7th World Chess Software Championship - ICGA World Chess Software Championship Jan Krabbenbos, Jaap...

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7th World Chess Software Championship Jan Krabbenbos, Jaap van den Herik, Guy Haworth The 7 th World Chess Software Championship started on July 1, 2017. Seven programs participated in a round robin tournament of seven rounds. The tournament took place at the Leiden University and is organized by the ICGA, LIACS and LCDS. The sponsors are Oracle, the municipality of Leiden, Leiden University, Faculty of Science, ICGA, iSSC, SurfSara and Digital Game Technology. It is held in conjunction with the 23 nd World Computer Chess Championship, 20 th Computer Olympiad and the 10 th Computers and Games conference. Round 1 Chiron – Komodo ½-½ Jonny – The Baron 1-0 Ziggurat – Shredder 0-1 Chess Ebbiz 9 - bye World Computer Software Champion Komodo started the tournament against Chiron which is considered an outsider. From a quiet Guicco Pianissimo it was clear that white tried to keep its small advantage as long as possible. Komodo showed tough counter play but could not turn the tables. The balance was not disturbed although Komodo attempted strongly. The audience was surprised on the resistance Chiron offered. Still Chiron managed to keep it this way and the game ended in a draw. Jonny usually plays on 2400 cores. In the WCSC it has to obey the platform rules which constitute playing with one processor containing 4 cores and having the possibility to use 8 threads. The speed of the Intel I7 processor is 3.4 GHz. This hardware was sufficient to show its superiority to the Baron. They played a Kings Indian game that followed the books up to 19. … b6. At least this move was not in the book, but maybe played in other human games. Slowly Jonny saw opportunities to take initiatives on the king side. Its move 30. g4 made his plans clear: opening the g-file and penetrating along that line into the black fortress. It was a long run strategy but it worked out well. The worse point for the Baron was that it could not find a weak spot in white’s position. Finally the black position collapsed completely and soon thereafter the games was over.

Transcript of 7th World Chess Software Championship - ICGA World Chess Software Championship Jan Krabbenbos, Jaap...

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7thWorldChessSoftwareChampionshipJanKrabbenbos,JaapvandenHerik,GuyHaworthThe7thWorldChessSoftwareChampionshipstartedonJuly1,2017.Sevenprogramsparticipatedinaroundrobintournamentofsevenrounds.ThetournamenttookplaceattheLeidenUniversityandisorganizedbytheICGA,LIACSandLCDS.ThesponsorsareOracle,themunicipalityofLeiden,LeidenUniversity,FacultyofScience,ICGA,iSSC,SurfSaraandDigitalGameTechnology.Itisheldinconjunctionwiththe23ndWorldComputerChessChampionship,20thComputerOlympiadandthe10thComputersandGamesconference.

Round1 Chiron–Komodo½-½ Jonny–TheBaron1-0 Ziggurat–Shredder0-1 ChessEbbiz9-byeWorldComputerSoftwareChampionKomodostartedthetournamentagainstChironwhichisconsideredanoutsider.FromaquietGuiccoPianissimoitwasclearthatwhitetriedtokeepitssmalladvantageaslongaspossible.Komodoshowedtoughcounterplaybutcouldnotturnthetables.ThebalancewasnotdisturbedalthoughKomodoattemptedstrongly.TheaudiencewassurprisedontheresistanceChironoffered.StillChironmanagedtokeepitthiswayandthegameendedinadraw.Jonnyusuallyplayson2400cores.IntheWCSCithastoobeytheplatformruleswhichconstituteplayingwithoneprocessorcontaining4coresandhavingthepossibilitytouse8threads.ThespeedoftheIntelI7processoris3.4GHz.ThishardwarewassufficienttoshowitssuperioritytotheBaron.TheyplayedaKingsIndiangamethatfollowedthebooksupto19.…b6.Atleastthismovewasnotinthebook,butmaybeplayedinotherhumangames.SlowlyJonnysawopportunitiestotakeinitiativesonthekingside.Itsmove30.g4madehisplansclear:openingtheg-fileandpenetratingalongthatlineintotheblackfortress.Itwasalongrunstrategybutitworkedoutwell.TheworsepointfortheBaronwasthatitcouldnotfindaweakspotinwhite’sposition.Finallytheblackpositioncollapsedcompletelyandsoonthereafterthegameswasover.

