I've been avoiding the whole AI revolution (ChatGPT etc) if only because I have seen earlier attempts fail (going bake into the 1980's). But I deided to see if it could solve one issue for me, and it seems to have done so.
Converting old chessbooks (out of copyright of course) into text has been a challenge in the past. The formats and notations left traditional OCR software struggling, and the unusual fonts also lead to trouble. But I threw the first page of an old pdf I have titled "Chess Sparks" into it, and after 15 seconds it came back with
"CHESS SPARKS.
1.
This game affords the earliest instance on record of a kind of mate,
of which many examples will be found in the following pages.
It was played by M. de Kermur, Sire de Légal, who was born in 1702, and at the age of 85 was still the best Chess player in France, after his pupil Philidor.
White gives Q Rook.
M. de Légal.
1 P–K4 P–K4
2 B–B4 P–Q3
3 Kt–KB3 Kt–QB3
4 Kt–B3 B–Kt5
5 Kt×P B×Q
6 B×P ch K–K2
7 Kt mates
2.
Played at the Castle of Montmorenci in 1760.
Giuoco Piano.
J.J. Rousseau. Prince de Conti.
1 P–K4 P–K4
2 Kt–KB3 Kt–QB3
3 B–B4 B–B4
4 P–B3 Q–K2
5 Castles P–Q3
6 P–Q4 B–Kt3
7 B–KKt5 P–B3
8 B–R4 P–Kt4
9 Kt×KtP P×Kt
10 Q–R5 ch K–B sq
11 B×P Q–Kt2
12 P–B4 P×QP
13 P–B5 P×P ch
14 K–R sq P×P
15 B×Kt P×R (queens)
16 P–B6 and Black resigns.
3.
Played between 1780–1795.
Philidor gives Count Bruhl the QKt in exchange for Pawn and move.
Philidor. Bruhl.
1 P–K4 P–Q4
2 P–K5 B–B4
3 P–KKt4 B–Kt3
4 P–KR4 P–KR4
5 Kt–KR3 Q–Q2
6 Kt–B4 B–B2
7 P–Kt5 Q–B4
8 P–Q4 Q–K5 ch
9 Q–K2 Q×R
10 P–Kt6 P–K3
11 Q–Kt5 ch Kt–Q2
12 P×B ch K–Q sq
13 P×Kt (queens) R×Q
14 Kt×P ch K–B sq
15 B–K3 Q×RP
16 Q×QP B–K2
17 B–QR6 R–QKt sq
See Diagram on next page.
18 Q–B6 B–Q sq
19 B–KKt5 and wins."
which appears to be an accurate translation of the moves, and the notes.
Assuming that the level of accuracy holds up, then I look forward to resurrecting some of the more ancient works in a quick and easy manner.
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