Knight odds match
Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 5:37 am
Our next Komodo vs. human match is scheduled for this Monday, Sept. 28, at 11 a.m. Eastern time. Since we beat FM John Meyer decisively (3.5 to 0.5) at knight for pawn handicap, I offered him a rematch at full knight odds. Seven years ago he beat Rybka (near version 3) easily by four wins out of four games, so we'll see how much better (if any) Komodo can do now. So far Komodo has only scored 2 points out of 8 games in official match games, against an average opposition of 2162 FIDE, which is probably close to Meyer's current playing strength.
The details are: four games, 45' + 15" for Meyer, 30' + 10" for Komodo, Komodo always White but removing a knight, alternating between b1 and g1 knight for variety. Komodo will have a small handicap opening book. Meyer will receive $25 per win and just $5 per draw, so he won't be tempted to make draws by repetition while still winning.
Despite his drubbing at knight for pawn, Meyer expects to win at knight odds by at least 3.5 to 0.5. While I also expect him to win the match, I think it should be closer than the 25% we have scored so far at this handicap. My reasons:
1. Komodo mp has been improved perhaps 20 elo or so from the Bolzoni match.
2. We will have a small book this time, we didn't do that in the earlier matches.
3. Alternating b1 and g1 handicap should minimize the preparation/learning factor. I'll point out that although over 90% of knight odds played in the 1800s were b1 handicap, presumably because the handicap giver considered that to be the lesser handicap of the two, g1 handicap was also used and it was the handicap in the only recorded game in which Emanuel Lasker gave this handicap. I think that given the overwhelming preference to meet 1.e4 by e5 (which may have even been a condition for giving the handicap in some matches back then) b1 was the lesser handicap, but with modern day opening preferences and computer analysis the g1 handicap looks to me to be very slightly easier to give than the b1 handicap, at least not worse.
4. The Bolzoni match was played on a fast 6 core machine, whereas I'll be using my 24 core. The 3 to 2 time handicap we'll be giving negates only part of this difference.
I'll be very happy if we manage to tie the match. Meyer, despite his age (70), still plays in rated League play frequently, and still maintains a rating in the master (2200+) range without having hit the 2200 floor he gets as a Life Master. So if we do manage to draw the match, Komodo will have demonstrated that it can successfully give knight odds to a genuine chess master in a serious, "standard" level match. But that's a big "if".
Finally, I'll mention that our next scheduled match after this will be against GM Alex Lenderman at same handicaps as Movsesian. Details after the Meyer match.
The details are: four games, 45' + 15" for Meyer, 30' + 10" for Komodo, Komodo always White but removing a knight, alternating between b1 and g1 knight for variety. Komodo will have a small handicap opening book. Meyer will receive $25 per win and just $5 per draw, so he won't be tempted to make draws by repetition while still winning.
Despite his drubbing at knight for pawn, Meyer expects to win at knight odds by at least 3.5 to 0.5. While I also expect him to win the match, I think it should be closer than the 25% we have scored so far at this handicap. My reasons:
1. Komodo mp has been improved perhaps 20 elo or so from the Bolzoni match.
2. We will have a small book this time, we didn't do that in the earlier matches.
3. Alternating b1 and g1 handicap should minimize the preparation/learning factor. I'll point out that although over 90% of knight odds played in the 1800s were b1 handicap, presumably because the handicap giver considered that to be the lesser handicap of the two, g1 handicap was also used and it was the handicap in the only recorded game in which Emanuel Lasker gave this handicap. I think that given the overwhelming preference to meet 1.e4 by e5 (which may have even been a condition for giving the handicap in some matches back then) b1 was the lesser handicap, but with modern day opening preferences and computer analysis the g1 handicap looks to me to be very slightly easier to give than the b1 handicap, at least not worse.
4. The Bolzoni match was played on a fast 6 core machine, whereas I'll be using my 24 core. The 3 to 2 time handicap we'll be giving negates only part of this difference.
I'll be very happy if we manage to tie the match. Meyer, despite his age (70), still plays in rated League play frequently, and still maintains a rating in the master (2200+) range without having hit the 2200 floor he gets as a Life Master. So if we do manage to draw the match, Komodo will have demonstrated that it can successfully give knight odds to a genuine chess master in a serious, "standard" level match. But that's a big "if".
Finally, I'll mention that our next scheduled match after this will be against GM Alex Lenderman at same handicaps as Movsesian. Details after the Meyer match.