In 1997 world Chess champion Garry Kasparov squared-off once again with Deep Blue, then regarded as the most highly advanced computer program in the world. In the previous year Kasparov had beaten the machine and another one prior to it so the champ was confident. With a lot of hoopla and buzz the event was heralded as "Man Vs. The Machine", "The fate of human intelligence is on the line", etc.. Held in New York City Kasparov faced not only Deep Blue but a group of IBM's (the creator of Deep Blue) top programmers and Chess masters who were behind the creation of the machine. Game I went swimmingly well for Kasparov as he brushed aside the machine with ease. When he lost the following game and then the match that's when the whole controversy started. "Game Over: Kasparov and the Machine" depicts in detail the drama that unfolded taking the viewer to the sights and sounds of the event with interviews of Kasparov, Deep Blue's team, Chess masters and other individuals associated with the match. I have the nagging suspicion that the whole scene was concocted, planned out by Kasparov and IBM to bolster IBM's sales and status. Videos of a supposedly frustrated Kasparov in the early parts of the games which IBM used in its ads and Kasparov losing the final game of the match and the match itself after the score being a tie smacks too much of a Hollywood plot to be a coincidence. The result was as expected: sales of IBM soared and the company's status higher than ever. One can say the people involved looked too genuine for the whole scenario to be faked but I guess being paid a hefty amount can make anyone a good actor. Serious and sober with a dark underlying vibe, this is an interesting glimpse into Chess, business, and the fragility of ethics and fair play when such factors are involved. A compelling documentary which should appeal not to just Chess enthusiasts but to a broad viewership as well.
Review of Game Over
