Blockchain Powered Chess Game Between Algorand Founder & Grandmaster

Silvio Micali, founder of Algorand blockchain, played a chess game, recorded on blockchain, against grandmaster Sergey Karjakin. It is a landmark moment for the 1500 year old game. Notably, this inaugural game for FIDE Online Arena was telecast by World Chess.

Even though chess is perceived as a gentleman’s game, there is an inevitable issue of cheating that would bring down its reputation. By recording the game on a decentralized platform in a transparent and unalterable manner utilizing blockchain technology, lot of prevailing issues can be curbed.

Chess is not affected to the same extent as other sports by Covid-19 pandemic. Timing, notably, was appropriate as contest had shifted to online platform in the past few months. The game was played between two renowned personalities who have carved their name in different professions.

Micali is a Turin Award recipient whose work significantly assisted in cryptography sector. Karjakin, one of the top rated player of chess, is also credited with the unique recognition of becoming a grandmaster title at the age of 12, the youngest in the history.

Arguably, it was the biggest story since Garry Kasparov lost to IBM’s Deep Blue in 1997.

Karjakin played with white pieces and even though Micali rose to the occasion and played in a smart manner, still, the grandmaster was able to checkmate him. After playing the game, both contestants acknowledged the huge benefits of using blockchain technology to play chess.

Karjakin affirmed that several grandmasters are fascinated by cryptocurrencies and blockchain.

He also revealed that he owns cryptos, albeit on a small scale. Micali proposed that probably in the future, Algorand will set up a grant with an objective of popularization of chess across the globe.

Micali noticed that both blockchain and chess have much in common and bring together audience belonging to various walks of life.