For Sale: Tested and working rare chess computer in good shape.
Shows very little wear and is working 100%. All sensors, buttons, lights, audio beeps, etc. are working correctly. All the original chess pieces are included. Manual is a printed copy. Has all the usual chess computer features plus what appears to be a modem, printer port, and some kind of expansion port. Battery compartment is clean, runs on 6 standard C batteries.
Some info found on the web is below:
The Novag company together with their American programmer David Kittinger was proclaimed as a favorite for many dedicated chess computer fans after their release of the Super Constellation in the year 1984. At the time of it’s release the Super Constellation was extremely strong and received a huge following because of it’s unconventional, intuitive, tactical and very human playing style.
Like almost all other chess computers of that time period, the program ran on an 8-Bit 6502 CPU at 3.6 Mhz. The software program itself was 56 K and the computer could rely on an opening book of 20.000 half moves, which may have been of record size for its day. It was now also possible for the first time for a user to create his own personal openings library of approximately 2000 half moves. This became an equipment standard for all NOVAG chess computers to this day. Further Highlights were the availability of connecting a printer as well as a chess clock to the computer. The price of the computer was approximately 800 DM and was also available in an elegant wooden board named the Constellation Expert.
Although the Super Conny, as it was lovingly named by its supporters, could not compete in Computer Competitions against its 16-Bit competitors from Mephisto, it did however often receive great acclaim for its spectacular wins (even against humans). In the professional world the experts talked about Kittinger's famous PSH-Algorithm which allowed the program to play intuitive moves and piece sacrifices. It is exactly this which even today continues to make the old Super Constellation such an interesting and sought after machine. This is especially atractive and interessting for the amateur chess player because the Super Constellation can occasionally make him look good due to itÂ’s infrequent yet also spectacular miscalculations. The author estimates a playing strength of approx. 1700 Elo (SSDF old: 1750, SSDF new: 1650).
Send your zip code for ship cost- should be between $6.95 and $11.95 if you are in the continental USA (Nov. 2012).
