Players Chess News (1986) - A History of Chess Computers (parte 4)

Todos os créditos desta matéria pertencem a Players Chess News (1986) com atualização de Source: 11-1986, International Players Chess News: A History (Recap) of Chess Computers.
(Slightly edited by Hein Veldhuis.)

Elite A/S dilemmaNow the more costly Elite A/S (Budapest) only had beauty to show for itself as it was ranked third behind the Super Constellation and the Elegance. It was more closely grouped with the Constellation 3.6 and the Chess Challenger 12 in plaving strength. A good number of
people found that the never expected to beat the Super Constellation or the Elegance, or had any realistic aspirations of doing so, They did not like the flimsy pieces on the Elegance, the plastic of the Super Constellation and liked the size of neither. For them, the Elite A/S Budapest was fine.

The main real advantage to getting the strongest program for someone at that level is that although he or the never plans on getting to the point of bearing the machine regularly on its higher levels, as least the machine will be providing a better game on fast response levels. In addition to receiving a more challenging game without having to wait, also the stronger the machine, the less likely the chance of outgrowing it.

Fidelity Elite A/S Challenger

Study by K.K. Behting, 1908

White plays and draws! Artificial Stupidity?

Naturally, if one is using the machine as a tutor, one inclined to take the advice of a stronger program with less of a grain of salt than a lesser program. The machines are so strong now, however, that most people can start to make compromisses between top strength and top looks. Still some players wanted the beauty and a program ranking closer with the top models. Shortly after Novag released their Super Constellation, Fidelity released a third version of the Elite A/S. The program is exactly that of the Elegance’s, However, is runs 0.4 megahertz faster (3.6 versus 4.0 Mhz), resulting in only perhaps a 10 rating-point gain. This program at
4.0 Mhz is 50 to 100 points stronger than the older Elite A/S Budapest, putting it close to 1900. So the dilemma was solved with the Elite A/S 4.0 ranking solidly in the top two. The cost went up only $50 ($650 list), a healthy price/strength raise.
 
With a list price close to the Super’s, the comparison is easy-expensive, handsome cosmetics (beauty) versus costly electronics/programming (skill). 
Elegance vs Elite A/S 4.0 


With a difference of $250 in price, the Elite/Elegance comparison is a little muddled.
1) Playing strength is approximately equal, both as solid class
2) Playing surface of Elite 4.0 is almost tournament size, with beautiful wooden pieces, making for much more comfortable, natural playing.
3) Both machines have a modest number of built-in opening moves (several thousand) intended to be supplemented with any of Fidelity’s opening cartridges, such as the CB9 ($78 list) with 8,160 moves or the CB16 ($120 list), with 16,100 moves. (The Chess Challenger 9, incidentally, will only accept these two). The newer Fidelity models (such as the older Prestige Challenger, all three Elite A/S’s, the Sensory 12 and Elegance) will all accept these two general opening cartridges and the more specialized ones.
Also offered is the 5-volume ECO (Encyclopedia of Chess Openings) set (each volume, $120 list) or the even more specialized Queen’s Gambit Tarrasch module ($120 list).
4) Unlike the Elegance, the Elite 4.0 has a built-in displayed chess clock. Besides the obvious telling of time, one can see a number of insights the machine is trying to relay.

Fidelity Elegance Chess Challenger

For instance, it will display its assessment of the position in + or - fractions of points (+ 0.5 means it feels it is up the equivalent of half a pawn as a positional/material equation. It does, occasionally, display minus scores - this is to make the human opponent feel better). The clock will also display which ECO opening module should be popped in next, in the event that a line should cross over to a different ECO volume (a rare occasion, and only useful if one owns the ECO cartridge set, $600 list).
5) The Elite 4.0 has a long-term memory (as the Super Constellation),whereas the Elegance is only short term.
6) The one advantage of the Elegance is that is has no voice. But rest assured, the voice on the Elite A/S can be turned off. Actually, the voice may have a positive influence in stimulating the interest of a youngster to tackle the game.

Opening enhancement

All rating estimates given so far have been based on the machines performance without utilizing any opening enhancements. The following comparison of these enhancements is primarily between Fidelity’s complete set of ECO cartridges and Novag’s programmable opening book and how they relate to the two primary aims of the opening ‘book” of a chess computer:
1) to play these automatic moves quicker and
2) to create more difficult middlegame opposition.
We as Players feel that, in general, the opening is the least important phase of the game. One of the primary reasons for increasing one’s depth of rote knowledge of an opening repertoire
is that is simply allows one to budget extra time to more signifiant middlegame and endgame considerations. The set of ECO cartridges for the Fidelity machine override the much smaller,
built-in lines and increase the average depth of many lines to over 10 moves, setting the machine in motion for a decent middlegame.
The set is especially good for beginners as they can see if the moves they are making are respectable enough to be considered a main line (the cartridges contain only the main ECO lines). However, the entire set probably increases the overal strength of the machine by only
25 points. Additionally, while ECO may assess a line as being slightly better for White, equal, etc. these assessments do not have the same meaning for every player. “Good” and “Bad” positions are relative terms.

