Game Over: Kasparov and the Machine (2003)

Garry Kasparov is arguably the greatest chess player who has ever lived. In 1997 he played a chess match against IBM's computer Deep Blue. Kasparov lost the match. This film shows the match... See full summary »

Director:

Vikram Jayanti

Stars:

Marc Ghannoum, Joel Benjamin, Michael Greengard

1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Marc Ghannoum	...	Voice Over
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joel Benjamin	...	Self
Michael Greengard	...	Self
Anatoli Karpov	...	Self (archive footage)
Garry Kasparov	...	Self
Jeff Kisselhof	...	Self
John Searle	...	Self
Terry Wogan	...	Self - Interviewing Garry Kasparov (archive footage)

Storyline

Garry Kasparov is arguably the greatest chess player who has ever lived. In 1997 he played a chess match against IBM's computer Deep Blue. Kasparov lost the match. This film shows the match and the events surrounding it from Kasparov's perspective. It delves into the psychological aspects of the game, paranoia surrounding it and suspicions that have arisen around IBM's true tactics. It consists of interviews with Kasparov, his manager, chess experts, and members of the IBM Deep Blue team, as well as original footage of the match itself.

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Plot Keywords:

ibm | chess | cheating at a game | computer chess | man versus machine | 

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Genres:

Documentary

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for brief mild language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ancient Mountebanks would challenge people at chess puzzles, and the puzzles would have a surprisingly limited number of responses to avoid check.

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Quotes

Hushed Voice 1: Do you think there'll be a rematch?
Hushed Voice 2: Let me put it like this: when Deep Blue won, IBM's stock went up 10%.

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Connections

Features The Chess Player (1927)

User Reviews

Stale, Mate?

In 1997 the world of flesh suffered a major body blow when it was announced that chess Grandmaster Gary Kasparov, perhaps the greatest player in the history of the game, had been trounced by a tool shed. A rather advanced variation, granted; IBM's supercomputer Deep Blue – designed especially, it seemed, to tip latent paranoiacs over the edge. Had we genuinely inched that much closer to Jimmy Cameron's dystopian vision of a machine-run planet? Or were there cruder, more political ramifications at work? (i.e. were Deep Blue's programmers a bunch of cheating brigands?). Kasparov, who compared IBM to Enron, and the outcome with Maradona's 'hand of God' goal certainly thinks so and, superficially, the evidence appears compelling: with Apple taking the market lead, IBM were desperate to win at any price, and thus raise their profile. Whatever, it worked; the next day their stock share jumped 15%. IBM refused to allow anyone to inspect Deep Blue or its printouts, and dismantled it as soon as the game was over. But the real controversy centred on Round 2, during which Deep Blue made a risky – and suspiciously 'human' move – having hitherto played with number-crunching logic. Ranged against all this is the fact that Kasparov has an ego the size of the Matterhorn, and more chips on his shoulders than a tree surgeon. For Gary's been here before: in 1985, he claimed the Soviets, who'd looked down on him as an Armenian Jew, had used dirty tricks during his match with their champion Anatoly Karpov… For a documentary about such a cerebral, closeted subject, Game Over progresses like a taut little thriller, ultimately yielding more questions than answers, to leave you wondering long after the credits.

Details

Country:

Canada UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 January 2004 (UK)

Also Known As:

Fim de Jogo - Kasparov E a Máquina

Filming Locations:

Bled, Slovenia

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alliance Atlantis Communications, National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min 84 min (Ontario)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color