Looking for computers to buy

[IvenGO]

Hello friends!

Through may years (since 1992) I have Mephisto Polgar as main chess-partner, and now it comes an idea to me for raise-up a small collection of devices to play against too.

I would like to get the computers developed by different programmers with different game-styles; not top-level and much expensive (Im not a millionaire ), but strong enough, with comfortable ergonomic and in good condition.

So my target list is currently:

Julio Kaplan's => TurboKing or Simultano
Dave Kittinger's = > Jade II or Zircon II
Ulf Rathsman's => Yeno 532XL
Spracklen's => Designer 2100 with display
Frans Morsch's => RS 2250XL

If You have to suggest better models with a similar price or I miss something in this "wish-list" post here please. Also, if You have to sell one of them, contact me please by Email or PM.

[spacious_mind]

Hello friends!

Through may years (since 1992) I have Mephisto Polgar as main chess-partner, and now it comes an idea to me for raise-up a small collection of devices to play against too.

I would like to get the computers developed by different programmers with different game-styles; not top-level and much expensive (Im not a millionaire ), but strong enough, with comfortable ergonomic and in good condition.

So my target list is currently:

Julio Kaplan's => TurboKing or Simultano
Dave Kittinger's = > Jade II or Zircon II
Ulf Rathsman's => Yeno 532XL
Spracklen's => Designer 2100 with display
Frans Morsch's => RS 2250XL

If You have to suggest better models with a similar price or I miss something in this "wish-list" post here please. Also, if You have to sell one of them, contact me please by Email or PM.

Hi Ivan,

Your list comprises of computers which are often harder to find therefore here are some alternatives for you:

Julio Kaplan's => TurboKing or Simultano

Radioshack 2150L should be similar to a Simultano. ----> Often available in Ebay USA or UK.

Dave Kittinger's = > Jade II or Zircon II - I have already emailed you on where you can get the same program under a different model name.

Ulf Rathsman's => Yeno 532XL

For this one I would buy a Mephisto Modular Board with MM II from German Ebay instead. You should be able to get one reasonably priced.


Spracklen's => Designer 2100 with display

The Designer 2100 you do not see too often on Ebay... But you can as an alternative look also for a Designer 2000 without Display which is only a little weaker than the Designer 2100, and Fidelity Excellence which again is only slightly weaker perhaps. The Par EXcellence is about the same strength but again this one is not sold too often either.

Frans Morsch's => RS 2250XL

These are available on USA Ebay all the time. An alternative to this one with about the same play strength would be trying to find a Saitek Expert Travel or Saitek Cosmos.

You could also find cheap in German Ebay a Mephisto Miami or in USA Ebay a Saitek Advanced Travel Chess or Saitek Explorer. These are all good programs at just below 2000 ELO and cheap to buy.

Regards

Nick

[Steve B]

Well you have a Polgar so you have Schroder covered
not sure why you skipped over Lang(or Nelson) but thats your call
From a collecting standpoint(which i realize has little if anything to do with your question).. i would be searching for these:

Kittinger..Working Novag Savant Royale
Kaplan-Kasparov Blitz
Rathsman-Conchess Victoria Plymate Module
Spracklen's-Fidelity EAG V8 or V10
Morsch- Working Fidelity Travel Master

Go For The Gold Regards
Steve

[Larry]

Spracklen's-Fidelity EAG V8 or V10



Steve

Like looking for a needle in a haystack. Even the early EAG models
are a rarity.
Larry

[IvenGO]

Thank You for the answers and proposals!

My personal ELO is around 2000, so Im interested to have computers with less/more equal strength to mine.

For Lang I have PPC with Genius , but maybe Roma 68000 could be added to wish-list... (?)

Nelson => is there any strong software made by him? All Excaliburs looks like devices for kids

About Simultano's clones: original Simultano has 64Kb ROM, but Chess Champion 2150 (L) has 32Kb ROM, so it looks like another (weaker) software. I have ChessChampion2150 [{WITHOUT (L)}] - its a true software clone but for me it feels that it miss processor speed (3mhz instead of 5mhz in Simultano/TurboKing) and this makes it poor in tactics => my Polgar 5mhz-release won the match against it 30min/game 5.5-0.5 playing 4 of 6 games by black.

Morsch's => I've lost an auction for RS2250XL this night but Ill keep try to get this device. And also a question: if its a HAEVY modified GK2100 clone, is there a reason to have both it and Cosmos/TravelChampion2100 for example? Are they really different enough?

[Larry]

Morsch's => I've lost an auction for RS2250XL this night but Ill keep try to get this device. And also a question: if its a HAEVY modified GK2100 clone, is there a reason to have both it and Cosmos/TravelChampion2100 for example? Are they really different enough?

Hi IvenGO, Regarding the similarity between the RS2250 and other
GK2100 based chess computers, here is a link to an excellent work by
an American enthusiast:
http://www.spacious-mind.com/html/gk_21 ... _test.html

I do happen to have an extra Radio Shack RS2250 I could sell, but it
is just a board and pieces, and even then one of the pieces would be
non original. Also, I've got a Simultano I could sell. It is also a bare
board. Both the RS2250 and the Simultano work fine. They would both
come without adaptors. I live in Australia, so the shipping cost would
be a consideration for you, but if you are interested you could possibly
contact me via personal message. I am a long time member of this
forum.
All the best with your hobby,
Larry

[red_potatoes]

Interesting - I've recently gone through the same process, collecting a few machines with programs by different authors, specifically to provide some variation in my silicon opponents. From 1994 to 2010, all I had was a Nigel Short (Schroeder). My rating is about 1850.

In the past year I've picked up:

Schroeder (Super Mondial II)
Kittinger (Sapphire I)
Morsch (Master, Centurion, Meph Adv Travel))
Kaplan (2150L)
Nelson (Excalibur Grandmaster)
Spracklen (Designer 2000 display)
Lang (Genius running on a Palm)
Uniacke (Hiarcs running on a Palm)
Theron (Tiger running on a Palm)

Still looking for Rathsman (MMII)

I find the Morsch programs most difficult to beat. Too tactical for my positional ways, methinks.

Off topic: Hiarcs for Palm uses less energy on handicap settings, a great feature in my view. Does anyone know if Hiarcs 13 for PC does the same? Playing against Chessmaster (de Koning!) on my laptop, its annoying to see my processor running at full tilt / draining my battery when it clearly doesn't need to to play at 1800...

[IvenGO]

There are some MMII often appear at german Ebay; about handicap mode: I dont like it myself, but to reduce engine's strength without "function-cutting" I use the following settings: Permanent Brain = OFF, HashSize = as little as it possible by current software (for example Genius on my PPC gets 64kb).

And btw: is Sargon-5 PC programm a Spracklen's software? I played a lot crazy-funny games against it

[IvenGO]

A bit edited (and shortened) "wish-list"

Frans Morsch's => RS 2250XL
David Kittinger's = > Jade II or Zircon II
Spracklen's => Designer 2265 or 2325 Master

[IvenGO]

RS2250XL has been bought; Excel Mach III or IV as an alternative to Designer Masters added...

Also a question is still remains: is there a reason to buy GK2100/clone? if the randomizer is turned = ON for it and for RS2250XL too - is their playing style different enough? (coz GK2100-clone-test was made with randomizer turned OFF)