Difference between revisions of "Chess-Master"

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'''Chess-Master''',<br/>
 
'''Chess-Master''',<br/>
a [[Dedicated Chess Computers|dedicated chess computer]] series manufactured in the 80s by  [[VEB Mikroelektronik Erfurt|VEB Mikroelektronik „Karl Marx“ Erfurt]], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Germany East Germany], in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Germany West Germany] sold by Radiophon. Chess-Master ran on an 8-bit [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U880 U880] CPU, which was an unlicensed [[Z80]] clone, and had 10 KB [[Memory#ROM|ROM]] and 2 KB [[Memory#RAM|RAM]]. The chess program was initially written by [[Dieter Schultze]] and [[Rüdiger Worbs]].
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a [[Dedicated Chess Computers|dedicated chess computer]] series manufactured in the 80s by  [[VEB Mikroelektronik Erfurt|VEB Mikroelektronik „Karl Marx“ Erfurt]], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Germany East Germany], in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Germany West Germany] sold by Radiophon. Chess-Master ran on an 8-bit [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U880 U880] CPU, which was an unlicensed [[Z80]] clone, and had 10 KB [[Memory#ROM|ROM]] and 2 KB [[Memory#RAM|RAM]]. The chess program authors were [[Dieter Schultze]] and [[Rüdiger Worbs]].
  
 
[[Piece Recognition|Automatic piece recognition]] was implemented with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hall_effect_sensor Hall effect sensors] under each square of the chessboard, while pieces had two reverse directed [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnet permanent magnets] with different compensation embedded, so that a cyclic running multiplexed I/O program, also polling the keyboard, could recognize the pieces <ref>[http://www.robotron-net.de/sonstiges.html#CM OEM und Sonstiges - Schachcomputer "ChessMaster"] from [http://www.robotron-net.de/ Robotron-net.de] (German)</ref> <ref>[http://www.robotron-net.de/Service/Dokus/CM-Sp.jpg Chess-Master circuit diagram] hosted by [http://www.robotron-net.de/ Robotron-net.de]</ref> .
 
[[Piece Recognition|Automatic piece recognition]] was implemented with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hall_effect_sensor Hall effect sensors] under each square of the chessboard, while pieces had two reverse directed [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnet permanent magnets] with different compensation embedded, so that a cyclic running multiplexed I/O program, also polling the keyboard, could recognize the pieces <ref>[http://www.robotron-net.de/sonstiges.html#CM OEM und Sonstiges - Schachcomputer "ChessMaster"] from [http://www.robotron-net.de/ Robotron-net.de] (German)</ref> <ref>[http://www.robotron-net.de/Service/Dokus/CM-Sp.jpg Chess-Master circuit diagram] hosted by [http://www.robotron-net.de/ Robotron-net.de]</ref> .
  
Chess-Master played the [[WMCCC 1983|3rd World Microcomputer Chess Championship]] 1983 in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest Budapest], running on a 2.5 MHz processor, searching 12 - 15 [[Nodes per Second|nodes per second]] <ref>[[Frederic Friedel]] ('''1984'''). ''Move from the East''. Report of the WMCCC 1983, [[Personal Computer World]], January 1984</ref>, and competed with [[Sensory 9|Fidelity Sensory 9]] for the title of the best commercial entry <ref>[[David Kittinger]] ('''1984'''). ''Report from Budapest''. [[Computer Chess Reports|Computer Chess Digest Annual 1984]] pp. 34</ref>.  
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Chess-Master played the [[WMCCC 1983|3rd World Microcomputer Chess Championship]] 1983 in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest Budapest], running on a 2.5 MHz processor, searching 12 - 15 [[Nodes per Second|nodes per second]] <ref>[[Frederic Friedel]] ('''1984'''). ''Move from the East''. Report of the WMCCC 1983, [[Personal Computer World]], January 1984</ref>, and competed with [[Sensory 9|Fidelity Sensory 9]] for the title of the best commercial entry <ref>[[David Kittinger]] ('''1984'''). ''Report from Budapest''. [[Computer Chess Reports|Computer Chess Digest Annual 1984]] pp. 34</ref>. According to [[Ingo Althöfer]], the Chess-Master was a clone of the [[Chafitz ARB Sargon 2.5|Sargon 2.5]] [[6502]] program  by [[Dan Spracklen|Dan]] and [[Kathe Spracklen]] - the 6502 had to be emulated by the U880 aka Z80 which apparently resulted in that low speed <ref>[https://en.chessbase.com/post/east-german-programmers-in-budapest#discuss East German programmers in Budapest - Discussion] by [[Ingo Althöfer]], [[ChessBase|ChessBase News]], July 07, 2020</ref>.
  
