Karpov vs Kasparov in glorious live 3D

X3D live chess event

It's like the good old days, when Karpov played Kasparov on a monthly basis. The atmosphere of the eighties is being recreated by X3DWorld, a company that is trying to bring 3D-TV onto our computer screens. "X3D Technologies will host the first world chess match broadcast over the Internet in 3D", the company officials announced. "The event will star legendary world chess champions Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov in a two-day match at the ABC news building in Times Square New York. The chess masters will face off four times in four 50-minute time-controlled matches and will be broadcast over the Internet (www.3dworld.com) on December 19th and 20th in eXtreme 3D, presenting Kasparov and Karpov as though they were floating in space inside and in front of the screen."

So how do you get to see this in the third dimension? Well, you are going to need a X3D system and Gateway Software for starters. The package retails at $99 and contains everything required to convert 2D into eXtreme 3D, including wired electronic LCD viewing glasses, monitor pass-through cable, and the X3D installation software. It comes with the X3D Gateway Software, which converts television signals on the fly to true Extreme 3D, viewable on any computer with a CRT display.

The hardware requirements are a PC with Windows 9x/ME/2000/XP, a CRT monitor, 32X CD-ROM drive or 400 MB available storage recommended. For 3D Gaming a video card with NVIDIA® chipset.

This is how it works: the computer monitor alternately displays complete left-eye and right-eye images, each time the monitor refreshes. The X3D glasses have high-speed electronic shutters (made with Liquid Crystal material), which open and close at the same refresh rate as the monitor, in sync with the page flipped images. When the left image is on the screen, the left shutter is open and the right shutter is closed, so that the image is viewed only by your left eye. When the right image is on the screen, the right shutter is open and the left shutter is closed, so that the image is viewed only by your right eye. This happens so quickly that the brain perceives 3D depth.

Schedule of the games

• Rate of play: 25 mins + 10 secs per move
• Location: ABC News building in Times Square, New York, USA.
• The sponsor is X3D Technologies. Official web site: X3D World site (watch for the 3D coverage there).

Other events

So is it worthwhile buying and installing the X3D system just to watch four rapid games of chess? Maybe not. But consider – after the Karpov-Kasparov rapid chess match there will be other things to watch. How about the following:

• Enjoy the world class Louvre Museum from your desktop as the Louvre's sculptures come alive in this beautiful online presentation.

• Winter Olympics 2002, from Salt Lake City, Utah, February 8 to the 24th.
  
  
• The First 3D Fashion Show, showcasing some of the world's leading fashion designers. "You will feel like you're sitting before the runway models while enjoying the show, and with one click, you will be able to purchase the fashions of your dreams!!!"

  

• Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model: Heidi Klum

• Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model: Kylie Bax

• The first Miss eWorld Beauty Pageant, hosted by world famous super model Kylie Bax. Women worldwide, ages 18-25, are eligible to enter the Miss eWorld 3D Pageant. Viewers at 3DWORLD.COM will be entitled to vote online (one vote per visitor) for their favorite contestant. The contestant with the greatest number of votes will be crowned the First Miss eWorld! First, Second, and Third Place winners will also be honored.

  

  Come to think about it, who needs the chess gig?