Bytes of Bits

Stockfish – AllieStein

Top Chess Engine Championship Season 16 – Superfinal; match game 98; tcec-chess.com, October 12, 2019

King’s Indian Defence E71

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. h3 0-0 6. Be3 e5 7. d5 Na6 8. g4 c6 9. Nge2. Or 9. Nf3 Nc5 10. Nd2 a5 11. Be2 a4 12. g5 Nfd7 13. h4 f5 14. f3 Rf7 15. Qc2 Qa5 16. a3 cxd5 17. cxd5 b5 18. Kd1 Rb8 19. Na2 Na6 20. Qc3 Qd8 21. Nb4 Nxb4 22. axb4 Nb6 23. Rc1 Bd7 24. Qc7 Qf8 25. h5 gxh5 26. Bxb6 Rc8 27. Qb7 Rb8 28. Qc7 Rc8 29. Qa7 Ra8 30. Qb7 Rb8 31. Qa7 Ra8 32. Qb7 Rb8 ½ : ½ AllieStein – Stockfish, Top Chess Engine Championship Season 16 – Superfinal, October 12, 2019, match game 97. 9. ... cxd5 10. cxd5 h5 11. f3 Bd7 12. Nc1. Humans just made it far shorter: 12. Bg5 ½ : ½ Sigurjónsson – Ligterink, 37th Hoogovens Chess Tournament (B Group), Wijk aan Zee 1975. 12. ... Nh7 13. Nd3 f5 14. gxf5 gxf5 15. Qd2 f4 16. Bf2 h4 17. 0-0-0 Bf6 18. Kb1 Rf7 19. Be2 Rg7 20. Rhg1. The other Rook move, 20. Rdg1, would be met by the same Exchange sacrifice as in the actual game.

