Author: stuart taylor
Date: 08:50:41 01/24/05
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On January 23, 2005 at 08:00:29, Steve B wrote: >The Fidelity Chess Challenger needs no introduction >Released in 1977, it was the very first dedicated chess computer available to >the buying public How can you say a thing like that? In Hamley's toy shop [London UK] (famous in the Princess Diana story) in about 1974 there were about 3 dedicated chess computers on display for sale, and it was possible to play the display models, too. S.Taylor >Invented and Programmed by Ron Nelson, it ran on a 8080 AF processor running at >2Mhz with 2k of ROM >it had one level of play >A total of 1000 were made and it sold for about $350-$400 > >since neither Nelson or Samole(President of Fidelity) were serious chess >players they made the now infamous mistake of reversing the ranks and >files,causing the move input system to be totally reversed > >to play the normal D2-D4 the owner had to key in..4B to 4D > > > >Fidelity quickly corrected the gaff with the Chess Challenger 3 >owners of the CC1 could send in their computers to the Fidelity Factory for an >upgrade to the CC3 >in addition to correcting the notation they increased the number of levels to >three > >in this photo the reversal of rank and file can be seen as well as the reversed >notation in the display screen: > >http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/cpaa2@sbcglobal.net/detail?.dir=3353&.dnm=c1fa.jpg&.src=ph > >below are two very historical photos > >this is the prototype of the Chess Challenger Motherboard > >the first commercial chess computer motherboard ,if not for which, we would all >not be here today in this sacred forum of computer chess: > >http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/cpaa2@sbcglobal.net/detail?.dir=3353&.dnm=85ea.jpg&.src=ph > >and the first keyboard interface to input the moves to the motherboard: > >http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/cpaa2@sbcglobal.net/detail?.dir=3353&.dnm=149c.jpg&.src=ph > >i bought the Chess Challenger during Xmas 1977,my very first chess computer.. >still have that baby.. and it still works..just fine > >Historical Regards >Steve
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