Collector's Corner..On Collecting Dedicated Chess Computers

[Steve B]

Strangely L'Empereur is shown as finishing with only 2 points in the 1985 Chess Digest Supplement and also in Chess magazine
http://www.chesscomputeruk.com/Chess_November_1984.pdf
1 bye and two draws against Sargon 3 ??

actually that would make sense Mike

if the supposed "win" was really a draw that would explain not only the difference in scored pts reported
but the "real" result of the "won" game itself because the ending position of that game was clearly not a win (unless Sargon lost on time)

The Mystery Deepens Regards
Steve

[kamoj]

I want to add the information I have about the L'Empereur contesting in the 4th World Microcomputer Chess Championship 1984.
(I was there as a part of the Conchess/Plymate team and still have the "papers" and notes from the tournament.)
In a ".pgn" style, all games with some info:

{ L'Empereur was running the Chess 2001 program (4 MHz), but played "1.5 min/move" since the program was not adapted to the higher speed (8 MHz).}

[Event "4th World Microcomputer Chess Championship"]
[Site "Glasgow, United Kingdom"]
[Date "1984.09.09"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Sargon 3 (Macintosh 68000 8MHz)"]
[Black "L'Empereur (Z80 8.0 MHz)"]
[Result "0-1"]
1. b3 e5 2. Bb2 Nc6 3. e3 d5 4. Bb5 e4 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Bxc6+ bxc6 7. d3 Bg4 8.
f3 exf3 9. Nxf3 Bd6 10. O-O O-O 11. Qd2 Qe7 12. Rae1 Bxf3 13. Rxf3 Qe5 14. Rh3
Qg5 15. Rf1 Rfe8 16. Ne2 Be5 17. Bxe5 Qxe5 18. c4 dxc4 19. bxc4 Rab8 20. Nd4
Rb6 21. Rg3 c5 22. Nf5 g6 23. Qd1 Rf8 24. d4 cxd4 25. Nxd4 c5 26. Nb3 Ra6 27.
Qc2 Ne4 28. Rgf3 Ng5 29. Rg3 Rd8 0-1 { Time used: 2:00 0:36 }
{ Time forfeit after Sargon 3 HW issues }

[Event "4th World Microcomputer Chess Championship"]
[Site "Glasgow, United Kingdom"]
[Date "1984.09.10"]
[Round "2"]
[White "L'Empereur (Z80 8.0 MHz)"]
[Black "Psion (68000 8 MHz)"]
[Result "0-1"]
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. e3 Bb4 5. Qc2 O-O 6. Nd5 Re8 7. Nxf6+ Qxf6
8. Bd3 h6 9. O-O Bc5 10. Bh7+ Kh8 11. Be4 Nb4 12. Qa4 Nc6 13. d3 a6 14. Bd2
Rb8 15. Rfc1 Kg8 16. b4 Bf8 17. b5 Nd8 18. Bc3 Bc5 19. Qa5 Qd6 20. Rab1 axb5
21. cxb5 b6 22. Qa7 c6 23. Qa4 Bb7 24. Qb3 Ra8 25. a4 cxb5 26. axb5 Bxe4 27.
dxe4 Qb8 28. Ra1 d6 29. Ra6 Qb7 30. Ra4 Rxa4 31. Qxa4 Ne6 32. Ra1 Qe7 33. Qb3
Nc7 34. Ra7 Qd7 35. Bb4 Qxb5 36. Rxc7 Rf8 37. Rb7 Bxb4 38. Rc7 Qa5 39. Rc1 Qa3
40. Qxa3 Bxa3 41. Rb1 Bc5 42. Ra1 f5 43. exf5 Rxf5 44. Ra8+ Kf7 45. Nh4 Rf6
46. Ra7+ Kg8 47. Nf3 g6 48. Ra8+ Kf7 49. Nd2 d5 50. Nf3 e4 51. Ne5+ Ke6 52.
Re8+ Be7 53. Nc6 Kd7 54. Rxe7+ Kxc6 55. Ra7 h5 56. Ra2 g5 57. Rc2+ Kd7 58. Rb2
h4 59. g4 h3 60. Kf1 Kc7 61. Ke2 Rf3 62. Rc2+ Kb7 63. Rc1 Rf8 64. Rc2 Rf6 65.
Rd2 Kc6 66. Rc2+ Kd7 67. Ra2 Rc6 68. f4 gxf4 69. exf4 Kd6 70. Rd2 b5 71. g5
Rc1 72. Rb2 d4 73. Rxb5 Rc2+ 74. Kd1 Rxh2 75. Rb6+ Kc5 76. Re6 e3 77. Re5+ Kc4
78. g6 Kd3 79. Kc1 e2 80. g7 Rg2 0-1 { Time used: 3:47 2:15 }