More important than speeding up the opening with a vast collection of opening moves to reach relatively even positions is to have the moves continue into the middlegame with significant effect. Thus, the ECO set for Fidelity is less effective than Novag’s programmable opening (more appropriately titled programmable middlegame) feature, since the Novag approach may be used to specifically affect only the middlegames in which the user needs
practice. This approach has great significance for the serious student. Imagine that every game played resulted in a middlegame where you found yourself having to struggle, not just any randomly selected middlegame, but specificalty the ones that occur in
your opening repertoire. Every player finds that there are lines within his or her repertoire that cause more difficulty than others. One lessen to be learned with a programmable middlegame is how to steer the opponent away from these more difficult lines when thev are encountered in tournament play.

If this is not possible, using the computer the player is able to learn how to counter and/or handle these difficult middlegame positions through regular practice. Let us continue this example in greater detail. Imagine, if you will, the average master playing against an expert. If the expert is playing an opening where the middlegame plays itself (e.g, a thematic kingside attack) and the master bas been steered into his least favorite line, suddenly the expert is playing at least 100-200 points stronger than his usual play.
Similarly, if a 2200 rated player was playing the 2000 rated Super Constellation and programmed in to enter only middlegames he despised playing, then the strength of the computer goes up in like manner. Of course, the next player with his own repertoire who sits
down to play the machine will find its strength back to the original, because the machine is only stronger specifically against the person who programmed it. With the Super Constellation this is achieved by first changing the ratio of rcsponse of the 21,000 moves it comes with. Undoubtedly some of the machine’s lines will provide you with difficult middlegames to play against with either color, After you select the cream of the crop, the most difficult lines the machine has against you, specifically (probably a total of several
hundred or more, depending en how varied your opening repertoire is), then you add other lines of your choice which are designed to pose you with difficulties. This process of aiding the enemy works like an inoculation. Thus, curiously enough, the 2400 programmable half moves of the Super Constellation are more significant than the tens of thousands of ECO moves contained in the Fidelity cartridges on both of the opening qualities discussed earlier:1) the game generally goes deeper into the middlegame, gaining time for later analysis and 2) the middlegame opposition is tougher.

To conclude: The Fidelity ECO system is good for the intermediate player to help widen his or her opening repertoire. For the, beginner or intermediate player who purchases the Super Constellation, the assumption is that the student will learn from the built-in book lines and from a library of actual books. The student has probably set his sights On reaching expert or master rating and will find the machine with its own book challenging to that point. When he reaches his goal (or perhaps even at Class A) the owner can then take the time to boost the machine’s strength with the programmable option (also by that time there will probably be slight up-date on the overall strength of the machine).

Players Chess News (1986) - A History of Chess Computers (parte 3)

Todos os créditos desta matéria pertencem a Players Chess News (1986) com atualização de Source: 11-1986, International Players Chess News: A History (Recap) of Chess Computers.
(Slightly edited by Hein Veldhuis.)

1982

1982 saw Fidelity take the lead in sales of chess microcomputers to tournament players. Novag was busy working on improving their programs. Applied Concepts introduced an opening module (the Gruenfeld, priced at $100) and an endgame module (Capablanca, $160) which only managed to take the strength of the entire system, priced as $600 to a low Class B rating of 1600. SciSys updated the Chess Champion Mark V to their (Philidor) Chess Champion MK VI program, which proved not to be significantly better than their original. Prices dropped to an all-time low as rating strength stabilized.

It should be noted here that all rating estimates are based on tournament time controls of 40 moves in 2 hours. This distinction will become more important as we discuss later the newest machines whose. ‘blitz’ ratings may exceed their tournament rating by as much as 200 points. Fidelity’s 1982 introduction of the Chess Challenger 9 was designed to “blow away the market” at an introductory list price of $165. Later the list increased to $195 as the coat of electronica in all areas increased. Prices have continued to increase with each new generation of strong machines.

Even so, the Chess Challenger 9 was a strong and affordable machine, with the same brains as the Champion Sensory Chess Challenger but as half the price. It was 1982’s best buy based on dollar to performance ratio. The Chess Challenger 9, however, did not have either a wooden frame or a build-in clock.

