September 24, 2025 • 18 mins
Step into a world where a machine, adorned with blinking lights and the scent of ozone, enters the prestigious Grand Master chess tournament. This early computer faces off against some of the greatest human minds, challenging the notion of genius with its formidable calculating power. But don‚At be fooled‚Aîthe machine is not infallible. It can be deceived, make errors, and most intriguingly, it can learn! Join us on this thrilling journey through the intersection of technology and human intellect. (summary by phil c and the publisher)
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Part four of the sixty four square Medhouse by Fritzlaber.
This librevox recording is in the public domain. Part four
Sandra begged Doc to try to explain it all to
her in kindergarten language. She was feeling uncertain of herself
again and quite subdued after being completely rebuffed in her
(00:22):
efforts to get an interview with Leismov, who had fled
her as if she were a threat to his Soviet virtue. Doc,
on the other hand, was quite vivacious, cheered by his
third round draw with Jandorff. Most willing, my dear, he said,
have you ever noticed that kindergarten language can be far
honester than the adult tongues, fewer fictions. Well, several of
(00:47):
us hashed over the Leismov game until three o'clock this morning.
Leismov wouldn't though neither would whatd been Nick argile. You see,
I have my communication problem with the Russians. Two. We
finally decided that Lismov had managed to guess with complete
(01:07):
accuracy both the depth at which the machine is analyzing
and the opening and middle game ten moves ahead instead
of eight. We think a prodigious achievement, and also the
main value scale in terms of which the machine selects
its move. Having that information, Leismov managed to play into
a combination which would give the machine a maximum plus
(01:30):
value in its value scale. When of Lismov's queen it
was after ten moves, but a check made for Lismov
on his second move after the first ten. A human
chess master would have seen a trap like that, but
the machine could not because Lesmov was maneuvering in an
area that did not exist for the machine's perfect but
(01:51):
limited mind. Of course, the machine changed its tactics after
the first three moves of the ten had been played.
It could see the checkmate then, but by that time
it was too late for it to avert a disastrous
loss of material. It was tricky of Lesmoth, but completely fair.
(02:11):
After all, we'll all be watching for the opportunity to
play the same trick on the machine. Leesmoth was the
first of us to realize fully that we are not
playing against a metal monster, but against a certain kind
of programming. If there are any weaknesses we can spot
in that programming, we can win very much in the
(02:34):
same way that we can again and again defeat a
flesh and blood player when we discover that he consistently
attacks without having an advantage in position, or is regularly
overcautious about launching a counterattack when he himself was attacked
without justification. Sandra nodded eagerly. So from now on, your
(02:56):
chances of beating the machine should keep improving, shouldn't they.
I mean, as you find out more and more about
the programming. Doc smiled, you forget. He said gently that
Simon Great can change the programming before each new game.
Now I see why he fought so hard for that point.
(03:17):
Oh say, Doc, what's this about the Shirewski end game?
You are picking up the language arange you, he observed.
Sharewski got a little angry when he discovered that Great
had the machine program to analyze steadily on the next
move after an adjournment until the game was resumed next morning.
(03:39):
Sharewski questioned whether it was fair for the machine to
think all night while its opponent had to get some rest.
Vanderhoff decided for the machine, though Shirewsky may carry the
protests to fide bah I think Greate wants us to
get heated up over such minor matters. Just he is
(04:00):
happy and oh so oblidging. When we complain about how
the machine blinks, our hums or smells, it keeps our
minds off the main business of trying to outguess his programming. Incidentally,
that is one thing we decided last night, Shurevski, Willie Angler,
(04:20):
Jendorf Seik and myself that we are all going to
have to learn to play the machine without letting it
get on our nerves and without asking to be protected
from it. As Willie puts it, so suppose it sounds
like a boiler factory, even okay, you can think in
a bariler factory. Myself, I am not so sure of that,
(04:41):
but his spirit is right. Sandra felt herself perking up
as a new article began to shape itself in her mind.
