Here’s my prediction for the upcoming finals of the TCEC computer championships, the number of decisive games will approach ten. Last year it was twenty-five wins in a hundred games. This year it seems even more difficult for the top-rated programs to beat each other. If the game of chess is ultimately worked out to be a draw, then it stands to reason that as the opponents get evermore highly rated, the more likely a draw will be the result.
This TCEC round one game is 179 moves of strange. I really hope you’ve got a pgn reader so you can fast speed from from move 62 to move 128. In all that time, the position barely changes, as the computers seem to be exploring every mathematical possibility to avoid a three-fold repetition. A bishop and a pawn for a rook is only the material score, what makes the position hard for the computers understand is king safety, Black has it and White doesn’t have it, so the offensive bishop becomes more valuable than the defensive rook. Somewhere around move 156, the higher-rated program spots the special position that it will evaluate as three points ahead, even though on the board it is almost the opposite, down an exchange and a pawn.
Nirvana 2.4-Komodo 1937
10/21/17
TCEC 10
86...Qh5 87.Qg4 Qh8 88.Qd7 Rd8 89.Qe7 Qh5 90.Rg4 Rh8 91.Ke2 h3 92.Rg7 Rc8 93.Rh7 Qg6 94.Qg7 Qxg7 95.Rxg7 Rh896.Rg1 h2 97.Rh1 -0.29 Stockfish
87...h3 -0.35/26 88.Qxf5 Rxf5 89.Rh1 h2 90.Re2 c6 90...Bg3 91. Re3 Bf2 92. Re4 Bg1 93. Ke2 c6 94. Rg4 cxd5 95. cxd5 b5 96. Rhxg1 hxg1=Q 97. Rxg1 Rf4 -0.24 Stockfish 91.Rc2 Rf8 92.Ke2 Rg8 93.Kf1 Rc8 94.Rcxh2 Bxh2
128.Rg1 Qf7 Comparing this position to the one after 61...Bg5, the Black pawn has gone from h5 to h4, the Black bishop has gone from g5 to f4, the Black rook has gone from f5 to f6, a White rook has gone from d1 to g1 and the White King has gone from e2 to c3. In essence, each side has made only three moves, but it took them 134 ply to do it.
152.Rg4 This appears to be the losing move, the White square fortress starts to breakdown. Looking 51 ply deep, Stockfish thinks Black is ahead by only 0.22 after 152. Qd1 Qg6 153. Kd2 Rh2+ 154. Re2 Rh4 155. Re4 Qg5+ 156. Kc3 Rh3 157. Qe2 Rg3 158. Qd1 Qf5 159. Kd2 Rh3 160. Qe2 Qh7 161. Qd1 Bb4+ 162. Kc1 Rh2 163. Re2 Ba3+ 164. Kd2 Rh4 165. Re4 Rh5 166. Re2 Qf5 167. Re4 Rh2+ 168. Re2 Rh3 169. Re4 Rg3 170. Re2 Qh7 171. Re4 Ka7 172. Rg4 Rh3 173. Re4 Qg6 174. Re2 Rh5 175. Re4 Kb7 176. Re2 Rh3 177. Re4 Bc5 178. Re2 Rh4 179. Re4 Rxe4 180. fxe4 Qxe4 181. Qf3 Qd4+ 182. Qd3 Qb2+ 183. Qc2 Bb4+ 184. Kd1 Qd4+ 185. Kc1 Qa1+ 186. Qb1 Qc3+ 187. Qc2 Qh3 188. Rf7 Qh1+ 189. Kb2 Qe1 190. Qd3 e4
