If A Computer Solves Chess Will You Quit Playing?

     Here is an interesting philosophical question I often ask myself while sitting
on the beach or a lonely mountaintop.
     If chess is solved by a computer will you quit playing?  Why or why not?

Since I have no clue how a computer can solve chess, I put your question in the 'Do gods exist?' file.

I think such a solution would be too complicated for a mere human to understand, so there would be no reason to stop playing.

No, I will not quit. It's like asking a sprinter if he will quit a 100 meter race because someone can do it quicker on a motorbike. As long as one plays against people or software which emulates people, one should not quit.

All of the above applies regardless of whether the computer "solves" chess as a draw with perfect play or a win for white with perfect play.

No, I'll play on....

There's just no way we're ever going to remember every single line, it won't make any difference to human play, I think.

Note: Checkers was recently solved by a computer and now a lot of people are
calling it a "dead sport" and some have quit the game.

By the way, draughts(checkers) is still part of the World Mind Sports Games along with chess, bridge, go, and xiangqi(chinese chess).  The 2nd version of the games is probably going to be alongside the 2012 Olympics.

i'm more curious as to how often you sit on a lonely mountain top, and is the mountain top lonely or you? and by the way, what's your answer? or do you just ask the question?

first of all it depends on what you mean by "solved". do you mean that there is just one perfect game? i never understand when people say that a computer "solved" chess. is it just a computer that can't lose and if played perfectly can only be drawn against at best?

i usually play against real people so i'd probably not care too much if a computer "solves" chess (whatever that means).

What if man solves chess?  Will the computers quit playing?

Note: The definition of solving chess is that it is determined to be a draw with
perfect play or a win for white with perfect play.  At least that is how I interpret
the meaning.

Wouldn't it be funny if a computer found out chess is a win for black with
perfect play?

omg you just blew my mind.

That's hilarious

 I always ask: "If I blow this position, will I quit playing?"

I would like to know what would be the FIDE rating of uch a computer?

Assuming chess is a draw, it will clearly never lose, but what would a top human score against it?

That is funny.  Perhaps chess is how we will beat the machines in the Terminator
battles of the future.  In the great movie "War Games" a different game is used
than chess(I won't give it away in case some haven't seen the movie).

I have to think 3500+ Rooperi, since Rybka is already 3200+.

That seems really high, doesnt that translate to about 9½-½? I would have thought Humans could do better than that.

Anyway, that rating would be significant, because theoretically it would be the highest possible rating, not so?

I'll stop playing correspondance chess for sure. Will I stop playing live or OTB chess? Probably not.

 There was a short story once where Alekhine, on his deathbed, recounted the story of when he was at the St Petersburg tournament and an old Russian peasant came to his hotel room claiming to have found a way for White to checkmate in twelve moves from the initial position. Alekhine, at first scornful, eventually got the pieces out and let the old man try it out. Twelve moves later he looked at the board in amazement. "Do that again!". The old man obliged. After losing in twelve moves several times over, Alekhine rushed along the corridor to fetch Lasker. Same result. The two grandmasters looked at each other in horror as they realized that chess was now solved...

"And then?" asks the listener. "Then?" whispers Alekhine, almost with his last breath. "Why, we killed him, of course."

It seems pretty clear as to what he means by "solve chess".

That's a good question. People already memorize whole games that are notable, so I don't think it would be a stretch to memorize "the perfect game". In which case you'd basically either have to rule out people playing that game, or just not play.

Really? Why don't you explain how to solve chess.