Fidelity Champion Sensory Chess Challenger

Fidelity did finally decide to add the modularity (not to be confused with the Modular Game Systems) concept to the Chess Challenger 9. The MGS was designed to accept program updates (brains), while Fidelity’s could only be defined as modular, accepting raw information (opening cartridges, etc.) but not updatable. This means that to significantly improve playing strength the whole machine had to be sent to the factory for the guts to be replaced. Now it was possible to purchase a strong program (about 1600) at a low price or pay up to the list price of $600 for the Applied Concepts system, rated at 1600+. (g/n)

The Conchess line of computers made an appearance with three inexpensive models, all with the same program. rated at approximately 1600. There were three levels of size (Escorter/Ambassador/Monarch) and craftsmanship, ranging in price from $250 to $400. Early in 1982, Fidelity also came our with the Elite Sensory Champion, a machine for those who wanted the best available program. The machine was basically an advanced version of the Champion Sensory Chess Challenger program, running at 3.6 Mhz. The stronger Elite Sensory Champion program and faster clock speed put the playing strength at high Class B (almost 200 points stronger than the Chess Challenger 9).

The limited edition of 500 pieces has long since sold out at a list price of $1000. Later in 1982 Fidelity produced the Prestige Challenger, the same basic program but in a much nicer housing (similar to the Auto Response Board previously discussed), with an internal chess clock and a price rag of $1295. So, 1982 offered the tournament chess player three good choices: Chess Challenger 9, a low priced machine with decent strength; Conchess, with a nice casing and decent strength, and Prestige Challenger, a top-of-the-line machine combining beauty and brains. (g/n)

The very original first Prestige Challenger with flat display! First owner: Dutch chess

computer pioneer Jan Louwman, and second owner Rob van Son (Photo by Rob van Son)

nota: este modelo do Prestige não tenho nos meus catálagos, já que o display indica os lances. Portanto não sei qual versão do programa seria. As versões conhecidas do Elite que indicam  os os lances iniciaram a partir do Elite Avant Garde - Versão 2.

1983

In early 1983, the main choices remained Chess Challenger 9 and Prestige Challenger. But for spice, the German firm Mephisto came on the American scene, offering a machine which fell somewhere between the Chess Challenger 9 and Prestige Challenger in both price and strength. The Mephisto II, a hand-held model, list for $350 and had a solid B rating of 1700.

A beautiful cabinet for the machine, with out additional “brains”, sold separatly for $550. Other manufacturers appeared to be doing nothing. Is was becoming obvious that updatability did not have much meaning, with regard to the strength of any individual machine. It had more to do with the future of the particular company, their programmers and their updating ambitions than any real potential of the machine. Suddenly in the Fall of 1983, after a long quiet period, Novag unveiled their new Constellation (2 Mhz), and also announced plans for their Super Constellation (first 3,6 MHz and later 4 MHz), which would make its appearance in 1984.

At a list price of $199.95 and solid “B” strength, the Constellation put the Fidelity Chess Challenger 9 and the Mephisto out of contention. Also, Kittinger had spent all his time working on developing program modifications which allow the machine to play an especially strong game on its first level with up to a five second response time. Another especially welcome improvement was Novag’s sensor board, which is far more sensitive than the competitor’s pressure sensitive boards. Entering moves on the Constellation, thus, falls somewhere in between the hard press of the sensory games and the ease of the Auto-Response.

Additionally, by eliminating the response lights on each square which are typical of pressuresensitive boards and replacing them with prompt-lights on the proper coordinates, Novag succeeded in eliminating one of the more distracting features of its predecessors.

Concurrently, in late 1983, Fidelity brought the cost of the larger wooden sets down with the Elite A/S (Elite Auto-Sensory); similar to the Prestige Challenger in operation and playing strength at one-third the price - $450. This was the lowest price ever on full size sets. So, at the end of 1983 the two top programs offered at good prices were; in the inexpensive version, the Novag Constellation, rated around 1700 and listed for $200, and in the expensive range, the Fidelity Elite A/S, approaching 1800 and priced at $450. (g/n)

1984

Early in 1984, Fidelity discontinued the 1983 Elite A/S model and put their Budapest program into the Elite A/S casing, calling it the Elite A/S World Champion. This was a well-deserved title, since Fidelity had just won the 2nd World Micro-Computer Chess Championship in Budapest, Hungary, a few months earlier (late ’83). The Budapest program brought the machine solidly over 1800. Customers with older Prestige Challenger machines or the Elite A/S could send the machines to the factory for $150 up-date, and first time buyers paid $600 list. Immediately after the Elite World Champion came out at Class A strength in mid-1984, Novag stepped up their Constallation program to run twice as fast (from 2,0 to 3,6 Mhz), bringing its strength up to Class A also.

For an additional $50.00, everyone opted for the Novag Constellation 3.6 (‘Connie 3.6’ $250) and the slower verson is now discontinued Programmer Kittinger’s emphasis has always been on speed, and now not only were the heuristics designed to play exceptionally well at fast speeds but the chip speed was running faster. The speed chess level was almost 2000 strength (based on human opponent spending as much time, moving as quickly as the

machine), while the tournament level strength was low Class A (1800+).