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r1r2nk1/1npb4/1p1p1q1b/3P1p2/1PPNpPPp/4B2P/3QB3/R3RN1Kb-g3030Shredderplayedasemi-SlavagainstZiggurat.Theyfollowedaknownbooklineuptomove17.TheautonomousthinkingprocessthereafterwasinfavourofShredder.SinceZigguratfeltthesameitlookedforunexpectedmovesandlandedatthesameideaasplayedbyJonny.Herethemoveg2-g4hadhowevermoredrawbacks.Blackwasalertandreactedaccordinglywhichimpliedthatwhitewasfacingamultitudeofblackpiecesenteringitsposition.Thedefencewasverydifficultandtheprogressionoftheblackpieceswasunstoppable.Thecomplicationsontheboardwereallinfavourofblackwhoendedthegamewithanicecombination(34.…Bxb4).Soonthereafterwhiteresigned.

5bk1/p1r2p2/1npq2p1/Q3p2p/3rP1P1/PP2NB2/2R2P1P/5RK1b--025Soafteroneroundwehavetwoleaders:1-2Shredder,Jonny(1outof1).

Round2 TheBaron–Ziggurat1-0

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Komodo–Jonny½-½ ChessEbbiz9–Chiron0-1 Shredder-byeTheBaronshowedgoodunderstandingoftheSicilianvariationthatoccurredontheboardinitscontestwithZiggurat.Onmove12theylefttheopeningbook.InthenextfivemovesTheBaronmanagedtomanoeuvreitspiecestoexcellentplaces.Fromthatmoveonwardsblackhastosolveoneproblemaftertheother.Mostdangerousfortheblackkingwerethetwobishopsonthediagonalsb3-g8andc3-h8.Althoughblackwasinventiveinfindingmanyescapes,intheenditcouldnotpreventthatthepowersofthebishopswerestrongerthanitsdefense.Whitegainedafullpointbyaniceconcludingcombination.Komodo–Jonnywasameetingbetweenthetwotopprogramsofthismoment.Bothwereeagertowin.Komodo,playingwhite,waseagertousethatinitiativeforanattempttoimprovehisscoreagainstJonny.Sincebothprogramsplayabovehumanworldchampionshiplevelitisdifficulttocriticizethem.Wecanonlyfollowthewisecommentsbytheprogramsthemselvesorbyotherprograms.Therewerechancesforbothsidesanditmustbesaidthattheypostdifficultchallengestoeachother.Oneexamplecanbeseeninthediagrampositionwherewhiteplayed41.Rg3.Hereblackconsideredthreepossiblemoves:41.…R8c4,41.…Rac4andplayedfinally41.…Ra7.Thegameisajoytoreplayandanalyse.Wearesurethatmanyinterestingvariationswillarisefromaccurateanalysis.Howeverforthespectatoritlookedthateverytrialtoobtainadvantagecouldberefutedbyanadequatemovethatshowedalmostthereverse.Bothsidesenjoyedplayingsothegameendedfinallyinatotallydead-endposition.Forsurethehardwareusedatbothsideswasexhausted.

2r2bk1/3N1pp1/3qp2p/1P1p4/r2P1P2/pR5P/P5PK/1R1Q4w--540ThematchChessEbbiz9versusChironbroughtusbacktotheoldtimes.Thensurprisingmoveswerepossiblesinceprogramshadsometimesexcentrique

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ideasonthevalueofthepiecesandthequeen.Inthecurrentgamewebelieveamistakedecidedthegame.InaScottishgameapinnedpawnwasstillmoved,sacrificingthequeenandthuslosingthegame.AftertworoundstheleadisbyJonnyandChironwith1.5outof2.

Round3 Jonny–ChessEbbiz91-0 Ziggurat–Komodo0-1 Shredder–TheBaron1-0 Chiron-byeInthethirdroundJonnyestablisheditsleadingpositionbyeasywinagainstChessEbbiz9.Apparentlythelatterprogramhasnotrecoveredfromitsgenerosityingametwoandsacrificedagainapiecewithoutanycompensation.Notsurprisinglythegamewasoverratherfast.AwinforJonny.ThegamebetweenZigguratandKomodostartedwithpromisesbutinthetransitionfromopeningtomidgameZigguratclearlydidnotfollowawellchosenstrategy.Thetacticallineitchoseafter21.…c5didnotbringhimanychanceforanequalgame.Thewhitequeenwaschasedovertheboardanddidfindasafetyplace.Forsecuringitsqueenwhitehadtoacceptabadpositionforitspieces.Thatwasthestartofadeteriorationofitsposition.Blacksoonresigned.Shredder-TheBaronshowedcharacteristicsofagamebetweenanunderdogandandasuperiorprogram.TheunderdogshowstheBlumenfeldgambit.Thestrongerprogramwastrickedintodifficultchoices.However,itfounditswayrathereasilyandavoidedthepitfalswhichweregiventohim.Whitesacrificedtheexchangeforanoverwhelmingpositionandblackhadtoconcedethathisstrategyhadfailed.TherewasnotimeforrepackingandthustheBaronrathersoonthrewthetowelinthering.Afterthreeroundstheleaderis1.Jonny2.5outof3.2-3KomodoandShredder2outof3.

