Kasparov draws first game Vs 'X3D Fritz' computer ( 2003-11-12 08:28) (Agencies)
World No. 1 chess player Garry Kasparov was held to a draw on Tuesday in the
first game of his latest match against a computer and admitted having difficulty
with the program's virtual reality component.
Chess champion
Garry Kasparov looks at a computer monitor through 3D early in the first
game of his match the X3D Fritz computer November 11, 2003 in New York.
The World No. 1 chess player was held to a draw on Tuesday in the first
game of his latest match against a computer and admitted having difficulty
with the program's virtual reality component. Kasparov and the programmers
of 'X3D Fritz' agreed to a draw on the 37th move after three hours and 20
minutes of play in a hard-fought game in which Kasparov won a powerful
rook in exchange for a bishop and a pawn in the middlegame, but could not
convert that slight material advantage into a victory.
[Reuters]
Kasparov and the programmers of "X3D
Fritz" agreed to a draw on the 37th move after three hours and 20 minutes of
play in a hard-fought game in which Kasparov won a powerful rook in exchange for
a bishop and a pawn in the middlegame, but could not convert that slight
material advantage into a victory.
The grandmaster played the program without physically moving chess pieces on
a board or pressing the button of a chess clock. Instead, he sat in front of a
computer monitor wearing 3-D glasses that made the on-screen image of the board
appear to float in front of him.
"The position was not easy technically. I think I missed a chance to
consolidate my position," said the former world champion, who played with the
white pieces.
"I was worrying a lot about the screen," Kasparov, 40, said. "I knew before
this match that I could have some psychological problems with this technology."
The second game of the four-game match at the New York Athletic Club was set
for Thursday. The games were being broadcast on Web sites and on the cable TV
sports channel ESPN2.
One point is awarded for a win and a half point for a draw. The prize is
$200,000 for the winner and $175,000 if the match ends in a tie.
The machine is German-made Fritz software, dominant in computer chess and
sold commercially, combined with New York-based X3D Technologies company
software that specializes in virtual reality.
In February, Kasparov tied his last match against a program, the
Israeli-designed world computer chess champion Deep Junior. The Azerbaijan-born
Kasparov's quest to conquer chess-playing machines drew worldwide attention in
1996 and 1997 when he played IBM supercomputer Deep Blue, which has since been
retired.
Kasparov, considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game,
is still ranked No. 1 ahead of world champion Vladimir Kramnik of Russia by the
International Chess Federation.