NEW YORK - Supercomputer Deep Blue and world chess champion Garry Kasparov fought out their second consecutive draw last night in the fourth game of their $1.1 million rematch.
Commenting on the third game, on Tuesday night, J.J. Walsh writes: Kasparov's offer of a draw was immediately accepted and left the scores tied at 1 1/2 points each. Before the match, it was estimated that Deep Blue would do well to score 1 1/2 points in the six games.
In Game 3, Kasparov deliberately played an unorthodox opening in a bid to frustrate the computer's comprehensive theoretical knowledge, and this ploy worked to the extent of giving the champion a marked initiative but insufficient advantage to press for a win.
A postscript to the second day, won by Deep Blue: another programme aptly named Ferret, subsequently indicated that instead of resigning Kasparov could possibly have drawn by playing 45, ... Qe3; 46, Qxd6, Re8; and the exposed white king can hardly avoid perpetual check.