Collector's Corner..On Collecting Dedicated Chess Computers
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- Bryan Whitby
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Re: Collector's Corner..I Dont Think So..(Current Ebay Oddities)
Nice one Steve
Considering how old our chess computers are, it's a wonder any of them are still working never mind a few sticky reed switches.
Z80 Regards
Bryan
Considering how old our chess computers are, it's a wonder any of them are still working never mind a few sticky reed switches.
Z80 Regards
Bryan
- Bryan Whitby
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Re: Collector's Corner..I Dont Think So..(Current Ebay Oddities)
Nice one Steve
Sticky Reed Switch Regards
Bryan
Sticky Reed Switch Regards
Bryan
- paulwise3
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Re: Collector's Corner..I Dont Think So..(Current Ebay Oddities)
Congrats Steve for finally getting l'Empereur again!Steve B wrote: ↑Wed Feb 07, 2024 12:06 am Thank you for the congrats Laurent
thats a very good question...
all reed squares work perfectly and i have played several complete games...
BUT...
i do notice it takes a bit of adjusting with every piece and on every move for the computer to recognize the move
its a bit annoying but it does eventually recognize the move
Another quirk is the box mentions that there are 3000 selectable openings but the instructions make no mention of this feature
not sure if it was ever implemented
all in all its an elegant ,wooden ,auto-sensory chess computer and my regret at having traded away the one i owned years ago can now be put to rest
Do you also own L'Empereur?
Vive La France Regards
Steve
And as for the sticky reed switches and other "aging" problems: I recently had my CXG Sphinx 40 revised, because it didn't work anymore.
Fixing a loose thread and cleaning of the module contacts did help. But I also must be careful with placing the pieces right in the middle of a square, and sometimes it does hang. But playing it more often seems to help.
Now I intend to play a tournament with it. Too bad the coming Klingenberg tournament switched from Below 1740 to below 1840. So now I will start a tournament with some of my own chess computers.
Maybe you noticed at the German forum that at tournament level it plays best with stile 9= "extremely agressive"
With my testing it seemed that does not work for playing at rapid level (30 sec/move average). But my first tests with stile 6="slightly aggressive" look good, so will test some more to determine what stile I will pick for the tournament.
Oldies but goldies regards,
Paul
2024 Special thread: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12741
2024 Special results and standings: https://schaakcomputers.nl/paul_w/Tourn ... 25_06.html
If I am mistaken, it must be caused by a horizon effect...
2024 Special results and standings: https://schaakcomputers.nl/paul_w/Tourn ... 25_06.html
If I am mistaken, it must be caused by a horizon effect...
- Steve B
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Re: Collector's Corner..I Dont Think So..(Current Ebay Oddities)
Thanks Bryan and Paul for the congrats
The Sphinx 40 is a very rare as well as a very large computer
i am glad you could repair it Paul
Owning these very rare computers comes with some responsibilities
as there are so few of them ...when they are in need of repair we the owners have a duty to have them repaired so they can be passed on to future generations.. when we have passed on
We carry a ....
Heavy Burden Regards
Steve
The Sphinx 40 is a very rare as well as a very large computer
i am glad you could repair it Paul
Owning these very rare computers comes with some responsibilities
as there are so few of them ...when they are in need of repair we the owners have a duty to have them repaired so they can be passed on to future generations.. when we have passed on
We carry a ....
Heavy Burden Regards
Steve
- Steve B
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Re: Collector's Corner..I Dont Think So..(Current Ebay Oddities)
Hi Laurent
well if you can get your hands on any of the other 3 im searching for you can renew your insurance policies
im pretty sure there is no rating for the computer(active or standard)
in fact ..IIRC ..i know of only one game that has been published for the computer
cant recall where i saw it ..ill try to find it and if i do ill post post it here
Searching Regards
Steve
- Steve B
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Re: Collector's Corner..I Dont Think So..(Current Ebay Oddities)
oriental wrote: ↑Wed Feb 07, 2024 3:07 pmL'Empereur took part in the WMCCC 1984 : https://www.chessprogramming.org/L%27Empereur
Thats it!
History shows L'Empereur as undefeated
Well Done Regards
Steve
- Steve B
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Re: Collector's Corner..I Dont Think So..(Current Ebay Oddities)
This is the final position in the only known game played by l'Empereur posted above by Laurent
it is in this position that the game score shows L'Empereur is declared the winner
Sargon 3 is white and the score shows 0-1 here
this is odd
material is even ..there are no forced mates..no immediate threats to win material....etc...etc...
surely no reason for Sargon 3 to resign
there can only be 3 possibilities...
