Big chess fan myself. As for a dedicated forum, I think we already have too many (28!!) individual forums :-j but I am open to the idea, as long as the forum gets enough traffic (several posts a week). Otherwise, I would suggest just starting "Chess" topics here or in the Sub & Naval Books, Films, and Models forum. I could add to the description:

:hmm:

Skybird: I had the old Chess Challenger from Fidelity Electronics too. Received it as a gift in 1980. I guess, technically that was my first computer wargame.....actually my first computer ever. Was nice to have an always willing and ready opponent to hone your skills on. Brings back memories. I still have it around somewhere but the power adapter has long since vanished.

Neal: Sounds like an good idea! :) :up:

http://zioxville.homestead.com/files...Challenger.jpg

That is a Chess Challenger 10 from 1977, with 16 buttons, so I guess it is the C-version, right? One of the earliest chess computers there are, it came right after the model 3. A marvellous looking piece, right like the design was done in those years, the book-form chess Challengers are real classics. I myself have a CC Voice, very much the same layout, but more black instead of red-brown.

ELO (US) was around 1200-1300. There were three versions, but all of them played very much the same. The A- and B_models had only 12 buttons. It's a real beauty, so take good care of it. Many consider it to be one of the best looking computers ever.

After the CC10 came the ugly CC7 (7 levels to choose from), all plastic, ugly colours, and only a little tougher in skill. Next was the CC Voice, and then they changed to the new pressure-sensor design, starting with the CC Sensory 8, which was relatively cheap, and the CC Sensory Voice, which included wood again. I am in desperate search for a CC Sensory Champion, looking much the same like the Sensory Voice. The follow up to that is legendary Elite Champion, of which only 500 were produced, with small bronze plates with the first owner's name on them - a true, rare and very epensive collector's item. They used that software as a basis to produce the cheaper Sensory 9 with green colour then, which returned to the cheaper layout of the Sensory 8 but kept a far better playing level - I still like to play with my Sensory 9 today.

Don't get me started!!!

We could close some of the naval forums in return, there are so many of them... :-j

A live chess match with other other ppl from here would be cool.

Yes. Why not open a tournament list? Rules like this:

* No chess board computers, handhelds, PC chess programs that calculate moves of their own
* Books and databases (f.e. chessbase) are legal, analysis in internet as well
* No third persons getting involved
* No strict timetables (many people here do live a non-virtual life in the real world and thus sometimes may not be present for one or two days)
* The winner receives subsim.com's honour medal in 24 karat gold, donated by Mr. Stevens. He also earns the right to be called "Sir".
* If the latter gentleman wins himself, we'll buy him a big donut with an extra portion of marmelade. He also earns the right to be called "Old Chap".
* Loosers will be called "Loosers", now and forever.
* Bystanders not participating in a match may use PC software to create position diagrams every couple of moves and post them in the according thread, and the precise location, of course.
* Every match is run in it's own thread.
* Every such thread will be made a sticky.
* Comments by others are allowed in that thread as long as they do not recommend moves, give warnings or otherwise influence the match. No Kortschnoi-Karpov-Symptoms, please.
* Several matches could be held simultaneously.
* We could hold computer-computer matches as well, with old board computer. These have the charm that 20 years back human plyers at least were able to follow such matches and figure out why the computers did what they did (has become a bit difficult with latest highend-killer-software :lol: )


Interested? Sign in here. So far it is

- Kiwi, and
- Skybird.

As far as a boardcomputer match is concerned, I could throw a Chess Challenger Voice, a CC Sensory 8 and 9, a Mephisto II, a Mephisto M-IV+HG220, a Kasparov Travel Champion 2200 (my strongest board computer), a Mephisto Maestro Travel and a Chess super System III into the competition. I also have a Fidelity Avantgarde (my most expensive piece of hardware), a Novag super constellation and a Sargon 2.5 ARB (please everbody turn white in envy!), but these three unfortunately currently are inoperative, attempts to repair them failed for reasons of electronical parts that are not available. Opponentns in this category should be judged manually concerning their playing strength, and manual levelling of playing levels.

Hm. Now that I think of it the most expensive computers broke the earliest, the cheapest devices held the longest time... :stare:

I leave out PC software, doesn't hold much interest, I think.

I am interested as well. Are we running brackets, elimination or a Swiss-style tournament?