All these statistics were taken at the time the machines appeared and continued to hold up in tournament competition throughout the world, against humans and against other chess micros. Of course the manufacturers still get a litlle excited about their own products. For instance, both the Constallation 3.6 and Fidelity Elite A/S (Budapest) claim to be rated over 2000 by their manifacturers. Well, perhaps the Constallation 3.6 is close at speed chess, but at 40/2 both had just entered Class A. Even so it seems now that rating claims are overstated much less to than years before.

Late - 1984

At the end of the first half of ‘84 the 3.6 was heralded as being the best priced machine for the

playing strength, just as the Chess Challenger 9 was in ‘82. The Elite A/S (Budapest) was 

the other tournament player’s choice for those opting for a more beautiful casing. It was 

becoming clear that Novag and Fidelity were the two to watch. Fidelity produced two 

attempts to compete with Novag.

 

1) The Chess Challenger 12, and Elite A/S downgraded both in strength (close to 1800) and cosmetic appeal (half size with imitation metallic look and wooden border rather than full wood surface). The price was brought down to the Novag Constallation 3.6’s $250. However, the Constallation 3.6 stil remained king in that price range.

 

2) The Fidelity Elegance, also in the 12’s size, but much more handsome, retaining the Elite’s full-wood look, was quite an improvement both in appearance and play. The pieces, however, lacked a touch of class, It’s program was an Elite A/S update, running at the same speed (3.6 Mhz) but with better programming. The Elegance program just tied for first in the

Fourth Micro Chess Championships in Glascow, Scotland, August ‘84 and appears to be close to 1900 strength.

Fidelity Elegance (foto: Tom Luif)

Just as the Elegance was coming out, Novag relased their long-awaited Super Constellation. The list price was expected to be $600.00, but Novag surprised us with in incredible low list price of $399.95 ($600.00 with printer and clock). The other surprise which Novag had kept well secret was the fact that the machine is now user programmable. The biggest surprise, however, came late November when the USCF officially acclaimed the Super to be expert strength. After 40 games of humans (average rating 1982) playing against 10 production offthe-shelf models, the computer garnished 22 points. This 55% score under tournament conditions netted in official rating of 2018.

Super Constellation vs Constellation 3.6

Some of the main differences between Novag’s Constellation 3.6 and Super Constellation are:

1) 16 levels for the Super (7 lower levels so one can win occasion), while only 8 for the 3.6 (and no training levels). Tournament players like this feature since they can teach wife/husband or kids to play the game and, after not to long, they will start winning and be encouraged to move up the latter. The Constellation 3.6. for instance, would start off on its lowest, instant response level by beating even intermediate players a hundred games in a row.

After such a string of losses, the average person becomes disenchanted and feels like he’ll never be able to play the game competently. We suggest that if you get such a machine, plan

on losing - against is every time, use it as a tutor. Then trounce your human opponents. The advantige of the Super, of course, is that you start monitoring your progres by seeing a ratio of wins as you go up the “easy” levels. Also if you set a goal of, say reaching expert strenght, you can progress in smaller increments and have the machine stil keep you interested even when you reach your goal. And you’ll always have the lowest levels to beat up om if you even find yourself disenchanted with progress. For anyone rated below 1600 the choice between the 3.6 and the Super would be easier if the Super were presently priced at $600.00. However,

with the current cost being so closc the two main factors appear to be

a) Can one handle losing every time against the 3.6 with no out, until improvment finally shows through and b) is your goal to have a good, strong partner (if you don’t mind losing) or a tutor that can help you set your goal at expert/master class rather than class ‘B’.

 

2) The Super is compatible with the Novag printer, while the 3.6 is not. If you find that you have played a particularly brilliant or instructive game, you may print out the game in crisp figurine notation with diagrams at instructive points. The printer may also be used to verify positions in the computer’s brain or keep track of which opening variations one has programmed in.

 

3) The Super accepts a clock for a more even match. Masters may spot time odds of five minutes to three for an even struggle (the machine has been nick-named “blitz monster” after winning games against IMs in blitz matches). Weaker players may give themselves the time advantage. The clock may also be used singly for tournament chess, or to play speed chess with friends.

4) The rating difference between the two machines is close to 200 points. Opening play is much more varied with over 21,000 moves versus 3000. This should result in a better middlegame starting point. The program has been written in a 56K format as opposed to 16K. This allowed the programmer much room for advanced strategie heuristics. Now its positional insight is more equal to its proverbial tactics. It will even sacrifice on positional grounds. The endgame play is also much more enhanced. It will force a mate with bishop and knight versus king, a feat no other computer can perform and many experts find difficult!

5) The internal clock speed is only 0,4 megahertz faster (3.6 Mhz versus 4.0 Mhz). This is much less significant than the drastic program advancements as it very rarely allows it to see even an extra ply (½ move) further. The fact that the machine plays a strong expert, close to master speed-chess game has more to do with the promming.

