Does computer chess sponsorship exist?

[Sesse]

Is there any record of people ever having received sponsorship for computer chess? I'm a year or so from buying a new server for analysis.sesse.net, and I know Intel (and probably also AMD) has a long tradition of throwing hardware at various people for research, gaming, etc.—but I've never heard of anything in chess. (Producing a CPU has very low marginal cost—all the cost is in R&D and setting up the fabs—so it's fairly cheap for them if they assume they don't lose a sale that way.) Does it exist? Does anyone have contacts in any of those companies that are interested in chess and think it would be interesting to have their name associated with some of the strongest live analysis available?

[jdart]

I believe Intel backed the Deep Blue project, a long time ago. And Google found money for the Alpha Zero project, but that was done in-house.

--Jon

[Robert Pope]

Is there any record of people ever having received sponsorship for computer chess? I'm a year or so from buying a new server for analysis.sesse.net, and I know Intel (and probably also AMD) has a long tradition of throwing hardware at various people for research, gaming, etc.—but I've never heard of anything in chess. (Producing a CPU has very low marginal cost—all the cost is in R&D and setting up the fabs—so it's fairly cheap for them if they assume they don't lose a sale that way.) Does it exist? Does anyone have contacts in any of those companies that are interested in chess and think it would be interesting to have their name associated with some of the strongest live analysis available?

Sure. IBM sponsored deep blue. Alphabet sponsored AlphaZero. I'm pretty sure Cray donated computer time for Cray Blitz on multiple occasions. I'm pretty sure that (Intel?) has provided multiple machines for the uniform computing WCCC at least a couple times. Magnus Carlsen sponsored/paid Tord to write "Play Magnus". On the flip side, "lack of sponsors" was one of the arguments the ICCA used for ignoring their charter to alternate hemispheres for location of the WCCC.

[jp]

I'm a year or so from buying a new server for analysis.sesse.net

How did you get the existing server for Sesse?

[lkaufman]

According to talkchess posts, Houdini was sponsored by an Arab Sheikh. I don't have any direct knowledge of that.

[Sesse]

How did you get the existing server for Sesse?

Bought it, with my own money. That is, of course, the main plan unless something unexpected should happen.

[Sesse]

According to talkchess posts, Houdini was sponsored by an Arab Sheikh. I don't have any direct knowledge of that.

I thought that was Hydra.

[zullil]

According to talkchess posts, Houdini was sponsored by an Arab Sheikh. I don't have any direct knowledge of that.

I thought that was Hydra.

Not sure it matters. Start looking for chess-loving sheikh.

[Rebel]

AMD sponsored the match against Anand. Aegon sponsored the Aegon tournaments. The 4 Maastricht (comp vs GM) events were sponsored by Dutch companies but these times are definitely over.

[Sesse]

Not sure it matters. Start looking for chess-loving sheikh.

Pretty few sheikhs roaming the streets here in Norway, but I'll keep an eye out!