One of the most famous computer chess scenes is in Stanley Kubrick's legendary "2001: A Space Odyssey". But the movie is from 1968 and so it wasn't a real chess computer. They used an old game Roesch-Schlage 1910 for the chess scene where Poole plays against HAL.
See also http://www.xs4all.nl/~timkr/chess2/schlage.htm
Chess computers in popular culture
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Re: Chess computers in popular culture
Regards, Mike
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Re: Chess computers in popular culture
I have not read The Hitchhiker's Guide yet, but I will do so. I recentlyJan Brouwer wrote:If you haven't already added Douglas Adams, please do.Adam Hair wrote:Something else to add to my reading list. Thanks!Tord Romstad wrote:It probably doesn't qualify as popular culture, but Gene Wolfe -- my favorite living author -- has written a short story named The Marvellous Brass Chessplaying Automaton. The story is set some time in the future, at a time when technology has regressed compared to today. People still remember the age of computers, but the art of making them has been forgotten. It is widely assumed that no working computers remain. But there are rumors that a single computer still survives in a remote German village: A dedicated chess computer.
I won't spoil the story, in case somebody wants to read it. It's included in the short story collection The Best of Gene Wolfe (which, albeit very good, isn't really the best of Gene Wolfe, because his novels are better than his short stories).
I must have read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy at least 10 times by now.
started making time to read again, something that has been tough to do
the previous 5 years.
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Re: Chess computers in popular culture
I remember you yet mentioned this author, and advocate him so well that I really want to read him, now. Sadly the only books from him I find in my language seem to be heroic fantasy only, which is not my cup of tea... :/Tord Romstad wrote:It probably doesn't qualify as popular culture, but Gene Wolfe -- my favorite living author -- has written a short story named The Marvellous Brass Chessplaying Automaton. The story is set some time in the future, at a time when technology has regressed compared to today. People still remember the age of computers, but the art of making them has been forgotten. It is widely assumed that no working computers remain. But there are rumors that a single computer still survives in a remote German village: A dedicated chess computer.
I won't spoil the story, in case somebody wants to read it. It's included in the short story collection The Best of Gene Wolfe (which, albeit very good, isn't really the best of Gene Wolfe, because his novels are better than his short stories).
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Another famous reference to chess computers in pop culture is the "Kasparov and the machine" advert, by Pepsi :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRTZW0EwOJ4
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Re: Chess computers in popular culture
in the eleventh episode of third season of Lost (name: "enter 77"), John Locke got fascinated by a chess program and plays it until he eventually wins... with unexpected consequences.
Here's a video of this sequence :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIQoV1xFoDI
Here's a video of this sequence :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIQoV1xFoDI
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Re: Chess computers in popular culture
I also first of all remind "The Thing" whenever this topic comes up. Absolutely awesome scene. (Found it on youtube).Jouni wrote:I remember this has been discussed here already. But anyway first in mind comes the legendary 1982 The Thing were Kurt Russel plays chess against computer! Was it Sargon?
Jouni
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Re: Chess computers in popular culture
Off topic, but you ought to try one of Matt Reilly's books. Fastest-paced books I have ever read, and I have read a _lot_ in 50+ years...Tord Romstad wrote:It probably doesn't qualify as popular culture, but Gene Wolfe -- my favorite living author -- has written a short story named The Marvellous Brass Chessplaying Automaton. The story is set some time in the future, at a time when technology has regressed compared to today. People still remember the age of computers, but the art of making them has been forgotten. It is widely assumed that no working computers remain. But there are rumors that a single computer still survives in a remote German village: A dedicated chess computer.
I won't spoil the story, in case somebody wants to read it. It's included in the short story collection The Best of Gene Wolfe (which, albeit very good, isn't really the best of Gene Wolfe, because his novels are better than his short stories).
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Re: Chess computers in popular culture
Blake's 7 (is that culture enough for you? )
I think it was the second series.
Vilan (the thief of the bunch) was winning too much in a casino and get's tricked to play chess against some wunderkind.
To make matters worse he starts with a Kings Gambit,but Oracle(the computer of computers)
saves the game to a draw.
I think it was the second series.
Vilan (the thief of the bunch) was winning too much in a casino and get's tricked to play chess against some wunderkind.
To make matters worse he starts with a Kings Gambit,but Oracle(the computer of computers)
saves the game to a draw.
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Re: Chess computers in popular culture
That's surprising -- I suck at advocating things, and would have been the worlds least successful salesman. As an example, I had to advocate late move reductions for a year or so before anyone started listening.JuLieN wrote:I remember you yet mentioned this author, and advocate him so well that I really want to read him, now.Tord Romstad wrote:It probably doesn't qualify as popular culture, but Gene Wolfe -- my favorite living author -- has written a short story named The Marvellous Brass Chessplaying Automaton. The story is set some time in the future, at a time when technology has regressed compared to today. People still remember the age of computers, but the art of making them has been forgotten. It is widely assumed that no working computers remain. But there are rumors that a single computer still survives in a remote German village: A dedicated chess computer.
I won't spoil the story, in case somebody wants to read it. It's included in the short story collection The Best of Gene Wolfe (which, albeit very good, isn't really the best of Gene Wolfe, because his novels are better than his short stories).
What books were those? None of the numerous Wolfe books I have read could be described as heroic fantasy. The only such books I know of are the The Wizard Knight duology, which don't look that interesting to me, and which I haven't read.Sadly the only books from him I find in my language seem to be heroic fantasy only, which is not my cup of tea... :/
Wolfe isn't for everyone, however. It's not easy and fast-paced entertainment, and there is little direct action. You have to think hard and pay attention to every little detail in order to figure out what is going on. The narrators are usually not entirely reliable, and some of the most important events in the books often happen off-screen, forcing the reader to figure out what has happened based on little fragments of information given in dialog from characters who may or may not be truthful. The books are best suited for people who enjoy solving puzzles, and who don't mind reading a book two or three times.
If someone wants to give Wolfe a try, read The Best of Gene Wolfe if you like short stories, Peace if you want something close to mainstream literature, the Soldier series (Soldier of the Mist, Soldier of Arete and Soldier of Sidon) if you're interested in ancient history and mythology, The Book of the New Sun if you're a science fiction fan, and The Fifth Head of Cerberus if you're a science fiction fan without the time or patience to attack something as big as TBotNS. The Book of the New Sun is widely regarded as the best of them all, but it can also be very dense, confusing and frustrating for new readers.
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Re: Chess computers in popular culture
Yeah... that Blake's 7 episode was probably the best of the whole series
Does anyone recognise which old program is used to display the chess game ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yN_MJMLMeA
BTW, the characters name is Vila, not Vilan, but there's no youtube link to the final scene when Vila (with Orac's help) draws the game.
Does anyone recognise which old program is used to display the chess game ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yN_MJMLMeA
BTW, the characters name is Vila, not Vilan, but there's no youtube link to the final scene when Vila (with Orac's help) draws the game.
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Re: Chess computers in popular culture
What about "Quarantine" by Arthur C. Clarke?
See http://researchweb.watson.ibm.com/deepb ... e.8.2.html
Brian
See http://researchweb.watson.ibm.com/deepb ... e.8.2.html
Brian