She said, and what about WBM replacing Simon Grat Again,
Doc smiled, I think, my dear, that you can save.
We dismissed that as just a rumor. I think that
(05:03):
Simon Graat has just begun to fight. Round four saw
the machine spring the first of its surprises. It had
finally forced a draw against Sharewski in the morning session,
ending the long second round game, and now was matched
against vot Binnick. The machine opened pawn to King four.
(05:26):
Vod Binnick replied, pawn to King three. The French defense
Benny's favorite, Dave muttered as they settled back for the
machine's customary four minute wait. Instead, the machine moved at
once and punched its clock. Sandra, studying vought Binnick through
her glasses, decided that the rushing grand Master looked just
(05:47):
a trifle startled. Then he made his move once again.
The machine responded instantly. There was a flurry of comment
from the stands and a scurrying about of officials to
shush it. Meanwhile, the machine continued to make its moves
at better than rapid transit speed, although what Bennick soon
(06:08):
began to take rather more on his The upshot was
that the machine made eleven moves before it started to
take time to think at all. Sandra clamored so excitedly
today for an explanation that she had two officials waving
at her angrily. As soon as he dared, Dave whispered,
(06:29):
brat must have banked on what Bennick, playing the French
almost always does and fed all the variations of the
French into the machine's memory from m COO and maybe
some other books, so long as what Bennick stuck to
a known variation of the French why the machine could
play for memory without analyzing at all. Then when a
(06:51):
strange move came along, one that wasn't in his memory.
Only on the twelfth move, yet the machine went back
to analyzing. Only now it's taking longer and going deeper
because it's got more time six minutes to move about.
The only thing I wonder is why Great didn't have
the machine do it in the first three games. It
(07:12):
seems so obvious. Sandra ticketed that in her mind as
a question for Doc. She slipped off to her room
to write her Don't let a Robot get Your Goat article,
drawing heavily on Doc's observations, and got back to the
stands twenty minutes before the second time control point. It
was becoming a regular routine. Vot Bennock was a night down,
(07:36):
almost certainly busted. Dave explained, it got terrifically complicated while
you were gone, he said, a real vot Bennick position.
Only the machine out Benick dim Bill finished. Judy hummed
Beethoven's funeral March for the Death of a Hero. Nevertheless,
vot Bennick did not resign. The machine sealed a move.
(08:00):
It's board blacked out, and Vanderhoff, with one of his
assistants standing beside him to witness, privately read the move
off a small indicator on the console. Tomorrow he would
feed the move back into the machine when play was
resumed at the morning session. Doc sealed a move too,
although he was two pawns down in his game against
(08:20):
Grabbo and looked tired to death. They don't give up easily,
do they, Sandra observed to Dave. They must really love
the game, or do they hate it? When you get
to psychology, it is all beyond me, Dave replied, Ask
me something else. Sandra smiled, Thank you, Dave, She said,
(08:41):
I will come the morning session. Vot Benneck played on
for a dozen moves, then resigned. A bittle later. Doc
managed to draw his game with Grabbo by perpetual check.
He caught sight of Sandra coming down from the stands
and waved to her, then made the motions of drinking.
(09:03):
Now he looks almost like a boy, Sandra thought, as
she joined him. Say Doc, she asked, when they had
secured a table, why is a rookworth more? Than a bishop.
He darted a suspicious glance at her. That is not
your kind of question, he said, sternly, Exactly what have
you been up to? Sandra confessed that she had asked
(09:26):
Dave to teach her how to play chess. I knew
those children would corrupt you, Doc said somberly. Look, my dear,
if you learn to play chess, you won't be able
to write your clever little articles about it. Besides, as
I warned you, the first day, chess is a madness.
