Details about Leela Chalange in Jerusalem

[Uri Blass]

game 26

[pgn][Event "casual classical game"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/Z4Oc8Kc0"]
[Date "2025.11.29"]
[Round "?"]
[White "LeelaRookOdds"]
[Black "maksmil"]
[Result "1-0"]
[BlackElo "2400"]
[WhiteElo "2400"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/1NBQKBNR w Kkq - 0 1"]
[Termination "normal"]
[PlyCount "109"]
[WhiteType "human"]
[BlackType "human"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. e3 d5 3. c4 c5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Qc2 Nc6 7. Ne4 Ndb4
8. Qb1 Qd5 9. b3 Ne5 (9. .. Nxa2 10. Bc4 Qf5 11. Bd3 (11. Nh4 Qg4) 11. ..
Qg4) 10. Nxe5 Qxe5 11. Be2 Bd7 (11. .. Nxa2? 12. Bb2 Qd5 13. Bc4 Qc6 14.
Bxg7 Bxg7 15. Bb5) 12. Bb2 Qc7 13. O-O Bc6 14. a3 Na6 15. Rc1 Be7 (15. ..
Rd8) 16. Bxg7 Rg8 17. Bc3 O-O-O 18. b4 cxb4 19. axb4 Bxe4 20. Qxe4 Nxb4 21.
g3 Nc6 {give the opponent important passed pawn so not the best)} (21. ..
Rg6 {not losing h7}) (21. .. Rg5 {the idea is Na2 Rc2 Nxc3 and Rc5} 22. Qb1
(22. Qxh7 Na2) 22. .. Rc5 23. Qxb4 Rxd2 24. Qxc5 Bxc5 25. Bxd2) (21. ..
Na2? 22. Rc2) 22. Qxh7 Bd6 23. Bf6 Rdf8 24. Bf3 Rg6 25. Bg7 Rd8 26. Bh5
Rxg7? (26. .. Qe7 27. h4 (27. Bxg6 fxg6 28. Qh6 Qf7) 27. .. Kb8) (26. ..
Be5 {force simplifications} 27. Bxe5 Qxe5 28. Bxg6 fxg6 29. Rb1 Rd7) 27.
Qxg7 Be5 28. Qg5 Rxd2 29. Bf3 Bb2 30. Rc4 Qe5?! {Inaccuracy. Kb8 was
better.} (30. .. Kb8) 31. Qe7 (31. Qg8+ Rd8 32. Qxf7 Qf5! {force trading
queens} 33. Qxf5 exf5 34. Bxc6 bxc6 35. Rxc6+ Kb7 {is winning for black
because the a pawn is unstoppable}) 31. .. Rd7?! {Inaccuracy. still winning
but Qc7 was better.} (31. .. Qc7) 32. Qb4 (32. Qf8+ {may be better but
still losing} Rd8 33. Qb4 (33. Qxf7 Qf5 {force simplification}) 33. .. Rd6)
32. .. Kc7?! {Inaccuracy still winnng but a5 was best.} (32. .. a5 33. Qb6
Ba3) 33. Rc2 Ba1 34. Rc5 Qb2 35. Qa4 Qb6? {still winning but a mistake. Kd8
was best now the win is not easy.} (35. .. Kd8 36. Be4 Qb4 37. Bxc6 Qb1+
38. Kg2 bxc6 39. h4 Bf6 40. h5 Qb6 41. Rxc6) 36. Rxc6+ bxc6 37. Qxa1 a5 38.
h4 Qc5? (38. .. Qb5 {is winning} 39. h5 a4 40. h6 f5 41. Kg2 e5 42. e4 f4
43. g4 Rd8) 39. h5 f5 40. Kg2? {A mistake h6 was leading to draw.} (40. h6
e5 {leads to a draw with correct play}) 40. .. e5 {is winning} 41. Qa2 e4
42. Be2 Rd6? {A mistake. Qc3 was winning.} (42. .. Qc3 {is winning} 43. Qg8
f4 44. exf4 e3 45. Qa8 exf2 46. Qa7+ Kd6 47. Qb8+ Kc5 48. Qf8+ Kb6 49. Qb8+
Rb7) 43. Ba6 Kb6 44. Be2 Qb4 45. Qg8 a4 46. Qb8+ Kc5 47. Qa7+ Kd5 48. Qh7
Rf6 49. Qd7+ Qd6 50. Qb7 a3 51. Qb3+ Ke5?? {A losing blunder. Kc5 was
best.} (51. .. Kc5) 52. Bc4 f4 53. gxf4+ Kf5 54. Qb7 Rf8 55. Qg7 {. Black
resigns} 1-0
[/pgn]

