Chess computers...Does anyone use them anymore?

Struggling, or have decided not to? Certabo did it in months.

Gorgeous wooden dedicated chess computer (DCC) you have there. Is it just me or are the pieces quite tall with respect to the surface area ratio of the board?

With the current strength of chess engines, I do not know of anyone who uses them to get the satisfaction of defeating an opponent - that's what chess.com is for. The strength of DCCs now is for OTB analysis; hence, you learn "something" from them. I read that the SquareOff machine uses Stockfish 8 and the soon-to-be-released Millennium King Performance wooden computer uses the updated Johan de Koning's program - remember the Tasc R30?

https://computerchess.com/en/the-king-performance-2/

I was gifted a vintage Fidelity Chess Challenger 3 - the unit prior to the sensory board. It didn't age well. Fidelity learned a lot with manufacturing DCCs with that model.

However, I have to ask if people still play with anti-computer moves against chess engines. Does that still work?

This reminds me of the “chess personalities” that you would play against in the 2000s versions of Chessmaster such as Kasparov and Alekhine. Now chess computers only have two major settings: varying levels of “intentionally broken” and “unbeatable foe” that is perennially stronger than you.

The last time that I read about “personalities” based on the usual style of play by the leading chess engines was around the 2010s with Rybka, Fritz and Shredder with Stockfish emerging as the most “human” player. 

I have the Saitek Executive Kasparov and the Saitek Travel Champion 2100 Kasparov chess computers. I am willing to part with either/both for a reasonable price. They both work, have all the pieces with the original box. Both are in very good condition. Message me if you are interested.

yup, I still play with them.  I've got several Saitek/Kasparov boards, and find them useful for training if I want to train OTB.  None of my friends play, unfortunately.

A childhood friend was gifted a Saitek Mondial chess computer back when we were still in 2nd grade. Definitely gave him an edge against other kids our age for the next few years, so I was always envious of him. He still has it to this day (complete in box) the same way that NM John Bartholomew still has his beloved “first chess opponent.” 

@sound67 - You’re absolutely right. It was a Mephisto Mondial I. 

I know! I watched the resurgence of dedicated chess computers happen with their first “plastic wonder”, the Chess Genius.  The pico chess on Raspberry Pi is all well and good but it’s only an option if you have a DGT eboard. 

I saw images online recently. The have the same idea as the DGT Revelation but with a better screen and LEDs like the Certabo boards. More importantly, they're half as expensive as the Revelation. 

@sound67 - Do you own one? i have not read the PDF to check what the interface options were.

Upon further research, the company Pewatronic started with this unit in 2012:

Looks suspiciously like the Saitek Master chess computer. 

Do the people at Pewateonic have any connection to the old Mephisto/Saitek company? Didn’t the people behind Millennium come from Mephisto/Saitek as well?

 

Seems like the resurgence of dedicated chess computers is finally happening. Did the manufacturers sense that more people have disposable income to afford these wooden chess computers? DGT, SquareOff, Certabo, Millennium and now Pewatronic! 

There’s an uptake in chess book publications as well starting with Thinkers Publishing and McFarland for game collections and Quality Chess and New in Chess for improvement books. Feels like 2009 all over again!

I think there’s definitely a surge of interest to touch and move pieces after years of mostly playing the game on a computer screen of some sort.

I’m happy chess computers are still alive. I have 4 in my collection. My Grandmaster is always setup in my office.

As a side note, I started my project, MasterPiece Chess as an attempt to bring physical pieces to chess.com players that use their iPad to play. These special pieces I hand make to interact with your iPad so you can setup pieces on your iPad, launch the chess.com app and play a computer opponent or a live opponent by moving real pieces to register the moves!

Check it out!

www.masterpiecechess.com

 

Ha, that's part of why I play chessmaster. It's a lot of fun to play. I picked it up for only like £5 off Amazon after reading a bunch of stuff about it online, that's it's held in high regard. Think the one I play came out in 2010, but it runs completely fine on windows computers.

 

I want to get a few chess computers too. Retro analogue appeal.

I have looked into your product when I saw it on one of the forum posts at chess.com. I have a few questions if you won’t mind answering:

Do your pieces work even when a clear screen protector is installed on the iPad? 

Thanks!

Yes! If your finger can still activate the screen, the pieces will as well.

Thank you for the response. 

It was a joy to play a chess game on a fine dedicated chess computer back in the 80's. Such as the full size  top of the line wooden auto sensory Mephisto, Fidelity or Novag.

In 1991 I owned a Mehphisto Vancouver. I paid $50 for the Co US Champion Stewart Rachels to play it one G/30. It beat him playing white, and he was 2600

How did you set that up?! Do you have the game?

Mephisto Vancouver was pretty strong for most masters already. It was a good enough for analysis prior to chess software. I let my coach try an Excalibur Karpov 2294 at a low setting and it was enough to make him work for the win to an endgame even as white. What more at the highest tournament levels? 

Another-Life unfortunately I do not have the game score. The game was played on a uscf tournament board and piece set with me making the moves for the computer at G/30. I remember the game was a richter rauser with the computer playing white.