156.Ke3 0.00/25 156...Rh3+ 156...Bb4 157. Qg4 Rh3+ 158. Rg3 Bc5+ 159. Kd2 Rh2+ 160. Rg2 Bb4+ 161. Ke3 Rh4 162. Qg6 Qh8 163. Qg7 Rh3+ 164. Ke4 Qe8+ 165. Kf5 Qe3 -3.29 Stockfish 157.Rf3 Bc5+ 158.Kd2 Bb4+ 159.Kc1 Ba3+ 160.Kd2 Bb4+
161.Qf3 -1.93/25 161...Rh4 162.Kd3 162. Kf5 Rh5+ 163. Kg4 Qh7 164. Rg5 Rh4+ 165. Kg3 Rh3+ 166. Kg4 Qh4+ 167. Kf5 Rxf3 168. Rxf3 -5.62 Stockfish 162...Qb2 163.Rg2 Qxb3+ 164.Ke4 Qxc4+ 165.Kf5 Be3 166.Qxe3 Qxd5+ 167.Kf6 Qxg2168.Qf3+ Qxf3 169.Rxf3 Rg4 170.Kf5 Rg8 171.Ke6 Kc8 172.f5 Re8+ 173.Kf7
161.Qg2 Rh2 162.Qg3 Rh3 163.Qg2 Qh5 164.Re1 Bf2 165.Qg4 Qh7 166.Qf5 Bxe1 167.Rf6 Qh4 168.Rf8 Qe7+ 169.Qe6 Qxf8170.Qxh3 -5.22 Stockfish
176.Qf5 -7.08/25 176...Qxb3 176...Bd4 177. Qd7 Qg3+ 178. Kh5 Qxf4 179. Qc6+ Kb8 180. Qe8+ Ka7 181. Qc8 Qf3+ 182. Kg5 Qg3+ 183. Kh5 Qg7 184. Qf5 Be3 -9.68 Stockfish 177.Qd7 Qg3+ 178.Kh5 Qxf4
[Event "TCEC 10"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2017.10.21"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Nirvana 2.4"]
[Black "Komodo 1937.00"]
[Result "0-1"]
[BlackElo "3230"]
[ECO "A50"]
[WhiteElo "3034"]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 b6 3.Qc2 d6 4.Nc3 g6 5.Nf3 Bg7 6.e4 O-O 7.Bg5 h6 8.Be3 Ng4
9.Bd2 e5 10.d5 a5 11.h3 Nf6 12.Qc1 Kh7 13.Be3 Nbd7 14.Bd3 Nc5 15.Bc2 Nh5
16.O-O f5 17.Qd1 Qf6 18.Re1 Nxe4 19.Nxe4 fxe4 20.Bxe4 Bf5 21.Nd2 Nf4 22.Qc2
Qg5 23.Bxf4 Qxf4 24.Qd1 Qg5 25.Nf3 Qf6 26.Qd2 Rf7 27.Re2 Raf8 28.Rf1 Qd8
29.Rfe1 Bxh3 30.gxh3 Rxf3 31.Bxf3 Rxf3 32.Kg2 Rf5 33.Re4 h5 34.h4 Bh6 35.Qe2
Rf8 36.Rh1 Qd7 37.Rh3 Kg7 38.b3 Kh7 39.Qd3 Rf6 40.Qc3 Qf5 41.Qf3 Bf4 42.Kf1
Kg7 43.Ke2 Bh6 44.Qg2 Qd7 45.Rf3 Bf4 46.Rd3 Qf7 47.Qh3 Rf5 48.Rd1 Kh7 49.a4
Bh6 50.Rf1 Kg7 51.Qc3 Kf8 52.Qd3 Ke7 53.Qg3 Rf6 54.f3 Bf4 55.Qh3 Kd8 56.Ra1
Rf5 57.Ra2 Kc8 58.Ra1 Kb7 59.Rg1 Bh6 60.Rd1 g5 61.hxg5 Bxg5 62.Rg1 Bf4 63.Qh4
Rf6 64.Rg2 Rh6 65.Rg1 Rh8 66.Kf2 Kb8 67.Re2 Rf8 68.Ke1 Kb7 69.Re4 Bh6 70.Rg3
Qh7 71.Kd1 Bf4 72.Rg2 Qf5 73.Qh1 Qh7 74.Qh4 Qf5 75.Qh1 Rh8 76.Qh4 Qf7 77.Ke1
Qh7 78.Rg1 Rf8 79.Rg2 Qf5 80.Rg7 Bh6 81.Rg3 Qh7 82.Kd1 Rf5 83.Qh3 Bf4 84.Rg1
Rf8 85.Qg2 h4 86.Qg7 Qf5 ( 86...Qh5 87.Qg4 Qh8 88.Qd7
Rd8 89.Qe7 Qh5 90.Rg4 Rh8 91.Ke2 h3 92.Rg7 Rc8 93.Rh7 Qg6 94.Qg7 Qxg7 95.Rxg7
Rh8 96.Rg1 h2 97.Rh1 { -0.29 Stockfish } ) 87.Qg4 Qf6 $6 { -0.03/25 } (
87...h3 { -0.35/26 } 88.Qxf5 Rxf5 89.Rh1 h2 90.Re2 c6
{ 90...Bg3 91. Re3 Bf2 92. Re4 Bg1 93. Ke2 c6 94. Rg4 cxd5 95. cxd5 b5 96.
