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Subject: A Prediction of 40 Years Ago

Author: Dana Turnmire

Date: 22:16:31 04/25/02


I must say that for a long time I kept hope alive that computers would never be
able to dominate the top human players in a serious match.  Needless to say this
very thing is in the process of happening as we sit here.  In 1963 I.A. Horowitz
and P.L. Rothenberg wrote a book entitled "The Complete Book of Chess."  In
chapter 19 ("The Future of Chess") they write:

"That a richly endowed robot will one day be able to play a highly skillful game
of Chess leaves no room for doubt.  On the other hand, in the absence of a
fantastic superspeed electronic brain, the Chess championship of the world is
likely to be retained by humans for centuries to come."

I don't know what "superspeed" meant back in 1963 but it seems that in the near
future a simple desktop computer with a 50$ chess program will be able to take
on the human world champion and win.  Sad to me.



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