[Event "4th World Microcomputer Chess Championship"]
[Site "Glasgow, United Kingdom"]
[Date "1984.09.11"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Elegance (6502 5.6-5.8 MHz)"]
[Black "L'Empereur (Z80 8.0 MHz)"]
[Result "1-0"]
1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d3 d5 4. exd5 Nxd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. O-O Bc5 7. Re1 Bg4 8.
h3 Bxf3 9. Qxf3 Nf6 10. Ba6 Qc8 11. Qxc6+ bxc6 12. Bxc8 Rxc8 13. Rxe5+ Be7 14.
Nc3 Nd7 15. Re1 Rb8 16. b3 Nb6 17. Bf4 Rb7 18. Re2 h5 19. Rae1 Nc8 20. Na4 a6
21. Nc5 Ra7 22. d4 a5 23. c4 h4 24. Bg5 f6 25. Bd2 Kf7 26. Re4 Rh5 27. Ne6 f5
28. Re5 a4 29. Nf4 Rg5 30. Nd5 cxd5 31. Rxe7+ Nxe7 32. Bxg5 Ng6 33. cxd5 axb3
34. axb3 Ra5 35. Rc1 Rxd5 36. Rxc7+ Kg8 37. Bd2 Nf8 38. Bc3 Ne6 39. Rc8+ Kf7
40. Rc4 Kf6 41. Kf1 g5 42. f3 f4 43. Ke2 Kf5 44. Kd3 Rd6 45. b4 Rb6 46. Rc8
Rd6 47. Kc4 Rd7 48. d5 Nc7 49. d6 Ne6 50. Kd5 Rf7 51. b5 Nf8 52. b6 Ng6 53.
Rc7 Rf8 54. b7 Ne7+ 55. dxe7 Re8 56. Rc6 g4 57. hxg4+ Kg5 58. Bg7 Rh8 59. b8=Q
Rxb8 60. Bh6# 1-0

[Event "4th World Microcomputer Chess Championship"]
[Site "Glasgow, United Kingdom"]
[Date "1984.09.12"]
[Round "4"]
[White "L'Empereur (Z80 8.0 MHz)"]
[Black "Sargon 3 (Compaq i8088 1 MHz)"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. O-O O-O 5. c4 Nc6 6. Nc3 d5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8.
Qb3 e6 9. d3 Nxc3 10. bxc3 e5 11. Bg5 Bf6 12. Bxf6 Qxf6 13. Nd2 Rd8 14. Rfb1
Rb8 15. Bd5 Ne7 16. Ne4 Qf5 17. Bc4 Nc6 18. e3 Na5 19. Qb5 b6 20. Qxa5 bxa5
21. Rxb8 Rf8 22. Rab1 Be6 23. Bxe6 Qxe6 24. c4 f5 25. Nc5 Qd6 26. Rxf8+ Kxf8
27. Rb5 a4 28. Ra5 h6 29. Kf1 Ke8 30. Ke2 c6 31. Nxa4 e4 32. Nc5 Qb8 33. Nb3
exd3+ 34. Kxd3 Qd6+ 35. Ke2 Qb4 36. c5 Qc4+ 37. Ke1 Qb4+ 38. Kf1 Qc4+ 39. Kg2
Qe4+ 40. Kf1 Qc4+ 41. Kg1 a6 42. Nd4 Kd7 43. Kg2 Kc7 44. Nb3 Kd7 45. Kf3 Qg4+
46. Kg2 Qc4 47. Nd2 Qb4 1/2-1/2 { Time used: 1:14 2:27 }