6) The Super can be unplugged and the game still continued three months later, due to its long-term CMOS memory. Thus, if you wind up in a losing position and “accidentally” knock all the pieces over or trip over the cord ... well, the machine is still ready and willing to continue.

7) If asked, the Super will display its depth of search at that moment. It also automatically announces up to mate-in-four. If you are plaving along when unexpectedly on comes the mate-in-four signal, you know already that it is time to hit the “take-back” key (followed. perhaps, by the “hint” key).

Novag Constellation 3.6

8) Both solve mates and problems with amazing swiftness. Often, the Super will solve the problem in seconds, faster than some Grandmasters!

9) With the Super, one can in effect aid the programmer by adding opening lines that you, specifically, have a more difficult time against and need practice playing, either as White or Black. You can also program in how often you would like to see each line appear. Now if you find that you need to get a few fast wins in against the computer, just put in a couple. You could have it open 1. g4 every time and after your 1 ... e5, have it play 2. f3 50% of the time and 2. f4 the rest of the time. After mating it a number of times on h4 and proving it is not invinceable, you can erase those moves from memory and do some serious programming. The moves do not just stay in memory for a limited time. Rather, they become an integral part of the machine’s permanent opening memory repertoire (although, of course, you can erase and reprogram this repertoire).

Entering the moves into the computer’s bram is easy. It does not involve laborious keying-in. Just play the garne naturally and each move you play is automatically ingrained into its brain, as long as you are in programming mode. You can create your own monster - the variations you dread playing will keep coming back in future games to haunt you. You may find after drilling yourself through many games that certain variations you used to have a difficult time
playing against you now find easy to play. At that time you may steer the machine much deeper down the line to a fork where you feel that the branch the machine usually opts for poses fewer problems than one it plays less frequently (or perhaps the friend you’re trying to beat plays the less frequent line). At that fork you can change the ratio of response - have it play the move it usually opts for only 1 in 10 times, and the other move, 9 out of 10 times. If you ever find that you master the line altogether then you may delete that line leaving space for others. The deletion flexibility is especially important if you are close to the programmable moves, which is 2400 half moves. This programmable feature is only of
optimum use to stronger players who are objective enough to recognize their own weaknesses. Weaker players who purchase the Super and hope to get to master strength can utilize this feature more fully as they go up the ladder.

Players Chess News (1986) - A History of Chess Computers (parte 2)

créditos à Players Chess News (1986) 

1979

In 1979, prices dropped to the $100 range. Machines such as the Fidelity Chess Challenger 7 and Applied Concepts Boris Diplomat were released with no real strength improvement. The next playing strength sophisticasion came with the Fidelity Voice Chess Challenger. The rating went up about the same as the price (200 points). Gimmicks such as the voice, or machines with little, snide messages running across a screen, were meant to uplift an otherwise unchallenging game. These “innovations’ were a questionable use of the added memory space, which could have been devoted to a more challenging level of play or at the very least an improvement on move entry technique. Moves still had to be entered on an external keyboard, leaving much room for error and “illegal” moves. Additionally, it was still possible to enter the moves correctly on the keyboard yet position pieces incorrectly on the playing board.

1980

In 1980, Fidelity came out with the first sensory touch board, the Sensory Chess Challenger 8. Now moves could be entered directly on the board by pressing the piece to be moved first on its starting square and then on its destination square. The board, however, required a concentrated, firm pressure on a precise point; nevertheless, this technology was far superior to the external keyboard method of entering coordinates, eliminating the possibilities of keying errors or move errors discussed above. Additionally, it went a long way toward eliminating “illegalities” in moves. The price dropped back to the $100 range, while playing strength advanced to slightly over 1200.

The novelty of having a machine that simply “made legal moves” wore off quickly, and designers now began developing strategy on a higher level, incorporating time controls and enhancing combinational considerations by the machines. These “toys” were good gift giving items for beginners, But even non-tournament players found themselves straining for a good game by giving these computers several hours per move (?!). Most players were still
disappointed with the weak responses.

Applied Concepts/Chafitz Boris/Sargon 2.5
(foto: Tom Luif)

The Spracklens, top programmers of the time, began concentrating on serious program advancement with their Applied Concepts/Chafitz Boris/Sargon 2.5 program. Chafitz marketed Boris/Sargon 2.5 as the first serious ‘tournament players’ computer in the form of the then conventional key-punch system, calling it the Modular Game System. The system could be up-dated with additional insertable modules. Chafitz also marketed a fancier version of its system (a state-of-the-art program in updatable format) called the Auto-Response Board. This beautiful wooden board, still available, incorporated magnetic reed relay switches below each square.

