What does "forest" mean?

Hello everybody. I'm translating an article and I can't understand the meaning of the following sentence. I hope you ould help me as you are chess players.

If a king falls in the forest and there is no one there to see it (except you and some stone-dead chess algorithm), did it ever happen?

Here is the link to the whole article. 

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,996380,00.html#ixzz29O5h0KwO

Please, if anyone knows, answer me :)

Although being a Dutchman, so not English speaking, I think I can help you.  The original expression is " a tree falls in the forest " and that refers to a situation without human witness, nobody is around, as usual, you only afterwards see trees that fell down some time earlier.

Thewriter of that article apparently means that the king is mate, play is over.

And yes, you sit alone with your computer and nobody sees it, what a pity, of course you can shout to your partner " I have won " but...

Regards, another happy man, RomyGer, Holland

Thank you, RomyGer. You helped me a lot, and also broadened my knowledge of English.

Unfortunately this expression can't be translated in our language appropriately. Or I'm not good enough in translation yet=)

I really appreciate your help.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_a_tree_falls_in_a_forest