Put a case of Busch on ice and take the phone off the hook..

[tbirds]

Just thought I'd let you guys know in case you had a day off that Kasparov vs. X3D Fritz is going to be on ESPN tomorrow 1-6 and Sunday 1-3:30.

I know that watching a man play chess against a robot on TV has all the earmarks of a great punchline. Also consider that computers are only capable of calculating technical games so you're unlikely to see one of Kasparov's fabled sacrifices. That technical game, however, is likely to provide many, many hours of exciting chess action.

So in case you're bored watching the Bears go 3-and-out you can flip over and watch possibly the greatest chess player of all time work.

[empire]

I didn't know that you were a chess player, Rick. We should get a game going over the board. I am rusty, but can still hold my own.

[hammers]

Just thought I'd let you guys know in case you had a day off that Kasparov vs. X3D Fritz is going to be on ESPN tomorrow 1-6 and Sunday 1-3:30.

Why is it going to take 5 hours on Thursday but only 2:30 on Sunday? Is there a pregame show on Thursday?

J

[tbirds]

4 games, 4 days - or I think it is anyway. One was last night but can't find out who won for the life of me. I think ESPN's only willing to give it a couple hours on Sunday because of football - but who the heck watches ESPN on Sunday afternoon anyway. Maybe they run football highlights mid-day or something.

Anyway, Fritz is the son of Deep Blue and the best machine in the world. Deep Blue was dismantled after defeating Karparov several years ago when Kasparov accused it of getting human signals during the game. Lord knows how he determined this, but someone at his level understands the inherent weaknesses of a machine and exploits them. I think Gary got into a fistfight with it or something.

Kasparov is pretty incredible. He just went 24-0 in a 24 game simul (where he plays 24 people simultaneously). He also competed in a 10 game blind. A blind is where he sits in a room away from the 10 other people he's playing and is only told what their moves are - he has to remember the position of 10 boards simultaneously. He won 9 and played the final game to a draw (the draw was against an American grandmaster). That boggles my mind - this guy is a human calculator.

I'm always up for a game, John. I'm nothing special really.