Can Komodo give knight odds in chess960 to a master?

[Jesse Gersenson]

I'd like to set a condition that Danny has to listen to the Rocky theme song, followed by James Brown's "Get On Up" whenever his clock is running; while Komodo's on move Schubert's Unfinished Symphony will be played.

[Nordlandia]

Here is another possible starting position against strong opponents (Elite GMs).

Colors reversed ->

Castling for the computer side can be turned off to give human player better prospects.

[d]rn1qk1nr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/1NBQKB1R w kq - 0 1

[d]1nbqkb1r/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RN1QK1NR w KQ - 0 1

[Nordlandia]

Queen for two bishops | SF assessment: -3.00

Again castling is disabled for human side.

[d]rn1qk1nr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNB1KBNR w KQ - 0 1

[lkaufman]

Here is another possible starting position against strong opponents (Elite GMs).

Colors reversed ->

Castling for the computer side can be turned off to give human player better prospects.

[d]rn1qk1nr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/1NBQKB1R w kq - 0 1

[d]1nbqkb1r/pppppppp/8/8/8/8
/PPPPPPPP/RN1QK1NR w KQ - 0 1

Rook and knight for two bishops is less than the Exchange handicap (rook for knight), and no GM won a single game with either color at Exchange odds (out of about 11 I think). Queen for two bishops was already tried against GM Joel Benjamin, it was a draw. Disabling castling with material handicaps doesn't make sense to me unless it's to compensate for the other side being unable to do so due to missing rook. The goal is to keep the game as normal as possible while equalizing the chances.

[whereagles]

thx jesse for pgn

[MikeB]

This fabricated position is interesting.

[d]5k2/pp3ppp/1bp5/8/6b1/2P5/PP3PPP/RN2K3 w - - 0 1

Can grandmasters win this endgame against Komodo?

+2 advantage for engines does not necessarily mean GMs can convert it easily.

«Many of the Classicists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century claimed that two bishops versus rook and knight were equivalent. I don 't believe that this is the case, i.e., I think the extra material will usually win out, but this view continues to influence chess thinking to some extent even today» Steve Mayer, 1997.

Original position from Berthelot vs Flear is very even for odds consideration, thereby adding pawn on f2 grants human more winning chance or playroom.

[pgn][Event "Pau FRA"]
[Site "7"]
[Date "1988.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Yannick Berthelot"]
[Black "Glenn Flear"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C30"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "5Nk1/ppp2ppp/1b6/8/6b1/2P5/PP4PP/RN2K3 b - - 0 19"]
[PlyCount "64"]
[EventDate "1988.??.??"]

19... Kxf8 20. Nd2 c6 21. Nb3 Be6 22. Kd2 Bd5 23. g3 g6 24. Re1 f5 25. Nc1 h5
26. a4 h4 27. Nd3 hxg3 28. hxg3 a5 29. b4 axb4 30. cxb4 Bc7 31. Nf4 Bd6 32.
Nxd5 cxd5 33. Re6 Bxb4+ 34. Ke2 Bc5 35. Rxg6 Kf7 36. Rh6 b6 37. Rc6 Ke7 38. a5
Kd7 39. Rf6 bxa5 40. Rxf5 Ke6 41. Rf1 a4 42. Kd3 a3 43. Kc2 Ke5 44. g4 Ke4 45.
g5 d4 46. g6 d3+ 47. Kb3 Bd4 48. Kxa3 d2 49. Kb3 Kd3 50. Rh1 Be5 51. Rd1
1/2-1/2

[/pgn]

https://lichess.org/GmXZuUzf

If they can play like SF-McB or K1101 they can win.

