Chess might well be the most rigorous form of human thinking – the jewel in the crown of thought. Yet we have relinquished this most prized jewel to our own creation, the computing machine. This, of course, did not happen easily. It took more than four decades of intense effort. But in May 1997, in the second match between Garry Kasparov and Deep Blue, it finally took place.

This event was seen as a turning point not only in the history of chess but also, and more importantly, in the history of the relation between humans and machines. Various speculations about this event's implications have been put forth, which we briefly examine in this chapter, specifically in regard to the capabilities of the brute-force methods of AI. The Kasparov–Deep Blue match, however, could also be viewed as a scientific event. Deep Blue was, in a serious way, an experiment in AI and cognitive science. As such, it brings to light interesting facets of scientific practice that might not be easily discernible in paradigmatic “laboratory” experiments – for example, the role of metaphors in scientific thinking, the relationship between theory and practice in science, and the significance of the cultural and material conditions on the outcome of science.

To start out, I will discuss the standard techniques of computer chess and some aspects of human chess.