Chafitz Boris Sandy ARB Applied Concepts Chess Computers

Chafitz's Space Age Fantasies. People lining up to enter their store.

Chafitz Inc was established in the early 70’s by Steve Chafitz and his wife Arleen with an original investment of $75. Chafitz Inc. very quickly grew their business specializing in the most advanced and intelligent computer games available at that time.

Chafitz Inc launched their first chess computer “Boris” in February, 1978 and soon after received a call from an excited Bobby Fisher about their electronic chess game “Boris”.

Realizing that there existed a major potential in a new rapidly growing market for electronic gadgetry, Chafitz immediately increased their development of electronic games by hiring the best programmers available to develop programs for their games as quickly as possible.

Steve & Arleen Chafitz in a photo taken by Business Week for their December 3, 1979 Issue

Towards the end of the 70’s Chafitz teamed up with Applied Concepts Inc. from Arlingto, Texas. Together they recruited Dan & Kathe Spracklen who were already renowned and respected because of their famous Sargon chess software program.

In 1980 Chafitz ARB Sargon 2.5 was launched which became a milestone for electronic chess computers. For the first time a full sized Auto Response Board was sold, incorporating Dan & Kathe Spracklen’s latest chess program Sargon 2.5. This pioneered the era of sensory chess computers. All their competitors soon followed with their own versions of electronic sensory board chess computers.

In the beginning of 1980 Applied Concepts Inc, took control of the products manufactured and Chafitz Inc started to disappear as a name printed on models, modules and literature after Sargon 2.5. During 1982 Applied Concepts Inc began using the name Destiny as a brand name.