[pgn][Event "Mac Pro x5690 3.46 Ghz 18 CPU"]
[Site "Mac-Pro.local"]
[Date "2017.07.02"]
[Round "-"]
[White "SF-McBrain 2.6 64 POPCNT"]
[Black "Komodo 11.01 64-bit"]
[Result "1-0"]
[TimeControl "180+3"]
[FEN "5k2/pp3ppp/1bp5/8/6b1/2P5/PP3PPP/RN2K3 w - - 0 1"]
[SetUp "1"]

1. Nd2 {+2.11/27 +168} Ke7 {-1.61/23 +175} 2. a4 {+2.14/27 +161} a5
{-1.74/23 +167} 3. Ne4 {+2.24/28 +148} Bf5 {-2.02/26 +146} 4. f3
{+2.37/24 +145} Bc7 {-2.00/27 +132} 5. g3 {+2.31/28 +143} Be6
{-2.08/26 +124} 6. b4 {+2.52/25 +138} b6 {-2.36/26 +115} 7. bxa5
{+2.66/26 +135} bxa5 {-2.29/25 +115} 8. Kd2 {+2.68/27 +133} f5
{-2.50/27 +104} 9. Nc5 {+2.81/28 +133} Bd5 {-2.49/26 +104} 10. f4
{+3.00/27 +133} h6 {-2.79/27 +103} 11. Re1+ {+3.32/30 +123} Kd6
{-2.88/26 +102} 12. Nd3 {+3.52/30 +102} Bb3 {-2.96/29 +98} 13. Re8
{+3.63/30 +102} Kd7 {-3.30/29 +92} 14. Re1 {+3.70/31 +98} Kd6
{-3.46/27 +89} 15. Re8 {+3.82/31 +88} Kd7 {-3.44/30 +84} 16. Rh8
{+3.91/31 +84} Ke7 {-3.49/29 +83} 17. Nc5 {+3.97/29 +80} Ba2 {-3.51/29 +79}
18. Rc8 {+4.12/28 +78} Kd6 {-3.48/28 +79} 19. Nd3 {+4.10/25 +81} Bb3
{-3.56/27 +78} 20. Ra8 {+4.23/26 +80} Bb6 {-3.71/27 +74} 21. Rb8
{+4.37/27 +80} Kc7 {-3.82/26 +74} 22. Rh8 {+4.44/25 +82} Bxa4
{-4.02/28 +70} 23. Rh7 {+4.56/28 +80} Kd6 {-4.29/27 +69} 24. Rxg7
{+5.14/26 +73} Kd5 {-4.54/28 +66} 25. Ne5 {+5.34/26 +72} Bg1 {-4.73/28 +61}
26. Kd3 {+5.73/25 +72} Bxh2 {-4.65/29 +60} 27. Nf3 {+6.97/26 +67} Bb5+
{-6.09/27 +59} 28. Kc2 {+7.06/24 +69} Bxg3 {-5.31/28 +59} 29. Rxg3
{+7.44/25 +69} Ke4 {-6.33/29 +53} 30. Nd4 {+9.63/27 +67} Bf1 {-6.94/31 +51}
31. Rf3 {+11.08/26 +68} Bc4 {-250.00/31 +45} 32. Rh3 {+128.32/28 +64} c5
{-250.00/36 +30} 33. Nb3 {+128.37/36 +64} Bb5 {-250.00/37 +30} 34. Nxc5+
{+128.39/36 +49} Kd5 {-250.00/39 +18} 35. Nb3 {+128.41/32 +50} a4
{-250.00/35 +19} 36. Nd4 {+128.42/35 +48} Bc4 {-250.00/37 +20} 37. Rxh6
{+128.43/32 +50} Ke4 {-250.00/40 +16} 38. Re6+ {+128.44/34 +49} Kd5
{-250.00/38 +17} 39. Kb2 {+128.45/35 +50} Bd3 {-250.00/38 +18} 40. Ka3
{+128.45/36 +49} Bf1 {-250.00/39 +20} 41. Kxa4 {+128.46/37 +51} Kc5
{-250.00/42 +21} 42. Rc6+ {+128.47/38 +49} Kd5 {-8.60/5 +24} 43. Nxf5
{+128.48/39 +50} Bh3 {-250.00/49 +25} 44. Rh6 {+128.49/40 +45} Bg4
{-250.00/58 +26} 45. Ne3+ {+128.50/39 +43} Ke4 {-250.00/68 +28} 46. Nxg4
{+128.50/38 +45} Kf3 {-1000.11/27 +30} 47. Nh2+ {+1000.11/35 +45} Ke4
{-1000.10/27 +33} 48. Rh5 {+1000.10/37 +47} Kxf4 {-1000.09/30 +35} 49. c4
{+1000.09/50 +46} Ke3 {-1000.08/33 +38} 50. c5 {+1000.08/54 +45} Kd2
{-1000.07/38 +40} 51. c6 {+1000.07/68 +43} Kd1 {-1000.06/49 +43} 52. c7
{+1000.06/81 +32} Kd2 {-1000.05/79 +45} 53. c8=Q {+1000.05/99 +31} Ke1
{-1000.04/99 +48} 54. Nf1 {+1000.04/127 +29} Ke2 {-1000.03/99 +51} 55. Qf5
{+1000.03/127 +31} Kd1 {-1000.02/99 +54} 56. Rh2 {+1000.02/127 +34} Kc1
{-1000.01/99 +57} 57. Qc2# {+1000.01/127 +37}
{White mates} 1-0

