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Hans van Mierlo: how all was starting?
Written by Hans van Mierlo
First edited | 01/26/2014 | by MMO
Last edited | 02/04/2016 |
Additional Information: mierlo@chesseval.com
 Reference to cite: Mierlo H, How all was starting?, ChessEval Journal, 1, January 2014, ChessEval.com

I know Hans since many years.
During the past 4 years, there were very few days where we have not exchanged about our common passion through Skype.
Hans helped me to collect several beautiful pieces of my collection.
We collaborate for the Chess Journal.
His enthusiasm, his sense of humor, his knowledge are doing him unique.
MMO

The story of Hans van Mierlo: how all was starting?


I am Hans van Mierlo, a collector from Holland, 41 years old, married, two children and... a dog named Timmy...

 It started at the elementary school. I was about 8 years old at that time.
We had a teacher who was the village best player, and he used to give us 2 hours chess education per week.
I was immediately fascinated by the game, and soon my mother was buying a chessboard for me and I joined the local club for youth.
There was another kid in the club and we became friends. His father was Simon.
Simon was a truck driver who traveled mostly to Germany and he already owned 12 chess computers at that time.
So, when he introduced me to them, I was there almost every week on Saturday playing against these machines.
Secretly, my parents asked Simon to look for a chess computer for my birthday.
He found a Mephisto Mondial, which was on sale at 399 marks (originally priced at 499 marks).
From that moment, every occasion I had, I played against my Mondial.

I bought opening books and I became a good player, even a gifted one.
Later in life, I won many tournaments and reach an ELO of about 2150.
During all these years, I continued visiting Simon.

Meanwhile, I was doing a lot of handiwork around the houses of other people in order to save money:
I saw the SciSys Turbo King and I had to have it!!!
When I got half the money to buy it, my parents helped and I finally bought the Turbo King.

In that period, Simon was getting to know Holland pioneer of chess computers: Jan Louwman.
Shortly after, I bought the new Mephisto Academy, which was developed by Jan Louwman.
We stayed in touch the following years.
Subsequently, I bought several chess computers developed by Jan Louwman.
As a developer, he was getting for testing the chess computers he worked on and once the testing was done, these chess computers were available for sell at a cheaper price. This is how I got the Polgar with Turbo Kit (TK20) on 18 MHz of Schaetzle & Bsteh.
My next purchase was a Tournament machine Vancouver 36 MHz/2MB, which I got at an incredible discounted price.

For the next 22-28 years, my interest in chess computers faded.
I was a young man and girls were more attractive to me. I finally meet one and we stayed in a relationship for 5 years.
In that period, I missed all the Eagon tournaments.

Shortly after the relationship ended, I was surfing the web and I found the Dutch Chess Computer Foundation (CSVN).
I saw that they were playing tournaments with dedicated machines.
So, I signed in and from there on, I never missed a Tournament.
This is how I met Ruud Martin, Hein Veldhuis and others.
We went to Germany for the User Tournament in Klingenberg, Kaufbeuren and Paris (Saints) where I played.
Around that period, I bought a Mephisto Magellan and a Tasc R30 2.2. These two latest acquisitions marked the beginning of my passion for collecting chess computers.
When I was in Kaufbeuren, I saw the upgraded Fidelity 10 (also known as the V11), this was my next acquisition.

At the beginning of my collection, I was focusing mainly on the strongest chess computers of each brand.
I bought a few of them on Ebay and before I knew it, I had 40-50 chess computers!
Then, I decided to expand my horizons and I started to collect the chess computers I wanted, strong or not. My only restriction was that I did not want two different computers with the same program in it: for example, the Mephisto Modena and the Dominator have the same program inside.

Past year, I went in contact with Maurice Ohayon, and we became friends. Since, we have discussed a lot and we have several projects ongoing.
My own collection has grown to approximately 150 pieces, which will be published here in time.
However, I am afraid, I am not done yet with my collection…
And maybe it's just a start... be ready...





 

