Computer-Schachweltmeisterschaft in Maastricht

Welcome to a Computer-Games Minded Maastricht

It is my pleasure to welcome you at the 7th Computer Olympiad in Maastricht, The Netherlands. For the third time Maastricht acts as the host city for this Olympiad, earlier it did so in 1991 and 2001. Then the Olympiad was organised in the framework of the University’s 15th and 25th birthday. Now it is almost a tradition for Maastricht since Culture, Games and Science are the essential characteristics of the city. Again the Olympiad is held under the auspices of the ICCA (International Computer Chess Association) and SIKS (School of Information and Knowledge Systems).

The organisation committee is happy to offer you a programme consisting of a Computer Olympiad with thirteen different tournaments, four demonstration games, where humans meet computers, and an International Computer Games Workshop.

The thirteen different tournaments comprise the games: Amazons, Backgammon, Bao, Bridge, Chess, Chinese Chess, Dots and Boxes, Draughts, 19x19 Go, 9x9 Go, Lines of Action, RoShamBo and Shogi. The tournaments on Chess and Draughts are special tournaments. In the Chess tournament the competition will be the 10th World Computer Chess Championship (WCCC). The Guest of Honour of this Championship is Eugène Nalimov, who is well-known for his chess endgame tablebases. In the Draughts tournament the title Open Draughts World Champion 2002 is at stake.

The demonstration games will show the strength of the current top programs on Scrabble, Bao, Bridge, and Amazons. The RoShamBo tournament (Rock, Paper, Scissors) is special too, since it is not worldwide, but only meant for students of Artificial Intelligence in The Netherlands and Belgium.

We are pleased that International Chess Master Hans Böhm is willing to comment on the games, to provide insights into the games’ backgrounds and to inform us on the strategies the participants follow to arrive at the best results in the Olympiad.

The workshop on Computer Games offers a programme consisting of three Invited Lectures on general topics and eleven game-specific lectures. The three invited speakers are: E. Nalimov, M.Sc (USA, on Chess endgames), Dr. B. Sheppard (USA, on Scrabble), and Prof.dr. J. Schaeffer (Canada, on Games in general). The workshop is organised by Dr. J.W.H.M. Uiterwijk. A separate IKAT report contains the extended abstracts and full papers.

Moreover, we would like to acknowledge that the participants come from all over the world: Japan, Taiwan, USA, Canada, New Zealand, Israel, and many countries of Europe. This supports the claim that Computer Games can bow on a truly international recognition.

Of course, we are grateful for the support of our sponsors. The sponsors are listed on the second page of this booklet: NWO, SIKS, BNVKI, ENCI, De Regenboog Sittard, Stichting Kroegenbridge Maastricht, A. van Bellen, Nederlandse Scrabble Bond, Purple Software Ltd., Faculty of General Sciences (Universiteit Maastricht), IKAT, Gemeente Maastricht, SGI, SARA, NCF, SUN Microsystems Nederland BV and Verenigd Schaakgenootschap Maastricht.

Finally, I wish all attendees an exciting Olympiad, much pleasure during the demonstration games, and an inspiring workshop. I hope that all three events will be scientifically a great success and that they may strengthen the ties between Culture, Games, and Science, and the Maastricht community.


Jaap van den Herik
Tournament Director

 

Participants Chess (Teilnehmerliste)

 

Schedule

Friday July 5, 2002

15.00-16.00 h: Press Conference in the meetingroom, Kapoenstraat 23, with Hans Böhm (Chair), Brian Sheppard (Scrabble), Jonathan Schaeffer (General Games), Jaap van den Herik (General Affairs), Kasper Boon (University)
16.30-18.00 h: City Hall, Maastricht
Official Opening by Mr. J. Jacobs,
Alderman of Maastricht

Saturday July 6, 2002

09.00–12.00 h: Venue open for installation PCs
Registration Olympiad
10.00-18.00 h: Draughts, Bridge
12.30–13.30 h: Players Meeting (Chess) with the Tournament Director
13.45-19.15 h: Shogi, LOA
14.00–19.00 h: Chess (Round 1)
15.00-16.30 h: Demonstration Game: Scrabble (B. Sheppard)
18.00 h: Press briefing: Hans Böhm
20.00–23.00 h: Workshop on Computer Games
Chair Dr. Jos Uiterwijk
FdAW, Tongersestraat 6, 0.002
Maastricht

Sunday July 7, 2002

09.00 h: Venue open
10.00-18.00 h: Draughts and Prize Ceremony
10.00–15.00 h: Chess (Round 2)
10.00-21.00 h: 9x9 Go, 19x19 Go, Amazons, Backgammon, Bao, Bridge, Dots and Boxes, Draughts, Chinese Chess, LOA, Shogi
12.00-16.00h: Bridge: Humans against Computers (H. Kuijff)
14.00 h: Prize Ceremony RoShambo
15.00- 17.30 h: Demonstration Game: Bao (J. Donkers)
16.00–21.00 h: Chess (Round 3)
18.00 h: Press briefing: Hans Böhm
20.00–23.00 h: Workshop on Computer Games
Chair Dr. Jos Uiterwijk
FdAW, Tongersestraat 6, 0.002
Maastricht

Monday July 8, 2002

09.00 h: Venue open
10.00–15.00 h: Chess (Round 4)
10.00-21.00 h: 9x9 Go, 19x19 Go, Amazons, Backgammon, Bao, Bridge, Chinese Chess, Dots and Boxes, LOA, Shogi
16.00–21.00 h: Chess (Round 5)
18.00 h: Press briefing
20.00–23.00 h: Workshop on Computer Games
Chair Dr. Jos Uiterwijk
FdAW, Tongersestraat 6, 0.002, Maastricht

Tuesday July 9, 2002

09.00 h: Venue open
10.00–15.00 h: Chess (Round 5)
10.00-21.00 h: 9x9 Go, 19x19 Go, Amazons, Backgammon, Bao, Chinese Chess, Dots and Boxes, LOA, Shogi
16.00–21.00 h: Speed Chess Tournament
18.00 h: Press briefing

Wednesday July 10, 2002

09.00 h: Venue open
10.00–15.00 h: Chess (Round 7)
10.00-21.00 h: 9x9 Go, 19x19 Go, Amazons, Backgammon, Bao, Chinese Chess, Dots and Boxes, LOA, Shogi
Play-off Dots and Boxes (if needed)
15.00-17.30 h: Demonstration Game: Amazons (I. Althöfer)
16.00–21.00 h: Chess (Round 8)
18.00 h: Press briefing
21.00-22.30 h: ICCA Triennial Meeting, Tongersestraat 6, 0.002

Thursday July 11, 2002

09.00 h: Venue open
10.00–15.00 h: Chess (Round 9)
10.00–17.00 h: 9x9 Go, 19x19 Go, Amazons, LOA
Play-offs (if needed)
16.00–21.00 h: Play-offs Chess (if needed)
18.00 h: Press briefing
Awards and Closing
19.00 h: Participants Dinner
Restaurant De 4 Azen, Helmstraat 8
Maastricht