Round4 Komodo–Shredder½-½ ChessEbbiz9–Ziggurat0-1 Chiron–Jonny½-½ TheBaron-byeInthegameKomodo–Shredderthewhiteplayersacrificedapawnforinitiativeagainsttheblackkingandalongthecenterlines.Clearlywhitehadsomepressure,someplayandsomechances.Howeverblackdefendedsecurelyandaccurately.Thebestwhitecouldachieveisregainingitspawn.Thereafterapositionoccurredwithweakspotsatbothsides.Whitetriedtoexploittheblackweakspotbutblackrepliedintherightway.Theideaofexploitingweakspotsledtoarepetitionofmoves.So,drawwasagreed.

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TheChessEbbizprogramwasfacingthesamebugasintwoearliergames.Beforethetournamentitpossessedgoodcredentialsandtheauthorthoughtthathehadimproveditsplayingstrengthbysomelastminichanges.Thereverseactionhadtakenplace.Theprogramhadworsenedandthedepreciationfortheownqueenwasleadinginthedecisions.Aclearlossafteracompletelywrongqueencapture.Chironisshowingitscapabilitiesinthistournament.InitsgameagainstJonnyitplayedtheyGuiccoPianissimoopeningwhichcanbetranslatedasquiet,quiet,quiet.Thiswasexactlythecourseofthegame.Pieceswenttosquarestobeexchangedandotherpieceswerecalleduponcentralactionsbutthemaingoalwastheexchangeofthesepieces.Inaveryshortperiodsevenpieceswereexchangedandpawnssufferedfromthesamefaith.Adrawwasinevitable.AfterfourroundsJonnyleadsby3(outof4)followedbyShredder2.5(outof3)andKomodo2.5(outof4).

Round5 Ziggurat–Chiron0-1 Shredder–ChessEbbiz91-0 TheBaron–Komodo0-1 Jonny-byeZigguratandChirontestedatheoreticalvariationwhichwasintheirdatabase.Zigguratfollowedfor15movesitsopeninglibrary.AfterZiggurathatleftthebookChironcontinuedforanothertenmoves.Soonecanarguethatthegamereallystartedonmove26.Thegamecanbecharacterizedaswhiteplayingcarefullyandcautiouswhereasblackplayedactivelyandevenaggressively.Thedifferenceinplayingstyleresultedinaquiteactivepositionfortheblackqueen.After34.…Qc2whitewasindanger.Blackwonapawnandsoonthegame.ThisimpliedthatChironsecuredtheplaceamongthebestfour.ShredderhadawalkoversinceBrunoBrashadbeenunabletorepairtheillnessofhisprogram.Onmove12Shredderthankedforthepieceofferbyblackandsoonwonthegame.TheBaronhadseriouslypreparedforitscontestwithKomodo.TheBenoniDefencewasplayedwithremarkableenergybywhite.Onmove7Komodowasoutofbook.However,itplayedthenewpositionsowellthatTheBaroncouldnottakeadvantageofitspreparations.KomodotrickedTheBaronintoaturmoilofcombinationsthatstartedwith10.…b5and11.Nxb5.Seethediagram.Thebattleofcaptures,threatsandrecapturesfinallyresultedinakindofmaterialbalance.However,thebalanceoftwopiecesagainstrookandpawnturnedouttobeclearlyinfavourofKomodo.AlthoughTheBaronwasalertonmanytricks,itcouldnotpreventthatKomodomadeprogressandfinallytransferredthegameintoawonendgame.

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r1bq1rk1/p4pbp/n2p1np1/1ppP4/5B2/1QN1PN2/PP2BPPP/R3K2RwKQ-011Afterfiverounds,itisclearthatthechampionwillcomefromoneofthefollowingfourprograms:1.Shredder3.5(outof4)2.Komodo3.5(outof5)3-4.ChironandJonny3(outof4).

