Kasparov v. Deep Blue - we will never forget

On Feb. 10, 1996, a computer won a game of chess against a world champion for the first time.

The computer was Deep Blue, a machine designed by IBM capable of computing 100 million positions per second.

The champion was 32-year-old Russian Grandmaster Garry Kasparov, who had first been named world champion at age 22.

The game was the first in a match of six held in Philadelphia. Kasparov rebounded in the following five games, fighting the computer to two draws and three victories, winning the overall match. 

Kasparov took the first move of the first game, and defeated the improved Deep Blue in 45 moves.

However, Kasparov was unable to understand the reason for one of the computer’s final counterintuitive moves, which may have been the result of a software glitch. He interpreted it as a sign of an intelligence superior to his own, and became anxious and unnerved.

The second game ended in victory for the computer, leaving them tied with four games left.

Game 3 ended in a draw.

Game 4 ended in a draw.

Game 5 ended in a draw.

On May 11, the final, tie-breaking game was held. Audiences watched in suspense via television as Kasparov sat down opposite Deep Blue’s human surrogate. 

In just 19 moves, Deep Blue defeated the human grandmaster.

IBM was thrilled, and Kasparov was crestfallen. He went on to accuse the Deep Blue team of cheating and demanded anther rematch. IBM declined, and retired Deep Blue at the top of its game.