The First Chess Game In Outer Space

The first chess game of 2001 was actually played in 1968. . . Thanks to Stanley Kubrick's movie, 2001: A Space Odyssey. The famous game between astronaut Frank Poole and the HAL 9000 computer has found its way into a number of databases of real games ( like the Chess Master series of chess programs).

Frank Poole playing the HAL 9000 computer

Kubrick was actually a near master strength chess player, who in his youth would take on all comers as he played chess for quarters in Washington Square Park. A stickler for details in his films, Kubrick's chess background influenced him to pick a beautiful mating attack from a past game that would seem so deep that only a computer with near-infinite calculating ability could find it. The game was by the German master Willi Schlage played in 1910. White: Roesch, Black: Schlage, Hamburg 1910.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. Qe2 b5 6. Bb3 Be7 7. c3 0-0 8. 0-0 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nf4 11.Qe4 Nxe5 12. Qxa8? (looks good, but 12. d4 followed by 13. Qxf4 is better) 12... Qd3 (threatening 13....Ne2+ 14. Kh1 Ng3+ 15. hxg3 Qxf1+ 16. Kh2 Ng4+ 17. Kh3 Qh1 mate) 13. Bd1 (Re1! but White is still bad off) ... Bh3 14. Qxa6 (if Qb7 Bxg2 still wins easy) ... Bxg2 15. Re1 (see diagram)

Position after 15. Re1

Black to move and win

What move forces mate?

Extra notes: As this stroke of tactical genius indicates, German master Willi Schlage was a chess player of some renown in his era. After the movie came out, the Republic of Mali issues a postage stamp in the honor of Schlage.

This article was written by Daren Dillinger published in The Florida Times – Union on 05/20/01.

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