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Does computer chess sponsorship exist?
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 4:14 pm
by Sesse
Is there any record of people ever having received sponsorship for computer chess? I'm a year or so from buying a new server for analysis.sesse.net, and I know Intel (and probably also AMD) has a long tradition of throwing hardware at various people for research, gaming, etc.—but I've never heard of anything in chess. (Producing a CPU has very low marginal cost—all the cost is in R&D and setting up the fabs—so it's fairly cheap for them if they assume they don't lose a sale that way.) Does it exist? Does anyone have contacts in any of those companies that are interested in chess and think it would be interesting to have their name associated with some of the strongest live analysis available?
Re: Does computer chess sponsorship exist?
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 4:42 pm
by jdart
I believe Intel backed the Deep Blue project, a long time ago. And Google found money for the Alpha Zero project, but that was done in-house.
--Jon
Re: Does computer chess sponsorship exist?
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 4:47 pm
by Robert Pope
Sesse wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 4:14 pm
Is there any record of people ever having received sponsorship for computer chess? I'm a year or so from buying a new server for analysis.sesse.net, and I know Intel (and probably also AMD) has a long tradition of throwing hardware at various people for research, gaming, etc.—but I've never heard of anything in chess. (Producing a CPU has very low marginal cost—all the cost is in R&D and setting up the fabs—so it's fairly cheap for them if they assume they don't lose a sale that way.) Does it exist? Does anyone have contacts in any of those companies that are interested in chess and think it would be interesting to have their name associated with some of the strongest live analysis available?
Sure. IBM sponsored deep blue. Alphabet sponsored AlphaZero. I'm pretty sure Cray donated computer time for Cray Blitz on multiple occasions. I'm pretty sure that (Intel?) has provided multiple machines for the uniform computing WCCC at least a couple times. Magnus Carlsen sponsored/paid Tord to write "Play Magnus". On the flip side, "lack of sponsors" was one of the arguments the ICCA used for ignoring their charter to alternate hemispheres for location of the WCCC.
Re: Does computer chess sponsorship exist?
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 4:54 pm
by jp
Sesse wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 4:14 pm
I'm a year or so from buying a new server for analysis.sesse.net
How did you get the existing server for Sesse?
Re: Does computer chess sponsorship exist?
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 5:25 pm
by lkaufman
According to talkchess posts, Houdini was sponsored by an Arab Sheikh. I don't have any direct knowledge of that.
Re: Does computer chess sponsorship exist?
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 7:55 pm
by Sesse
jp wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 4:54 pm
How did you get the existing server for Sesse?
Bought it, with my own money. That is, of course, the main plan unless something unexpected should happen.
Re: Does computer chess sponsorship exist?
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 7:56 pm
by Sesse
lkaufman wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 5:25 pm
According to talkchess posts, Houdini was sponsored by an Arab Sheikh. I don't have any direct knowledge of that.
I thought that was Hydra.
Re: Does computer chess sponsorship exist?
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 8:04 pm
by zullil
Sesse wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 7:56 pm
lkaufman wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 5:25 pm
According to talkchess posts, Houdini was sponsored by an Arab Sheikh. I don't have any direct knowledge of that.
I thought that was Hydra.
Not sure it matters. Start looking for chess-loving sheikh.
Re: Does computer chess sponsorship exist?
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 8:35 pm
by Rebel
AMD sponsored the match against Anand. Aegon sponsored the Aegon tournaments. The 4 Maastricht (comp vs GM) events were sponsored by Dutch companies but these times are definitely over.
Re: Does computer chess sponsorship exist?
Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 8:47 pm
by Sesse
zullil wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 8:04 pm
Not sure it matters. Start looking for chess-loving sheikh.
Pretty few sheikhs roaming the streets here in Norway, but I'll keep an eye out!