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Subject: Re: Collector's Corner..The Best Selling Chess Computer Of All Time..

Author: John Merlino

Date: 09:22:29 01/24/05

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On January 24, 2005 at 10:45:41, Mark Young wrote:

>On January 24, 2005 at 09:57:55, Steve B wrote:
>
>>Perhaps we can say this computer is the exact opposite if the term RARE
>>however no anthology of the old computers could be complete without its
>>inclusion
>>
>>The Fidelity Chess Challenger 7 remains to this day ,and most probably for all
>>time, the largest selling chess computer ever made.
>>
>>programmed by Ron Nelson and released in 1979,it ran on the Z80 A processor at 4
>>MHz
>>it had a small  opening book of less then 100 positions and was rated at about
>>1300 Elo
>>
>>the computer was constructed out of  cheap plastic which enabled Fidelity to
>>offer the computer to the buying public at the very attractive price of $100
>>
>>buyers who were not serious chess players bought them up as gifts,or as
>>curiosities,wanting the latest high-tech gizmo of the day.
>>much the same as we see today with the Palm,Pocket,PDA,Blackberry(or is it
>>Blueberry?)market.
>>
>>
>>Fidelity wound up selling close to  700,000 units
>>
>>there are always at least 5-10 CC7'S available on Ebay on any given day:
>>
>>personally i always get a kick out of the photo on the CC7 box
>> Dad and Son play chess while a loving and adoring Mom looks on approvingly and
>>in marital bliss
>>
>>http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/cpaa2@sbcglobal.net/detail?.dir=3353&.dnm=4ef0.jpg&.src=ph
>>
>>whenever my Wife complains about my collection i always refer her to this photo
>>her typical response..UH HUH
>>
>>Best
>>Steve
>
>I think this a to computer I had as a kid. If I remember right, you could never
>beat this machine. As it would show any checkmate on the computer as an ILLEGAL
>move. :)

I do have one of these, which still works quite well although it is missing one
Black Pawn. However, I have no problem getting it to admit defeat. Of course,
this means that it has a very poor engine, since I am an exceptionally poor
player. :-)

jm



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