Rhxg1 hxg1=Q 97. Rxg1 Rf4 -0.24 Stockfish } 91.Rc2 Rf8 92.Ke2 Rg8 93.Kf1 Rc8
94.Rcxh2 Bxh2 ) 88.Rh1 Bg3 89.Ke2 Qf7 90.Rg1 Ka7 91.Rg2 Kb8 92.Rg1 Kb7 93.Rf1
Qh7 94.Qh3 Rf4 95.Kd3 Kb8 96.Ke3 Kb7 97.Kd3 Rf6 98.Ke2 Qf7 99.Re3 Qg6 100.Re4
Rf4 101.Kd3 Qh7 102.Ke3 Qg6 103.Kd3 Qh7 104.Ke3 Rf7 105.Ke2 Rf5 106.Rg1 Qh5
107.Qg4 Qf7 108.Rf1 Qh7 109.Qh3 Rf6 110.Rg1 Rf7 111.Rf1 Rf5 112.Rg1 Qf7
113.Rf1 Rf4 114.Ke3 Rf6 115.Ke2 Rg6 116.Rh1 Rf6 117.Rf1 Kb8 118.Re3 Qh7
119.Re4 Qg7 120.Kd3 Qf7 121.Qg4 Qh7 122.Qh3 Qf7 123.Qg4 Kb7 124.Kc3 Qh7
125.Qh3 Qg6 126.Qg4 Qh7 127.Qh3 Bf4 128.Rg1 Qf7
{ Comparing this position to the one after 61...Bg5, the Black pawn has
gone from h5 to h4, the Black bishop has gone from g5 to f4, the Black rook
has gone from f5 to f6, a White rook has gone from d1 to g1 and the White King has gone from e2 to c3. In essence, each side has made only three
moves, but it took them 134 ply to do it. } 129.Rf1 Rg6 130.Qxh4 Rg2 131.Qe1
Qf6 132.Kd3 Qf5 133.Kc3 Bg3 134.Qd1 Bf2 135.Re2 Bd4+ 136.Kd2 Rg3 137.Re4 Bc5
138.Kc1 Rg2 139.Re2 Ba3+ 140.Kd2 Rg3 141.Qb1 Qh3 142.Qd1 Qf5 143.Qb1 Qg5+
144.Kc3 Qh4 145.Qd3 Qh8 146.Kd2 Rh3 147.Re4 Qf6 148.Qe2 Qh6+ 149.Kd3 Rh2
150.Rf2 Rh1 151.Rf1 Rh5 152.Rg4
{ This appears to be the losing move, the White square fortress starts to
breakdown. Looking 51 ply deep, Stockfish thinks Black is ahead by only
0.22 after 152. Qd1 Qg6 153. Kd2 Rh2+ 154. Re2 Rh4 155. Re4 Qg5+ 156. Kc3 Rh3 157. Qe2 Rg3 158. Qd1 Qf5 159. Kd2 Rh3 160. Qe2 Qh7 161. Qd1 Bb4+ 162.
