Kasparov Blinked

Patrick Degan · Post by **Patrick Degan** » 2003-02-07 09:09pm

Today was the terminal game in the first organised FIDE Man v. Machine championship match, squaring off current human champion Gary Kasparov against Deep Junior, the latest contender from IBM.

After initial deployments and some positioning moves to feel out Deep Junior's strategy, Kasparov, playing black and gaining a pawn within the first twelve moves, had managed an early queen exchange; a good strategy against a computer since the removal of the queens reduces markedly the number of options available to the computer and makes for a more even matchup. Kasparov then embarked upon a bold middle game by lining up matched rooks along the C file and sacrificing one for a knight, which opened up opportunities for a bishop exchange and the capture of more of white's pawns. Materially and positionally, Kasparov was in an advantageous position.

But when Deep Junior responded by moving its remaining bishop to A3 to set up an attack against a central black pawn, Kasparov got spooked and subsequently offered a draw. After some conferencing, Deep Junior's programmers agreed and the match ended right there. After the match, Kasparov told reporters that he simply did not want to lose to the computer.

Following the contest on ESPN2 this afternoon, from what I saw it seemed that Kasparov could have played out the game and fought to a natural draw on his own, or may even have managed the win. His defensive position was good and he had the material advantage. But he let himself get spooked and took the first opportunity to bail out.

It was Man v. Machine, and Kasparov blinked.

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2003-02-07 09:14pm

Feel the prophecy

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2003-02-07 09:17pm

The only downside of the Three Laws of Robotics is that robots will no longer be able to play chess with humans.

kojikun · Post by **kojikun** » 2003-02-07 10:06pm

Stupid Kasparov could have won too!

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2003-02-07 10:10pm

Wait, you're saying this was on ESPN2?

Must have been hard up for programming.

Montcalm · Post by **Montcalm** » 2003-02-07 10:27pm

When they will make the next model i guess he will use his new tactic quit when he get spooked.

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2003-02-08 12:22am

IBM needs a new chess partner.

TrailerParkJawa · Post by **TrailerParkJawa** » 2003-02-08 02:00pm

Why do you find this story so interesting. Im assuming that chess players and computer engineers find the IBM vs Kasporov games to be very interesting each for there own reasons. Im just curious to hear from the people here.

Patrick Degan · Post by **Patrick Degan** » 2003-02-08 09:08pm

In my case, it's because I'm a chess player. A very casual one these days, who rarely gets an opponnent and keeps up with the game by playing with chess problems printed in the Sunday paper. I just happened to find this game by channel-surfing Friday afternoon. Mainly, it was because Kasparov bailed out on a promising game he still had a good shot at winning outright.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-02-08 09:11pm

Is Kasparov superior to Bobby Fischer?

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2003-02-08 09:14pm

Durran Korr wrote:Is Kasparov superior to Bobby Fischer?

Probably. He and Karpov have learned from everything that Fischer ever did, and are probably as good natural players as Fischer was. The other obvious advantage that they have is that they play against real players. Fischer never had anyone to practice against because he was an American.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-02-08 09:18pm

Not to mention Kasparov isn't an anti-Semitic prick...

jaeger115 · Post by **jaeger115** » 2003-02-08 09:21pm

Not to mention Kasparov isn't an anti-Semitic prick...

And Fischer was?

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-02-08 09:23pm

jaeger115 wrote:
Not to mention Kasparov isn't an anti-Semitic prick...
And Fischer was?

http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/2002/12/chun.htm

Very interesting article.

IRG CommandoJoe · Post by **IRG CommandoJoe** » 2003-02-08 09:42pm

Whoa...I never knew that Fischer was like that at all! What a nut!