1)Sargon 3 lost on time(but i think that would be stated in the game score)
2)the game score is not correct
or 3....
There Was Some Monkey Business Going On Regards
Steve
it is in this position that the game score shows L'Empereur is declared the winner
Sargon 3 is white and the score shows 0-1 here
this is odd
material is even ..there are no forced mates..no immediate threats to win material....etc...etc...
surely no reason for Sargon 3 to resign
there can only be 3 possibilities...
1)Sargon 3 lost on time(but i think that would be stated in the game score)
2)the game score is not correct
or 3....
There Was Some Monkey Business Going On Regards
Steve
- paulwise3
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Re: Collector's Corner..I Dont Think So..(Current Ebay Oddities)
0r 4...
Sargon 3 crashed.
Sargon 3 crashed.
2024 Special thread: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12741
2024 Special results and standings: https://schaakcomputers.nl/paul_w/Tourn ... 25_06.html
If I am mistaken, it must be caused by a horizon effect...
2024 Special results and standings: https://schaakcomputers.nl/paul_w/Tourn ... 25_06.html
If I am mistaken, it must be caused by a horizon effect...
- Steve B
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Re: Collector's Corner..I Dont Think So..(Current Ebay Oddities)
In That Tournament L'Empereur finished with 2.5 pts and a 16th place finish(out of 19)
in addition to the win above it drew against Sargon 3 (this time playing on the Compaq)and it got a bye in round 6
https://www.chessprogramming.org/WMCCC_1984
Not satisfied that the only recorded game in history for L'Emp was the dubious win above .i pitted it against the Fidelity Travel Master
30 seconds/Avg. per move
The TM has a wiki active rating of 1897
[Date "2024.2.11"]
[White "L'Empereur"]
[Black "Travel Master"]
[Time Control "30 Sec./Avg"]
[Result "0-1"]
FINAL POSITION
l'Emp gets mated
I Should Have Left Well Enough Alone Regards
Steve
in addition to the win above it drew against Sargon 3 (this time playing on the Compaq)and it got a bye in round 6
https://www.chessprogramming.org/WMCCC_1984
Not satisfied that the only recorded game in history for L'Emp was the dubious win above .i pitted it against the Fidelity Travel Master
30 seconds/Avg. per move
The TM has a wiki active rating of 1897
[Date "2024.2.11"]
[White "L'Empereur"]
[Black "Travel Master"]
[Time Control "30 Sec./Avg"]
[Result "0-1"]
FINAL POSITION
l'Emp gets mated
I Should Have Left Well Enough Alone Regards
Steve
- Steve B
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Re: Collector's Corner..I Dont Think So..(Current Ebay Oddities)
A final game lowering the strength of the opponent
The Fidelity Sensory 9..tipping the active wiki scales at 1591
30 Sec's Avg.
[Event ""]
[Site ""]
[Date "2024.2.11"]
[Round ""]
[White "Sensory 9"]
[Black "l'Empereur"]
[TimeControl "-"]
[Result "1-0"]
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.e4 d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.Be2 Nf4
