Conchess

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Conchess was the brand name of chess computers that were developed from 1981 by the Munich company Consumenta by Peter-Ingolf Genicke and Klaus Heyne. The software came from the Swedish programmer Ulf Rathsman. The devices were manufactured by Wallharn Electronics, a factory for hi-fi equipment in Ireland. Consumenta was not unknown in this market, because by the early 1980s this company had taken over the distribution of chess computers from Fidelity Electronics .

properties

The brand name "Conchess" is made up of Consumenta and Chess. In 1982 three chess computers of this series came on the market: Escorter (598 DM) with a plastic case of 30 × 30 cm, Ambassador (798 DM) with a 40 × 40 cm wooden board and Monarch (998 DM) with a tournament-sized wooden board.

The electronics were completely housed inside the device. Technically, the three models were identical:

  • Market launch: 1982
  • Added input: magnetic sensors
  • Train withdrawal: yes
  • Train output: 64 LEDs
  • Suggested moves: yes
  • Color change: yes
  • Acoustics: sound signals
  • Program size: 24 KByte
  • Processor 6502 with 2 MHz
  • Chess clock : no
  • Random generator : can be switched off
  • Power supply: mains
  • Modular system with two shafts

The module system could be operated by using a second module with an additional processor. This made real multiprocessing possible. Such a module was already tested in 1982, but was no longer on the market due to the bankruptcy of the Consumenta company. The basic module was responsible for the position evaluation and the second was supposed to carry out a pure material evaluation. Ulf Rathsman's program was competitive. Conchess knew all the rules of a draw , had a mate search level , mastered sub-transformation and you could play a game back and forth at will. Only the opening library was small with only 300  half moves.

Successes of the later models

In 1983, Loproc GmbH took over sales of the Conchess devices. In 1984 Princhess X , one of a total of three participating programs by Ulf Rathsman, took first place shared with Psion Chess at the 4th Microcomputer World Championship in Glasgow . This version was brought onto the market as a supplementary cassette P at a price of 298 DM. Further modules S (for speed, clock frequency 3.2 MHz) and T (for top speed, clock frequency 5.5 MHz) appeared later. In 1985 Ulf Rathsman took part in the 5th microcomputer world championship in Amsterdam with his latest version of the program, Princhess 6 , and took 2nd place in the programmer ranking behind three participating Mephisto devices. This program, clocked at 8 MHz, was marketed as the Conchess T8 and was the last model in the series.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ 4th World Microcomputer Chess Championship
  2. ↑ 5th World Microcomputer Chess Championship

Web links