The United States Chess Federation (USCF) and The World Chess Federation (FIDE) are pleased to announce the upcoming six game chess match between the world�s No. 1 chess player Garry Kasparov and the computer program Deep Junior, January 26 through February 7 at the New York Athletic Club in New York City, NY.

Kasparov is the highest rated chess player in the world with a FIDE rating of 2829. Since a young age, he has shown a level of chess mastery that few have been able to match. At age 12, he was the USSR Junior Champion; a Grandmaster at 17, and at 19 years old, he was regarded as the second strongest player in the world. At 21, he played his first World Championship match against GM Anatoly Karpov, which ended when FIDE called off the match when neither player was able to achieve the required six victories after forty-eight games. This was the first of five world chess championship matches between Kasparov and Karpov. Kasparov won his second match with Karpov in 1985 to become the youngest world chess champion ever. Kasparov then successfully defended his world championship title three times against Karpov in 1986, 1987, and 1990.

In February of 1996, Kasparov played a six game chess match against Deep Blue, a computer programmed by IBM. He declared his 4-2 victory a �win for mankind�, stating the match was one of the most difficult of his career. In 1997 he played a rematch against an improved IBM computer program named Deeper Blue. In the most famous chess match in history, Deeper Blue defeated Kasparov by the score of 3 � - 2 �. The upcoming match with Deep Junior will be Kasparov�s first major match versus a computer since that loss.

Deep Junior, programmed by Amir Ban and Shay Bushinsky, has won the world computer chess championship three times. With an opening database by GM Boris Alterman, grandmasters have commented on its aggressive attacking style and tremendous tactical ability.

The match is sponsored by FIDE and X3D Technologies Corporation.

The United States Chess Federation, founded in 1939, serves as the governing body for chess in the United States and is devoted to extending the role of chess in American society. It promotes the study and knowledge of the game of chess, for its own sake as an art and enjoyment, and as a means for the improvement of society. The USCF is a not-for-profit membership organization with more than 90,000 members. For more information, please see http://www.uschess.org.