With all the high-powered sci-fi movies coming out in American cinema, the theme is beginning to look all too familiar… the machines are starting to take over. After the release of "Matrix Reloaded," the latest blockbuster due to come out on July 2nd is titled, "Terminator 3: The Rise of the Machines."

T-3 is based on the story of John Conner, who is the revolutionary leader designated to ensure the survival of the last remnants of human civilization on earth. He is being targeted for termination by deadly machines built by Cyberdyne, a corporation that built an intelligent defense system called Skynet.

After a nuclear war has destroyed the planet, the machines become "too intelligent" and targets surviving mankind for termination. The machines have human characteristics built over alloy endoskeletons and the latest model is called the "T-X," supposedly the most advanced killing machine ever built. Interestingly, the assigned T-X is built in the image of a seductive fashion model.

The merciless T-X was sent from the year 2029 to kill John Conner before he leads this revolution. In previous Terminator movies, the cyborg assassins attempted to kill the mother of John Conner (before he was conceived) and later the 12-year old John Conner before he understood who he would become. The John Conner of the future has apparently hacked into the defense system and has sent a "de-Terminator" through the same time machine to protect the John Conner of the past. Interesting plot.

What does this have to do with chess? Of course, the chess world has seen many of these Man vs. Machine matches lately and the mood of these matches often gives the impression that the human Grandmasters are fighting for the survival of human chess before the computer programs have totally taken over the game.  Is this myth or reality?

When computer programs began to play flawlessly and possibly "solve" chess, then certainly there would be a sense of resignation, because chess remains, rightly or wrongly, one of the most important barometers of human intelligence. Besides, human chess players still want to prove a point in this debate. This is especially true after the disappointing conclusion to the last match between GM Garry Kasparov and Deep Fritz. So… who will be the next John Conner of chess?

Posted by The Chess Drum: 18 June 2003