Marion Tinsley

Marion Tinsley ( born February 3, 1927 in Iron Town, Ohio; † 3 April 1995), is considered the strongest lady player who ever lived.

World Championships

He was in 1955 and 1958 as well as 1979, 1981, 1985, 1987 and 1989 world champion - ie first twice and later five times in a row - in the variant Checkers and lost in his 45 -year career, no world championship fight and only seven singles matches in total (including two against the Chinook computer program ).

In 1955 he gained by defeating Walter Hellman first World Cup title in the game of drafts (version Three -Move Restriction - the recognized pinnacle of Checkers ). In the American Ladies Association (American Checker Federation) along with the English lady Association ( English Draughts Association) tournaments organized lady is played on an 8 × 8 board after the English version control system. 1962-1967 Tinsley did not take part in the world championship ( He renounced his title in 1958 ). One later remark, according to him was the reason that there was no enemy, which was a challenge for him. In 1979, he became active again until 1991 his career - against human opponents - finished.

Man versus machine

In the 1990s, the Canadian computer science professor Jonathan Schaeffer set the goal to develop a computer program that would defeat Tinsley. 1992 and 1994 were two man - against -machine tournaments in which the computer program Chinook has won two games against Tinsley, the first tournament but still lost 2-4. The second tournament could not finish Marion Tinsley for health reasons: he was seriously ill with cancer.

Life

Tinsley was a Baptist pastor and professor of mathematics at Florida State University and Florida A & M University.