[Event "4th World Microcomputer Chess Championship"]
[Site "Glasgow, United Kingdom"]
[Date "1984.09.13"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Fidelity Elite Y (6502 6.0 MHz)"]
[Black "L'Empereur (Z80 8.0 MHz)"]
[Result "1-0"]
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. g3 Be7 7. Bb5+ Bd7 8.
g4 Bxb5 9. Ndxb5 a6 10. Nd4 Qa5 11. Nb3 Qb4 12. Qe2 O-O 13. a3 Qb6 14. Be3 Qc6
15. g5 Nfd7 16. O-O-O Ne5 17. Nd4 Qc4 18. f4 Qxe2 19. Ndxe2 Nc4 20. Bf2 Nd7
21. a4 Rfc8 22. b3 Na5 23. h4 Nc6 24. h5 Nc5 25. h6 g6 26. Bxc5 dxc5 27. Rd7
b5 28. Rhd1 b4 29. Nd5 exd5 30. exd5 Bxg5 31. fxg5 Ne5 32. Re7 Nf3 33. d6 Nxg5
34. Nf4 f5 35. Rg7+ Kh8 36. d7 Rd8 37. Nd3 Rab8 38. Ne5 Rb6 39. Re7 Re6 40.
Nc6 Rxe7 41. Nxd8 Kg8 42. Nc6 1-0 { Time used: 1:42 1:13 }

[Event "4th World Microcomputer Chess Championship"]
[Site "Glasgow, United Kingdom"]
[Date "1984.09.14"]
[Round "6"]
[White "L'Empereur (Z80 8.0 MHz)"]
[Black "None"]
[Result "1/2"]
1. 1/2-1/2
{ Bye. 1/2 point awarded. No game played due to odd number of participants }

[Event "4th World Microcomputer Chess Championship"]
[Site "Glasgow, United Kingdom"]
[Date "1984.09.15"]
[Round "7"]
[White "L'Empereur (Z80 8.0 MHz)"]
[Black "Private Line (6502 5.0 MHz)"]
[Result "0-1"]
1. e4 c5 2. c3 d5 3. exd5 Qxd5 4. d4 e6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Be3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Nf6 8.
Bd3 Ne4 9. O-O Bd6 10. Nc3 Nxc3 11. bxc3 O-O 12. Qb3 Qxb3 13. axb3 Bd7 14.
Rfe1 f6 15. Bc1 Ne7 16. Ba3 Bxa3 17. Rxa3 Nd5 18. c4 Nf4 19. Be4 Rfb8 20. b4
a6 21. g3 Ng6 22. Bxg6 hxg6 23. Kg2 Re8 24. Ra5 b6 25. Ra3 Bc6 26. c5 a5 27.
b5 Bxb5 28. Rb3 Bc6 29. Rxb6 Bd5 30. Reb1 a4 31. R6b2 a3 32. Re2 a2 33. Ra1
Reb8 34. g4 Rb3 35. Rexa2 Bxf3+ 36. Kg3 0-1 { Time used: 0:52 1:43 }

/Lars Hjorth
PS
Maybe this and other games etc by "L'Empereur" should be moved to another topic/thread.

[Steve B]

Hi Lars

Wonderful post!

so it seems L'empereur's one win was legit and not a reporting mistake

Best Regards
Steve

[kamoj]

Thank you Steve!

L'empereur did get 2.0 pts, including the 0.5 for the bye in round 6.
The lowest scoring participants only played 6 games in the 7 rounds tournament.

(I've seen reports from 1.5 to 2.5, but the official tournament bulletin says 2.0 pts.)

I hope you will publish more L'empereur games.

/Lars

[Steve B]

Hi Lars

Preparing a 3 game match against the Novag Savant II
30-60 sec/avg.
The Wiki shows the Savant II at 1462 Elo

hopefully the match will be competitive

https://live.staticflickr.com/video/481 ... LCJ2IjoxfQ


Stay Tuned Regards
Steve

P.S.As a member of the Conchess team you might be interested in viewing my collection of Conchess Computers
IIRC.. i acquired the Victoria Plymate from Sandro Necchi
https://www.flickr.com/photos/10261668@ ... 922173914/

[kamoj]

Hello Steve,
looking forward to the match with two such rare birds - thank you very much!

