Chess master wins, saves human race

and Jaclyn LaPlaca With a flip of his wrist, the reigning world chess champion threw his bishop on A8, capturing rook A8 and more importantly, garnering a victory for the human race. Garry Kasparov's face relaxed as he reclined in his chair with full knowledge that the battle was his to complete. A smirk appeared on the face of the 32-year-old champion, as he removed his watch, his signature move to indicate that his opponent -- in this case IBM's computing creation, Deep Blue -- is in trouble. The final chapter of the six-game match between man and machine came to a close Saturday during a night that Kasparov described as one of the most important of his life. With the eyes of the world watching, the Pennsylvania Convention Center hosted the match which ended as Kasparov prevailed 4-2 over the tremendous data-processing ability of the computer. Asked afterwards whether he had felt that he saved the human race, Kasparov smiled. "I feel like I did a good job, for chess first, and probably for all mankind," he said. After losing the first game to Deep Blue last Saturday -- sending the chess world into a tizzy -- Kasparov rebounded in the second game, coasting to victory in just under three hours. The third and fourth games ended in a draw, setting the stage for the winner -- and the $400,000 that went with the victory -- to be determined in the final two contests. Controversy surrounded the fifth game as early in the match, Kasparov offered a draw which the computer accepted. But the computer operators overturned the decision of Deep Blue and ordered the computer to continue play. That was a fateful decision for Deep Blue as Kasparov went on to capture victory in that game. "The computer would have been better off without human interference," Philadelphia Area Chess Master Dan Heisman said. "They should have just left it alone." So entering the sixth and final game Saturday, Kasparov only needed a tie or draw to achieve victory. But the reigning chess champion did not play like a man going for a tie. Instead, from the moment the sixth game started, Kasparov went for the kill. In fact, Kasparov made his opening moves so quickly that Maurice Ashley, one of the commentators who gave move-by-move analysis to the packed Convention Center, exclaimed that the competitors were "moving at a wicked pace!" "An average move usually takes three minutes to complete, but Kasparov is only using three seconds," Ashley explained. "He is trying to play speed chess to intimidate the computer, but it is not going to work." But Kasparov, who has been described as "cocky" with great frequency, apparently had a master plan. In a very short time span, Kasparov had clear control of the match, putting Deep Blue on the defensive. The match closed when Deep Blue, sensing imminent doom, resigned on just its 43rd move. Kasparov ended his day by fielding questions by audience members, who paid $20 each to watch the final game on a big-screen televisions. One audience member asked Kasparov who he would choose to play next. "Because I'm the world champion, I don't usually get to choose my opponents," Kasparov responded. "But if I had a choice I would certainly choose Deep Blue II -- the revised version."

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