8.Kf1 Bc5 9.d4 Bd6 10.Bxf4 Bxf4 11.g3 Bc7 12.Nf3 Be6 13.Bd3 Bb6 14.Qc2
g6 15.Rd1 O-O 16.h3 Qf6 17.Qe2 Rd8 18.Ne4 Qe7 19.Neg5 Rd6 20.Bc4 Bxc4
21.Qxc4 Rd5 22.Re1 Qd7 23.Ne5 Qc7 24.Nexf7 Nd7 25.Re4 Nf6 26.Rf4 Qe7
27.Rh4 Bc7 28.Qb3 Rb5 29.Qc2 Re8 30.Rxh7 Rxg5 31.Nxg5 Qe1+ 32.Kg2 Qxh1+
33.Kxh1 Re1+ 34.Kg2 Rg1+ 35.Kxg1 Nxh7 36.Qxg6+ Kh8 37.Qxh7# 1-0
FINAL POSITION
Mated Again
Not Pretty Regards
Steve
The Fidelity Sensory 9..tipping the active wiki scales at 1591
30 Sec's Avg.
[Event ""]
[Site ""]
[Date "2024.2.11"]
[Round ""]
[White "Sensory 9"]
[Black "l'Empereur"]
[TimeControl "-"]
[Result "1-0"]
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.e4 d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.Be2 Nf4
8.Kf1 Bc5 9.d4 Bd6 10.Bxf4 Bxf4 11.g3 Bc7 12.Nf3 Be6 13.Bd3 Bb6 14.Qc2
g6 15.Rd1 O-O 16.h3 Qf6 17.Qe2 Rd8 18.Ne4 Qe7 19.Neg5 Rd6 20.Bc4 Bxc4
21.Qxc4 Rd5 22.Re1 Qd7 23.Ne5 Qc7 24.Nexf7 Nd7 25.Re4 Nf6 26.Rf4 Qe7
27.Rh4 Bc7 28.Qb3 Rb5 29.Qc2 Re8 30.Rxh7 Rxg5 31.Nxg5 Qe1+ 32.Kg2 Qxh1+
33.Kxh1 Re1+ 34.Kg2 Rg1+ 35.Kxg1 Nxh7 36.Qxg6+ Kh8 37.Qxh7# 1-0
FINAL POSITION
Mated Again
Not Pretty Regards
Steve
- paulwise3
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Re: Collector's Corner..I Dont Think So..(Current Ebay Oddities)
Hi Steve,
maybe you should try the Mephisto MM I.
I'd like to see a win regards,
Paul
2024 Special thread: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12741
2024 Special results and standings: https://schaakcomputers.nl/paul_w/Tourn ... 25_06.html
If I am mistaken, it must be caused by a horizon effect...
2024 Special results and standings: https://schaakcomputers.nl/paul_w/Tourn ... 25_06.html
If I am mistaken, it must be caused by a horizon effect...
- Steve B
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Re: Collector's Corner..I Dont Think So..(Current Ebay Oddities)
OK Paul...MM 1 it is
As we enter the subterranean depths of the Wiki Active rating lists...
The MM 1 clocks in at 1527
it has a 20-30 sec./avg level which worked out just fine as it used about the same amount of time as L'Emp
In the game L'Emp had a strong K side attack but opted instead to let the game drift into a draw by 3 fold repetition
[Date "2024.2.11"]
[White "l'Empereur"]
[Black "MM1"]
[Time Control "30 Sec./Avg'
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
Draw -3 Fold Repetition
FINAL POSITION
Napoleon Would Be Shocked Regards
Steve
As we enter the subterranean depths of the Wiki Active rating lists...
The MM 1 clocks in at 1527
it has a 20-30 sec./avg level which worked out just fine as it used about the same amount of time as L'Emp
In the game L'Emp had a strong K side attack but opted instead to let the game drift into a draw by 3 fold repetition
[Date "2024.2.11"]
[White "l'Empereur"]
[Black "MM1"]
[Time Control "30 Sec./Avg'
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
Draw -3 Fold Repetition
FINAL POSITION
Napoleon Would Be Shocked Regards
Steve
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Re: Collector's Corner..I Dont Think So..(Current Ebay Oddities)
Congratulations on the L'Empereur, Steve.
Beautiful machine.
I think you'll find some more published L'Empereur games from that WMCC 1984 Glasgow tournament here :-
http://www.chesscomputeruk.com/Computer ... R_1985.pdf
Looking for that illusive win regards
Mike
Beautiful machine.
I think you'll find some more published L'Empereur games from that WMCC 1984 Glasgow tournament here :-
http://www.chesscomputeruk.com/Computer ... R_1985.pdf
Looking for that illusive win regards
Mike
- Steve B
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Re: Collector's Corner..I Dont Think So..(Current Ebay Oddities)
Mike Watters wrote: ↑Tue Feb 13, 2024 7:51 pm I think you'll find some more published L'Empereur games from that WMCC 1984 Glasgow tournament here :-
http://www.chesscomputeruk.com/Computer ... R_1985.pdf
Thanks Mike
And as usual a well spotted reference ...in this case ..to 3 other published L'Empereur games
all losses
therefore the first game shown here is the only published WIN for l'Emp
And A dubious One At That Regards
Steve
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Re: Collector's Corner..I Dont Think So..(Current Ebay Oddities)
Steve
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 ??
Curious regards
Mike
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 ??
Curious regards
Mike