The Grandmaster

Back in 1997, I saw Garry Kasparov face off against an IBM computer. It was mostly very boring.

On the stage was a blue metal box – Deep Blue. Kasparov was upstairs, in seclusion, and the moves were shown on a big board hanging over the stage.

Eventually, there was some excitement. An hour or so into the game, Kasparov went into what chess players call a deep think, chewing up his clock. Emerging from it some time later, he moved his pieces with lightning speed, and promptly put Deep Blue in a corner.