Podcast

Podcast Script

      Kasparov vs. Deep Blue     

It has been a goal of computer makers to make a computer that is capable of beating the best chess players. In 1996 IBM thought they had done just that, with Deep Blue. So they challenged the reigning world champion at the time, Gary Kasparov. The challenge was accepted with normal tournament rules and normal tournament time controls. This game was held in Philadelphia Pennsylvania.

            Gary Kasparov had easily won the first set of six games with three wins and two draws for a score of four for Kasparov and two for Deep Blue. After this loss to Kasparov, the IBM team reprogrammed the computer so they could come back the next year in 1997 to challenge Kasparov once more, this time would be set in New York City.

            In this second game commonly called the most spectacular event in chess history, Kasparov wasn’t able to beat the supercomputer of Deep Blue. Deep Blue had won the game with a score of 3 ½ to 2 1/2.  The game was even up until the end, when Kasparov being a human became tired and was ready for it to be over. Deep Blue won in about 20 moves. Kasparov accused the IBM team of cheating within the first couple of matches.

            After beating Kasparov the IBM team disassembled Deep Blue and wouldn’t do a rematch with Kasparov. Since then there hasn’t been any other chess game like this one.

Sinquefeld Cup

The Sinquefeld Cup is currently going on in St. Louis. Four of the greatest from different parts of the world are meeting to compete for the $170,000 prize money with $70,000 going to the winner. The four masters competing are GM Magnus Carlson, GM Hikaru Nakamura, GM Levon Aronian, and GM Gata Kamsky. Its a double round robing tournament, they will all play each other. Nakamura and Carlson are currently in the lead.
If I were a betting man, I would put all of my money on the highest ranked player in the history of chess, 22 year old Magnus Carlson. He is one of my favorites.

Emanuel Lasker

     Emanuel Lasker was a true master. He is one of my favorites. He was born on December 24, 1868 and died on January 11, 1941. He is recognized by most as one of the greatest players in the history of chess. He was a German mathematician and philosopher who was the world chess champion for 27 years, by far more than any other player. He was said to have a more psychological approach to chess, by sometimes playing inferior moves just to confuse his opponents. Lasker published several magazines and 5 books on chess. In 1893 Lasker had traveled to the United States and challenged one of the top players at the time (Siegbert Tarrasch who had won 3 consecutive international tournaments) to a match. Tarrasch declined and told Lasker to improve his skills and first try and win an international title. Lasker frustrated by Tarrasch challenged the reigning world champion at the time (Wilhelm Steintz) to a match. Lasker beat Steintz to become world champion by winning more than half of the matches played around the country (his final score was 10 wins 6 losses and 4 draws). To prove beating Steintz wasn't a fluke they played again and Lasker won again with 10 wins 2 losses and 5 draws. In 1908 he finally got to play Tarrasch who had declined him earlier. Lasker beat Tarrasch to keep his title as world champion with a score of 8 wins 3 losses and 5 draws. Tarrasch claimed the weather was the reason for his defeat.
I will possibly go into more detail about Lasker in the future.

Bobby Fischer

Bobby Fischer is a name well known around the world. He is probably the most famous chess player ever and some say the best to ever play the game. He truly was great. Bobby was born on March 9, 1943 and died on January 17, 2008. At age 13 bobby won a brilliancy award and at age 14 he played in and won 8 different United States championships winning by at least 15 points each. Then at 15 he became the youngest grandmaster (at that time) while also being the youngest candidate for the world championships.  In 1963-64 he won the U.S. championships with the only perfect score in the history of the tournament. Bobby Fischer dominated the game for years. At the height of the cold war he had a game with the USSR against Borris Spasky for the world championships held in Iceland. Fischer refused to play in the tournament until the prize amount was increased. With a donation of $150,000 by a private party the prize money was $250,000. He had won against Spasky and he became a National Hero. The next year Fischer wasn't able to defend his title in the world championship because he had some demands that the FIDE would not meet, since his demands weren't met he returned his title.
Bobby Fischer knew he was the best and was very stubborn. He had demands most of the time and he didn't really care if he played in the tournaments or not. But when he did play, he played amazing chess.

That was a very short Biography on Bobby Fischer. I may go into more detail at a later date.

The masters

This blog is about the masters of chess. Chess is a game that has been played for centuries all over the world. People of all ages, races, religions and sexes all play the game together. It is a game of strategy. They say to always think three moves ahead of your current move. Today that's not enough. People have been known to announce checkmate in anywhere from 3 to 32 moves. Most of the games played by the masters end in resignation and rarely play to checkmate, because they can already see that they lost. Throughout the history of chess there have been some exceptional players that helped to evolve and better the game. This blog is all about them.

Some of the masters I will expand on are Bobby Fischer, Emanuel Lasker, Borris Spasky, Magnus Carlson, Alexandra Kosteniuk and Jose Capablanca to name a few.