Collectors Corner.. Chafitz Chess Computers..The Early Years

[Fernando]

It is a shame they, the Chafitz, do not remember nothing of this programer, Mr Lindsey. Isn't possible to find out with and trough other means?
For a guy like Steve Blincoe that has in his payroll no less than 50 people, I am sure he could allocate one of them to the task.

Nothing is too much to accomplish this critical historical research regards
Fernando

[sonofboris]

I just want to clarify, that my mother was responsible for the Boris Diplomat design not the original Boris. I will try to get a copy of the original sketches and send them to Steve B. when I get a chance.

I will also ask them more about David Slate and what exactly he did program. In addition to developing and manufacturing chess computers, my parents were also running their retail electronics company and raising two kids. So their memories of this time take a little bit of prodding.

I remember going to school with a red vinyl BORIS IS KING binder as a kid. My sister and I also helped make Boris is King buttons from a hand pressed button machine in our dining room.

Another piece of trivia. The first Boris Diplomats had a small flaw. The clear case that covered the pieces was the wrong size and all the pieces would fall out as soon tried to take the game with you. It was soon corrected with a tighter fitting top.

[Steve B]

Another piece of trivia. The first Boris Diplomats had a small flaw. The clear case that covered the pieces was the wrong size and all the pieces would fall out as soon tried to take the game with you. It was soon corrected with a tighter fitting top.

excellent info Rob..thanks

so now we know there are actually three Diplomat versions
the Blue BD 1:


the Brown BD II:

and now the VERY RARE ..BD..with the ill fitting dust cover(case over pieces)

MY Collection is missing this one regards
Steve

[Steve B]

For a guy like Steve Blincoe that has in his payroll no less than 50 people, I am sure he could allocate one of them to the task.

Nothing is too much to accomplish this critical historical research regards
Fernando

Shhhh.Fern!
i am trying to make a good deal for myself on the Lucite Boris
do you HAVE to mention i have these many people working for me???

now if you recall.. i mentioned that i am ONE of 50 people working for one guy who owns the firm

Cant Tell anything to anybody nowadays i see..
Shakes Head Regards
Steve

[Fernando]

well, I will stay silent if some perquisites and inducements are offered to me. On the contrary I could tell Mr Chafitz Junior about your immense richness and how he could ask from you anything he dares.
He then will ask you no less than 25 kilo-bucks just to begin to think in the business.

But o course we can avoid all that nasty nuisance so easily, right Steve?

Fernando Super 9.....

[Steve B]

well, I will stay silent if some perquisites and inducements are offered to me. Fernando Super 9.....

i have only one Super 9..one.. i tell you
if i had a double of the SU9 it would already be on its way to you
would you take the only Super 9 i have??

no .. of course not ..a true friend would never do that
i am VERY certain you would not even think of such a thing....


Right Regards?
Steve

[Fernando]

Right. Of course you are right. I was well raised in my childhood, so I can share your emotions with sympathy. So, let us say we can substitute Super 9 by anything you have three or even four times, as I have seen in the photos of your collection.
It is time to improve the world distribution of income, Steve.

Waiting the catalogue regards
Fernando

[mclane]

[Steve B]

i still do not have a chafitz in my dedicated chess computer "collection".
what a pity.
i never had one. neither boris nor MGS etc.nothing. nada.
maybe its time to get one ?

this looks like a good start for your Chafitz collection Thor
of course we cannot know just from the photos if the Capa and Gruen modules are the regular ones or the "S"

http://cgi.ebay.com/Chess-computer-Grea ... 0211710803

Go For It Regards
Steve

[mclane]

yes. but since this machine is COMPLETE it will get a high price.
also i am very much interested in a machine NOT with a spracklen program because i have a few spracklens in my tournament.

so i am very much interested in reading this thread to find out about
the programmers of chafitz.

my idea with my dedicated tournament was that all programmers are represented.

kaplan / lang / nitsche+henne / kittinger / schroeder / morsch / spracklen
nelson / horvath / rathsmann / danielsen / ...

i still have a lack of some programmers because their machines were rare.

so which machines were programmed by
David Slate and Larry Atkins ?
did they continue the spracklen program or invented an own program??

[Steve B]

i still have a lack of some programmers because their machines were rare.

i see you are missing the only chess computer programmed by Chrilly Donninger..the Tiger Grenadier
this computer is not so rare :


Hydra sends its Regards
Steve

[mclane]

?
of course the grenadier is rare. i have not seen it so far anywhere.

which of the chafitz machines has the slate/atkins program ?
this is also missing in my tournament.

[Steve B]

i got the Grenadier about a year ago on Ebay

it cost me something like $75 bucks
watch for it...there will be another..i have already noticed 2 more on Ebay since i got this one

from what Robert Chafitz has posted here already the Original Boris and Boris Master were programmed by the unknown and mysterious David Lindsey ..that seems certain

however its possible the Diplomats might have been Slate or also Lindsey or a combination...i think it was Lindsey alone but this is not yet 100% clear

hopefully Robert can provide more information on this in a future post

The Quest For Knowledge...Continues.. Regards
Steve

[klute]

and now the VERY RARE ..BD..with the ill fitting dust cover(case over pieces)

MY Collection is missing this one regards

I once owned one of these incredibly rare first blue Diplomats with ill-fitting dust cover - if only I had known at the time...

[Fernando]

and now the VERY RARE ..BD..with the ill fitting dust cover(case over pieces)

MY Collection is missing this one regards

I once owned one of these incredibly rare first blue Diplomats with ill-fitting dust cover - if only I had known at the time...

It is a very strange feeling you have when readi8ng these threads that are 6,7 years old and looks like written yesterday.
I wonder what happened next with this Chafitz gentleman that appeared, told things and then he went....