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The ChessBase team arrived in New York on Sunday, after a somewhat harrowing trip from Europe. In 36 hours we had to set everything up: the computer that would play Garry Kasparov, the X3D display that would replace the normal chessboard and pieces, the video feed of this virtual reality image into the spectator area, the live Internet coverage and a hundred other things. It was only with the support of a bevy of extremely efficient technicians from X3D Technologies, the company sponsoring the event, that this complex network of new technologies could be installed. Incredibly in the end everything worked exactly as planned.
The event is being staged in the New York Athletic club, a very classy hotel facility directly on the edge of central park. Ironically it is just a few blocks away from the Plaza Hotel where Garry Kasparov stayed during his ill-fated match against Deep Blue in 1997.
Breakfast in the New York Athletic Club, where you have to wear a tie and jacket
even if it is eight in the morning (and no jeans or sneakers, either –
we are a sports club, gentlemen!). That's the ChessBase team, with Jeroen van
den Belt, wearing a tie for the first time since high school graduation, Alex
Kure, testing the tolerance of the NYAC, Frans Morsch, Mathias Feist and the
author (behind the camera lense).
Deja vu all over again? Didn't we end up stringing cables over the 12th storey
balcony of the the Athletic Club the last time? Yes
indeed, that's Oscar from X3D setting up the Internet connection to the
spectator hall three floors below. In addition this time the ESPN crew ran heavy
duty lines all the way to the street level.
A fleet of ESPN trucks parked in front of the New York Athletic Club venue
These trucks contain everything: a full recording and editing studio, broadcast
and satellite transmission, even a complete, independent power supply (for which
X3D Fritz thanks them – no danger of a blackout when they switch on their
lights).
Garry Kasparov prepping Maurice Ashley, who will do commentary for the ESPN
chess extravaganza. In the middle Garry's manager Owen Williams looks on. Owen
hails from South Africa, where he used to be a top tennis star, and now lives
in Florida. Unlike most managers he is a thoroughly friendly, likable person.
A distinguished visitor: top French player Joel Lautier tries out Kasparov's
match equipment. Joel helped with the live Flash coverage on the Internet.
Waiting for the moment – scores of TV and photo journalists behind the
red line.
13:00h EST: Kasparov enters the venue. The best shots are captured by the crew
of Germany's largest TV station, ZDF, with multi-lingual Franco-Germany-US producer
Christelle taking notes.
It actually appears that he is looking forward to the X3D experiment
Instead of adjusting his pieces and preparing the scoresheet Garry dons X3D
glasses
He cannot hide his delight when the pieces jump out of the monitor
Our single-lens camera cannot capture the X3D effect that presents itself to
the player
Meanwhile in the utility room the Fritz team monitors the progress of the game,
while ICGA president David Levy (far left) makes sure that everything is done
according to the rules
The ESPN chess show, with commentators
Maurice Ashley, Paul Hoffman and Yasser Seirawan, who have a once-in-a-lifetime
chance to popularise their game in the US (when was the last time you saw chess
broadcast for 17 hours on a national cable network?).
Delightful visitors to the X3D chess spectacle: IM Irina Krush, four times world
champion GM Susan Polgar, WGM Jennifer Shahade and WGM Rusa Goletiani, all part
of the US
Women's Olympiad team.
At move 37 X3D Fritz can force a repetition and get a draw. Garry Kasparov waits
to see what the computer will do. It repeats moves, the first game is drawn.
The signing of the scoresheet is documented for TV
Preparing the human champ for the TV wrapup
Explaining to the ESPN anchors what it is like to play Fritz in the X3D world
"It wasn't easy, but it is interesting to be a pioneer in this new technology"
The audience is enthralled – including the X3D Fritz team who are standing
under the camera boom.
Frederic Friedel
