Next Komodo vs GM match.

[lkaufman]

We have scheduled our next match on chess.com for Jan.15 and 16. GM Zviad Izoria will take on Komodo at two pawn handicaps, this time with one of them always the "g" pawn, which should be pretty tough for Komodo. Izoria is a pretty strong GM, FIDE 2604, USCF 2713, born 1984, currently U.S. Number 12. He was in the World top 50, twice qualified for the World cup, twice won the European Junior Championship, and won a huge money Open above 50 GMs a decade ago. The handicaps will be b2g2, c2g2, b7g7, and c7g7. We have no experience with giving the g pawn (except for two games with the f pawn as well) so little to go by, but common sense tells us that the f and g pawns are the two most valuable in the initial position. Time limit will be the usual 45 min plus 15 sec increment. As always, there will be financial incentives for draws and (especially) wins. Hardware will be my new 16 core I-9.
Izoria was selected on the basis of a recommendation by GM Alex Lenderman, who thought that Izoria would be especially strong at this sort of match. So far no GM has won a single game at any two pawn handicap except for c2 + f2, though there have been plenty of draws. In fact no GM or IM has won a game at ANY handicap other than that one, with the sole exception of a win by GM Simon Williams at f7 and three moves handicap! But I'll be very surprised if that is still true after this match.

[JJJ]

I think you re gonna stay surprised as usual Larry
Komodo is stronger and stronger, sometimes doesn't loose with 2 pawn handicap against 3000 engine. Houdini even hold a game with 2 pawn down against Komodo in TCEC , still in a holding position, but that's means a lot about their strenght.

So I guess we won't see a defeat of Komodo yet. I m hoping to be wrong, that would make it more interesting this time.

[Paloma]

Will be after this match a newr elease available?

Last updat e is almost 5 month ago.

[leavenfish]

Yes, of more interest to we subscribers frankly would be an updated version...even the one that played in the TCEC finals - with or without the bug fix....would be a nice Christmas Present.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

[lkaufman]

Will be after this match a newr elease available?

Last updat e is almost 5 month ago.

The timing of a release is unrelated to these matches. We will release when we are confident we have enough elo to justify it. Frankly, progress has been below par recently, partly because we lost a month due to personal problems. But I think progress will resume now.

[Werewolf]

Please challenge Alpha Zero next

[leavenfish]

Of course that makes sense for a brand new release, but surely you have a 'better' (faster or stronger?) version than Komodo 11.2.2 at hand you could give subscribers as a CHRISTMAS PRESENT!?

There wasn't that big a difference from 10.3 and 10.4 though...maybe 10 points as I recall.

[JJJ]

Let them take all the time they need for the next update instead of rushing it. The best gift is a good gift, not a rushed one.

[leavenfish]

That's the nice PC answer of course...but their tests must either already show 'better' or they have fixed that TCEC Finals bug.

...or they are busy arranging odds matches.

Either way - MERRY CHRISTMAS everybody!

[lkaufman]

That's the nice PC answer of course...but their tests must either already show 'better' or they have fixed that TCEC Finals bug.

...or they are busy arranging odds matches.

Either way - MERRY CHRISTMAS everybody!

Well, the bad TCEC finals compile was fixed within a day or so of its discovery, but that was only a problem on big hardware. Arranging odds matches takes maybe 1% of my worktime. A bigger problem is that both Mark and I have been sick at various times this quarter. I wanted to release something before Christmas but we just didn't have enough elo. Hopefully soon.