Watch a Computer Think

True, this is only a very rudimentary level of "thinking", but by drawing the moves being considered by a chess-playing algorithm one ends up with a fairly eye-pleasing result. Give it a try here [Java application courtesy of Martin Wattenberg], or you could always go try it out in person at the MoMA. The further along one gets into a game, the longer the computer has to consider its move options, which results in more "think traces".

Think you're better than Gary Kasparov?

For those who want to try their hand at challenging Deep Junior, the software currently locking horns with the famous chess grandmaster in New York City, you can purchase version 7.0, last year's version, here. The new version, Deep Junior 8.0, is expected to be released in March/April 2003. In effect, Gary Kasparov is simply a glorified beta-tester, allowing the programmers to iron out any bugs or weaknesses in the new version.