HN Theater @HNTheaterMonth

While computer go has received lots of attention recently with the tremendous success of AlphaGo, computer chess has generally been regarded as a "solved" problem since the Kasparov vs Deep Blue match in 1997. In reality, chess programs have made enormous progress since then.

This talk assumes a basic understanding of the alpha-beta algorithm as taught in many computer science courses, and describes the techniques used by the current top programs and how they differ from Deep Blue and other programs of that era. We will also discuss how the falling prestige and financial rewards of computer chess has, paradoxically, vastly improved the rate of progress.