Most computer games have about the same shelf-life as a currant bun. The latest fad, whether it is tamagotchi or a remake of an old video game classic, can go from launch to oblivion in weeks. The first month of the Gary Kasparov's challenge match against the rest of the world, however, proved that one old favourite hasn't gone out of fashion. Chess has been around for almost a millennium and a half and is now more popular than ever. Over 300,000 people from at least 80 different countries logged on to www.zone.com at the start of the match to observe chess genius Gary Kasparov take on the rest of humanity. The match, which most experts agree should end in victory for Kasparov any day now, illustrates how well a game as old as chess can thrive on the newest mass medium. Interactivity is central to the popularity of the match on the Web. All chess players, no matter what standard, can take part in the game by voting on the site for their choice of next move. They have 24 hours per move to vote. Then the computer adds up the votes and chooses the most popular one.
Meanwhile, a team of experts, representing some of the best young grandmasters in the world, offers advice and analysis on the Microsoft Network (www.msn.com). A chat room allows visitors to discuss the game - it's an online feast for the chess fanatic. Well, actually, it was at the beginning. The main problem is the match has dragged on for over 60 days without a result. By now, even the most ardent fanatic must have lost a lot of interest in a game which had only four pieces on the board for over two weeks. Initially, the organisers had expected the match to end in a blaze of glory in August or September, but their hopes were misplaced and it now looks set to end soon - with barely a whimper. Despite this, the match has refocused attention on the possibilities of chess over the Net. Kasparov spends almost as much time playing against computers as humans these days. His last tussle with technology, when he lost against the IBM Deep Blue supercomputer, smacked a little of free publicity for a corporate computer giant and himself. There were even rumours of foul play after Kasparov lost so dismally in the second match. The MSN challenge at least offers ordinary players the chance to take part, in keeping with the democratic philosophy of the Internet. During the current match Kasparov, never shy of publicity, held several online press conferences and chats where he set forth his views on chess and the Web: "This event on MSN.com opens a new era in the history of chess."
Chess purists might choke at the thought of the world championship being played out online, but correspondence chess has a long and distinguished history. Venetian and Slavonian merchants played this way from as early as the 17th century, although it is reported that they found the transmission of moves extremely expensive. Since cost is no longer a serious issue, more and more chess is being played online. It is uncertain, though, how many serious matches at grandmaster level will take place this way. The psychology of top chess matches requires opponents to eyeball one another in much the same way as boxers do.
Rather it is the hundreds of thousands of club players and enthusiasts who stand to gain. Logging on at lunchtime for a few games of blitz chess (where players have five minutes each to complete all moves) can become addictive. Rankings, chess ladders and online championships add a competitive edge to the proceedings that could see lunchtime extended well beyond two o'clock. Some grandmasters are already beginning to use the Web in earnest. Ireland's only resident grandmaster, Alexander Baburin, recently set up a website offering puzzles, analysis and chess links. The Net's worldwide reach is what tempted him online. Baburin is a professional chess player, making his living by coaching and writing about chess. With a limited number of players in Ireland, he relies on foreign journals and students for his livelihood. He plans to use the Web to meet potential students and carry on tuition. He already has one student living in San Francisco and is confident that he will soon be coaching worldwide. From individual hobby players, through business like Baburin's, up to events like the Kasparov match, it seems like the Kasparov association between chess, computing and the Net is growing and thriving.