The latest acquisition: a nicely maintained Super Constellation with original manual and vintage Novag clock, plus original adapter in a pleasing tan-colored leatherish case. No box, but everything else - including the fascinating layover cards and instructions for inputting a personal opening book. Board in fine shape, little wear to speak of.
Purchased for $75. Shipping drove it to $100. Seemed just right to me, given the beloved reputation and relative elusiveness of this machine. I rarely see it on the auction sites (this was not an ebay purchase, by the way.)
Just played this bad boy through an Evans Gambit for some fun. Prevailed on the default level, with a couple of blunder takebacks. What an entertaining opponent. It holds tension rather than releasing it. The legend of Kittinger's human style persists. I even like the design. In rating terms, it's just my speed. Wonderful.
Feature note: I have several Mephisto boards (Master, Explorer Pro, Challenger, and the Morsch GK 2100, and Radio Shack 2250XL). While I like these boards, there is something sterile about them. At the same time, the ability to turn off, turn back on and preserve the position is very nice. It seems the SuperCon also does this, though I'll have to test further.
The match to come must be the SuperCon vs Fidelity Excellence. I don't know if I have the 3mhz or 4mhz version of Excellence. The former is rated 1780 on Wiki Elo, while the SuperCon tops out at 1787. A clash of styles looms. More later.
- R.
P.S. - Full collection stats:
Fidelity:
CC7
Classic (x2)
Gambit
Mini Sensory Chess Challenger (man, I'd love to find the opening cartridges)
Excellence
Designer 2000
Designer 2000 display
Designer 2100
Designer 2265
Mephisto (and related "Kasparov" variants):
Team-Mate
Chess Challenger (possibly the best buy on the current market for strength/features)
Explorer Pro (see above)
GK 2100
Master
Novag:
Super Connie!
Obsidian
Citrine
Star Diamond (monstrous!)
Radio Shack:
2150L
2200x (GK 2000/Explorer clone)
2250xl
Excalibur:
Sabre IV
Igor
Grandmaster
Plus assorted handhelds of limited consequence
Wish list:
Mephisto Milano (Schroeder)
Mephisto Berlin Pro (Lang)
Fidelity Designer 2325 (Spracklens)
Saitek RISC 2500 (de Kooning)
TASC R30 (de Kooning - it'll probably never happen)
Suggestions to fill out the collection? Love to hear them. Be advised: I don't care about pioneers that play a mediocre game (though I have a few, I respect them, and I might pick up a Boris some day.) I don't much care about high-end wood, but I like strength.
Regards to the board (and especially you, Steve...)
- R.
Super Connie!
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Super Connie!
"You have, let us say, a promising politician, a rising artist that you wish to destroy. Dagger or bomb are archaic and unreliable - but teach him, inoculate him with chess."
– H.G. Wells
– H.G. Wells
Footnote
Before anyone jumps in to correct me with SSDF ratings for Super Connie and Excellence (3mhz), I get the point. It's lower now: in the mid-1600s for both machines. Function of players growing more accustomed to computer styles, etc. More games, better numbers, etc. I do share the belief of some that current ratings are inflated, and that computer-on-computer contests are not the ideal measure.
However...I also concur with the great Spacious Mind that machines devised by different programmers present far more interesting contests than evolved iterations by the same programmer.
As a side note, would anyone question the idea that the Deep Blue program that defeated Kasparov almost 20 years ago would fall to the current generation of programs? And if this is true, what does this say about the nature of chess solvability? Surely the program devised 20 years from now will crush the best programs of today....
- R.
However...I also concur with the great Spacious Mind that machines devised by different programmers present far more interesting contests than evolved iterations by the same programmer.
As a side note, would anyone question the idea that the Deep Blue program that defeated Kasparov almost 20 years ago would fall to the current generation of programs? And if this is true, what does this say about the nature of chess solvability? Surely the program devised 20 years from now will crush the best programs of today....
- R.
"You have, let us say, a promising politician, a rising artist that you wish to destroy. Dagger or bomb are archaic and unreliable - but teach him, inoculate him with chess."
– H.G. Wells
– H.G. Wells
-
Steve B
- Site Admin
- Posts: 10146
- Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2007 10:02 am
- Location: New York City USofA
- Contact:
Re: Super Connie!
