# Chess robot breaks seven-year-old boy's finger during chess tournament **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 24, 2022, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chess-robot-breaks-seven-year-old-boys-finger-during-chess-tournament/968485 "2022-07-24T19:02:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chess-robot-breaks-seven-year-old-boys-finger-during-chess-tournament/968485/41 "2022-07-25T17:45:02Z")
Robot: _J’adoube_ my ass! ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chess-robot-breaks-seven-year-old-boys-finger-during-chess-tournament/968485/42 "2022-07-25T18:14:11Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > …yet we march inexorably toward self-driving cars. What could go wrong? 1.2 million people are not killed each year\* by _human_ error in chess tournaments. \*I can’t find the statistic for fingers broken by human error in road traffic accidents, but I’ve asked my mate to check. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2022, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chess-robot-breaks-seven-year-old-boys-finger-during-chess-tournament/968485/43 "2022-07-26T11:15:15Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > I call buggy software. Somebody should have checked (no pun intended) that the bot could recognize the difference between a child’s finger and a playing piece, yet we march inexorably toward self-driving cars. What could go wrong? As someone who has worked around robots for nearly 30. This is beyond laughable. Robots are about a thousand times more reliable than humans ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2022, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chess-robot-breaks-seven-year-old-boys-finger-during-chess-tournament/968485/44 "2022-07-26T11:55:02Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > As someone who has worked around robots for nearly 30. This is beyond laughable. Robots are about a thousand times more reliable than humans How frequently are chess players’ fingers broken by opposing human players? ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2022, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chess-robot-breaks-seven-year-old-boys-finger-during-chess-tournament/968485/45 "2022-07-26T11:57:35Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > […] I’ve asked my mate to check. ISWYDT ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2022, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chess-robot-breaks-seven-year-old-boys-finger-during-chess-tournament/968485/46 "2022-07-26T12:33:21Z")
Logical fallacy. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2022, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chess-robot-breaks-seven-year-old-boys-finger-during-chess-tournament/968485/47 "2022-07-26T12:40:26Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > How frequently are chess players’ fingers broken by opposing human players? I have no statistics to hand, but I’d be willing to wager a small sum that human players have broken more opponents fingers then robots have. Relative to total games played, the robots are ahead, I’m sure. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2022, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chess-robot-breaks-seven-year-old-boys-finger-during-chess-tournament/968485/48 "2022-07-26T13:52:50Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > Depends on the robot. We put in a robotic palletizer at one of my former employers, and it had built-in sensors in the joint motors that detected when it was hitting an obstacle (people, conveyors, etc.). It was sensitive enough to stop without hurting a person at all. The container size was programmed into the robot, so if the “hand” tried to pick up something outside of those dimensions, it would let go, home, and throw an alarm. > > Damned operators would mess with the robot just so they could get extra breaks, as it took 10-20 minutes to reset the robot and get it running again. I work for a company that makes self-driving robots. A lot of effort goes into making them safe. I work around them without giving it a second thought. ---
**Author:** ![RayMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e495f1/32.png) [@RayMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RayMan)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2022, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chess-robot-breaks-seven-year-old-boys-finger-during-chess-tournament/968485/49 "2022-07-26T16:35:07Z")
Oh, sure. You _would_ say that, wouldn’t you . . . _ **Robot Arm** _. Right. Watch out, this guy will break your finger. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2022, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chess-robot-breaks-seven-year-old-boys-finger-during-chess-tournament/968485/50 "2022-07-26T16:39:14Z")
> [@RayMan](#): > > Oh, sure. You _would_ say that, wouldn’t you . . . _ **Robot Arm** _. Right. > > Watch out, this guy will break your finger. - _If_ you’re lucky. Or subservient. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2022, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chess-robot-breaks-seven-year-old-boys-finger-during-chess-tournament/968485/51 "2022-07-26T18:53:17Z")
He just did it in passing. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2022, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chess-robot-breaks-seven-year-old-boys-finger-during-chess-tournament/968485/52 "2022-07-26T19:53:10Z")
> [@RayMan](#): > > Oh, sure. You _would_ say that, wouldn’t you . . . _ **Robot Arm** _. Right. > > Watch out, this guy will break your finger. I was playing bingo at the senior center that night. A dozen cell phones saw me there. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2022, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chess-robot-breaks-seven-year-old-boys-finger-during-chess-tournament/968485/53 "2022-07-27T00:15:05Z")
Not for lack of trying, I’m sure. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2022, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chess-robot-breaks-seven-year-old-boys-finger-during-chess-tournament/968485/54 "2022-07-27T08:01:59Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > How frequently are chess players’ fingers broken by opposing human players? Oh, it’s much worse than that! 😲 In 690 Caliph al-Walid the 1st cracked open a courtier’s head after a chess game. In 1254 William of Wendene stabbed his opponent to death during a chess quarrel. In 1837 the Reverend Sydney Smith was knocked down with a chessboard after checkmating his opponent. The opponent went on to be Archbishop of Canterbury. 😮 (I got all these from the excellent ‘ **Complete Chess Addict** ’ by Fox and James - highly recommended. 🤓 🕶 ) ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chess-robot-breaks-seven-year-old-boys-finger-during-chess-tournament/968485/55 "2022-07-28T01:15:19Z")
Bobby Fischer was known for his tantrums. How many opponents’ fingers did he break? ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chess-robot-breaks-seven-year-old-boys-finger-during-chess-tournament/968485/56 "2022-07-28T12:29:39Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > Robots are about a thousand times more reliable than humans That’s true. That robot could break that kid’s finger every single game exactly the same way without getting bored, needing a holiday or asking for a pay rise. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chess-robot-breaks-seven-year-old-boys-finger-during-chess-tournament/968485/57 "2022-07-28T15:27:35Z")
> [@pjd](#): > > That’s true. > That robot could break that kid’s finger every single game exactly the same way > without getting bored, needing a holiday or asking for a pay rise. Brilliant response! ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chess-robot-breaks-seven-year-old-boys-finger-during-chess-tournament/968485/58 "2022-07-28T16:37:10Z")
Chess matches between humans and computers reminds me of people on horses racing trains. It was fun until the trains improved. Computer chess has improved but the grand masters can still beat them. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chess-robot-breaks-seven-year-old-boys-finger-during-chess-tournament/968485/59 "2022-07-28T18:03:47Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Computer chess has improved but the grand masters can still beat them. Not even close. Computers have been better than humans for quite some time now. Going by the ELO difference, there is less than a 1% chance the highest rated player (Magnus Carlsen) can win a game against them. They don’t even try anymore. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chess-robot-breaks-seven-year-old-boys-finger-during-chess-tournament/968485/60 "2022-07-28T19:50:41Z")
I play Chessmaster 9000. It easily kicks my butt. I started with Sargon in the 1990’s. At least the pc version can’t break my finger. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chess-robot-breaks-seven-year-old-boys-finger-during-chess-tournament/968485.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chess-robot-breaks-seven-year-old-boys-finger-during-chess-tournament/968485.md?page=4)