Internet chess: Karpov wins in 32 moves
Summary
On 26 August 1996, world chess champion Anatoly Karpov played publicly against the internet community and won after 32 moves. The online players had ten minutes each, after which a computer played the most frequently proposed move. Around a quarter of a million people visited the website, but most of them only watched the four-hour game.
Ideas
- A majority vote replaces the individual player with a vote on every move.
- A fixed ten-minute rhythm is what makes a mass game possible to organise at all.
- Most visitors watched instead of playing along.
Insights
- Swarm decisions average out ideas but rarely produce a coherent plan.
- Early internet events above all proved that many people wanted to be online at the same time.
Facts
- The game lasted about four hours.
- Around 250,000 visitors called up the website for the game.
References
Critique
- The report does not reveal how many moves were actually submitted and leaves the quality of the collective play open.
Remarks
- The better-known game “Kasparov versus the World” followed in 1999, in which thousands played together over several months.
Recommendations
- For live events on the internet, plan for the load from passive spectators, not just active participants.
- Use majority votes for simple decisions, not for tasks that need a consistent strategy.
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