Kramnik vs Deep Fritz. A Brain Games Event

Man v Machine by Sean Evans (ChessBoa@SoftHome.net)

Pre-Match Quotes:

Vladimir Kramnik (Source ChessBase)

"Unlike Fritz, I cannot do ( process ) millions of moves per second. I would be very happy with one move per second. But humans have an advantage over the computer mostly on strategical points of the game and therefore we can make long-term strategies much better than computers."

"Probably one day computers will become stronger than the best human player, but I still believe that we have time, ten to fifteen years, in which to compete with computers. It is definitely going to be very difficult playing an opponent, which can calculate something like 2 million of moves a second, is never going to easy. Playing a computer this powerful will be a new and interesting experience."

"It is much more difficult than a normal match because I will not know what to expect. When you play a human opponent, you know more or less how to prepare, but how do you prepare against a machine?"

"Since the 1997 result, people now think that a computer is stronger than any human, but I want to prove the opposite is true."

"Normally, before any match, I don't think about my chances. I just know that I have to do my best. But I am absolutely sure that I do have a chance of winning."

"This is not a contest about money; it is about winning"

"A computer doesn't feel anything, it doesn't feel tired or nervous, and it doesn't feel more or less confident. It is much more stable than a person because it doesn't have any personality. All this is definitely an advantage for the computer."

"I am convinced that humans can still be better than machines in an intellectual struggle. A machine does not have any flexibility of thinking. The main advantage for a human is a feeling for the game. Quite often, I cannot calculate everything, but I make the right move because I feel it is the right move. A computer can only try to make the right move mathematically."

"There is no doubt that it ( DF7 ) is going to provide very strong competition."

"It will be very hard, I know that, but I would like to prove that humans are still worth something."

"I believe this match will attract a lot of interest because there are not many fields in which humans can compete against computers."

"I think that in the public eye the computer is already stronger than any chess player on the planet. I'm very eager to win and to prove that this is not the case."

"I am sure I have my own trumps, my own chances. I will be concentrating on my chess but I know it will be difficult. In 1997, the human had many disadvantages which I don't have now."

"It is not clear that Fritz on an eight-processor machine will be weaker than Deep Blue. In fact it is probably stronger."

"When Kasparov lost to Deep Blue, in the public eye the computer became king. I am keen to win and prove this is not the case."

"A machine does not have any flexibility of thinking. I cannot always calculate everything but I make the right move because I feel it is the right move."

"Before a match I never answer any questions that begin with the words 'If you lose'"

GM Gary Kasparov on Internet chess:

From GM Gary Kasparov's recent Press Conference in Patras, Spain, he was asked whether the game of chess is tailor made for the Internet and whether he believes that it will blossom. In addition, being a major holder in one of the largest Internet chess portals in the world, 'Kasparovclub.com', how does he see his chess site developing?

GM Kasparov's response was as follows;

"This is the biggest chess enterprise in Internet and my dream was to make something similar to CNN to inform all the chess players about chess life. But we were not lucky with the last market drop that set back our plans, very ambitious plans and despite hard market conditions we are still planning to expand. And I agree with you that the Internet gives chess unique opportunity and we must take advantage of this situation.

Chess was the missing link between the professional world and the public. We agree that chess is not as attractive as football or tennis on the big screen but with Internet the situation reverses because you cannot play football or tennis in real terms but you can play chess with any one or study or follow any tournament. For chess, Internet is a gift but now we have to compete with video games."

The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of TWIC, Chess & Bridge Ltd or the London Chess Center.