentlemen, as so many -99.99%- of anglo-saxons, just know english and no spanish, no french, no italian, etc and at the same time German and Dutch knows his tongue and english, but no spanish. There are MANY chess computer sites in Spain and so in spanish.

Hasta la vista, amigos

Fern

Hey I work for Spanish Company so I am not totally out of it