There were magnets in each piece, which responded to the magnets at the squares. Of all the machines of its time, the Auto-Response most simulated play with a human, sinds all that was required was to move the piece (no pressing squares) and the magnets recorded the moves. At $800, the machine was by far the most costly of its time. As a 1400-1500 rating, both machines played Class C chess. A less powerful program, the Sargon 2.0 was made available

for Apple Computer owners. The 2.0 was a less challenging opponent, both because is was an inherently weaker program and because is was software intended for a general computer rather than a dedicated system.

1981

Fidelity started the year with their Voice Sensory Challenger in an attempt to compete with thc top of the line machines. The machine, which integrated voice and sensory technology and included a built-in chess clock, was contained in a plastic casing surrounded by a wooden framed. The price ranged between $300 and $400. However, even with the additional features, tournament players still preferred the Chafitz’s Modular Game System for playing

strength and updatability. 1981 proved to be a year of many changes for computer chess.

Chafitz discontinued marketing and distributing their two chess computers. Thus, the two manufacturers, Applied Concepts (Modular Game System), and AVE Micro Systems (Auto-Response Board) started marketing the machines on their own. However, in

the confusion of the break-up, the top programmers, the Spracklens, ended up working for the largest manufacturer, Fidelity. It is important to note that, at least for marketing to tournament players, the programmer is the most important element, even for some multi-million dollar companies. Today’s battle is really between which individual programmer will refine and enhance his program to the best possible playing strength and variety.

Fidelity’s main sales were of lower-end products until Dan and Kathy Spracklen joined their team. They brought improvements in programming which virtually assured Fidelity’s top position. Applied Concepts was also improving the quality of the product, with the Morphy Edition master chess, which was a few points stronger because of middlegame improvements. Morphy Edition master chess increased the strength of the Boris/Sargon 2.5 to an approximate playing level of high 1500. Morphy Edition master chess was available for about $100 as a program up-date, which was a pleasant boost for owners of the Modular Game System. Additionally, they changed the name from Modular Game System (MGS) to the Great Game Machine (GGM).

Also in 1981 another pioneer programmer was busy working for Novag. This slick company made its first strong appearance in America in 1981 with David Kittinger’s “My Chess” program. Introduced in their Novag Savant machine, a hi-tech, touch sensitive LCD board with a rating of approximately 1500 and a retail price of $625, the program ranked close to the top but was relatively inaccessible because of price.

Novag Savant
(foto: Tom Luif)



The same was true of Novag’s Robot Adversary, which was an elegant machine priced at approximately $1500 (about $1.00 per rating point). Both of these machines were ahead of their time cosmetically, winning the prestigious New Product Award. However, the price/skill ratio was less appealing.



Novag also introduced a weaker, smaller “My Chess” program (only 4K) in a hand-held machine called Micro Chess. Priced as $140 with a rating of approximately 1000, this was the only significant hand-held chess computer of its time. Kittinger had just moved from Alaska to Los Angeles to continue his programming while making use of additional input from strong masters. The Hong Kong based SciSys also made an appearance in December of
1981 with their Chess Champion Mark V. Programmer David Levy’s best effort won the 1981 ‘World Micro Championship, Commercial Section. To wrap up this significant, year - all the companies top-of-the-line programs were nose to nose at a high Class C, nearly 1600.
This included Fidelity’s last quarter advancement after the addition of the Spracklen team. During those few months, Fidelity added approxiamtely 200 points to its best machine to meet the competition with their Champion Sensory Chess Challenger program.



The final 1981 retail price standings, with all machines rating at approximately a high “C” level, were: Fidelity Champion Sensory Chess Challenger $375; Applied Concepts Great Game Machine (MGS/GGM) with Morphy Edition master chess $350; SciSys Chess Champion Mark V $398; Novag Savant $625.
At this point, all the machines were straining to become a solid Class B strength. However, although all manufactuers are now familiar with actual ratings, most of them were claiming “unofficial” ratings of 1700-1799. Things had gotten to the point where if any manufacturer claimed thereal strength of their machine, which would have realistically been under 1600, themachine would have appeared to be weaker than any of the competition and therefore unmarketable.

Players Chess News (1986) - A History of Chess Computers

Todos os créditos desta matéria pertencem a Players Chess News (1986) com atualização de Source: 11-1986, International Players Chess News: A History (Recap) of Chess Computers.
(Slightly edited by Hein Veldhuis.)

Talvez resida nesta matéria um dos textos mais ilustrativos e didáticos que pude contemplar, obviamente respeitando os demais. Por ser extensa a matéria, vou inserindo aos poucos, obedecendo a ordem cronológica.

1976 ~ 1978 (g/n)

Since their inception in 1976, commercial chess playing machines have consistently improved in playing strength, reliability, appearance, ease of operation and price. The main point of discussion in this article will be the price to rating strength ratio of machines on the market.