Round6 ChessEbbiz9–TheBaron0-1 Chiron–Shredder0-1 Jonny–Ziggurat1-0 Komodo–byeThegameChessEbbiz9–TheBaronhadanoriginalstart.ThistimeChessEbbiz9seemedtobeabletobuildupanicepositionwithmuchinfluenceinthecenter(seediagram).Howeverblackhadapowerfulreplyatitsdisposalwhichimmediatelyendsthegame.Themove16.…Nd5.After17.exd5follows17.…Bxb4.Therewasnoescape.HenceTheBaronwonafewmoveslaterthegame.

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rnq2rk1/1p1pbppp/4pn2/4N3/1PP5/2Q1B3/4PPPP/2R1KB1RbK-016Jonnycontinuedhisaimtoachievethefirstplace.ItplayedverywellagainstZigguratthatwasoutofbookafter11.Nd2.Jonnyhadtwomorebookmoves,namelyupto13.…b5.Thentheplayersstartedtheirowngame.Jonnydecidedtosacrificetemporarilyapawnonc4withascompensation,mobility,initiativeandpressure.Itledtoadynamicgamewithopticallychancesatbothsides.StillJonnyturnedouttobethemoredeeplylookingprogram.Inthediagrampositionitplayed37.d5.SimplecapturewouldgiveJonnyasuperiorpositionwithtwobishopsandapassedpawn.Howeverblackbelievedithadacountertrickbysacrificingtheexchangeandobtainingtwopassedpawnsinthecenter.Seediagram.

6k1/p2nb1pp/4p3/P1p1Pp1P/2RP1P2/6P1/5KB1/1r2B3w--037

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6k1/p2nb1pp/8/P1ppPp1P/2R2P2/6P1/6K1/4B3w--040Obviouslyblackhadhighexpectationsofthepoweritspawns.StillJonny’sevaluationmusthavebeenbetterbecauseblackhasnochanceatallinthecurrentposition.Jonnyhandleditprofessionallyandachievedafullpointwithconvincingplay.Thestrategiclinewasbringingthewhiterooktotheseventhrank,bringingdeathanddestruction.Aclearwinforwhite.Chiron–ShredderwasaSiciliangamewithwhitefianchetto.Bothprogramsplayedalongwell-knownpathsoriginatingdirectlyfromtheiropeningbook.AfarreachingstrategicdecisionwasmadebyShredderbyplaying25.…f4weakeninginessencethewhiteking’sposition.Seediagram1below.

Diagram1

r4rk1/2qb2pn/1p1p4/p2Ppp1p/2P5/Q4NPP/PP3PB1/2R1R1K1b--325

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Howeverwhitewasnotawaitingthestrategicpressureasblackmightforeseeanddecidedtotaketheinitiativebyplaying26.gxf4,Rxf427.Nxe5.Itbroughttolightpossibilitiesliked6andopeningthelongdiagonaluptoa8.Meanwhilewhiteenrichedthepossibilitiesbyinsertingtheadvanceofthec-pawn.Afterthecapturesblack’spawnpositionwascompletelyshattered(seediagram2).Whitemayhaveevaluatedthispositionasbettersinceitisabletocollectthreeweakpawns:32.Rxe5,Rh433.Qxc5,Nf634.Qxa5.

Diagram2

q6k/3b2pn/3P4/p1p1p2p/5r2/Q6P/PP3P2/2R1R1K1w--032Yetitwasdifficulttogainadvantagefrommateriallyfavourableposition,sincethedynamicofthetwoblacklightpiecesandtheweakeningofthewhitekingfortressshowedtobesufficientcompensationforblack.Whatfollowsisanexcitingbattleunderspeedchessconditionssincebothplayerswereinthelastquarterofthetimeallotted.Finally,theyarrivedinthepositionofdiagram3.

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Diagram3

7k/2Rb2p1/5n2/7p/1q5r/6QP/PP3P2/4R1K1w--641Therewhitedecidedtoexchangetherooksviaanindirectmethodbyplaying41.Re7,Qxe742.Qxh4.Theresultingpositionwasthestartofafascinatingendgameinwhichsubtlemaneuversfinallydecidedthewinner.

Diagram4

8/6pk/6b1/7p/3n1Q1P/5P2/4qRK1/8b--2779Diagram4showsoneofthesubtletiesplayedsinceblackkepttheinitiativebyplaying79.…Ne6.Subsequentlyblackcontinuedtogainspatialadvantageandwithsimplebutnicecombinationittransformedthegameintoawin.

