Details about  Kasparov RISC 2500 Chess Computer

Kasparov RISC 2500 Chess Computer, complete, consisting of:

1. The chess computer itself (photos 1 & 2), touch-sensory but not with automatic piece recognition.
2. The full and original set of 32 chess pieces (photo 3), with plain box.
3. The original power adaptor, with plain box.
4. The original user manual - in English only and unusually intelligible.
5. The original box which contained all the above, though the expanded polystyrene has long since gone and one end of the box is slightly crumpled.

The adaptor and set were PAT-certified by a qualified electrician on 29th February 2012.  Both have the appropriate sticker attached.  I shall include their invoice on despatch. 

Single-owner.  I bought it new for £100, perhaps about 18 years old.  It has been little used - not at all in the last 12 years - and is in very good condition for its age with no damage, except to its box.  I have just checked it functionally just by starting a new game to the point of castling, and it worked fine. 

This is emphatically not a toy - despite its age it's a deadly serious chess machine.  Though it can be used by the young on the easy settings, it could easily allow them to develop to strong club standard.  I do not know its ELO rating, though I'm guessing around 1800-2000, which is far better than most chess players.  (Kasparov was, of course, over 2800 - see http://www.elhchess.demon.co.uk/ehss.htm, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_rating_system - and would not have lent his name to less than the very good.)  The original box (5) has this description:

"Among the world's strongest chess computers.

• Kasparov RISC 2500 is one of the first dedicated chess computers to use a true 32-bit RISC processor
• 128 kB of high-speed static RAM memory, expandable to 2 MB [Seller's note: I did not instal further memory.]
• State-of-the-art hash-table technology
• High-speed selective search or powerful Brute Force search: choose between the two

A masterly game

• Kasparov RISC 2500 plays an unusual, human-like game leading to attractive, sharp and agressive play
• Superb openings book with variation names clearly displayed on the LCD
• Full game take-back and replay

Information-rich

• LCD shows time for both sides (total or move time), current position, position evaluation, moves under consideration, depth of search, problem-solving and principal variation
• Menu options displayed on LCD: choose your playing style, skill level, program strength, book openings, search method and more - Kasparov RISC 2500 give you the power to play truly creative chess
• Elegant cabinet with 20 cm touch-sensory chessboard also has LEDs showing current positions"

I shall ship by first-class post, with proof of posting, charging what the Post Office will charge me.  Packaging I shall not charge for.

I am not a dealer.  If you have any questions, please ask me.  If you have concerns, please contact me. 

Various points:

1. I will now sell to many countries other than the UK.  I hope that I have set the item up correctly so that you can bid on eBay.  If you have a problem, please contact me.  (I'm a novice at selling abroad.)
2. Indicative postage costs abroad, using www.interparcel.com to find value, were today in GB sterling, including VAT: Australia, £59.88; Spain, £24.00; Sweden, £25.20; USA, £43.56.
3. I have conducted further tests of the set, including: (a) changing most of the machine's parameters (game, settings, level, position, system, special) and all appeared to work, though I have not checked the umpteen combinations; (b) playing a complete game (which I lost); (c) changing who plays the next move; (d) setting up a problem position and continuing to game end.  I encountered no problems except that, on starting up, I had once again lost all settings, which take about 3 minutes to reset.

Hope this helps.

An important afterthought: Do remember that this was bought in and intended for use in the UK, and the power adaptor is designed for UK circuits, with their voltage and frequency.  Now that I have been asked to allow bids from outside the UK, you MUST check before bidding what you need to use the chess machine in your country.

Despite my changes yesterday International buyers were still not able to bid.  The eBay Help Desk tells me that it is because I have already received 7 bids.  On their advice, I have added those who enquired to a list of buyers exempted.  If you wish to be added, please send me a question.

If this method fails, the Help Desk tells me to end the listing and start it afresh with the international postage option ON.  If it comes to that, I offer my sincere apologies to those who had already taken the trouble to bid.