In a refreshingly candid admission, world chess champion Magnus Carlsen acknowledged the superiority of modern chess computers, stating plainly “No. No chance” when asked if he could defeat a phone chess program at its highest level.
The Norwegian grandmaster’s straightforward response highlights the remarkable evolution of chess engines, which have progressed far beyond the capabilities of even the world’s top players.
Carlsen, known for his strategic brilliance and competitive spirit, shared an interesting anecdote about his experience playing against artificial intelligence. “There was actually one time where I played corporate simul,” he recalled in JRE appearance. “And there was this guy who said, I built a chess program in my university class. Can I let that play against you again instead of myself?”
The world champion revealed how he managed to overcome this particular chess program by employing specific anti-computer tactics. “I actually beat it fairly handily because I played some kind of anti-computer chess where I just close up the position as much as possible and just let it have as few possibilities as possible to out-calculate me,” he explained.
However, Carlsen was quick to point out that such strategies only work against less sophisticated programs. “That is a purely strategical game. That doesn’t work against very good engines, but it can work against weaker ones,” he noted.
The admission from one of chess’s greatest players underscores the astronomical computational power of modern devices, which have surpassed even the legendary Deep Blue supercomputer that famously defeated Garry Kasparov in 1997.
This honest assessment from Carlsen not only demonstrates his humility but also marks a significant milestone in the relationship between human intelligence and artificial intelligence in the realm of chess.
