The first release using Steve Hadfield's 'Generative Chess Music' program makes music from the famous 'Game of the Century' between Donald Byrne and Bobby Fischer.

The program takes the moves of a game of chess and converts them into gradually evolving pieces of music based on a number of rules.

The opening moves determine a scale of notes to be played and these are mapped to the ranks of the chess board.

The files of the board map to each half-beat of a bar.

On each half-beat, pieces which have moved at least once (kings always play as they're the crux of the game) play a note based on their rank. Each piece type is assigned a different synth.
Percussion plays in some setups based on all the piece positions.

In this iconic game, the 13 year old Fischer sacrifices his queen in order to unleash a combination of moves which devastates the position of his older, established opponent. In the main track, the game plays out with eerie rhythmic electronica, while the second track explores what would have transpired had Byrne rejected the sacrificed queen, this time set to processed piano tones.

Steve is planning a series of releases based on famous games across the ages and also performs regularly around the north of the UK, inviting audience members to play live games.