Author: Dan Ellwein
Date: 20:55:18 01/13/00
Go up one level in this thread
On January 13, 2000 at 23:31:57, Robert Hyatt wrote: >On January 13, 2000 at 20:20:48, Frederic Friedel wrote: > >>We received the following reaction to the open letter published by F.H. Hsu. It >>is by Garry Kasparov?s manager Owen Williams. Garry himself is on a flight to >>Holland, on his way to the GM tournament in Wijk aan Zee. The letter is also on >>Mark Crowther's site, or will be there soon. >> >>Feng Hsiung Hsu's open letter is extraordinarily misleading and he demonstrates >>a troubling ability to ignore certain responses and to take items out of context >>or make them up and put them in his letter as facts. In his Open Letter he says: >> >>"...Owen never said a straight yes or no to my question of whether Kasparov was >>interested in a match. " >> >>If you read the next paragraph, you will see his inability to read plain >>English. On Nov. 30th, I had responded as follows: >> >>"With regard to a match against a computer, Garry would be happy to consider a >>Challenge under the right circumstances with the rules carefully laid out." >> >>I went on to explain to Mr. Hsu that for Garry to consider a match, the >>prizemoney would have to be substantial, that putting his World Title on the >>line with an untried and untested opponent did not make any sense at all and >>suggested politely but firmly that Mr. Hsu would have to get his program up and >>running on his own or with a backer and then play many games including other >>computer programs and to establish himself as THE CONTENDER. >> >>Obviously, Mr. Hsu did not like my answers very much, became belligerent and >>made threats and even grandly imposed deadlines. > >That is the first statement that _really_ sounds like an outright false >statement. I have known Hsu for a _long_ time... dating back to 1987. I >can't imagine him becomming "belligerent" ever. I have watched as he was >forced to forfeit a game due to a power failure. I have watched as things >didn't go his way with a person he _definitely_ didn't get along with >(Berliner). I have _never_ seen him lose his temper as this letter implies. > >It is always _possible_. But so is cold fusion, in theory. But in practice? >I haven't seen it. > > > > >> >>On Dec. 3rd, amongst other things, I repeated to him: >> >>"Your tone is quite hostile and with angry people, I like to keep my responses >>simple. Garry remains ready, willing and able to play a serious match against a >>computer - under the right conditions." >> >>So persistent did Mr. Hsu become that on Dec. 21s I wrote to him: >> >>"He (Kasparov) will not be associated with an open letter like this. It is not >>the way he does business and it would run counter to discussions he is having >>with others." >> >>The next day Mr. Hsu sent a draft letter intended to go out openly soliciting >>sponsors on his and Garry's behalf! >> >>On Dec. 23rd, I replied as follows: >> >> "I think that maybe I am not expressing myself very clearly. Mr. Kasparov does >>not authorize you to say anything at all. I hope this is very clear." >> >>Incredibly, Mr. Hsu wrote once again, wanting Garry's authorization for another >>letter. >> >>My last e-mail (in exasperation) was: >> >>"You continue making statements which are your words and not Garry's. Please >>read what I have sent you very carefully." >> >>Effectively, Mr. Hsu had many strikes against him: >> >>* He behaved as if he was Deep Blue and we know he is not. > > >That is a good one. Hsu _is_ DB. And they certainly know this. To say >otherwise is not only stupid, it is classless. > > > >> >>* All he had was a computer chip with no organization or sponsor behind him. > > >Had Kasparov agreed to the match, I'd bet Hsu would have had a lot more behind >him. But I am becoming convinced that Kasparov didn't _want_ anybody behind >Hsu, because then he doesn't have to worry about a third match happening. > > > > >> >>* Garry made it very clear that he was not going to give him time just to go on >>a "fishing trip" for a year or two to try and attract sponsors or money. > >And what reason was given? He lost in 1977. we are now in the year 2000. >Would 2001 or 2002 be too late? As opposed to _never_? Unless "never" is >the desired answer of course. > > > > >> >>* His entire presentation was speculative and without substance. >> >>* He began almost immediately to make threats and he seemed to think, like many >>before him, that all he had to do to get Garry to do his bidding, was to >>threaten "exposure." >> >>* To summarize, he had no sponsor, no money, no entity and was entirely lacking >>in any seriousness or credibility from a business point of view. >> >>Ironically, Mr. Hsu waited until two and a half years after the match to set up >>a flurry of e-mails which almost from the beginning were threatening in nature. >>On reflection, I firmly believe that he knew his offer had no credibility and he >>was looking for a little publicity and some notoriety. >> >>For any of you who still think Mr. Hsu was above-board, just put yourself in his >>position. Would you not have called up and said, "Hsu here. Let's put our >>heads together and see if we can make this thing work." >> >>That's not a good idea if all you want out of this is to have a go at THE WORLD >>CHAMPION! >> > >He left out "The world champion that _lost_ to Hsu's program the last time they >met." Kasparov (in public) appears to frantically want to rematch the machine >and prove match 2 was a fluke. It seems that in private, he has an entirely >different agenda... > >ducking and dodging. > >Hey, didn't he do that to anand and shirov also? :) > well... i guess some things don't change... isn't this what Staunton did to Morphy when Staunton would publicly say that he wanted to play Morphy but behind the scenes was dodging Morphy like a bullet... > > >>Owen Williams >> >>S.M.S.I. Inc., Palm Beach, FL. > > >There are some things above that are very suspicious. At the top of the >response, he directly quoted Hsu. But after the beginning, no more quotes >to support his less than savory description of Hsu's actions. I find this >troubling. If he would quote him at the beginning, then couldn't he quote >some of his "belligerent" comments as well? > >I suppose we will have to wait a good while. Knowing Hsu he kept copies of >everything he sent and everything he received. Now that this 'claim' has been >made in public, posting the emails to show what really went on would be >perfectly acceptable, IMHO. > >And should be done, to show the true story... whatever that is...
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