When 13-year-old Joshua Doknjas of Surrey, B.C. submitted his first article to the prestigious New in Chess Yearbook, his publisher asked for a photo.
“I remember they were very surprised, and they said: Wait, how old are you?”
Now 19, Doknjas has authored one book and co-authored a second on chess openings with Everyman Press, and he has a third book coming out shortly.
Doknjas is a rated master player who has won seven national titles for his age category and tied for first place in the 2019 North American youth championships. He also coaches other chess players, but it’s his analytical eye and writing ability that stands out.
As a second-year student in cognitive science at Simon Fraser University, Doknjas is keenly aware of how neural networks have transformed society, as well as the game of chess. His newest book is entitled “The AI Revolution in Chess.”
Doknjas says it’s fascinating to see how different computers calculate the best lines in a chess game, and he believes artificial intelligence has opened a new way of looking at the game.
While computers are valuable for the study of the game, Doknjas believes the human element in competitive chess will always be vital.
Mate in 2, Paul Morphy, 1856
The Globe and Mail
A computer could solve this “Mate in 2″ problem instantly. How long does it take you to find White’s move?
1.Ra6 and if bxa6 2.b7 mate, or if the Bishop moves, 2.Rxa7 mate.