Kc1 Rh2 163. Re2 Ba3+ 164. Kd2 Rh4 165. Re4 Rh5 166. Re2 Qf5 167. Re4 Rh2+ 168. Re2 Rh3 169. Re4 Rg3 170. Re2 Qh7 171. Re4 Ka7 172. Rg4 Rh3 173. Re4 Qg6 174. Re2 Rh5 175. Re4 Kb7 176. Re2 Rh3 177. Re4 Bc5 178. Re2 Rh4 179. Re4 Rxe4 180. fxe4 Qxe4 181. Qf3 Qd4+ 182. Qd3 Qb2+ 183. Qc2 Bb4+ 184.
Kd1 Qd4+ 185. Kc1 Qa1+ 186. Qb1 Qc3+ 187. Qc2 Qh3 188. Rf7 Qh1+ 189. Kb2 Qe1 190. Qd3 e4 }
152...Rh2 153.Rg2 e4+ 154.Kxe4 Rh5 155.f4 Qh7+ 156.Kd4 $2 { -1.25/25 } (
156.Ke3 { 0.00/25 } 156...Rh3+
{ 156...Bb4 157. Qg4 Rh3+ 158. Rg3 Bc5+ 159. Kd2 Rh2+ 160. Rg2 Bb4+ 161.
Ke3 Rh4 162. Qg6 Qh8 163. Qg7 Rh3+ 164. Ke4 Qe8+ 165. Kf5 Qe3 -3.29
Stockfish } 157.Rf3 Bc5+ 158.Kd2 Bb4+ 159.Kc1 Ba3+ 160.Kd2 Bb4+ ) 156...Bb4
157.Rf3 Rh1 158.Rf1 Qh8+ 159.Ke4 Rh7 160.Rg6 Bc5 161.Rf2 $2 { -4.53/23 } (
161.Qf3 { -1.93/25 } 161...Rh4 162.Kd3
{ 162. Kf5 Rh5+ 163. Kg4 Qh7 164. Rg5 Rh4+ 165. Kg3 Rh3+ 166. Kg4 Qh4+ 167.
Kf5 Rxf3 168. Rxf3 -5.62 Stockfish } 162...Qb2 163.Rg2 Qxb3+ 164.Ke4 Qxc4+
165.Kf5 Be3 166.Qxe3 Qxd5+ 167.Kf6 Qxg2 168.Qf3+ Qxf3 169.Rxf3 Rg4 170.Kf5
Rg8 171.Ke6 Kc8 172.f5 Re8+ 173.Kf7 ) ( 161.Qg2 Rh2 162.Qg3 Rh3 163.Qg2 Qh5
164.Re1 Bf2 165.Qg4 Qh7 166.Qf5 Bxe1 167.Rf6 Qh4 168.Rf8 Qe7+ 169.Qe6 Qxf8
170.Qxh3 { -5.22 Stockfish } ) 161...Re7+ 162.Re6 Rf7 163.Qd2 Qh1+ 164.Rg2
Rg7 165.Rh6 Qxh6 166.Rxg7 Qxg7 167.Kf5 Qh7+ 168.Kg5 Qe7+ 169.Kg4 Qe4 170.Qd1
Qg2+ 171.Kf5 Qg3 172.Qc2 Qh3+ 173.Kg5 Qg3+ 174.Kf5 Qh3+ 175.Kg5 Qf3 176.Qb1
$2 { -16.92/26 } ( 176.Qf5 { -7.08/25 } 176...Qxb3
{ 176...Bd4 177. Qd7 Qg3+ 178. Kh5 Qxf4 179. Qc6+ Kb8 180. Qe8+ Ka7 181.
Qc8 Qf3+ 182. Kg5 Qg3+ 183. Kh5 Qg7 184. Qf5 Be3 -9.68 Stockfish } 177.Qd7
Qg3+ 178.Kh5 Qxf4 ) 176...Be3 177.Qf5 Qg3+ 178.Kf6 Qxf4 179.Qxf4 0-1