 
=Chess-Master Table=  
 
=Chess-Master Table=  
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[[FILE:Schachcomputer-CM-diamond.jpg|border|right|thumb| Chess-Master Diamond <ref>[http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mikroelektronik Kombinat Mikroelektronik Erfurt (KME) from Wikimedia Commons], Photo by [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Erdmann_Schleinitz Erdmann Schleinitz]</ref> ]]
 
[[FILE:Schachcomputer-CM-diamond.jpg|border|right|thumb| Chess-Master Diamond <ref>[http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mikroelektronik Kombinat Mikroelektronik Erfurt (KME) from Wikimedia Commons], Photo by [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Erdmann_Schleinitz Erdmann Schleinitz]</ref> ]]
  
The improved '''Chess-Master Diamond''' was contributed by [[Rüdiger Worbs]] and [[Wolfgang Pähtz]] <ref>[http://www.schach-computer.info/wiki/index.php/Chess-Master_Diamond Chess-Master Diamond] from [http://www.schach-computer.info/wiki/index.php/Hauptseite_En Schachcomputer.info Wiki] (German)</ref> , and was released in 1987 <ref>[http://www.schach-computer.info/wiki/index.php/Chess-Master_Diamond Chess-Master Diamond] from [http://www.schach-computer.info/wiki/index.php/Hauptseite_En Schachcomputer.info Wiki] (German)</ref> .  
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The improved '''Chess-Master Diamond''' was contributed by [[Rüdiger Worbs]] and [[Wolfgang Pähtz]] <ref>[http://www.schach-computer.info/wiki/index.php/Chess-Master_Diamond Chess-Master Diamond] from [http://www.schach-computer.info/wiki/index.php/Hauptseite_En Schachcomputer.info Wiki] (German)</ref> , and was released in 1987 <ref>[http://www.schach-computer.info/wiki/index.php/Chess-Master_Diamond Chess-Master Diamond] from [http://www.schach-computer.info/wiki/index.php/Hauptseite_En Schachcomputer.info Wiki] (German)</ref>.
  
 
<span id="VideoChessMaster"></span>
 
<span id="VideoChessMaster"></span>
 
=Video Chess-Master=  
 
=Video Chess-Master=  
[[FILE:VideoChess-Master.gif|border|right|thumb|link=https://www.schachburg.de/threads/2414-Der-Video-Chess-Master-in-der-DDR| Video Chess-Master Screen <ref>[https://www.schachburg.de/threads/2414-Der-Video-Chess-Master-in-der-DDR Der Video Chess-Master in der DDR]</ref> ]]  
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[[FILE:VideoChess-Master.jpg|border|right|thumb|link=https://www.schachburg.de/threads/2414-Der-Video-Chess-Master-in-der-DDR| Video Chess-Master Screen <ref>[https://www.schachburg.de/threads/2414-Der-Video-Chess-Master-in-der-DDR Der Video Chess-Master in der DDR]</ref> ]]  
  
 
The Chess-Master program was further ported to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KC_85 KC 85/2] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_computer personal computer]  by [[Wolfgang Pähtz]] <ref>[http://paehtz.eu/Sammlung/Schachcomputer Schachcomputer (DDR)] by [[Wolfgang Pähtz]]</ref>.  
 
The Chess-Master program was further ported to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KC_85 KC 85/2] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_computer personal computer]  by [[Wolfgang Pähtz]] <ref>[http://paehtz.eu/Sammlung/Schachcomputer Schachcomputer (DDR)] by [[Wolfgang Pähtz]]</ref>.  
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* [http://paehtz.eu/Sammlung/Schachcomputer Schachcomputer (DDR)] by [[Wolfgang Pähtz]]
 
* [http://paehtz.eu/Sammlung/Schachcomputer Schachcomputer (DDR)] by [[Wolfgang Pähtz]]
 
* [https://en.chessbase.com/post/east-german-programmers-in-budapest East German programmers in Budapest] by [[Frederic Friedel]], [[ChessBase|ChessBase News]], July 05, 2020 » [[WMCCC 1983]]
 
* [https://en.chessbase.com/post/east-german-programmers-in-budapest East German programmers in Budapest] by [[Frederic Friedel]], [[ChessBase|ChessBase News]], July 05, 2020 » [[WMCCC 1983]]
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: [https://en.chessbase.com/post/east-german-programmers-in-budapest#discuss East German programmers in Budapest - Discussion] by [[Ingo Althöfer]], [[ChessBase|ChessBase News]], July 07, 2020
  
