OPEN THE POD BAY DOOR, HAL:

Chess champ takes on computer (ERIN MCCLAM, January 26, 2003, Chicago Sun-Times)

Chess legend Garry Kasparov, still bitter over losing six years ago to the IBM supercomputer Deep Blue, is about to take on a machine programmers say is an even more cunning opponent.

In six games beginning Sunday, Kasparov will match wits with an Israeli-programmed computer called Deep Junior. And this time, Kasparov says, it's a fair fight.

''Deep Blue was more about PR, selling the story, scaring the human race,'' he said.

Kasparov's 1997 defeat by Deep Blue was seen as a watershed moment for technology. But Kasparov, 39, has claimed the computer might have received human hints, and he complains it was quickly dismantled after the event.

By contrast, his six games against Deep Junior, beginning Sunday in New York, will be sanctioned by the international governing body of chess and will be subject to a human appeals committee to guarantee fairness.

Time to win one for the species, Mr. Kasparov.

MORE:
Bruce Cleaver writes:

If any of OJ's readers (Annoying Old Guy comes to mind) wish to watch a blow-by-blow account done by world-class computer chess programmers, try the following link:

http://www.talkchess.com/forums/1/index.html

Registration is required. I lurk/post there, and the site is chock full of people who know the art in nerd-level detail....

Posted by Orrin Judd at January 26, 2003 1:47 PM