Women or ordinarily immune. But that doesn't justify you taking
(09:49):
chances with your sanity. But I've kind of gotten interested
in watching the tournament, Sandra objected. At least though I'd
like to know how the pieces move. Stop. Doc commanded,
you're already in danger. Direct your mind somewhere else. Ask
me a sensible, down to earth journalist's question. Something completely irrational. Okay,
(10:14):
why didn't Simon Great have the machine set to play
the openings fast in the first three games? A ha,
I think Great plays Lasker chess. In his programming. He
hides his strength and tries to win no more easily
than he has to, so he will have resources in reserve.
The machine loses to Lysimov and immediately starts playing more strongly.
(10:38):
The psychological impression made on the other players by such
tactics is formidable. But the machine isn't ahead yet, no,
of course not. After four rounds, Lisamov is leading the
tournament with three and a half to one half, meaning
three and a half in the win column and one
half in the loss column. How do you have win
(10:59):
a game of chess or have lose one? Sandra interrupted
by drawing a game playing to a tie leis Moss.
Three and a half to one half is notational shorthand
for three wins and a drawer. Understand, my dear, I
don't usually have to explain things to you in such detail.
(11:20):
I just didn't want you to think I was learning
too much about chess. Oh well, to get on with
the score. After four rounds, Angler and what ben Nick
both have three to one, while the machine is bracketed
at two and a half to one and a half
with Joll. But the machine has created an impression of strength,
(11:40):
as if it were all set to come from behind
with a rush. He shook his head at the moment,
my dear, he said, I feel very pessimistic about the
chances of neurons against relays in this tournament. Relays don't
panic in FAG. But the oddest thing, yes, Sandra prompt, Well,
(12:01):
the oddest thing is that the machine doesn't play like
a machine at all. It uses dynamic strategy, the kind
we sometimes call Russian, complicating each position as much as
possible and creating maximum tension. But that too is a
matter of the programming Docs. Foreboding was fulfilled as round
(12:21):
followed hard thought round in the next five days. There
was a weekend recess. The machine successfully smashed Jandorf, Serk
and Jol and after seven rounds, was out in front
by a full point. Jendorf, evidently impressed by the machine's
flawless opening play against font Bidnick, chose an inferior line
(12:43):
in the Rue Lopez to get the machine out of
the books. Perhaps he hoped that the machine would go
on blindly making book moves, but the machine did not oblige.
He immediately slowed his play, thought hard and annihilated the
Arginian in twenty five moves. Doc commented the wild bowl
(13:06):
of the pumpas tried to use the living force of
his human personality to pull a fast one and swindle
the machine. Only the machine didn't swindle against the jawl.
The machine used a new wrinkle. It used a variable
amount of time on moves, apparently according to how difficult
it judged the position to be. When Sarah got a
(13:29):
poor pawn position, the machine simplified the game relentlessly, suddenly
discarding its hitherto Russian strategy. It plays like anything but
a machine. Doc commented, we know the reason all too well,
Simon great, but doing something about it is something else. Again.
Great is hitting at our individual weaknesses wonderfully well. Though
(13:53):
I think I could play brilliant psychological chess myself if
I had a machine to do the detail work sounded
a bit wistful. The audience grew in size and in
expansiveness of wardrobe, though most of the cafe society types
made their visits fleeting ones. Additional stands were erected, A
hard liquor bar was put in and then taken out.
(14:17):
The problem of keeping reasonable order in quiet became an
unending one for Vanderhoff, who had asked for more hushers.
The number of scientists and computermen, Navy, Army and Space
Force uniforms were in more evidence. Dave and Bill turned
up one morning with a three dimensional chest set of
transparent plastic and staggered Sandra by assuring her that most
(14:40):
bright young space scientists were moderately adept at this five
hundred and twelve square game. Sandra heard that WBM had
snagged a big order from the War Department. She also
heard that a syndicate man had turned up with a
book on the tournament, taking bets from the more heavily
heel types, and that a detective was circulating about trying
(15:03):
to spot him. The newspapers kept up their front page reporting,
most of the writers personalizing the machine heavily and rather
too cutely. Several of the papers started regular chess columns
and how to play chess features. There was a flurry
of pictures of movie starlets and such sitting at chessboards.