20. ... Rg3!! A deep, if thematic, positional Exchange sacrifice by which Black sets up an inexpugnable blockade on the dark squares, retaining at the same time enough long-term compensation for claiming the initiative on the Queenside. What follows is only a big number of bytes toward a draw. 21. Bxg3 hxg3 22. h4 Qb6. Not 22. ... Bxh4? because of 23. Nxf4! exf4 24. Qxf4 Qf6 25. Rxg3+! with a powerful attack for White. 23. Rh1 Kh8 24. Bf1 Rg8 25. Ne1 Bd8 26. Rc1 Nc5 27. Nc2 Nf6 28. Na3 Qc7 29. Bg2 Na6 30. Bf1 Qb8 31. h5 Bb6 32. Nd1 Nh7 33. Nc2 Nc5 34. Nc3 Ng5 35. Bg2 Kh7 36. Ka1 a5 37. Qe2 Kh6 38. Kb1 Na6 39. a4 Qe8 40. Qc4 Qc8 41. Qxc8 Rxc8 42. Nb5 Bc5 43. Nca3 Nf7 44. Nc4 b6 45. Rc2 Nc7 46. Nca3 Na6 47. Nc4 Ra8 48. Nc3 Nc7 49. Na3 Na6 50. Nc4 Nc7 51. Na3 Rb8 52. Ncb5 Na6 53. Nc4 Rh8 54. Rcc1 Rf8 55. Nc3 Nb4 56. Rcd1 Ng5 57. Kc1 Na6 58. Kc2 Nc7 59. b3 Rb8 60. Rb1 Ra8 61. Ra1 Rb8 62. Ne2 Rc8 63. Kd1 Rb8 64. Kc2 Rc8 65. Nc3 Bb4 66. Kd3 Rb8 67. Na2 Bc5 68. Nc3 Bc8 69. Na3 Ba6+ 70. Nc4 Rc8 71. Kc2 Re8 72. Rac1 Rg8 73. Rh4 Bc8 74. Kd2 Bd7 75. Ke2 Ra8 76. Kd1 Nf7 77. Ne2 Rb8 78. Ra1 Na6 79. Rh1 Bb4 80. Kc2 Bc5 81. Nc3 Nc7 82. Kd1 Ra8 83. Ra2 Rb8 84. Rc2 Bb4 85. Na2 Bc5 86. Nc3 Ra8 87. Ra2 Ng5 88. Ra1 Rg8 89. Ne2 Na6 90. Kc2 Ra8 91. Nc3 Nc7 92. Kd3 Bc8 93. Na3 Ba6+ 94. Kc2 Bb4 95. Rhc1 Bc8 96. Rh1 Ba6 97. Rhc1 Rf8 98. Kb2 Ne8 99. Nc4 Nf6 100. Rf1 Bc5 101. Rac1 Rf7 102. Ne2 Kxh5 103. Rh1+ Kg6 104. Ng1 Rf8 105. Rc2 Nf7 106. Ne2 Kg5 107. Rcc1 Nh8 108. Ng1 Bc8 109. Nh3+ Kg6 110. Ng1 Kg5 111. Nh3+ Kg6 112. Ng1 Ba6 113. Kc2 Nf7 114. Ne2 Ng5 115. Kd1 Bc8 116. Nd2 Ba6 117. Rh4 Nf7 118. Rh1 Kg5 119. Rc2 Nh8 120. Ng1 Nf7 121. Ne2 Ra8 122. Nc4 Nh8 123. Ng1 Kg6 124. Bh3 Nf7 125. Ne2 Rf8 126. Bg2 Ng5 127. Ng1 Bc8 128. Kc1 Ba6 129. Kd1 Bc8 130. Kc1 Nh5 131. Kd2 Ba6 132. Ke1 Bc8 133. Kd1 Bd7 134. Kc1 Bc8 135. Kd1 Bd7 136. Kc1 Nf6 137. Kb2 Ne8 138. Ne2 Nf6 139. Ng1 Kf7 140. Ne2 Kg7 141. Kb1 Be8 142. Nd2 Bd7 143. Nc4 Be8 144. Nd2 b5 145. Nc3 bxa4 146. bxa4 Bg6 147. Nb5 Rb8 148. Kb2 Bh5 149. Rf1 Rh8 150. Rh1 Rb8 151. Rf1 Be8 152. Nc4 Bxb5 153. axb5 Rxb5+ 154. Ka2 Nf7 155. Rb1 Bb4 156. Nb2 Nd7 157. Nd3 Nc5 158. Nxc5 dxc5 159. Rh1 Rb6 160. Rh5 a4 161. Rc1 Rh6 162. Rxh6 Kxh6 163. Bf1 Nd6 164. Rb1 Kg7 165. Kb2 c4 166. Kc2 Bc5 167. Bg2 Kf7 168. Rb8 a3 169. Ra8 Nb5 170. Ra5 Bd4 171. d6 Ke6 172. Ra6 Nxd6 173. Rxa3 Ke7 174. Ra6 Kd7 175. Bh3+ Kc7 176. Bf1 Kd7 177. Bh3+ Kc7 178. Bf1 Nb7 179. Ra4 c3 180. Ra8 Nd8 181. Kb3 Nc6 182. Rg8 Na5+ 183. Kc2 Kb7 184. Rg6 Nc6 185. Rg7+ Kb6 186. Rg6 Kc7 187. Rg7+ Kb6 188. Rg6 Kc7 189. Rg7+ Kc8 190. Rg8+ Kb7 191. Rg7+ Kc8 192. Rg8+ Kd7 193. Rg7+ Kd6 194. Rb7 Kc5 195. Rb5+ Kd6 196. Rb7 Nd8 197. Rh7 Kc5 198. Rh8 Nb7 199. Rc8+ Kb6 200. Rb8 Kc6 201. Rc8+ Kb6 202. Rh8 Kc7 203. Bh3 Nd8 204. Bf1 Nc6 205. Rh7+ Kb6 206. Rh6 Kc7 207. Rh1 Kb8 208. Rh8+ Kb7 209. Rh7+ Kc8 210. Bh3+ Kb8 211. Bg2 Ka8 212. Rh1 Kb7 213. Rh6 Nd8 214. Bf1 Nc6 215. Rh7+ Kb6 216. Kb3 Na5+ 217. Kc2 Kc6 218. Rh1 Kc7 219. Rh7+ Kd6 220. Rg7 Kc6 221. Rg8 Kd7 222. Rh8 Nb7 223. Bh3+ Kd6 224. Rc8 Nc5 225. Rd8+ Kc7 226. Rc8+ Kb7 227. Rg8 Na6 228. Rg7+ Kb6 229. Rg6+ Ka5 ½ : ½.

