6/4/2020 – On August 31, 1970, an experiment began that continues to this day. The first chess tournament for computers was held as part of the ACM’s National Conference. The interest generated was tremendous, leading to ACM sponsoring an annual event until 1994. Professor Jonathan Schaeffer has provided us with a retrospect of what it was like at this pioneering time, which was the beginning of a 50-year project to build a chess program capable of competing with (and, eventually exceeding the abilities of) strong human players. The experiment continues to this day and for the foreseeable future, he says.

1/3/2019 – Reviewer DAVIDE NASTASIO spent a month with the new book by GM Karsten Mueller and Jonathan Schaeffer, published by Russell Enterprises in November, and was enthralled by the history and development of chess engines. But he also believes that the book has a lot to offer players seeking to improve. Pictured: The Turk, Wolfgang von Kempelen's automaton chess player