Author: Mike Byrne
Date: 13:35:55 12/28/02
Go up one level in this thread
On December 28, 2002 at 00:36:46, Chris Kantack wrote: >On December 27, 2002 at 18:05:05, Christophe Theron wrote: > >>On December 27, 2002 at 00:43:43, Dick Maunder wrote: >> >>>I am a fairly experienced chess player but have gotten away from the game for a >>>few years and wish to get reconnected. Years ago I thoroughly enjoyed the >>>Kasparov Turbo S24 and now want to purchase a newer model. >>> >>>I am looking at the following models and would like any feedback anyone might >>>have on the merits of one over the other and comared to the Excalibur top end >>>Grandmaster. >>> >>>--Saitek Centurion $129.00 (Can't locate one in stores) >>>--Saitek Chess Academy $229.00 (Ready to purchase one this week) >>>--Saitek Cougar $129.00 (May be discontinued) >>> >>>--Excalibur Grandmaster $229.00 >>> >>>Also I can't for some reason locate anything like a review or comparison >>>anywhere on these board level computer chess sets. Any help on recommending one >>>of the above or similar would be grealy appreciated. >>> >>>Thanks, >>> >>>RL Hunter >>>Boston area >> >> >> >>For the money, you can get much better than that. >> >>Just purchase a Palm ZIRE ($99 or even less), and Chess Tiger for Palm ($19.95 >>at http://www.chesstiger.com). >> >>You will get a much better chess engine, that is updated regularly for free, a >>more convenient chess machine, rechargeable, and you will be able to do many >>other things with it (use it as a personal organizer, and actually it is a real >>pocket computer with thousands of software available on the Internet). >> >> Christophe > >I strongly agree with Christophe on every point except the choice of using the >Palm ZIRE. Spent a few more dollars and get yourself an older Palm with a >larger screen and more memory. For around $140 you can usually find a Palm m500 >or other (large screen) Palm compatible that, in my opinion, is heads and tails >above a dinky ZIRE with only 2megs of memory and no backlighting. > >Chess Tiger is a great chess program. By far I recommend Chess Tiger for the >Palm over any tabletop chess computer available. Chess Tiger on the Palm is >cheaper, stronger, and more flexible. If you still want to play on a real set, >simply set up a set next to your Palm and mirror the moves on the real set. (I >often do just that myself!) > >In about 30 days I hope to post an all-new review of Chess Tiger on the Palm. > >Chris Kantack >http://home.earthlink.net/~kantack/lcdchess/home.htm The only current tabletop that I would recommend would be one that has 64 LEDS (one on every square). Without 64 LEDs , you are simply doing what Chris is proposing anyway - reading an LCD making moves on board. There are every few dedicated units that are stronger than a Palm running CT - especially at 66 Mhz. Most of those units that are stronger than Palm CT are out of production and are holding their value for "collectible value" as opposed to a comparision what a Palm can do (a whole lot more) versus a dedicated unit (not a whole lot besides playing chess). If you want a dedicated chess unit, the best current? production model that can still be purchased "brand new" is the Mephisto Altanta. If you want the strongest portable unit, that is still the Pocket PC - with Pocket Fritz (Shredder engine) or Pocket Grandmaster with Ruffian engine. That may change as soon as Chris converts Tiger to native ARM for the new Palms. Pocket PCs are more expensive that the old Palma by about 2+ to 1 margin. So the best value - stength of program for modest cost, and there is NO doubt about this - an old Palm running Chess Tiger 15. Michael Byrne
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