Humans and a machine faced off in a Chinese chess battle at Queen Elizabeth Stadium today (October 27). A total of 1,140 primary and secondary students played against a Chinese chess artificial intelligence (AI) system at the Chinese Chess Challenge "1K VS AI" Battle Day, competing for championships and setting a world record.
          
     Witnessed by the World Record Association, the primary and secondary students at the event together set a world record for "The Most People Battling Against the Artificial Intelligence Chinese Chess System on the Spot Simultaneously". Xavier Wong of St Joseph's Primary School and Li Zi-hui of Yan Chai Hospital Lan Chi Pat Memorial Secondary School were awarded the championships of the primary and secondary categories respectively.
          
     To bring further excitement to the event, an exhibition match was staged today with the Asian Grandmaster of Chinese Chess, Mr Chan Chun-kit, playing against the AI system. For some critical moves, Mr Chan encouraged students to get involved by inviting them to make a guess on his next move. After a heated battle, both Mr Chan and the AI system failed to checkmate, ending the match in a draw.
          
     The Chinese chess AI system adopted in the event was developed in a collaboration between the Hong Kong Chinese Chess Association and a software service provider commissioned by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO). Based on the suggested moves to endgames as advised by the Association, the AI system can deduce its own tactics with higher odds of winning in response to opponents' moves.
          
     The President of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Professor Timothy Tong; the Government Chief Information Officer, Mr Allen Yeung; and the Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited, Mr Herman Lam, officiated at the event. Mr Yeung said he hoped that the event would arouse students' interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education, thus inspiring them to pursue education and development in the field.
          
     The Chinese Chess Challenge "1K VS AI" Battle Day was organised by the OGCIO, with the Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited as the strategic partner and the Hong Kong Chinese Chess Association as the strategic advisor. The event was held in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Apart from today's Battle Day, the OGCIO earlier held two workshops named AI Knowledge Enlightening Tour as well as the AI Chinese Chess Fun Day to promote information technology among the youth.
          
     Details, photos and videos of the events are available at 1kvsai.cyberport.hk (in Chinese only).

Ends/Friday, October 27, 2017
Issued at HKT 19:33

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