From Ocean to Aquarium

AllieStein – Stockfish

Top Chess Engine Championship Season 16 – Superfinal; match game 93; tcec-chess.com, October 11, 2019

Queen’s Gambit Declined D36

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 c6 6. e3 Be7 7. Bd3 0-0 8. Qc2 Nbd7 9. Nge2 Re8 10. 0-0-0 b5 11. h4!?TN h6 12. f3. In the following, reverse game there followed: 12. Nf4 Nb6 13. Kb1 Rb8 14. g4!? Nxg4 15. Bxe7 Qxe7 16. Rdg1 b4 17. Nd1 Nf6 18. Rh2 Kh8 19. Rhg2 Rg8 20. b3 Bd7 21. f3 Rbc8 22. Bg6 Be8= with a draw agreed on move 108, Stockfish – AllieStein, Top Chess Engine Championship Season 16 – Superfinal, October 11, 2019, match game 94. 12. ... Nb6 13. Kb1 Bd7 14. Nf4 Bd6 15. Qf2 Nc4 16. e4 Bxf4. Instead, after 16. ... hxg5 17. hxg5 Bxf4 18. Qh4 Kf8 19. Qxf4 Ng8 20. e5 White would enjoy a powerful initiative as a compensation for its (her) sacrificed Bishop. 17. Bxf4 dxe4 18. fxe4 Bg4! 19. e5 Nd5 20. Nxd5. 20. Qg3 h5! could be a little better for White, but not so much, because for nothing in the world would Black ever get rid of its (her) formidable Bishop. 20. ... Qxd5 21. Be2 (21. Qg3 h5!) 21. ... Bxe2 22. Qxe2 c5! The best move among all possible moves and the prelude to an elegant positional sacrifice. 23. b3 cxd4! 24. bxc4 bxc4−+

Black has only two Pawns for the Bishop, but its (his) crushing pair of centre Pawns and the open b-file will soon have its devastating effect. Now the most immediate threats are ... d4-d3 and/or ... Ra8-b8+. 25. Ka1 Rac8 26. Qf3 Qc5 27. Rc1 Re6 28. Rhd1 c3 29. Rc2 Rb6 30. Qe4 Rd8 31. Qd3 Qa3. With the obvious threat of ... Rb6-b2. 32. Bc1 Qa4 33. Bf4 Rc8 34. g3 Qa3 35. Bc1 Qb4 36. Bf4 Rcb8. Threatening mate in two. 37. Rf2 Qa3 38. Rdf1 Rb2 39. Qc4 Kh7! 40. Qxf7 Qa6! 41. Bxh6!? A last desperate hope to “turn tables”: 41. ... Qxh6?? 42. Rf6 Qd2 43. Qh5+ drawing by perpetual check. 41. ... R8b7! 42. Qd5 0 : 1. For after 42. ... Qd3 mate soon follows.

Moby-Dick

Stockfish – AllieStein

Top Chess Engine Championship Season 16 – Superfinal; match game 46; tcec-chess.com, October 3, 2019