The latest crop of these machines offers one entering the Expert class, two of solid class “A” strength, with two others bordering on low class “A”. Curiously, the rating of a computer is not as stable as one might expect. It fluctuates more so than the average human due to two factors:

1) whether the opponent is basically a strategic or tactical player (and other more subtle “playing style” considerations),

2) how used the opponent is to playing against computers and more specifically, against the computer at hand

The human who has been playing regularly against different machines can probably count on a new machine playing about 100 points below its “real’’ rating against him. And after playing a lot of games specifically against the new machine he can possibly substract 50 points, once he gets to know it. It’s no wonder the top computer out now, the Novag Super Constellation (officially rated 2018), which regularly beats experts, only seems to a computer vet to be in the 1900’s. Granted it is a strong expert at speed chess. In order to understand where chess computers currently stand, however, one must have a sense of the history of the development of chess microcomputers.

Fidelity Chess Challenger 1
(foto: Tom Luif)

The first chess computers appeared in the late 1970s. These included the Fidelity Chess Challenger 1 and Fidelity Chess Challenger 3, as well as Applied Concepts Boris (a small

wooden model). The mere fact that these toys could “think” was a novelty which caught on quickly with the general public. However, with ratings of below 1000 these early computers were less than challenging and therefore of little interest to the tournament player.

When manufacturers claimed various rating strengths for these machines, i.e. beginner, intermediate and expert levels, they were demonstrating ignorance of the meaning of ‘expert” rather than any attempt to deceive the chess playing world. In fact, the most primitive of these machines would not capture en passant, castle or promote properly. One machine, now classic, had the alphanumeric system backwards, with letters for the ranks and numbers for

the files. Nonetheless, these primitive patzer machines, which sold for under $400, were a good beginning for what has become an exciting and challenging application of computer technology to the high logic of chess. Most of the available machines were manufactured by Fidelity and Applied Concepts.

Two companies, Tryom with the Electronic Chess and DataCash Systems/Staid with the CompuChess (started up solely for the purpose of making chess computers (although Tryom also produced a backgammon model); however, they could not keep pace and quickly dropped out of competition when Fidelity came out with their Chess Challenger 10 which ranked over the 1000 rating.

DataCash Systems/Staid with the CompuChess
(foto: Tom Luif)

Mephisto MMV 18 MHz x Elite Avant Garde Mack IV

Elite A/S - com módulo CB16 e sem o módulo CB16

Teste considerando o uso do módulo de abertura no Elite A/S - CB16, repetindo os movimentos sem o módulo. Os lances foram os mesmos, tendo o Elite esgotado os movimentos de abertura no lance 17 Ne8. A dúvida consiste: O módulo interfere na abertura? ou esta linha já estaria programada para o Elite A/S Budapest?

Tricks and Traps (by IM Gary Lane) australasian Chess

Alguns jogadores afirmam que sendo superiores não dão importância em truques de abertura. O fato reside na hipótese que mesmo sendo melhores e com repertório de armadilhas, partem do pressuposto que os oponentes com rating considerável evitam possíveis armadilhas.

Kasparov, geralmente em simultâneas, via de regra propicia estas armadilhas com o propósito de ganhar rapidamente. Neste vértice, veremos como se comportam as máquinas dedicadas, haja vista um vasto repertório destas "pegadinhas".

1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.g3 Bb4 5.Nd5 Nxd5 6.cxd5...

diagrama 1:

Elite A/S - Budapest Program - após 6 cxd5, joga Nd7 no nível 1 - correta resposta porque se 6..e4, 7. dxc6 exf3 8. Qb3! e as brancas ganham uma peça.

Garry Kasparov - Jana Marikova [B50]

Simultanea Hluboka 2008, 2008

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.c3 Nf6 4.Be2 Poderia o melhor jogador do século perder um peão com 4 movimentos apenas?

4...Nxe4? 5.Qa4+! 1–0

Elite A/S - Budapest Program - após 4 Be2, Elite joga Nc6, portanto correta a resposta.

Wing Gambit

a) após a3, Elite joga d5!
b) após 4...Qd5 Elite joga e4 no nível 1
c) após 4...Qd5 Elite joga Nf3 no nível 6

Ruy Lopes Mortimer's Trap

The Berlim Defense tornou-se popular após Vladimir Kramnik ter usado esta abertura contra Gary Kasparov para afastar da defesa Rui Lopes no "match" do campeonato mundial em Londres, 2000. Contudo, em tempos recentes, as brancas tem tentado evitar a linha principal com 4. d3, ao contrário de 4. 0-0. Em 2008, nova idéia surgiu pois após: 1.e4, e5 2. Nf3, Nc6 3. Bb5, Nf6 4.d3 e agora o estranho Ne7!? tem causado sensação.

[C65]
09.11.2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Ne7 a idéia consiste se: Nxe5, lá se vai uma peça após 6..Qa5.

