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Subject: Re: Major deficiency in Saitek Cosmic LCD Chess Computer

Author: Chris Kantack

Date: 20:12:39 08/08/02

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On August 08, 2002 at 00:11:11, eric guttenberg wrote:

>I recently bought the Saitek Cosmic LCD-style chess computer.
>
>I was impressed with it right away. It is a sleek, handsome little
>machine with a very easy to see display, a wide range of features
>and options and appeared to play a strong game. Except...
>
>I was not too surprised when it could not do the KBN v K mate. But
>then I discovered it could not mate a lone King with King and 2 Bishops
>...or with King and Rook...or with King and Queen. It certainly plays
>the middlegame well but if you get into the endgame you will find
>a lot of positions where you can play for and get a draw even when
>when the position should be dead lost.
>
>For as much as I liked this guy at first, it is just a little depressing
>to see him cluelessly shifting his king back and forth in queen-up
>position. He will push the pawn in a K+P vs K very efficiently but
>while he gets the Queen all I have to do is move my King away from
>the side of the board and -voila- Cosmic turns into Mortimer Snerd.
>

From what I've heard from others, (even read in ads for the thing), the Saitek
Cosmic is a very weak chess computer.   Strength around 1300 Elo.

It is also quite heavy for a handheld and is prone to having screen defects.
I've yet to hear from a single satisfied Saitek Cosmic customer.

Chris Kantack



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