[Event "Mac Pro x5690 3.46 Ghz 18 CPU"]
[Site "Mac-Pro.local"]
[Date "2017.07.02"]
[Round "-"]
[White "Komodo 11.01 64-bit"]
[Black "SF-McBrain 2.6 64 POPCNT"]
[Result "1-0"]
[TimeControl "180+3"]
[FEN "5k2/pp3ppp/1bp5/8/6b1/2P5/PP3PPP/RN2K3 w - - 0 1"]
[SetUp "1"]

1. g3 {+1.75/24 +167} a5 {-2.01/26 +174} 2. b3 {+1.85/25 +153} Ke7
{-1.99/24 +168} 3. Nd2 {+1.87/25 +141} g5 {-2.00/25 +163} 4. f3
{+1.88/27 +131} Be6 {-2.07/30 +159} 5. Ne4 {+1.92/28 +131} h6
{-2.09/30 +154} 6. Rd1 {+1.98/28 +131} Bc7 {-2.08/30 +147} 7. Nc5
{+1.99/27 +131} Bc8 {-2.21/34 +143} 8. Kd2 {+1.99/27 +127} f6
{-2.25/27 +144} 9. c4 {+2.03/26 +127} b6 {-2.21/29 +141} 10. Ne4
{+2.04/25 +124} Be6 {-2.17/26 +138} 11. Ke3 {+2.36/26 +111} f5
{-2.41/27 +130} 12. Nc3 {+2.40/26 +108} Bd6 {-2.33/27 +126} 13. Ne2
{+2.43/28 +101} Ba3 {-2.50/29 +116} 14. Nd4 {+2.64/26 +99} Bd7
{-2.83/29 +108} 15. f4 {+2.62/28 +92} g4 {-2.69/31 +103} 16. Nc2
{+2.78/27 +91} Bc5+ {-2.87/30 +83} 17. Kd3 {+2.95/28 +82} Bd6
{-2.92/33 +79} 18. Kc3 {+2.92/30 +83} h5 {-3.10/34 +46} 19. Ne1
{+3.12/28 +83} Be8 {-3.22/35 +42} 20. Nd3 {+3.34/28 +83} c5 {-3.35/25 +44}
21. Ne1 {+3.64/35 +74} Ke6 {-3.41/33 +43} 22. Nc2 {+3.82/31 +71} Be7
{-3.49/34 +39} 23. Ne3 {+3.98/30 +70} Bf6+ {-3.67/33 +35} 24. Kd2
{+4.15/30 +71} Bd7 {-3.75/30 +37} 25. Nd5 {+4.20/30 +70} Bd8 {-3.77/37 +35}
26. Kc2 {+4.32/30 +66} Bc6 {-3.85/28 +37} 27. Kc1 {+4.43/31 +61} Bb7
{-4.10/35 +17} 28. Re1+ {+4.45/34 +60} Kf7 {-4.49/33 +10} 29. Ne3
{+4.59/35 +50} Be4 {-4.73/32 +5} 30. Rd1 {+4.84/31 +48} Be7 {-4.84/31 +5}
31. Nd5 {+5.05/31 +46} Bf3 {-4.88/32 +3} 32. Rd3 {+5.19/30 +47} Bf8
{-4.83/27 +3} 33. Nxb6 {+5.81/29 +44} Bc6 {-4.95/30 +3} 34. Kd2
{+6.17/32 +42} Be7 {-5.49/30 +3} 35. Nc8 {+6.80/28 +42} Kf6 {-5.64/35 +3}
36. Nxe7 {+9.58/25 +42} Kxe7 {-6.93/41 +3} 37. Kc3 {+12.73/30 +43} Ke6
{-7.15/36 +3} 38. Rd8 {+14.38/32 +37} Bd7 {-8.02/27 +3} 39. Ra8