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After6roundsShredderdeservedlyleadsthepackby4.5outof5.FollowedbyJonny4outof5andKomodo3.5outof5.ThelastroundwillbringthedecisionsinceShredder(white)ispairedtoJonny.

Round7 Shredder–Jonny½-½ TheBaron–Chiron½-½ Komodo–ChessEbbiz91-0 Ziggurat-byeTheWorldComputerSoftwareChampionshiphadtobedecidedinthelastroundinthegameShredder–Jonny.BothprogrammersknoweachotherverywellbutafriendlydrawwasnottobeexpectedsincethatwouldmeanthatShreddergainedthetitle.Theirfightwasofthehighestcaliber,excitingwithsacrificesfrombothsidesandwithsubtlemaneuvers.Belowweprovidefourhighpointsofthecontestwhichfinallyendedinadraw.OurcongratulationsarethereforeforStefanMeyer-KahlenforShreddersperformanceofwinningthetournamentwith5pointsoutof6games.Afantasticresult.AfteraquietSemi-Slavopeninginwhichbothsidesfollowedthebooklinesuptofarinthemiddlegame,therealstruggleshowedmanysubtleties.Inthediagrambelowweseethatwhiteisconfrontedwithablackknightcapturingpawnh3.Thereactionisdenyingtheknightandlookingforownopportunitiesby42.Qa5.

1br3k1/1b6/p3qp2/1p4pp/3BP3/5N1n/1P3PP1/1B1RQ2Kw--042Afterwhitehascapturedtheknightonh3,blackhasmaneuvereditspiecesonsuchpositionsthathecouldimmediatelyregainthepiecebyanicecombination,namely47.…Rxb148.Rxb1Qxe449.Rf1(49.Rd1isansweredby49.…g4)Qxd450.Qxh5,Qe4.

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1b6/1b4k1/p4p2/1p4pp/3BPq2/7Q/1P3PPN/1Br3RKb--247Withtwobishopsandfourpawnsagainstrookandknightwiththreepawnsthereisakindofmaterialbalance,butpositionalthesituationisratherdynamic.Anexampleisseeninthediagram4whereblackplayed58.…Bc5.Thegamecontinuedby59.Nxb5,Bxf260.Kxf2,Qxb561.Qd4.Inthefollowingitturnedoutthatbothsideshadsufficientresourcestokeepthedelicatebalanceasitis.

8/1b6/3b1pk1/pp2q1p1/3N2Q1/8/1P3PP1/3R2K1b--758Asecondexampleofdelicatebalanceisgivenindiagram5wherethegamecontinuedby84.Qd4,Qxb385.Rxg5+,Kf786.Qa7+,Ke8.

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1q6/6k1/4bp2/R5p1/8/1P1Q4/6P1/7Kw--384Afterexchangingthequeens,thefinalresultwasadrawaccordingtothe6-menendgamedatabasetableKRPKBP.OncemorecongratulationstoShredder.InthegameTheBaronversusChiron,TheBaronshoweditspowerasbeingadangerousprogramforstrongcontenders.Itlefttheopeningphasewithasmalladvantage,apawnupwithsomeobstaclestoovercome.Howeverblackshowedthattheobstacleswereabletohelphimtoregainthepawn.Thereafteritwasadraw.AremarkablegamewasplayedbyKomodoandChessEbbiz9.KomodowonbytimeforfeitatthesideofChessEbbiz9.InthefinalpositionKomodowaswinning.ItbroughtKomodoonthesharedsecondplacetogetherwithJonny.

Play-offForthesecondandthirdplaceaplay-offwasnecessarybetweenJonnyandKomodo.Twogameswiththetimecontrolof20minutesand15secondspermovewillbeplayed.ThefirstgamewasaQueensPawnopening.Bothplayersfollowedtroddenpathsandarrivedinanequalmiddlegame.Manypieceswereexchangedandonlyafewremainedontheboard.Howeverallpawnsremainedontheboardandsoontheywerepositionedinsuchawaythatthereweretwowallswhichwereintermingledalthoughinthemeantimewhitehadsacrificedapawn.Bothplayerscontinuedtomovethepiecesforwardsandbackwards,leftwardsandrightwards.After170movestheystoppedplayingandagreedonadraw.ThesecondgamewaswonbyKomodo.AnattackontheblackkingsidewasnotstoppablebyJonny.After39.g5hegaveup.

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Thefinalstanding1. Shredder2. Komodo3. Jonny4. Chiron5. TheBaron6. Ziggurat7. ChessEbbiz9