The chess and go events of the 12th National Paralympic Games and 9th National Special Olympics Games of the People’s Republic of China were held at Zhuhai Resort Hotel from December 9 to 12.
On the evening of December 10, a special event blending technology and sports—the Robot Challenge Match, part of the “Salute to the Self-Reliant” series—attracted wide attention. At the venue, athletes from the chess and go events of the Para Games and Special Olympics engaged in a battle of wisdom and will against artificial intelligence. On the chessboard, robots pressed forward step by step with their computing power, while the athletes remained calm and composed, responding with tenacious mentality and exquisite chess skills.
“I truly felt the advancement of technology,” said Chen Faying, a chess athlete from Jiangxi team, sharing her experience. “I played three rounds of chess against the AI robot this time. I had a winning mindset from the start, determined to ‘fight to the end’ and capture all of its pieces. Interestingly, the robot also showed a never-give-up spirit—it would never easily ‘surrender’ as long as it wasn’t checkmated, making the match extremely challenging.”
Zou Yiwen, a go athlete also from Jiangxi team, talked about his feelings about the challenge match from the perspective of professional improvement: “In fact, we have been exposed to various artificial intelligence products for a long time. When I was at the 5-dan level in go, it was not easy to beat an AI robot of the corresponding level, but I did win a few times. Since the AI’s level is pre-set, there is a chance to defeat it as long as I can perform beyond my usual standard. Playing against AI helps us clearly identify the strengths and weaknesses of our own chess strategies, which is of great help to improving our chess skills.”
