The Guardian: Are computers killing the mystery of chess?

by ChessBase
12/21/2020 – For long-time chess fans this might already sound like a tiring question. But for newcomers and those still invested in finding out how far computers can go in terms of solving the game, this remains to be a fascinating subject. British daily newspaper The Guardian recently published a 6-minute video — featuring Garry Kasparov, Maurice Ashley, Daniel Gormally and Alexandra Botez — exploring the issue.

ChessBase 17 - Mega package - Edition 2024 ChessBase 17 - Mega package - Edition 2024

It is the program of choice for anyone who loves the game and wants to know more about it. Start your personal success story with ChessBase and enjoy the game even more.

More...

The renaissance of chess

Thanks to the massive popularity of Netflix’s “The Queen’s Gambit”, many people around the world have been attracted to the royal game. The mini-series was widely praised on mainstream media, and it naturally prompted media outlets to delve into the real world of chess. In an excellently-produced 6-minute video, The Guardian presented the general public with the issue of computers getting stronger and stronger at chess.

The video description by The Guardian:

Chess is enjoying something of a renaissance, thanks to the Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit – along with it being a game well-suited to Covid lockdowns.

Yet many chess-lovers contend its lure is simultaneously being killed off by computers, which take the romance and mystery from the game in ever more accurate analysis. But this is an adaptable game of paradoxes, and technology has proven to both give and take. Will chess ever be ‘solved’? And could it survive if it was?

Of course, this is well-trodden territory for those immersed in the chess world, with the emergence of AlphaZero a massive step forward in the search for ‘the truth’ hidden behind the mystery — and this is only the last step after many years of experimentation!

Nonetheless, the video is definitely worth a look.



English grandmaster Daniel Gormally, who has written excellent articles for us, quipped on his Twitter account:

Interesting video on whether computers are killing chess. Not often that I get equal screen time with Maurice Ashley and [Alexandra] Botez.


Mating Patterns

On this DVD, Grandmaster and worldrenowned commentator Maurice Ashley reviews some of the most interesting patterns with examples meant to educate and entertain.


Links


Reports about chess: tournaments, championships, portraits, interviews, World Championships, product launches and more.

Discuss

Rules for reader comments

 
 

Not registered yet? Register