The collection of Hans van Mierlo


Brand Type Manual Pieces Powersupply Box Suitcase
Mephisto Tournament Machine Vancouver + all eproms yes yes yes no yes wood Phoenix Case Ser:001
Mephisto Exclusive Magellan +Koffer yes yes yes yes BK 650
Mephisto Exclusive risc 1 2mb + eprom version 2 and 1 yes yes yes yes no
Mephisto Exclusive MM II yes yes yes no no
Mephisto Exclusive Polgar + Turbo Kit 18Mhz yes yes yes no no
Mephisto Exclusive MM IV +Koffer yes yes yes no yes
 wood
Mephisto Modulair Rebel 5.0 yes yes yes yes no
Mephisto Munchen MM V +Koffer yes yes yes no yes
 wood
Mephisto Modulair MMV Turbo Kit 16Mhz WC machine Portorose 1989/90 yes yes yes no no
Mephisto Exclusive MM I yes yes yes no no
Mephisto Exclusive MM VI yes yes yes yes no
Mephisto Modulair MM V Koffer yes yes yes no BK 550
Mephisto Modulair Rebel 5.0 yes yes yes yes no
Mephisto Modulair Polgar * yes yes yes yes BK 550
Mephisto Exclusive Mirage yes yes no no no
Mephisto ESB 6000 + MM III yes yes yes no no
Mephisto Mondial yes yes yes no no
Mephisto Mondial II yes yes yes yes no
Mephisto Montreux yes yes yes no no
Mephisto Exclusive B&P yes yes yes no no
Mephisto Super Mondial yes yes yes no no
Mephisto Super Mondial II +College yes yes yes yes no
Mephisto Super Mondial II yes yes yes no no
Mephisto Mondial 68000 XL + Koffer yes yes yes no BK 450
Mephisto Academy +Koffer yes yes yes no BK 550
Mephisto Milano yes yes yes no no
Mephisto HG 440 *
Mephisto HG 550
Mephisto Europa yes yes yes yes no
Mephisto Berlin 68000 yes yes yes no no
Mephisto Berlin Pro +Londen eprom yes yes yes no no
Mephisto Mobil yes yes yes yes no
Mephisto Modulair Phoenix Ressurection I yes yes yes no no
Mephisto Schachacademy yes yes yes yes no
Mephisto Schachschule yes yes no no no
Mephisto Munchen +Koffer
Mephisto Schachschule II yes yes no yes no
Mephisto Talking Chess Academy
Mephisto Admiral Chess Challenger 40MHz yes yes yes no yes bag
Mephisto Exclusive MM5 +HG 550 -MM4+HG 440 10MHz yes yes yes no BK 550
Mephisto MM III + ESB 3000 board yes yes yes yes yes Leather Bag
Mephisto Master Chess 28MHz yes yes yes no yes bag
Mephisto Exclusive Vancouver 16Bit + eprom London,Almeria,Portorose,Lyon yes yes yes no no
Mephisto Milano Pro ? yes yes no no
Mephisto Master Chess yes yes no no yes
 Leather Bag
Mephisto Atlanta yes yes yes yes
Fidelity V11 72MHz yes yes yes yes no
Fidelity EAG 2265 Mach III yes yes yes no no
Fidelity EAG 2100 yes yes yes no no
Fidelity Prestige V6 Mach IV 20MHz + 1028 KB yes yes yes no no
Fidelity Prestige Pre Budapest =Prestige Budapest I yes yes yes no no
Fidelity A/S Challenger Glasgow ? yes yes no no
Fidelity Chesster yes yes yes yes no
Fidelity Chesster 8MHz yes yes yes yes no
Fidelity Sensory 9B yes yes yes yes no
Fidelity Sensory 9
Fidelity Sensory 9B  8MHz +CB 9 yes yes yes yes
Fidelity Sensory 8 yes yes yes no no
Fidelity Travemunde real Travemunde X Program*
Fidelity Sensory Voice
Fidelity Excellence 16MHz yes yes yes yes no
Fidelity CC Champion Upgarde to Super 9 from Fidelity yes yes yes no yes
Fidelity Super 9 yes yes yes yes no
Fidelity CC Elite Champion*
Fidelity CC Champion    English yes yes yes no no
Fidelity CC Champion    German yes yes yes no no
Fidelity CB 9
Fidelity Printer Impact yes yes yes yes no
Fidelity CB 16
Fidelity Sensory Chess Challenger 12B yes yes yes yes no
Fidelity Desinger 2000
Fidelity Gambit Voice yes yes no yes no
Fidelity Chess Challenger Voice yes yes yes no yes
Fidelity CC 7 yes No yes no no
Novag Constellation Expert 5Mhz yes yes yes no no
Novag Mentor 16 yes yes ? yes no
Novag Super Expert A yes yes yes yes no
Novag Super Expert B yes yes yes yes no
Novag Super Expert C
Novag Super Forte C 6mhz yes yes yes yes no
Novag Super Constellation yes yes yes yes no
Novag Constallation 3.6mhz yes yes yes yes no
Novag Constallation  2 mhz yes yes ? no no
Novag Constallation  Forte ? yes ? no no
Novag Star Diamond yes yes yes yes no
Novag Diamond yes yes yes no no
Novag Uno
Novag Beluga yes yes yes yes no
Novag Star Opal
Novag Emerald yes yes yes yes no
Novag Sapihhre II +Universel Board yes yes yes yes yes bag
Novag Emerald Classic Plus yes yes yes yes no
Novag Tourmaline yes yes no no no
Novag Octo ? ? yes yes no
Novag Diablo 68000 ? yes yes no no
