Novag Micro Chess

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|| [[image:NovagMicroChess.jpg width="240" height="320" link="http://www.flickr.com/photos/10261668@N05/858170843/in/set-72157600922171918"]] ||~   || **Novag Micro Chess**,
one of [[Novag|Novag's]] first [[Dedicated Chess Computers|dedicated chess computer]] with a program by [[David Kittinger]], first released in 1981. The computer has a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mostek|Mostek]] MK3875/42 [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microcontroller|microcontroller]] <ref>[[http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/3870/index.html|Mostek 3870 (MK3870) microcontroller family from CPU world]]</ref> , a second sourced single chip implementation of the [[Fairchild F8]] multi-chip processor, the 3850 [[Combinatorial Logic#ALU|ALU]] with 64 [[Byte|byte]] [[Memory#Latches|scratchpad RAM]], which are 64 general purpose 8-bit registers <ref>[[http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/3850/index.html|Fairchild F8 (3850) microcontroller family from CPU world]]</ref> , and the 3851 program storage unit, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decoder|instruction decoder]] and 4 [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kibibyte|Kibibyte]] mask-programmable [[Memory#ROM|ROM]], and 64 byte executable RAM <ref>[[http://www.datasheetarchive.com/Fairchild%20F8-datasheet.html|Fairchild F8 datasheet and application note, data sheet, circuit, pdf, cross reference | Datasheet Archive]]</ref> <ref>David Edwards (**1976**). //The Mostek F8//. [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronics_Australia|Electronics Australia]], December, 1976, [[http://messui.the-chronicles.org/comp/fairchild.pdf|pdf]]</ref> .The novelty of Novag Micro Chess was a sensor pegboard with [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Membrane_switch|membrane switches]], which allows [[Entering Moves|entering moves]] directly by pulling and sticking pieces on the board. Eight [[Ranks|rank]] and [[Files|file]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light-emitting_diode|LEDs]] indicate [[Origin Square|origin-]] and [[Target Square|target square]] of the move made internally by the computer. ||
|| Novag Micro Chess <ref>[[http://www.flickr.com/photos/10261668@N05/858170843/in/set-72157600922171918|Novag Micro Chess]] from [[http://www.flickr.com/photos/10261668@N05/sets/72157600922171918/|Novag | Photo collection]] by [[Steve Blincoe|Chewbanta]]</ref> ||~   ||^   ||
[[toc]]
=128 Byte Challenge= 
David Kittinger had to solve a similar challenge than [[Mark Taylor]] with [[Mini Chess]] to write a chess program with such less RAM. Accordingly, the program was not that strong, and had 8 levels to [[Search|search]] one to eight [[Ply|plies]] deep. It took 110 minutes to solve that mate in three <ref>[[http://www.schaakcomputers.nl/hein_veldhuis/database/files/08-1981%20%5BM-0101%5D%20Novag%20-%20Micro%20Chess.pdf|Novag Micro Chess]] (pdf) by [[Hein Veldhuis]]</ref> .
|| [[image:http://webchess.freehostia.com/diag/chessdiag.php?fen=2k5/4B3/1K6/8/2B5/8/8/5r2%20w%20kq%20-&size=medium&coord=yes&cap=no&stm=yes&fb=no&theme=classic&color1=E3CEAA&color2=635147&color3=000000]] ||
|| 2k5/4B3/1K6/8/2B5/8/8/5r2 w - - ||
[[#CastlingBug]]
=Invalid Castling= 
A Micro Chess prototype had a [[Move Generation|move generation]] [[Engine Testing#bugs|bug]] due to [[Castling|castling]] over an attacked square, which of course occurred in its first tournament game at the [[CPWTIPC 1981]], where Micro Chess lost a game from [[Chess Champion Mark IV]] <ref>[[Kevin O’Connell]] (**1981**). //MicroChess - Paris Tournament//. [[Personal Computer World]], August 1981</ref> <ref>[[http://www.chesscomputeruk.com/html/publication_archive.html|Publication Archive]] from [[http://www.chesscomputeruk.com/index.html|Chess Computer UK]] by [[Mike Watters]]</ref> <ref>[[http://www.schaakcomputers.nl/hein_veldhuis/database/files/08-1981%20%5BM-0101%5D%20Novag%20-%20Micro%20Chess.pdf|Novag Micro Chess]] (pdf) by [[Hein Veldhuis]]</ref> :
[[code]]
[Event "CPWTIPC 1981"]
[Site "Paris, France"]
[Date "1981.05.28"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Chess Champion Mark IV"]
[Black "Novag Micro Chess"]
[Result "1-0"]

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 d6 4.Nf3 Ne7 5.O-O Nbc6 6.Nc3 Be6 7.Bxe6 fxe6 8.Qe2 e5
9.Qc4 Ng6 10.a4 Be7 11.d4 Nxd4 12.Nxd4 exd4 13.Qxd4 Bf6 14.Qd5 Bxc3 15.bxc3 c6
16.Qe6+ Qe7 17.Qxe7+ Nxe7 18.Bxf4 d5 19.Be5 {0-0 invalid castling} 1-0
[[code]]
|| [[image:http://webchess.freehostia.com/diag/chessdiag.php?fen=r3k2r/pp2n1pp/2p5/3pB3/P3P3/2P5/2P3PP/R4RK1%20b%20-%20kq&size=medium&coord=yes&cap=no&stm=yes&fb=no&theme=classic&color1=E3CEAA&color2=635147&color3=000000]] ||
|| r3k2r/pp2n1pp/2p5/3pB3/P3P3/2P5/2P3PP/R4RK1 b kq - 1 19 ||

=See also= 
* [[MicroChess]]
* [[Mini Chess]]
* [[Sensor Chess#MoveGeneration|Move Generation with 256 bytes RAM or less?]]
* [[MyChess]]
* [[Novag]]

=Publications= 
* [[http://www.schaakcomputers.nl/hein_veldhuis/database/files/08-1981%20%5BM-0101%5D%20Novag%20-%20Micro%20Chess.pdf|Novag Micro Chess]] (pdf) by [[Hein Veldhuis]]

=External Links= 
* [[http://lionel.cordesses.free.fr/gpages/novagmicrochess.html|ionel.cordesses - NOVAG MICRO CHESS]]
* [[http://www.spacious-mind.com/html/micro_chess.html|Novag Micro Chess Electronic Chess Computer]] from [[The Spacious Mind]]
* [[http://www.schach-computer.info/wiki/index.php/Novag_Micro_Chess|Novag Micro Chess]] from [[http://www.schach-computer.info/wiki/index.php/Hauptseite_En|Schachcomputer.info - Wiki]] (German)

=References= 
<references />
=What links here?= 
[[include page="Novag Micro Chess" component="backlinks" limit="40"]]
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