(15:25):
Hollywood revealed plans for two chess movies. They made her
a Black Pawn and the Monster from King Rook Square.
Chess novelties and costumed jewelry appeared. The United States Chess
Federation proudly reported a phenomenal rise in membership. Sandral learned
(15:47):
enough chess to be able to blunder through a game
with Dave without attempting more than one illegal move in
five to avoid these scholar's mate most of the time,
and to be able to checkmate with two rooks though
not with one. Judy had asked her, is he pleased
that your learning chess? Sandra had replied, no, he thinks
(16:08):
it is a madness. The kids had all whooped at that,
and Dave had said, how right he is. Sandra was
scraping the bottom of the barrel for topics for her articles,
but then it occurred to her to write about the kids,
which worked out nicely, and that led to a humorous article,
Chess Is for Brains, about her own efforts to learn
(16:31):
the game, and for the inth time in her career,
she thought of herself as practically a columnist, and was
accordingly elated. After his two draws, Doc lost three games
in a row and still had the machine to face
and then Sharewski. His one to six score gave him
undisputed possession of last place. He grew very depressed. He
(16:56):
still made a point of squiring her about before the
playing sessions, but she had to make most of the conversation.
His rare flashes of humor were rather mackabb. They have
dirty old Krakatauer locked in the cellar, he muttered, just
before the start of the next to the last round,
And now they send the robot to destroy him, just
(17:19):
the same Doc Sandra told him, good luck. Doc shook
his head. Against a man, luck might help, But against
a machine, it's not the machine you're playing, but the programming. Remember, yes,
but it's the machine that doesn't make the mistake. And
the mistake is what I need most of all today.
(17:41):
Somebody else's Doc must have looked very dispirited and tired
when he left Sandra in the stands for Judy. Dave
and Built had not arrived yet, asked, in a confidential,
womanly sort of voice, what do you do for him
when he's so unhappy? Oh, I'm especially passed, Sandra heard
herself answer. Is that good for him? Judy demanded doubtfully,
(18:06):
sh Sandra said, somewhat, aghast at her irresponsibility and wondering
if she were getting tournament nerves. Sh. They're starting the clocks.
End of Part four,
Part four of the sixty four square Medhouse by Fritzlaber.
This librevox recording is in the public domain. Part four
Sandra begged Doc to try to explain it all to
her in kindergarten language. She was feeling uncertain of herself
again and quite subdued after being completely rebuffed in her
(00:22):
efforts to get an interview with Leismov, who had fled
her as if she were a threat to his Soviet virtue. Doc,
on the other hand, was quite vivacious, cheered by his
third round draw with Jandorff. Most willing, my dear, he said,
have you ever noticed that kindergarten language can be far
honester than the adult tongues, fewer fictions. Well, several of
(00:47):
us hashed over the Leismov game until three o'clock this morning.
Leismov wouldn't though neither would whatd been Nick argile. You see,
I have my communication problem with the Russians. Two. We
finally decided that Lismov had managed to guess with complete
(01:07):
accuracy both the depth at which the machine is analyzing
and the opening and middle game ten moves ahead instead
of eight. We think a prodigious achievement, and also the
main value scale in terms of which the machine selects
its move. Having that information, Leismov managed to play into
a combination which would give the machine a maximum plus
(01:30):
value in its value scale. When of Lismov's queen it
was after ten moves, but a check made for Lismov
on his second move after the first ten. A human
chess master would have seen a trap like that, but
the machine could not because Lesmov was maneuvering in an
area that did not exist for the machine's perfect but
(01:51):
limited mind. Of course, the machine changed its tactics after
the first three moves of the ten had been played.
It could see the checkmate then, but by that time
it was too late for it to avert a disastrous
loss of material. It was tricky of Lesmoth, but completely fair.