I'm happy to see your very impressing Conchess collection,
even though I wish the picture quality was better.

Yes, I think you bought the Victoria (and more?) from Sandro -
the paper case even wears his name/signature!

The total number of produced Conchess Victoria is not more than ten.
I know since I designed and made each library cartridge by hand in my home.
I only know about the existence today of two complete original sets of the Victoria.

Yours from Sandro may be from him and his friends Italian home-made prototype that was of
another design, that I didn't agree/approve on, so it's probably even more rare than "my"
original Victoria library cartridges.
I have a feeling that your Victoria set cartridges are both prototypes, as is the binary for Victoria
found in the CB-Emu by fhub.

Since you also have both the also rare L and L16 library cartridges, you can easily make a check!
Try the Victoria program cartridge together with the L16 cartridge!
Only the original Victoria program can read the L16 library (and original Victoria library cartridge!).

Will you do the test?

Pandora-regards,
Lars

[Steve B]

Since you also have both the also rare L and L16 library cartridges, you can easily make a check!
Try the Victoria program cartridge together with the L16 cartridge!
Only the original Victoria program can read the L16 library (and original Victoria library cartridge!).
Will you do the test?

HI Lars
Thank you for that interesting information on the Victoria module

i loaded up the L16 with Victoria

i tried two openings as follows:

1.d4 Victoria plays f4 instantly

1.c4 Victoria does not respond instantly and plays 1..e5

what line should i try to see if Victoria is reading the L16??

Queen Victoria Sends her Regards
Steve

[kamoj]

Hi Steve,
thank you for your very prompt test and reply - kudos to you!
(You are probably one of a handful persons in the world that have both the Victoria and the L16!)

1. c2-c4 should be answered immediately with one of:
1. - e7-e5
1. - e7-e6
1. - c7-c6
1. - c7-c5
1. - Nb8-c6
You can check the alternatives by pressing the "dice" button before completing the move.

So, just the fact that Victoria does not respond immediate to 1. c2-c4, indicates that your Victoria can not read the L16.
It indicates that your program is not the officially sold version.
It would be very interesting to know more about your Victoria set...

We can talk about that in PM if you want, or mail - I'll send you my email address in a PM.

Victorian regards,
Lars

PS
This is the complete built-in book of the Victoria prototype:

Code: Select all

1.e2-e4 c7-c5
 1... d7-d6 2.d2-d4 Ng8-f6 3.Nb1-c3 g7-g6
 1... g7-g6 2.d2-d4 Bf8-g7
 1... e7-e6
 1... c7-c6
 1... d7-d5
 1... Ng8-f6
 1... e7-e5 2.Ng1-f3 Ng8-f6
   2... Nb8-c6 3.Bf1-b5
    3.Bf1-c4
    3.d2-d4
  2.Nb1-c3
  2.f2-f4
1.d2-d4 d7-d5 2.c2-c4 e7-e6 3.Nb1-c3 Bf8-e7
     3... c7-c5
   2... c7-c6
   2... d5xc4
 1... Ng8-f6 2.c2-c4 e7-e6 3.g2-g3
    3.Nb1-c3 Bf8-b4
    3.Ng1-f3 b7-b6
   2... g7-g6 3.Nb1-c3 d7-d5
     3... Bf8-g7 4.e2-e4 d7-d6
   2... c7-c5 3.d4-d5 e7-e6 4.Nb1-c3
   2... d7-d6
 1... f7-f5
1.c2-c4
1.Ng1-f3 d7-d5 2.c2-c4
Total number of moves: 56  Variations: 27
Total number of 'endply moves': 113

[kamoj]

Just remembered an easier way to verify the Victoria version.
The final (non-prototype) version makes a "Soft Reset" (New Game) when pieces are placed in the start position.
It's a good thing if the Conchess buttons are not responding due to oxidation, that may happen
Sorry for bothering you with the L16, but maybe it was fun to take out the Victoria again?!
/Lars

[Steve B]

