Jan 25, 2006 02:48 PM
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(Updated Jan 25, 2006 02:54 PM)
Frankly telling I don't know how to start this review. Garry Kasparov or Deep Blue? Because without Garry Kasparov, Deep Blue is nothing. So let’s begin with History of Deep Blue and then we will check its classic encounter with Garry Kasparov.
History of Deep Blue and its Team
Who has first thought about a chess playing computer? It was ''Feng-hsiung Hsu'' in 1985 who has developed a chess-playing computer ''Chiptest.'' With time span over a decade, this ''Chipset'' turns into worlds greatest chess playing computer.The Deep Blue has been developed by of five IBM research scientists (Hsu, Campbell, Jerry Brody, C.J. Tan and Joe Hoane) and one international grandmaster - Joel Benjamin.
The Deep Blue team had started with searching a parallel processing to solve complex computing problems. This project turned into a research of how to develop a chess-playing computer to test the best chess players in the world. Then the team designed a chess-specific processor chip that is capable of examining and evaluating two to three thousand positions per second. At last the capacity has increased upto 200 mn chess position per second.
In simple language, the Deep Blue computer is super computer which utilizes Two Super Chip processors (P2SC).Deep Blue's programming code is written in C and runs under the AIX operating system. The great computing power allows Deep Blue to adapt to new strategies as the game progresses.
Check the ability of Deep Blue
Deep Blue can examine and evaluate up to 200,000,000 chess positions per second
Deep Blue has a very small amount of chess knowledge but greatest calculation ability.
Deep Blue is a machine that is incapable of feeling or intuition. (the main factor for its victory over Garry Kasparov)
Deep Blue can never forget, be distracted or feel intimidated by external forces. So it was not affected by the infamous ''stare'' of Kasparov.
Deep Blue can evaluate chess positions, but it cannot evaluate its opponent's personal weaknesses.
Person who made Deep Blue Famous - Garry Kasparov
Garry Kasparov, a born genius for Chess. Just look at his achievement with his age -
The USSR Junior Champion at age 13, An International Grandmaster at 17, at age 22 he became the youngest World Chess Champion.He is widely considered the greatest player in the history of chess. The best part of Garry is he is an emotionless player. Many a time player feel pressurized and throw their towel in but Garry has played the game in most difficult of scenarios and came out winning.
Famous match : The Man Vs the Machine
Garry Kasparov Vs the Deep Blue
As you have seen Chess playing computers had made their way in the world. They were a serious threat to any world champion. Especially a computer giant IBM was after the life of Garry Kasparov. They were determined to beat the greatest player in the history of Chess. This was a simple way to become immortal in the Chess world.With sheer power of money, IBM made hundreds of research and came up with Deep Blue. They were having first encounter with Garry in 1996 for 6 game match, where Kasparov had beaten Deep Blue with a score of 4 games to 2 games.Garry is master in switching strategies mid-game and with this tactic he had defeated Deep Blue during 1996 match.
There was a second match in 1997 where IBM had made some modifications and made Deep Blue superior.Before looking to the match, let’s first check the difference between Garry Kasparov and Deep Blue
Deep Blue could examine 200,000,000 moves per second, while Garry could evaluate only 3 chess moves per second.
Garry had enormous chess knowledge while Deep Blue had tremendous chess moves calculation knowledge.
Kasparov could learn and adapt from the mistake where Deep Blue was having no such advantage.
Garry Kasparov was susceptible to human frailties such as fatigue, mental pressure and loss of concentration, while Deep blue is totally emotionless, (I feel this was the decisive factor)
Many GMs are explains that there are two ways to play chess with computer
Natural game of GM (approach adopted by Garry in 1996 match)
Anti Computer strategy, making small but solid moves ensuring there is no mistake (approach adopted in 1997)
When it comes to match, Garry won 1st match playing with White. All started thinking that history is going to get repeated. Garry will just have an easy run butDeep blue came back strongly in 2nd match playing with white and made the score equal. For next 3 matches the scene was equal. Both player were agreed for a draw so at the end of the fifth match, score line was 2.5 - 2.5. Then came the final encounter. First time in his life Kasparov was looking a bit tired.Match had started and after first few moves, Kasparov was forced to exchange his queen for a Rook, a Bishop and a Night. In terms of literal chess points matter, Kasparov was having 1 point advantage (Queen = 10 pnts, Bishop = 3 pnts, Night = 3 pnts and Rook = 5 pnts). Many GMs were having an opinion that this was not a threatening position;many had played this kind of scenario in their life. And even the position of Kasparov was not that bad. But Garry Kasparov was not able to cope with pressure. The strength which he was having through out his life and which has made him different than others, had ditched him today.He was not able to sustain in that mounting pressure. Even though the position was quite fair and game was equal, Garry had thrown the towel in.He just walked off the match, he was looking furious.
After the match, in press conference, he bashed at IBM, that they had made a computer to conquer him only and so many other things but the fact remains the fact. He was not able to cope with pressure so he lost and then he was not able to digest the defeat.After few months, he had offered IBM for a rematch where he will be putting all money he won in match II on line. But IBM was never short of money.Why shall they try to change the winning streak? They refused. Then after Deep blue never played a chess game but it will be remembered forever.
There after many other computers had come in to the game but Deep Blue had set a benchmark.