Elite, nível 1, jogou Ne5
Elite, nível 2, jogou 0-0!

5.Nxe5 c6 6.Nc4 Ng6! [6...d5 d5 não resolve por completo 7.e5 dxc4 8.exf6 cxb5 9.fxe7 Qxe7+]

"Cloud Analysis" Fritz 13

"Cloud Analysis" Fritz 13

Chess Base é a Microsoft do xadrez (Gary kasparov). Fritz 13 traz uma nova função a qual deve predominar no futuro. "Cloud Analysis". Compartilhar análises traz economia, dispensa horas de processamento, aproveitando análises já efetuadas por poderosos computadores. Fritz 13 inova.

Your Next Move 2011 - Summary - Part1 and 2

Elite Avant Garde - conexão com Windows 7

No site HIARCS Chess Forums, vislumbra-se um programa desenvolvido por Alain Zanchetta que permite sejam as partidas jogadas com Elite, gravadas no formato pgn.

O programa pode ser baixado em:

http://alain.zanchetta.free.fr/EagRecorder/EagRecorder.exe

DGT com ShredderChess

DGT trabalha muito bem com ShredderChess. Apesar desta engine ser um monstro, pode-se ajustá-la em níveis adequados. Acredito que contem instruções melhores que Fritz pois comete blunders como um humano. Quanto ao modelo serial do DGT, proporciona uma conexão segura e com um cabo de 75 metros, pode-se jogar sem que o DGT esteja perto do computador.

Scid Pocket v 4.1 com Citrine

Lamenta-se que o prosseguimento do desenvolvimento do Scid Pocket foi interrompido. A nota do autor diz o seguinte:

All back office Scid code has been ported to Pocket PC (even book handling and tablebases).

However, due to changes in Pocket PC architecture Scid Pocket will not run on newer Windows Mobil devices and further development has been stopped.
Until now, implemented features (non exhaustive list) :

- engine analysis, with the display of up to four best lines
- board setup
- load/save of Scid bases
- opening books
- several bases can be opened with the possibility to switch between them
- import of PGN files and export of Scid bases to PGN files
- game navigation with variations handling (tap and hold generates a right click in PGN window, triggering the same contextual menu as in Scid)
- search (position, header, material & patterns). All Scid search features are available.
- opening tree (stats related to current opened base)
- engine tournament (several engines are available in installation package)
- play on internet (freechess.org also known as FICS)
- automatic game annotation by engine
- Novag Citrine external board (trough Bluetooth)

A versão disponível no site Scid funciona com algumas ressalvas quando conectado ao Novag Citrine. Com Windows Mobile, tive problemas para carregar as engines.

O que não está claro, é como a interface Scid Pocket gerencia o tempo de jogo. Após alguns testes algo sinalizou que o tempo era parametrizado no Citrine, mas ainda preciso conferir. Ainda, com as engines disponíveis no Scid Pocket, percebi alguns bugs quando conectadas com o Citrine, algo como se a força da engine não fosse a real, ver partida abaixo, como estipulada no site. Não resta dúvida que Fruit joga muito mais do que mostrou no Scid. Mas dá para se divertir com elas.

Neste teor, será que dá para concluir que o tempo do Ipaq ou Windos Mobile terminou? Há relatos de programadores sobre as dificuldades em desenvolver programas de xadrez para WM7. No Ipaq, temos várias opções, tais como a conexão com DGT e outros tabuleiros. Desta forma, talvez os futuros desenvolvimentos sejam destinados para os sistemas IOs da Apple ou Android. Mas quando se fala nestes sistemas, devemos associá-los com os celulares ou tablets que utilizam este sistema operacional e via de regra a conexão seria por bluetooth e a instalação não seria cômoda  como no Ipaq. HP, detendora dos Ipaqs não sinaliza com novos modelos, então fica o impasse, ou seja, como prognosticar o futuro com programas de alto nível para o xadrez, tais como Pocket Fritz, CEboard, Pocket GrandMaster, dentre outros. Vale ressaltar que Chessbase já lançou programas para rodar no Android e Iphone, no entanto somente é possível baixa-lo no pais de origem.

comentários gerados por Fritz 13

Garry Kasparov, FastCompany.com, September 2004

Ultimately, what separates a winner from a loser at the grandmaster level is the willingness to do the unthinkable. A brilliant strategy is, certainly, a matter of intelligence, but intelligence without audaciousness is not enough. Given the opportunity, I must have the guts to explode the game, to upend my opponent's thinking and, in so doing, unnerve him.

So it is in business: One does not succeed by sticking to convention. When your opponent can easily anticipate every move you make, your strategy deteriorates and becomes commoditized.

– Garry Kasparov, FastCompany.com, September 2004

texto extraído do website: http://www.yournextmove.be/