Congrats to the SC! ...RReinfeld wrote:The match to come must be the SuperCon vs Fidelity Excellence. I don't know if I have the 3mhz or 4mhz version of Excellence. The former is rated 1780 on Wiki Elo, while the SuperCon tops out at 1787. A clash of styles looms. More later.
now all you need is the Printer and your all set
regarding your Excellence
if you have the box ..the Ex 4 will have a RED DOT STICKER on the lower left hand corner
this denotes it is a 4 Mhz
there is also generally a sticker on the underside of the unit denoting 4 Mhz ..obviously over time both of these stickers can fall off
see here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10261668@N ... 0922170604
i have the 4 Mhz
if you want we can test if you have the 3
set your computer to 3 minutes per move(or higher)
play a3 and then watch how long it takes for your computer to hit 5 plies
i will do the same with my 4 ..obviously the 4 should reach 5 ply 33% faster then the 3
i can check for you later today once i see your results
in case Ex has a book reply for 1.a3 then play 2.a4 and then check
Not So Great I Guess Regards
Steve
Response time
No stickers on my old Excellence, and I don't have the box.
Set at three minutes per move, after playing a3, it reached 5-ply in about seven seconds...
Set at three minutes per move, after playing a3, it reached 5-ply in about seven seconds...
"You have, let us say, a promising politician, a rising artist that you wish to destroy. Dagger or bomb are archaic and unreliable - but teach him, inoculate him with chess."
– H.G. Wells
– H.G. Wells
Hi Reinfeld, Congrats on the SC. This of course should'nt be necessary,
since the SC enjoyed a good production run.
There are a couple of reasons for the seeming rareness of the SC.
1. Oxidation: Most chess computers have, as you probably know, several
ribbon cords relaying info from the mainboard to the playing surface
and lights. SC has four of them. These ribbon leads, being conductors,
react with the oxygen in the air around us to form an oxide coating which
can eventually break the circuit. The SC is hard to pull apart and fix, so a
lot of them end up in the trash can, when someone who knows could have
fixed them quickly.
2. The SC has a small rechargeable battery, which is proprietary, meaning
you can't just go out and buy a replacement one. This battery holds the
position when you turn the machine off. Remember the SC turns 28 in
October of this year, therefore so does the rechargeable battery. The
battery will start leaking if it has'nt already. It leaks onto the mainboard,
playing merry hell with the circuitry. This also causes many to find a special
place in the trash can.
The SC was released again the following year in a wooden board. It had
a beefed up endgame which added about an extra 50elo. They called it
the "Expert". Both SC and Expert are considered classics in chess computer
circles. You will enjoy many frustrating losses and hard fought wins.
all the best,
Larry
since the SC enjoyed a good production run.
There are a couple of reasons for the seeming rareness of the SC.
1. Oxidation: Most chess computers have, as you probably know, several
ribbon cords relaying info from the mainboard to the playing surface
and lights. SC has four of them. These ribbon leads, being conductors,
react with the oxygen in the air around us to form an oxide coating which
can eventually break the circuit. The SC is hard to pull apart and fix, so a
lot of them end up in the trash can, when someone who knows could have
fixed them quickly.
2. The SC has a small rechargeable battery, which is proprietary, meaning
you can't just go out and buy a replacement one. This battery holds the
position when you turn the machine off. Remember the SC turns 28 in
October of this year, therefore so does the rechargeable battery. The
battery will start leaking if it has'nt already. It leaks onto the mainboard,
playing merry hell with the circuitry. This also causes many to find a special
place in the trash can.
The SC was released again the following year in a wooden board. It had
a beefed up endgame which added about an extra 50elo. They called it
the "Expert". Both SC and Expert are considered classics in chess computer
circles. You will enjoy many frustrating losses and hard fought wins.
all the best,
Larry
testing...
Excellence test for reaching 6 ply. Running at level 7 - three minutes per move, first move 1. a3
Elapsed time to reach 6 ply: 29 seconds.
- R.
Elapsed time to reach 6 ply: 29 seconds.
- R.
"You have, let us say, a promising politician, a rising artist that you wish to destroy. Dagger or bomb are archaic and unreliable - but teach him, inoculate him with chess."
– H.G. Wells
– H.G. Wells
Re: testing...
No, no, no.... you must set the level to 'infinite' (level 9). Do thisReinfeld wrote:Excellence test for reaching 6 ply. Running at level 7 - three minutes per move, first move 1. a3
Elapsed time to reach 6 ply: 29 seconds.
- R.
immediately or we will send the chess computer cops around to
take you away!
Larry
-
Steve B
- Site Admin
- Posts: 10146
- Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2007 10:02 am
- Location: New York City USofA
- Contact:
This looks right for the 3 Vs 4Larry wrote:Excellence 3 on infinite timeSteve B wrote:
I set the Ex 4 for infinite time
After 1.a3 it hits 6 Ply in 23-24 Seconds
Steve
After 1.a3 it hits 6 ply in 32 seconds, which if my math is
correct is 33% slower, which it should be. This means that
no little red stickers fell off mine
Larry
R's time of 29 seconds is a puzzlement
perhaps there is an
Excellence 3.5 Regards?
Steve