(02:11):
After all, we'll all be watching for the opportunity to
play the same trick on the machine. Leesmoth was the
first of us to realize fully that we are not
playing against a metal monster, but against a certain kind
of programming. If there are any weaknesses we can spot
in that programming, we can win very much in the
(02:34):
same way that we can again and again defeat a
flesh and blood player when we discover that he consistently
attacks without having an advantage in position, or is regularly
overcautious about launching a counterattack when he himself was attacked
without justification. Sandra nodded eagerly. So from now on, your
(02:56):
chances of beating the machine should keep improving, shouldn't they.
I mean, as you find out more and more about
the programming. Doc smiled, you forget. He said gently that
Simon Great can change the programming before each new game.
Now I see why he fought so hard for that point.
(03:17):
Oh say, Doc, what's this about the Shirewski end game?
You are picking up the language arange you, he observed.
Sharewski got a little angry when he discovered that Great
had the machine program to analyze steadily on the next
move after an adjournment until the game was resumed next morning.
(03:39):
Sharewski questioned whether it was fair for the machine to
think all night while its opponent had to get some rest.
Vanderhoff decided for the machine, though Shirewsky may carry the
protests to fide bah I think Greate wants us to
get heated up over such minor matters. Just he is
(04:00):
happy and oh so oblidging. When we complain about how
the machine blinks, our hums or smells, it keeps our
minds off the main business of trying to outguess his programming. Incidentally,
that is one thing we decided last night, Shurevski, Willie Angler,
(04:20):
Jendorf Seik and myself that we are all going to
have to learn to play the machine without letting it
get on our nerves and without asking to be protected
from it. As Willie puts it, so suppose it sounds
like a boiler factory, even okay, you can think in
a bariler factory. Myself, I am not so sure of that,
(04:41):
but his spirit is right. Sandra felt herself perking up
as a new article began to shape itself in her mind.
She said, and what about WBM replacing Simon Grat Again,
Doc smiled, I think, my dear, that you can save.
We dismissed that as just a rumor. I think that
(05:03):
Simon Graat has just begun to fight. Round four saw
the machine spring the first of its surprises. It had
finally forced a draw against Sharewski in the morning session,
ending the long second round game, and now was matched
against vot Binnick. The machine opened pawn to King four.
(05:26):
Vod Binnick replied, pawn to King three. The French defense
Benny's favorite, Dave muttered as they settled back for the
machine's customary four minute wait. Instead, the machine moved at
once and punched its clock. Sandra, studying vought Binnick through
her glasses, decided that the rushing grand Master looked just
(05:47):
a trifle startled. Then he made his move once again.
The machine responded instantly. There was a flurry of comment
from the stands and a scurrying about of officials to
shush it. Meanwhile, the machine continued to make its moves
at better than rapid transit speed, although what Bennick soon
(06:08):
began to take rather more on his The upshot was
that the machine made eleven moves before it started to
take time to think at all. Sandra clamored so excitedly
today for an explanation that she had two officials waving
at her angrily. As soon as he dared, Dave whispered,
(06:29):
brat must have banked on what Bennick, playing the French
almost always does and fed all the variations of the
French into the machine's memory from m COO and maybe
some other books, so long as what Bennick stuck to
a known variation of the French why the machine could
play for memory without analyzing at all. Then when a
(06:51):
strange move came along, one that wasn't in his memory.
Only on the twelfth move, yet the machine went back
to analyzing. Only now it's taking longer and going deeper
because it's got more time six minutes to move about.
The only thing I wonder is why Great didn't have
the machine do it in the first three games. It
(07:12):
seems so obvious. Sandra ticketed that in her mind as
a question for Doc. She slipped off to her room
to write her Don't let a Robot get Your Goat article,
drawing heavily on Doc's observations, and got back to the
stands twenty minutes before the second time control point. It
was becoming a regular routine. Vot Bennock was a night down,
(07:36):
almost certainly busted. Dave explained, it got terrifically complicated while
you were gone, he said, a real vot Bennick position.
