List of my ROMS
Wow. Most impressive.
Is there an online resource that explains how to get these “skins” for use with UCI and DGT?
Does this help:
https://en.chessbase.com/post/the-wonderful-world-of-chess-machine-emulators
Yes. I missed so much in 2021. Thanks.
I don't know the situation in other countries, but here in the US thrift stores are very popular and can be a source of real treasures. I don't remember how much I paid for my Radio Shack 1650, but I do remember being very surprised at 1) how cheap it was and 2) that it still worked just fine.
Today there are free chess programs for the PC and the phone, but I like the feel of actually picking up the pieces and moving them. Even if the pieces are very small.
I just bought the 1650 at a thrift store near me for $4.50! It's brand new!!! I love these older computerized chess sets. 
Lol. I'm sitting here playing my Novag Sapphire when I saw the post pop up....was playing my Saitek TC 2100 earlier...enjoy my DGT and SquareOff bit I still love the older hands on smaller sets...technology took away the hands on feel.....
Best Wishes to all
Also, many of these older computers rank ELO 1900 and above, some well above 2000. Plenty strong to beat most players here, myself included. It's amazing what they could do with these "antique" CPU's and just kb's of RAM.
Absolutely...my Sapphire is over 2100 elo and my TC2100 is close to 2000...both awesome for travel or quick game...both can crush me...im only 15-16 on a Good day but love them both...why they cant make an awesome travel set that's not LCD screen I dont get. I guess no market but its just not the same for me. I admit I find the DGT Centaur is FUN to play because its always an even game. But I still find myself going back to the old ones.
Have a good day
Mark
All good choices. I use the Saitek Advanced Travel myself. It’s a late production portable model that still has usable peg pieces as the chessboard LCDs on my other Saitek and Excalibur models all broke.
I am more curious how the young children with all the tools at their disposal regard such models . I still think a use could be found as a learning tool especially at higher levels being forced to wait consider what the response is going to be and more importantly why .
I am more curious how the young children with all the tools at their disposal regard such models . I still think a use could be found as a learning tool especially at higher levels being forced to wait consider what the response is going to be and more importantly why .
Younger generations will always opt for 2D online play. It’s the default and it’s free. But as ChessDojo and ChessHouse have pointed out, the same generations struggle when they compete at over-the-board tournaments because the muscle memory familiarity of moving pieces and punching clocks have not been established. That’s why the offerings for eboards along with live gameplay on chess.com is their new initiative to address this gap.
Someone has been reading the forums
Shared a month ago
here's my collection. Tasc r30 could never find a r 40 for sale. mephisto berlin pro 68 020, mephisto master, karpov 2294, novag obsidian, mephisto pro, novag star sapphire, kasparov 2000 & 2100, par excellence, radio shack 2250 xl, kasparov express 16k, and very old chess challenger 7. the tasc machine completes about 60% of games the other times it freezes with a blinking light, not sure whats wrong. fun machines that can be beat, not like today when a cell phone will mop the floor with me. this has been a fun thread to read.
fun machines that can be beat, not like today when a cell phone will mop the floor with me. this has been a fun thread to read.
Kidding me? Soon the chess engines will beat me with more time that it started with, then it will promptly inform the online chess community with its own analysis for commentary.
I love to see there are still some old school players who enjoy the fun and experience of the older machines. I agree Elilapp, fun to read.
A good question is, "How best to train with these old chess computers?"
My method is to play a game, do a Stockfish (SF) analysis to find my first poor/weak move, then re-run/set-up the computer to that move and play again with the improvement, rinse and repeat. Eventually you get a very fine and memorable game, in my case this can take 3 or 4 repetitions. I think it's best to set-up the computer strength to be only a few 100 elo rating points above your own. Many of the old chess computers make this whole process quite trivial.
Note, if SF recommends a move/line I would have no hope of playing out I ignore it for a more sensible / human one. Simple fact is at my level, c. 1500, this is good enough giving my likely opponents.
It's a shame that the benefits of these old chess computers appear to be completely ignored nowadays.
I don't know the situation in other countries, but here in the US thrift stores are very popular and can be a source of real treasures. I don't remember how much I paid for my Radio Shack 1650, but I do remember being very surprised at 1) how cheap it was and 2) that it still worked just fine.
Today there are free chess programs for the PC and the phone, but I like the feel of actually picking up the pieces and moving them. Even if the pieces are very small.
I just bought the 1650 at a thrift store near me for $4.50! It's brand new!!! I love these older computerized chess sets.
Bought one of these about a month ago, very impressive. Has 64 levels but the unique thing is that 38 of these levels are incremental strength improvements, so it's very easy to tune the computer up to your level. Also quite simple to use. Excellent if you're around the c. 1500 rating.
I am pretty sure it doesn't have a 'ponder mode' as the ranking up of the levels is pretty solid. In my experience any computer that utilises 'ponder mode' - or it can't be switched off/on - leads to fairly meaningless level strengths. Depends a lot, no doubt, on your level.
A good question is, "How best to train with these old chess computers?"
My method is to play a game, do a Stockfish (SF) analysis to find my first poor/weak move, then re-run/set-up the computer to that move and play again with the improvement, rinse and repeat. Eventually you get a very fine and memorable game, in my case this can take 3 or 4 repetitions. I think it's best to set-up the computer strength to be only a few 100 elo rating points above your own. Many of the old chess computers make this whole process quite trivial.
Note, if SF recommends a move/line I would have no hope of playing out I ignore it for a more sensible / human one. Simple fact is at my level, c. 1500, this is good enough giving my likely opponents.
It's a shame that the benefits of these old chess computers appear to be completely ignored nowadays.
one thought on how to use. put the opening on the board to ending variation. then play it. see what the 1800, 2000, computer can do. play it lots of times...so you wont be GM but you will be well versed on 2000 play.
does anyone know of a tasc r40 for sale? i'm a buyer. impossible to find. i would pay a finders fee.
Here's some pics of the Mephisto computer I recently acquired. It doesn't appear to say on it what it is, buy googling shows that it's a Mephisto ESB 6000 from 1981 or 82.
It's huge - 50 x 50 x 9 cm
This was the first Mephisto that came with a wooden autosensory board attached. The downside was that it's not upgradable. When they introduced the "Mephisto Exclusive" boards, they corrected that, the modules could be exchanged. And then again, with their later, stronger modules you'd need a new Exclusive board yet again which delivered more power.
Thanks for the response, that makes sense.