 
=References=  
 
=References=  
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'''[[Engines|Up one level]]'''
 
'''[[Engines|Up one level]]'''
 
[[Category:Commercial]]
 
[[Category:Commercial]]
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[[Category:Clone]]
 
[[Category:Z80]]
 
[[Category:Z80]]
 
[[Category:Dedicated]]
 
[[Category:Dedicated]]
 
[[Category:Master]]
 
[[Category:Master]]

Revision as of 22:11, 8 July 2020

Home * Engines * Chess-Master

Chess-Master [1]

Chess-Master,
a dedicated chess computer series manufactured in the 80s by VEB Mikroelektronik „Karl Marx“ Erfurt, East Germany, in West Germany sold by Radiophon. Chess-Master ran on an 8-bit U880 CPU, which was an unlicensed Z80 clone, and had 10 KB ROM and 2 KB RAM. The chess program authors were Dieter Schultze and Rüdiger Worbs.

Automatic piece recognition was implemented with Hall effect sensors under each square of the chessboard, while pieces had two reverse directed permanent magnets with different compensation embedded, so that a cyclic running multiplexed I/O program, also polling the keyboard, could recognize the pieces [2] [3] .

Chess-Master played the 3rd World Microcomputer Chess Championship 1983 in Budapest, running on a 2.5 MHz processor, searching 12 - 15 nodes per second [4], and competed with Fidelity Sensory 9 for the title of the best commercial entry [5]. According to Ingo Althöfer, the Chess-Master was a clone of the Sargon 2.5 6502 program by Dan and Kathe Spracklen - the 6502 had to be emulated by the U880 aka Z80 which apparently resulted in that low speed [6].

Chess-Master Table

Chess-Master Table [7] [8]

The Chess-Master Table was a rare piece of jewelry. Only approximately 10 issues were build for special purposes - for instance, one Chess-Master Table was dedicated to Fidel Castro, a gift by Erich Honecker [9] [10] .

Chess-Master Diamond

Chess-Master Diamond [11]

The improved Chess-Master Diamond was contributed by Rüdiger Worbs and Wolfgang Pähtz [12] , and was released in 1987 [13].

Video Chess-Master

Video Chess-Master Screen [14]

The Chess-Master program was further ported to the KC 85/2 personal computer by Wolfgang Pähtz [15].

See also

Publications

External Links

East German programmers in Budapest - Discussion by Ingo Althöfer, ChessBase News, July 07, 2020

References

  1. East German chess computer CM (Chess-Master,) CM, Schachcomputer in der DDR from Wikipedia.de (German)
  2. OEM und Sonstiges - Schachcomputer "ChessMaster" from Robotron-net.de (German)
  3. Chess-Master circuit diagram hosted by Robotron-net.de
  4. Frederic Friedel (1984). Move from the East. Report of the WMCCC 1983, Personal Computer World, January 1984
  5. David Kittinger (1984). Report from Budapest. Computer Chess Digest Annual 1984 pp. 34
  6. East German programmers in Budapest - Discussion by Ingo Althöfer, ChessBase News, July 07, 2020
  7. Kombinat Mikroelektronik Erfurt (KME) from Wikimedia Commons, Photo by Erdmann Schleinitz
  8. Chess-Master Schachtisch from Schachcomputer.info Wiki (German)
  9. VEB Mikroelektronik Erfurt from Schachcomputer.info - Wiki (German)
  10. Karsten Bauermeister (1999). Deutsch-Deutsche Geschichte(n). Computerschach und Spiele. No. 5, October-November 1999, pp 32-33 (German)
  11. Kombinat Mikroelektronik Erfurt (KME) from Wikimedia Commons, Photo by Erdmann Schleinitz
  12. Chess-Master Diamond from Schachcomputer.info Wiki (German)
  13. Chess-Master Diamond from Schachcomputer.info Wiki (German)
  14. Der Video Chess-Master in der DDR
  15. Schachcomputer (DDR) by Wolfgang Pähtz
  16. OEM und Sonstiges - Schachcomputer "ChessMaster" from Robotron-net.de (German)
  17. Dap Hartmann (1988). Christian Posthoff and Günter Reinemann: Computerschach - Schachcomputer. ICCA Journal, Vol. 11, No. 1 (Review)
  18. VEB Mikroelektronik Erfurt - Chess-Master Diamond, pdf hosted by Hein Veldhuis
  19. VEB Mikroelektronik Erfurt - Chess-Master Diamond, pdf hosted by Hein Veldhuis

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