Only the machine out Benick dim Bill finished. Judy hummed
Beethoven's funeral March for the Death of a Hero. Nevertheless,
vot Bennick did not resign. The machine sealed a move.
(08:00):
It's board blacked out, and Vanderhoff, with one of his
assistants standing beside him to witness, privately read the move
off a small indicator on the console. Tomorrow he would
feed the move back into the machine when play was
resumed at the morning session. Doc sealed a move too,
although he was two pawns down in his game against
(08:20):
Grabbo and looked tired to death. They don't give up easily,
do they, Sandra observed to Dave. They must really love
the game, or do they hate it? When you get
to psychology, it is all beyond me, Dave replied, Ask
me something else. Sandra smiled, Thank you, Dave, She said,
(08:41):
I will come the morning session. Vot Benneck played on
for a dozen moves, then resigned. A bittle later. Doc
managed to draw his game with Grabbo by perpetual check.
He caught sight of Sandra coming down from the stands
and waved to her, then made the motions of drinking.
(09:03):
Now he looks almost like a boy, Sandra thought, as
she joined him. Say Doc, she asked, when they had
secured a table, why is a rookworth more? Than a bishop.
He darted a suspicious glance at her. That is not
your kind of question, he said, sternly, Exactly what have
you been up to? Sandra confessed that she had asked
(09:26):
Dave to teach her how to play chess. I knew
those children would corrupt you, Doc said somberly. Look, my dear,
if you learn to play chess, you won't be able
to write your clever little articles about it. Besides, as
I warned you, the first day, chess is a madness.
Women or ordinarily immune. But that doesn't justify you taking
(09:49):
chances with your sanity. But I've kind of gotten interested
in watching the tournament, Sandra objected. At least though I'd
like to know how the pieces move. Stop. Doc commanded,
you're already in danger. Direct your mind somewhere else. Ask
me a sensible, down to earth journalist's question. Something completely irrational. Okay,
(10:14):
why didn't Simon Great have the machine set to play
the openings fast in the first three games? A ha,
I think Great plays Lasker chess. In his programming. He
hides his strength and tries to win no more easily
than he has to, so he will have resources in reserve.
The machine loses to Lysimov and immediately starts playing more strongly.
(10:38):
The psychological impression made on the other players by such
tactics is formidable. But the machine isn't ahead yet, no,
of course not. After four rounds, Lisamov is leading the
tournament with three and a half to one half, meaning
three and a half in the win column and one
half in the loss column. How do you have win
(10:59):
a game of chess or have lose one? Sandra interrupted
by drawing a game playing to a tie leis Moss.
Three and a half to one half is notational shorthand
for three wins and a drawer. Understand, my dear, I
don't usually have to explain things to you in such detail.
(11:20):
I just didn't want you to think I was learning
too much about chess. Oh well, to get on with
the score. After four rounds, Angler and what ben Nick
both have three to one, while the machine is bracketed
at two and a half to one and a half
with Joll. But the machine has created an impression of strength,
(11:40):
as if it were all set to come from behind
with a rush. He shook his head at the moment,
my dear, he said, I feel very pessimistic about the
chances of neurons against relays in this tournament. Relays don't
panic in FAG. But the oddest thing, yes, Sandra prompt, Well,
(12:01):
the oddest thing is that the machine doesn't play like
a machine at all. It uses dynamic strategy, the kind
we sometimes call Russian, complicating each position as much as
possible and creating maximum tension. But that too is a
matter of the programming Docs. Foreboding was fulfilled as round
(12:21):
followed hard thought round in the next five days. There
was a weekend recess. The machine successfully smashed Jandorf, Serk
and Jol and after seven rounds, was out in front
by a full point. Jendorf, evidently impressed by the machine's
flawless opening play against font Bidnick, chose an inferior line
(12:43):
in the Rue Lopez to get the machine out of
the books. Perhaps he hoped that the machine would go
on blindly making book moves, but the machine did not oblige.
