Deep Blue: A Chess-playing Machine

Back in 1996, a computer known as Deep Blue struck a universal blow for artificial intelligence. The computer was designed by IBM with the sole intention of defeating a world champion at chess; this mission was accomplished when world champion Garry Kasparov was beaten in the opening match. He went on to win four of the next five matches played, which led to a major upgrade for Deep Blue.

The machine returned in 1997 for a rematch with Kasparov. Its builders had upgraded the system’s ability to evaluate and anticipate moves, but Kasparov went on to blame in-match interference for his eventual demise. He suggested in post-match interviews that the designers and handlers of Deep Blue were in fact changing the machine’s moves on the fly. In any case, it must be a bit unnerving to play a game of chess under so much stress and without being able to read your opponent’s body language. That second meeting would be their last, and Kasparov would return to the chess board to face other humans.

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1. Online Chess: No Substitute for the Real Thing