Hi Lars

i tried different opening moves and the module followed your list of opening moves each time
so its clear my Victoria modules could not read the L16 module'
Of course i do have the book module for the Victoria with instruction manual
the manual states there are
"8 different libraries with a total of 12845 variations(avg.search length-11full moves
109353 stored moves
131072 bytes of eprom,130019 of which are used for openings"

i also have a 17 page appendix(instruction manual) for the Plymate Victoria
which states"this appendix describes the additions made to Plymate Victoria in comparison with the Plymate 5.5Mhz program"

Extreme Collecting Regards
Steve


'

[Steve B]

Just remembered an easier way to verify the Victoria version.
The final (non-prototype) version makes a "Soft Reset" (New Game) when pieces are placed in the start position.
It's a good thing if the Conchess buttons are not responding due to oxidation, that may happen
Sorry for bothering you with the L16, but maybe it was fun to take out the Victoria again?!
/Lars

i replaced the pieces from a middle game position to the starting position and the computer did not reset

0-2 Regards
Steve

[Steve B]

In my continuing quest to find an opponent that L'emp can actually beat
i dragged the Savant II kicking and screaming to the chess board for a 3 game match

L'emp was playing on level 5 45 sec/avg.
Savant II level 3 30-60 sec/avg.

the game featured Qside castling ,3 pawn promotions and a game ending blunder
Both computers were out of book at move 7


[Date "2024.3.19"]
[Round "1"]
[White "L'empereur"]
[Black "Savant II"]
[TimeControl "45 sec./avg"]
[Result "1-0"]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 c5 7.Bb5+ Bd7 8.Bxd7+ Nxd7 9.Nf3 cxd4 10.Qxd4 f6 11.Rb1 Nb6 12.Be3 Qc7 13.Qb4 e5 14.Qb5+ Qc6 15.Qxc6+ bxc6 16.O-O Na4 17.Rb3 a6 18.Rfb1 O-O-O 19.Rb8+ Kd7 20.R1b7+ Ke8 21.Rxd8+ Kxd8 22.Rb8+ Kc7 23.Rb3 Bd6 24.g4 Rb8 25.c4 Rxb3 26.axb3 Nc3 27.Nd2 Nd1 28.Nf1 Nxe3 29.Nxe3 Kb6 30.Kg2 Kc5 31.Nc2 a5 32.Kf3 a4 33.bxa4 Kxc4 34.Ne3+ Kb4 35.a5 Kb5 36.h4 Bc5 37.g5 Bxe3 38.Kxe3 fxg5 39.hxg5 Kxa5 40.f4 exf4+ 41.Kxf4 Kb6 42.Ke5 Kb5 43.Kf6 c5 44.Kg7 c4 45.e5 c3 46.e6 c2 47.e7 Kb6 48.e8=Q c1=Q 49.Qd8+ Qc7+ 50.Qxc7+ Kxc7 51.Kxh7 Kd7 52.Kxg6 Ke7 53.Kh7 Kd7 54.g6 Kc7 55.g7 Kd7 56.g8=Q Kd6 57.Kg7 Ke5 58.Qc4 Kf5 59.Qd5+ Kg4 60.Qe4+ Kh3 61.Qf3+ Kh4 62.Qf4+ Kh5 63.Kf8 Kg6 64.Qe5 Kh6 65.Kf7 Kh7 66.Qh2# 1-0

Finally A Win Regards
Steve

[paulwise3]

Hi Steve,

Thanx for this historical match
I imported the game in Lichess, and as I already saw, 49... Qc7?? was the last and decisive mistake.
See https://lichess.org/7nI5qhXV
But overall an exiting game with chances for both!

Can't wait for the next game regards,
Paul

[Steve B]

Hi Paul

Glad you are following the match

you are correct ...49..Qc7 was the final blunder
almost any other move was better..actually i was relieved when Savant made the move.
i was dreading an endgame with 2 Q's on the board..each side endlessy checking each other for dozens of moves

Love the way you imported the game to Lichess
now you will have to do that for the next 2 games


L'emp leads 1-0 Regards
Steve

[paulwise3]

Love the way you imported the game to Lichess
now you will have to do that for the next 2 games

Hi Steve,
I'll be glad to do that
Paul