English Defence A40

AllieStein and Stockfish are writing together, back and forth, in an ongoing dialogue aimed at better understanding human-machine relationship from a human perspective. 1. c4 b6 2. Nc3 e6 3. d4 Bb4 4. e4 Bb7 5. f3 Qh4+ 6. g3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 Qe7 8. c5!? bxc5!? In the previous, reverse game there followed: 8. ... Qd8 9. Rb1 Ne7 10. Ba3 0-0 11. Nh3 Re8 12. c4 Ba6 13. Kf2 Nbc6 14. Qa4 Na5 15. e5 Nf5 16. Rd1 f6 17. Bd3 Bb7 18. Rhe1 fxe5 19. dxe5 Bc6 20. Qc2 Rf8 21. Be4 Rf7 22. Nf4 Qg5 23. Nd5 Kh8 24. Bc1 Qd8 25. Ba3 Qg5 26. Qc3 Rc8 27. Bc1 Qd8 28. Kg2 Nb7 29. Nf4 Qe7 30. Bxc6 dxc6 31. cxb6 axb6 32. h4 c5 33. Qd3 Na5 34. Qe4 Qe8 35. h5 Kg8 36. Rd3 Nc6 37. a3 Nfd4 38. g4 Ra8 39. h6 g6 40. Rf1 Na5 41. Rc3 Qc6 42. Qd3 Rd7 43. Nxg6 Ndb3 44. Qc2 Nxc1 45. Rxc1 hxg6 46. Qxg6+ Kh8 47. Rd1 Rf8 48. Kg3 Nb7 49. f4 Qa4 50. Rd2 Re7 51. g5 Qa8 52. Rcd3 Rf5 53. Rd7 Rxd7 54. Rxd7 Qxa3+ 55. Kh2 Qb2+ 56. Kg3 Qa3+ 57. Kg2 Qb2+ 58. Kh1 Qc1+ 59. Kg2 Qc2+ 60. Kg3 Qc3+ 61. Kg2 Qc2+ 62. Kg3 Qc3+ 63. Kh2 Qb2+ 64. Kh3 Qa3+ 65. Kg2 Qb2+ 66. Kh3 Qa3+ 67. Kg4 Rxf4+ 68. Kxf4 Qc1+ 69. Kg4 Qg1+ 70. Kh3 Qh1+ 71. Kg3 Qg1+ 72. Kf3 Qf1+ 73. Ke3 Qe1+ 74. Kf4 Qf2+ 75. Kg4 Qg2+ 76. Kf4 Qf2+ 77. Kg4 Qg2+ 78. Kf4 Qf2+ ½ : ½ AllieStein – Stockfish, Top Chess Engine Championship Season 16 – Superfinal, October 3, 2019, match game 45. 9. Rb1 Bc6 10. Qb3 f5 11. Bg2 Nf6 12. Bg5 fxe4 13. fxe4 0-0 14. Ne2 d6 15. Nf4 Nbd7 16. 0-0 Rfe8 17. Bxf6 Nxf6 18. e5!⩲ Ne4? From a mortal standpoint, here 18. ... Nd5 19. Rfe1 a5!? 20. a4⩲ must be better than the text. 19. Qc2 d5 20. c4!± Rad8 21. Rbc1 Ba8 22. cxd5 exd5 23. Bxe4 dxe4 24. Qb3+ Kh8 25. Rxc5 Rxd4 26. Qc3 Rd2 27. h4! The similar-looking but (it seems) significantly more controversial alternative 27. Rxc7 Rd7 28. Rc5 e3! 29. Qxe3 Rc7! 30. Rxc7 Qxc7 31. h4 g5! (not 31. ... Rxe5?? because of 32. Nd3!!+− nor 31. ... Qxe5?? due to 32. Qxe5 Rxe5 33. Ne6+− winning material, while finally 31. ... Qc6 would transpose to the same position as in the actual game after 30. ... Qc6) 32. Nh5! Kg8 33. Nf6+ Kg7 would leave Black with good drawing chances despite the Pawn minus. 27. ... e3 28. Rxc7 Rd7 29. Rxd7 Qxd7 30. Qxe3 Qc6 31. Kh2 Qc2+ 32. Kh3 Qxa2. Black has regained the Pawn, but its (her) game is lost, partly due to the strength of White’s e-Pawn, and partly to the White Queen’s domination of the centre squares.

33. e6! h6 34. Qd3 Bc6. Not 34. ... g5?? on account of 35. Ng6+ Kg8 (35. ... Kh7 36. Nf8+! Kg8 37, Qh7 mate) 36. Ne7+! and mate in four follows. 35. h5! Kg8 36. Rc1 Qa4 37. Qd6 Be4 38. Qe5 Bc2 39. Kh2 Qb3 40. Qd4 Kh7 41. Re1 Bf5 42. Qe5 Bd3 43. Rc1 Bc2 44. e7 Qa2 45. Kg1 Qb3 46. Nd5 Qc4 47. Re1 Ba4 48. Nc7 Rg8 49. e8=Q Bxe8 50. Nxe8 Qa4 51. Nc7 a5 52. Ne6 Qb4 53. Qf5+ Kh8 54. Rf1 1 : 0.