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Subject: Re: Uh, hello? Americans invented computer chess

Author: Ed Trice

Date: 07:46:38 01/12/04

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>>
>>For your knowledge, you're forgotting someone important:
>>
>>Leonardo Torres Quevedo, who was spanish
>>
>>http://64.225.32.123/magazine/computer.htm
>>
>>Regards
>
>I would not count a mechanical device that plays part of a game.
>
>I have a photo hanging in my office, signed by Claude Shannon, where
>he is sitting by a mechanical chess playing device (used relays) that he
>built in 1949.  According to the note he wrote, this device could play with
>up to 6 pieces total.
>
>However, while a novelty, it is not "computer chess."
>
>Shannon's paper "How to program a computer to play chess" was the
>beginning.  Anything prior was "vaporware".


It was still impressive that Quevedo had built a machine to play Rook vs, King
endings so long ago. When you measure such an accomplishment in comparison to
what technology was available at the time, it really was a significant
accomplishment.

But, as far as laying claims to who invented what and when, I will respectfully
bow out of that argument :)

--Ed



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