Author: Albert Silver
Date: 12:31:45 01/10/00
Go up one level in this thread
On January 10, 2000 at 15:08:35, Enrique Irazoqui wrote:
>On January 10, 2000 at 14:53:58, Albert Silver wrote:
>
>>On January 10, 2000 at 10:52:12, Amir Ban wrote:
>>
>>>On January 09, 2000 at 22:21:25, Dave Gomboc wrote:
>>>
>>>>You can read the letter at http://www.chesscenter.com/twic/feng.html
>>>>
>>>>Your comments?
>>>>
>>>>Dave
>>
>>Sounds a little oily on Kasparov's part. A rematch means another match against a
>>same opponent, so all this talk of having a public record prior to accepting to
>>play it sounds a little weak. If anyone knows anything about it, he does. He
>>played the thing, so how mysterious can it be? Furthermore, all the talks given
>>by Hsu and others involved, plus the paper detailing the design in IEEE Micro,
>>certainly don't make it a "mystery box". Sure, it would undoubtedly undergo some
>>changes in speed and tuning, but he knows what Hsu would be working from.
>>Besides, he challenged DB and not "any program with an established public
>>record", so I just don't buy it.
>
>Well... I think I do. To you and to me, DB means Hsu and his team. To the
>immense majority, DB=IBM. Then, this new DB would be your "mystery box" for
>most, maybe also for Kasparov. As I understand it, match and rematch were
>Kasparov against DB-IBM. Once IBM quits, it's an entirely different opponent in
>the eyes of most. Therefore, it must qualify, etc.
>
>Enrique
It's possible, no question about it, but I still don't buy it. :-) Still, this
is entirely subjective at this point I'll candidly admit, and a statement from
Kasparov or Owen Williams will undoubtedly be forthcoming on the matter. I
suspect that we'll just see a rehash of what Amir passed on here, but perhaps
we'll find out more. I'll also admit I'm a little biased as seeing the whole
DB-on-a-PC card fly out the window was a nasty blow. A pity how things that are
too good to be true usually are even when they needn't have been.
Albert Silver
>>>
>>>Shay and I called Kasparov and asked him about it, and here's what he has to say
>>>(not an exact quote):
>>>
>>>There was one short letter from Hsu, which was answered by an even shorter
>>>letter, and that was the entire discussion.
>>>
>>>He felt that the question/proposition was not serious from the business point of
>>>view.
>>>
>>>The answer Hsu got was: Kasparov will play ANY computer, under suitable terms,
>>>provided the computer is a known entity that has a record against other
>>>opponents. He remembers that the conversation with Hsu ended after he received
>>>this answer.
>>>
>>>Kasparov told us that he reconfirms this commitment, and cited his agreement to
>>>play Deep Junior in the coming online tournament. Kasparov told us he will not
>>>agree to play against a mystery box as Deep Blue was before their match, and
>>>that the machine should have some public record before it plays him.
>>>
>>>Kasaprov also knew that Hsu has been talking to Microsoft about this.
>>>
>>>So far from Kasaprov.
>>>
>>>We tried to reach Owen Williams to clarify some more things, but couldn't reach
>>>him. There's some apparent contradiction in the number of messages passed and
>>>their content, which maybe Owen could clarify, but I don't think it's very
>>>important, because obviously both sides are telling the same story, but from
>>>their own point of view.
>>>
>>>Hsu bought permission from IBM to build his own version of Deep Blue. He needed
>>>to build a new chip, to develop new hardware and software, and get a new project
>>>going on. He needed funding for this project, and he could get it only if
>>>Kasparov gave prior commitment to play it. Kasparov, by his version, basically
>>>told him to come back when he has a working machine and a record to prove it.
>>>With this answer, Hsu could not make progress, and so folded his tent.
>>>
>>>I'm guessing that Hsu, a tech person, viewed the fact that he didn't have IBM
>>>with him, no funding, no project and no machine as temporary technicalities, and
>>>didn't see these as obstacles to planning a match. Kasparov probably saw it
>>>differently.
>>>
>>>IMO, if Kasparov indeed answered with "come back when you have a machine",
>>>that's a reasonable reply that does not break his former commitment. However Hsu
>>>didn't need Kasparov so much to play a match as he needed him to make the entire
>>>project possible.
>>>
>>>Amir
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