Miss New York City goes X3D

The beauty and the beast of Baku

The match between Garry Kasparov and X3D Fritz in New York City is now less than six weeks away. (Games on Nov. 11, 13, 16, 18) It's turning into something huge, especially now that ESPN is showing all four of the games live. More flair was added with the announcement that Miss New York City 2003, Katie Horn, would make the first move of the big Sunday game. Photos and a biography of Ms. Horn below.

We can be pretty sure that X3D Fritz won't be distracted by the charming presence of Miss New York City, but can we say the same for the humans? It's not every day that someone in a tiara opens a chess game.

Here Katie Horn gets some pointers from X3D CEO Eliot Klein on playing against Fritz. The amazing 3D effect is impressive even if you don't know a Sicilian from a Scandinavian.

Katie Horn - Miss New York City 2003

Originally from Utica, New York, Katie graduated in May 2003 cum laude with a Bachelor of Music concentrated in Classical Vocal performance from New York University.

Katie became interested in participating in the Miss America Scholarship program after competing in the Junior Miss Scholarship program when she became Junior Miss New York 1999 and was the overall National Talent Winner that year. She then went on to become Miss Five Boroughs 2000 and was in the Top Ten at Miss New York State. Her platform issue is The Impact and Power of Music Education . Katie is passionate about this cause because music has been an immensely important part of her education. She feels very strongly that parents and educators need to be aware of the significance that music can have on the overall development of a child.

Katie loves to perform. During her college career she has been seen as Christine in Forbidden NYU and as Shop Girl in the NYU production of Street Scene . Last summer, she was Adelaide in Guys and Dolls . Katie also premiered the NYC role of Ella Sweeney in the Off-Off-Broadway production of Emma and Company . She was in the NYU opera The Audition as Carmen Carmen and the NYU Players Club productions of New York State of Mind as Mary Haines and A Night of Durang as Greek Chorus. Katie studies voice with Metropolitan opera singer Jane Bunnell.

Katie is taking this year to live, work, and audition in New York City. She is excited about the opportunity she has to serve and promote the Miss New York City Scholarship program and her platform issue. She has deferred a year from graduate studies at the New England Conservatory. Katie spent this past summer working in the Hill Country of Texas, as a camp counselor to 11 and 12 year old girls at Laity Lodge Youth Camp. She also performed weekly and collaborated with many celebrated musicians at the Laity Lodge Adult Retreat Center owned by the Howard E. Butt Foundation.