I really like chess so when this thread came up I have been looking at all the possibilites...I have found one which is probably maybe our best option...no download required or even to register you can just type in like G or something...at

http://www.freechess.org/javaboard/index.html

but I found this one today which I think is awesome really....It has the option to purchase it for like $749bucks ..which really just blew me away..you gotta go look at it...you can see your opponent on his/her web cam with sound while you play...great ideas....

http://www.solid-thinking.com/games/...chess_room.asp

Anyone up for a game to test this one out?....I hang out in the lobby there and see if anyone shows up...:)

Freechess is all a chessplayer needs together with winboard. Highly addictive place once you start to play there... just one more blitz... :|\ My handle is Kajus.

Cheers Porphy

Sign me up as well.

But please bear over with me when it comes to match scheduling, I'm a busy man at times.

Do we have to use a program for play, or can we just keep a board at home and log the moves the old fashioned way? (ie Nf3) My preference is for the latter. I always concieved chess as an inherently organic game.

I vote for the old-fashioned way as well. Have no intention to play the whole match in one run. For that I could go straigth to any chess-webpage, there are several. A match running over several days or one or two weeks is what I am looking for, personally. Visiting the forum as usually, at that opportunity checking what kind of trouble my partner has intentions to bring me into, and after having logged out again playing it out on my chessboard. Next time I visit this place I'll make my move, and so it goes on. Correspondence chess.

But those who prefer the quick match can meet in the according chatrooms, or do it here as well, why not? I must not always have my will :)

I'll be back tomorrow evening. If you start matches meanwhile, don't forget to make each of them a separate thread. Movement notification for two matches in one thread - may be confusing...

Okay, the first match has started, me and Scandium.

I realize that some people voicing interest prefer dedicated chess-webpages to play it in one rush. Okay, but I personally will not follow that example.

However, Takeda seems to see it differently, and about Kiwi and Type23 I am not sure. Maybe you start your own thread(s) with a match parallel to mine and Scandium's?

Iceman and Porphy seem to prefer to meet in a dedicated chessroom. If they change their minds, they will let us know, I'm sure.

Bump it to add that I've been playing online (mainly on the Free Internet Chess Server using the same username I use here) since '95 due to a shortage of "over the board" opponents where I've lived. In that time I've played over 5,000 blitz games, many slower games, and dabbled in some of variants and found that online cheating, at least on the server I play on, is extremely rare.

I've also done some tournament directing and related work with one of the online chess leagues that runs regular tournaments on FICS and ICC where games are scrupulously examined for cheating.

All in all, in this whole online experience I know of only a few confirmed cases and a few more suspected cases, where computer assistance was used.

The reality on the better servers, and I'd imagine it'd be the same on a forum like this one, is that the vast majority of people don't use computer assistance. Really there is no benefit because there's no satisfaction that you gain winning on your own, or insighs gained from the playing experience combined with any post-game discussion and analysis that can show where your thinking was 'right' and where it went wrong.

I think there's room here for a chess forum as with so many members and such a good atmosphere this is an ideal host, plus many of the sims we play are not so different from chess and the two attract a lot of the same players.

Lastly: I generally agree with what skybird suggested and would summarize (adding my own thoughts) that a good format for such a forum should contain:

- Stickies outlining the general rules of play as adopted for a forum format like this along with some useful links to online resources where you can learn more about the game.

- I think stickying the games themselves, at least the ones in progress, is probably a good idea too as it would show at a glance what's on the go and make it easier to observe live games.

- Computer engine assistance (analysis, hints, etc) should be forbidden however the usage of books and/or databases should be upto the players themselves provided both parties agree on this in advance (these are commonly allowed in correspondence and email chess, as pointed out by skybird).

- Players should also stipulate any time restrictions they are under before the game commences, otherwise I think it should be assumed that the rate will generally be at 1 or more moves per day/every other day, where possible, but at times may only be a move every two or three days as other RL tasks intrude and/or a position becomes complex. If one player is prevented somehow from making a move for a period of more than 7 days then the opponent should be notified at the earliest opportunity with an idea of when play may begin again.

- Also second skybird's thoughts that outside commentary should be welcome provided that no comments are made on the position itself while the game is in progress, and no hints, suggestions, or advice given to either player.

- An accepted notation (algebraic being most common these days) should be used to record the moves with the optional use of diagrams illustrating the position encouraged but not mandatory.

That's a pretty basic framework but about all that I think is necessary for a successful chess forum, should we be granted one. I'd add to that that the possible success of such a forum shouldn't be judged solely on how active it is in a non chess labeled forum like General Topics. I'd wager the chess players on the forums number at least into the hundreds but that only a few of them visit General Topics with any regularity.

Long post but wanted to finally add my own thoughts in this thread.

Works for me.