{+18.90/28 +26} Kd6 {-9.30/27 +3} 40. Rxa5 {+22.41/33 +13} Bc8
{-11.43/25 +3} 41. Rb5 {+24.60/28 +15} Bd7 {-13.06/27 +3} 42. Rb6+
{+250.00/31 +16} Kc7 {-33.66/28 +3} 43. Rg6 {+250.00/35 +12} Bc8
{-58.33/28 +3} 44. Rg7+ {+250.00/35 +4} Kb6 {-65.87/28 +3} 45. Rg8
{+250.00/29 +3} Bd7 {-128.37/34 +3} 46. Rg6+ {+1000.26/24 +4} Kc7
{-1000.20/37 +3} 47. Rg7 {+1000.25/23 +5} Kc6 {-1000.19/40 +4} 48. Rxd7
{+1000.24/23 +8} Kxd7 {-1000.18/36 +6} 49. b4 {+1000.19/27 +10} Kd6
{-1000.17/37 +7} 50. a4 {+1000.18/26 +13} Kc6 {-1000.16/39 +7} 51. a5
{+1000.16/27 +15} Kd6 {-1000.15/38 +7} 52. a6 {+1000.15/27 +18} cxb4+
{-1000.13/36 +9} 53. Kxb4 {+1000.13/23 +21} Kc6 {-1000.12/40 +10} 54. c5
{+1000.12/28 +23} h4 {-1000.11/40 +12} 55. gxh4 {+1000.11/29 +25} Kd5
{-1000.10/42 +12} 56. a7 {+1000.10/29 +28} Ke4 {-1000.09/39 +14} 57. a8=Q+
{+1000.09/29 +30} Kxf4 {-1000.08/45 +14} 58. c6 {+1000.08/31 +33} g3
{-1000.07/46 +16} 59. Qb8+ {+1000.07/37 +35} Ke3 {-1000.06/50 +16} 60.
Qxg3+ {+1000.06/41 +38} Kd2 {-1000.05/59 +19} 61. c7 {+1000.05/62 +40} f4
{-1000.04/127 +21} 62. Qf2+ {+1000.04/99 +43} Kd3 {-1000.03/127 +24} 63.
c8=Q {+1000.03/99 +46} Ke4 {-1000.02/127 +27} 64. Qe1+ {+1000.02/99 +49}
Kd3 {-1000.01/127 +30} 65. Qcc3# {+1000.01/99 +52}
{White mates} 1-0[/pgn]

[Nordlandia]

Michael B ->

Alternatively try one of the following positions ✅

Yannick Berthelot vs Glenn Flear (1988)

[d]5k2/ppp2ppp/1b6/8/6b1/2P5/PP4PP/RN2K3 w - - 0 0

Moved pawn to c6 to free the b6 bishop.

[d]5k2/pp3ppp/1bp5/8/6b1/2P5/PP4PP/RN2K3 w - - 0 1

[duncan]

Queen for two bishops was already tried against GM Joel Benjamin, it was a draw.

if it was Queen for two knights can komodo win against gm ?

[Nordlandia]

Queen for two bishops was already tried against GM Joel Benjamin, it was a draw.

if it was Queen for two knights can komodo win against gm ?

Good idea ✔