17 October 2017

Famous Players and London’s Best Business Minds to Compete for Prestigious Title

Pro-Biz Cup will be a part the 9th London Chess Classic.

Some of the London’s greatest business minds will go head-to-head this autumn, competing alongside the best chess players in the world.
 
In the Pro-Biz Cup, the elite of the business world are invited to pit their wits alongside and against the world’s top chess grandmasters. Amateurs team up with professionals, playing in pairs and making alternate moves in a battle on the board and against the clock.
 
Magnus Carlsen, the World Champion, and Michael Adams, the UK’s number one player, are among the high-profile players who will compete for this year’s coveted title. Amateur players can also bid to partner with former World Champion Garry Kasparov, who will make a return to London to play.
 
Confirmed as the first amateur player is Demis Hassabis, Co-Founder of leading artificial intelligence company DeepMind, who will partner Adams. Better known for his pioneering work in the field of neuroscience-inspired AI, Hassabis is also a chess player of exceptional standard, who achieved the level of master aged 13 and captained England’s Junior Chess teams.
   
Hassabis will be undertaking other activity in the build up to the London Chess Classic, giving local school children insights into the complex field of AI. The students of UCL Academy, sponsored by University College London, where Hassabis earned a PhD in cognitive neuroscience, will benefit from his expertise as he discusses the relationship between chess and technology and promotes the benefits of the game in developing skills that can help children thrive in business.
 
DeepMind’s support of CSC also extends to the company hosting the Pro-Biz Cup 2017 and first round of this year’s London Chess Classic at Google’s UK headquarters, while volunteers from DeepMind are being trained to teach chess to children.
 
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