2002: Deep Fritz Befuddles Kramnik, Drawing 4–4 in Bahrain

Abstract

It took more than five years to again bring together the human world chess ­champion and, well, let’s say, one of the world’s best chess engines. This time the human was Vladimir Kramnik and the engine was Deep Fritz. Their eight-game match took place in Le Royal Meridiene Hotel in Manama, Bahrain, October 4–15, 2002. The host, Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Issa al-Khaleifa offered a prize of $1 million to Kramnik if he won, $800,000 if he drew, and $600,000 if he lost. The match would be our first opportunity to test whether Deep Blue’s 1997 victory was a one-time happening, of dubious legitimacy as some argued, or a real victory.