Novag Obsidian 32mhz yes yes yes no yes bag
Novag Obsidian yes yes yes no yes bag
Novag Crystal yes yes yes yes no
Novag Allegro 4 ? ? ? no no
Novag Agate yes yes yes yes no
Novag Opal yes yes no yes no
Saitek Blitz yes yes yes yes no
Saitek Risc 2500 2MB + original Memmory 128Kb yes yes yes no no
Saitek Virtuosso yes yes yes yes no
Saitek Corona D 5Mhz eprom D+ and EGR II yes yes no no no
Saitek Corona D+ 8MHz D++ and EGR II yes yes yes yes no
Saitek Renaissance SPARC yes yes yes no no
Saitek Renaissance Brute Force yes yes yes yes no
Saitek Conquistador No yes no no no
Saitek Cougar
Saitek Cougar 32mhz yes yes yes yes no
Saitek Galileo + Analyst D+ D++ 16MHz + EGR II yes yes yes yes no
Saitek GK2000 yes yes yes yes no
Saitek GK2100
Saitek Turbo Advanced Trainer yes yes yes yes no
Saitek Cosmic
Saitek Sensor XL yes yes no yes no
Saitek Micro Travel Chess Computer yes No no no no
Saitek Galileo + Analyst D 6Mhz
Saitek Galileo + Analyst D 8Mhz
Saitek Renaissance +Meastro D 10Mhz
SciSys Astral yes yes yes yes no
SciSys Astral 16Mhz
SciSys Turbo King I +EGR I yes yes yes no no
SciSys Turbo King II +EGR II yes yes yes yes no
SciSys Mark V yes yes yes yes no
SciSys Mark VI
SciSys Leonardo Meastro A 4MHz yes yes no no
SciSys Rapier yes yes no yes no
SciSys Turbostar 432
SciSys Turbostar 432 KSO yes yes yes yes no
SciSys Conquistador yes yes no no no
SciSys MK 12
SciSys Team-Mate
SciSys Prisma
SciSys Turbostar 432 KSO 6Mhz*
SciSys Turbo S-24K yes yes yes yes no
SciSys Caravelle
SciSys Turbo 16 K
SciSys Sensor chess standard 2mhz yes yes yes no no
SciSys Sensor chess +module Strong Play
SciSys Sensor chess +module
Hypermodern Super Strong		 yes yes yes yes no
SciSys Superstar 28K yes yes yes no no
Scisys Classical Style Super Strong Module
SciSys Courier V
CXG Commander 3018 version 2.00 yes yes yes no no
CXG Galaxy Mark II yes yes yes yes no
CXG Enterprise S yes yes yes no no
CXG Super Enterprise
CXG Super Enterprise 16mhz yes yes yes yes no
CXG Concerto 30mhz =15mhz yes yes yes yes no
CXG CC 008
CXG CC 3000 yes yes yes yes no
CXG Star Chess 209 No yes no no no
CXG Shinx Royale ? yes no no no
CXG Computachess III ? yes ? yes no
CXG Computachess II yes yes ? yes no
CXG Chess 3008 yes yes yes yes no
CXG Sphinx Granada version 347
CXG Galaxy version 2.04
Conchess Escorter Standard Programma yes yes yes no no
Conchess Module P+M 2mhz yes yes yes no no
Conchess Escorter H4 Module yes yes yes yes no
Conchess Escorter Standard Programma +L Cassete yes yes yes yes no
Conchess Escorter S4 Amsterdam
Conchess Monarch + Standard Module yes yes yes yes no
Conchess Ambassador  Standard module +L16
Tasc R30 2.2 + 2.23 eprom +SB 30 yes yes yes yes no
Tasc R40 2.5 +SB 30 * No yes yes yes no
Tasc R30 2.5 + 2.23 eprom +SB 30 yes yes yes yes no
Chessmachine 32 Mhz Card + Gideon3.0, 3.1 King 1.0, 2.0 ,2.2,2.5 versions No No yes no no
Chafitz ARB Sargon 4.0 2MHz yes yes yes no no
Chafitz ARB Sargon 4.0 16MHz yes yes yes no no
Chafitz ARB Sargon 2.5
Chafitz GGM Steinitz 16Mhz +Grundfeld S Opening Library yes yes yes no no
Chafitz MGS Morphy Encore 16mhz + Greunfeld libary ? yes yes no no
Chafitz ARB Sargon 2.5 2MHz
GGM Morphy Encore
Chess King Chess King Master yes yes yes yes no
Sakkara  Vega yes yes yes yes no
Excalibur Excalibur de Luxe
Excalibur Mirage yes yes yes yes no
Excalibur Sabre IV yes yes no yes no
Excalibur Grandmaster 24MHz yes yes yes yes no
Excalibur Phantom Force yes yes yes yes no
Excalibur Grandmaster
Krypton Regency
Krypton Pioneer yes yes yes yes no
GO 2150 L yes yes yes yes no
GO 2150 yes yes yes yes no
Tandy 1850 ? yes ? no no
Tandy Fast Response 1650L
Haminex 1900
Laptop Different Chess Programs + – 100 programs Dos
Chess Eval V10 68040 66MHz hand made! No yes yes no no
Phoeni RevelationII+allEMUPrograms yes yes yes yes yes bag
VEB SC 2 yes yes yes yes no
VEB Chess Master yes yes yes yes no
VEB Chess Master Diamond
Schneider Titan
Schneider Enterprise S yes yes yes yes no
MB Milton Bradley Milton yes yes yes no no
Haminex Conic yes yes yes no no
Vtech Chess Master
Tiger Star Wars yes yes no yes no
Tiger Voice Master yes yes no yes no
Millenium Schachpartner 2000 yes yes no yes no
Stadlbauer Meastro Schachproffesor
Fidelity CC 9 Defect
RFT Chess Master Defect yes yes yes yes no