San Francisco
THE time for games is over, say the handlers of the world鈥檚 leading chess
player, the IBM supercomputer, Deep Blue. But chess enthusiasts are questioning
the motives behind the announcement that Deep Blue will henceforth concentrate
on practical challenges, such as studying disease and weather patterns.
Deep Blue became a media superstar when it beat world chess champion Garry
Kasparov in a six-game match last May. Now Kasparov鈥檚 hopes for a rematch have
been dashed. 鈥淲hat we want is to use the computer for cutting-edge scientific
research,鈥� says IBM spokeswoman Melinda McMullen. But Daniel King, a chess
grandmaster from London and author of a book about the Kasparov/Deep Blue match,
says he thinks IBM is simply quitting while it鈥檚 ahead. 鈥淭hey have nothing more
to gain and everything to lose from another match.鈥�
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If Deep Blue is never again to play chess, says King, the world will miss out
on an exciting arms race that would have spurred supercomputer development.
鈥淗umans learn fast and would probably catch up to Deep Blue soon,鈥� he says.
鈥淭hen IBM would catch up and we鈥檇 all learn so much.鈥�
IBM鈥檚 decision seems to have been taken suddenly. The latest issue of the IBM
magazine Think declares that the Deep Blue team鈥檚 first concern is
chess. In the article, team leader C. J. Tan talks about making the computer
available via the Internet: 鈥淲e could satisfy the demand of thousands of people
to play.鈥