Videocart 20 - Schach

About

Videocart 20 - Schach is a chess simulator for the Fairchild Channel F, released in 1979. Players pick green or red pieces and battle an AI across four difficulty settings. Lower levels process moves in seconds while the top tier can stretch to 50 minutes per turn. A red LED on the cartridge glows during the AI’s calculations, letting players multitask with TV. The game also allows players to pause and request move suggestions from the computer, which analyzes the board without favor. This relic of early home computing stands out for its hardware quirks. The thinking LED was a clever workaround for long wait times, and the AI’s impartial advice system hints at rudimentary strategy tools. Community chatter notes the punishing top difficulty’s real-time depth, though 1980s hardware limitations make even basic tactics sluggish. No multiplayer mode kept it niche, but its blend of challenge and clever design earned retro fans a dedicated corner in 70s game history.