Author: Ray Rogers
Date: 07:39:31 01/22/05
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On January 22, 2005 at 08:50:29, Steve B wrote: >While it is true that Ron Nelson invented and programmed the first commercially >available chess computer in 1977,Sid Samole the President of Fidelity is usually >the name mentioned in connection with the Chess Challenger > >Samole was however a marketing genius and the combination of Nelson and Samole >sparked the dedicated computer industry from its infancy in 1977 to become a >major business into the early 1990's > >an example of Samoles marketing savy was the notion of a Limited Edition or >Custom Made computer > >the first company to offer this in a dedicated computer ,Fidelity was able to >breathe new life into a model that was close to its last grasp > >the Fidelity Sensory Champion was the winner of the first Micro World >Championship held in 1980 >it was a huge seller for Fidelity and was programmed by the Spracklen team >it ran at 2Mhz and was rated about 1550-1575 Elo > >in 1981 Samole with a factory still full of Sensory Champion units thought up >the idea of issuing a Limited Edition Sensory Champion which he named .. >The Elite Sensory Champion >he doubled the clock speed to 4 Mhz and a slightly larger opening book > >only 500 units would be made with the original owners name engraved on a gold >plaque in the front of the unit >an engraving machine was bought for this purpose and 500 names were hammered >out >special quality control certificates and certificates of authenticity were also >issued for each unit testifying to the owners name and unit number >each member of the production team would sign off including Ron Nelson > >it sold out within weeks of final production at close to $1000 each >in addition, it spurred on further sales of the now old Sensory Champion > >the Elite Champion is a highly valued computer by Collector's Worldwide > >shown here is one of my two Elite Champions .. > >NO.399(i am not the original owner) >my other Elite is NO. 17 and oddly enough has an un inscribed plaque(blank >plaque) > >http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/cpaa2@sbcglobal.net/detail?.dir=3353&.dnm=1c0e.jpg&.src=ph > > >here is a photo of the quality control and authenticity certificates >if you can enlarge the photo Ron Nelson's signature can been seen on the Blue >Certificate of Authenticity ..second from the top line > >http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/cpaa2@sbcglobal.net/detail?.dir=3353&.dnm=ec05.jpg&.src=ph > >Limited Regards >Steve Doesn't it look good. I was mildly annoyed when Saitek used the name Elite on a recent model. It was a bit like AMC buying Rolls Royce and calling their latest Pacer a Corniche. I've always thought that wood effect in plastic was OK but we've had seemingly endless supplies of silver and black things? Yuk. Many thanks for all this info. How about an example game or two to go with the story. Ray.
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