He immediately slowed his play, thought hard and annihilated the
Arginian in twenty five moves. Doc commented the wild bowl
(13:06):
of the pumpas tried to use the living force of
his human personality to pull a fast one and swindle
the machine. Only the machine didn't swindle against the jawl.
The machine used a new wrinkle. It used a variable
amount of time on moves, apparently according to how difficult
it judged the position to be. When Sarah got a
(13:29):
poor pawn position, the machine simplified the game relentlessly, suddenly
discarding its hitherto Russian strategy. It plays like anything but
a machine. Doc commented, we know the reason all too well,
Simon great, but doing something about it is something else. Again.
Great is hitting at our individual weaknesses wonderfully well. Though
(13:53):
I think I could play brilliant psychological chess myself if
I had a machine to do the detail work sounded
a bit wistful. The audience grew in size and in
expansiveness of wardrobe, though most of the cafe society types
made their visits fleeting ones. Additional stands were erected, A
hard liquor bar was put in and then taken out.
(14:17):
The problem of keeping reasonable order in quiet became an
unending one for Vanderhoff, who had asked for more hushers.
The number of scientists and computermen, Navy, Army and Space
Force uniforms were in more evidence. Dave and Bill turned
up one morning with a three dimensional chest set of
transparent plastic and staggered Sandra by assuring her that most
(14:40):
bright young space scientists were moderately adept at this five
hundred and twelve square game. Sandra heard that WBM had
snagged a big order from the War Department. She also
heard that a syndicate man had turned up with a
book on the tournament, taking bets from the more heavily
heel types, and that a detective was circulating about trying
(15:03):
to spot him. The newspapers kept up their front page reporting,
most of the writers personalizing the machine heavily and rather
too cutely. Several of the papers started regular chess columns
and how to play chess features. There was a flurry
of pictures of movie starlets and such sitting at chessboards.
(15:25):
Hollywood revealed plans for two chess movies. They made her
a Black Pawn and the Monster from King Rook Square.
Chess novelties and costumed jewelry appeared. The United States Chess
Federation proudly reported a phenomenal rise in membership. Sandral learned
(15:47):
enough chess to be able to blunder through a game
with Dave without attempting more than one illegal move in
five to avoid these scholar's mate most of the time,
and to be able to checkmate with two rooks though
not with one. Judy had asked her, is he pleased
that your learning chess? Sandra had replied, no, he thinks
(16:08):
it is a madness. The kids had all whooped at that,
and Dave had said, how right he is. Sandra was
scraping the bottom of the barrel for topics for her articles,
but then it occurred to her to write about the kids,
which worked out nicely, and that led to a humorous article,
Chess Is for Brains, about her own efforts to learn
(16:31):
the game, and for the inth time in her career,
she thought of herself as practically a columnist, and was
accordingly elated. After his two draws, Doc lost three games
in a row and still had the machine to face
and then Sharewski. His one to six score gave him
undisputed possession of last place. He grew very depressed. He
(16:56):
still made a point of squiring her about before the
playing sessions, but she had to make most of the conversation.
His rare flashes of humor were rather mackabb. They have
dirty old Krakatauer locked in the cellar, he muttered, just
before the start of the next to the last round,
And now they send the robot to destroy him, just
(17:19):
the same Doc Sandra told him, good luck. Doc shook
his head. Against a man, luck might help, But against
a machine, it's not the machine you're playing, but the programming. Remember, yes,
but it's the machine that doesn't make the mistake. And
the mistake is what I need most of all today.
(17:41):
Somebody else's Doc must have looked very dispirited and tired
when he left Sandra in the stands for Judy. Dave
and Built had not arrived yet, asked, in a confidential,
womanly sort of voice, what do you do for him
when he's so unhappy? Oh, I'm especially passed, Sandra heard
herself answer. Is that good for him? Judy demanded doubtfully,
(18:06):
sh Sandra said, somewhat, aghast at her irresponsibility and wondering
if she were getting tournament nerves. Sh. They're starting the clocks.
End of Part four,
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.