[towforce]

game 26

[pgn][Event "casual classical game"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/Z4Oc8Kc0"]
[Date "2025.11.29"]
[Round "?"]
[White "LeelaRookOdds"]
[Black "maksmil"]
[Result "1-0"]
[BlackElo "2400"]
[WhiteElo "2400"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/1NBQKBNR w Kkq - 0 1"]
[Termination "normal"]
[PlyCount "109"]
[WhiteType "human"]
[BlackType "human"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. e3 d5 3. c4 c5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Qc2 Nc6 7. Ne4 Ndb4
8. Qb1 Qd5 9. b3 Ne5 (9. .. Nxa2 10. Bc4 Qf5 11. Bd3 (11. Nh4 Qg4) 11. ..
Qg4) 10. Nxe5 Qxe5 11. Be2 Bd7 (11. .. Nxa2? 12. Bb2 Qd5 13. Bc4 Qc6 14.
Bxg7 Bxg7 15. Bb5) 12. Bb2 Qc7 13. O-O Bc6 14. a3 Na6 15. Rc1 Be7 (15. ..
Rd8) 16. Bxg7 Rg8 17. Bc3 O-O-O 18. b4 cxb4 19. axb4 Bxe4 20. Qxe4 Nxb4 21.
g3 Nc6 {give the opponent important passed pawn so not the best)} (21. ..
Rg6 {not losing h7}) (21. .. Rg5 {the idea is Na2 Rc2 Nxc3 and Rc5} 22. Qb1
(22. Qxh7 Na2) 22. .. Rc5 23. Qxb4 Rxd2 24. Qxc5 Bxc5 25. Bxd2) (21. ..
Na2? 22. Rc2) 22. Qxh7 Bd6 23. Bf6 Rdf8 24. Bf3 Rg6 25. Bg7 Rd8 26. Bh5
Rxg7? (26. .. Qe7 27. h4 (27. Bxg6 fxg6 28. Qh6 Qf7) 27. .. Kb8) (26. ..
Be5 {force simplifications} 27. Bxe5 Qxe5 28. Bxg6 fxg6 29. Rb1 Rd7) 27.
Qxg7 Be5 28. Qg5 Rxd2 29. Bf3 Bb2 30. Rc4 Qe5?! {Inaccuracy. Kb8 was
better.} (30. .. Kb8) 31. Qe7 (31. Qg8+ Rd8 32. Qxf7 Qf5! {force trading
queens} 33. Qxf5 exf5 34. Bxc6 bxc6 35. Rxc6+ Kb7 {is winning for black
because the a pawn is unstoppable}) 31. .. Rd7?! {Inaccuracy. still winning
but Qc7 was better.} (31. .. Qc7) 32. Qb4 (32. Qf8+ {may be better but
still losing} Rd8 33. Qb4 (33. Qxf7 Qf5 {force simplification}) 33. .. Rd6)
32. .. Kc7?! {Inaccuracy still winnng but a5 was best.} (32. .. a5 33. Qb6
Ba3) 33. Rc2 Ba1 34. Rc5 Qb2 35. Qa4 Qb6? {still winning but a mistake. Kd8
was best now the win is not easy.} (35. .. Kd8 36. Be4 Qb4 37. Bxc6 Qb1+
38. Kg2 bxc6 39. h4 Bf6 40. h5 Qb6 41. Rxc6) 36. Rxc6+ bxc6 37. Qxa1 a5 38.
h4 Qc5? (38. .. Qb5 {is winning} 39. h5 a4 40. h6 f5 41. Kg2 e5 42. e4 f4
43. g4 Rd8) 39. h5 f5 40. Kg2? {A mistake h6 was leading to draw.} (40. h6
e5 {leads to a draw with correct play}) 40. .. e5 {is winning} 41. Qa2 e4
42. Be2 Rd6? {A mistake. Qc3 was winning.} (42. .. Qc3 {is winning} 43. Qg8
f4 44. exf4 e3 45. Qa8 exf2 46. Qa7+ Kd6 47. Qb8+ Kc5 48. Qf8+ Kb6 49. Qb8+
Rb7) 43. Ba6 Kb6 44. Be2 Qb4 45. Qg8 a4 46. Qb8+ Kc5 47. Qa7+ Kd5 48. Qh7
Rf6 49. Qd7+ Qd6 50. Qb7 a3 51. Qb3+ Ke5?? {A losing blunder. Kc5 was
best.} (51. .. Kc5) 52. Bc4 f4 53. gxf4+ Kf5 54. Qb7 Rf8 55. Qg7 {. Black
resigns} 1-0
[/pgn]

Black looked to be winning right up to the moment at which his king was forced into the centre of the board.

Another thoroughly enjoyable game!

[towforce]

In a few of these games, the human appeared to be winning until later in the game, when Leela suddenly found a weakness and exploited it ruthlessly.

I wonder if the humans would be better off playing a safe, defensive game? Maybe they just wouldn't be allowed to.

[Uri Blass]

game 27

[pgn][Event "casual classical game"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/3xomU6B1"]
[Date "2025.11.29"]
[Round "-"]
[White "LeelaRookOdds"]
[Black "gguuyy"]
[Result "1-0"]
[BlackElo "2400"]
[WhiteElo "2400"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/1NBQKBNR w Kkq - 0 1"]
[Termination "normal"]
[PlyCount "101"]
[WhiteType "human"]
[BlackType "human"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 e5 3. d5 Nf6 4. Nc3 c6 5. h3 h5 6. Nf3 Be7 7. Be3 Nbd7 8. a4
Qa5 9. Ng5 Nb6!? {imaccuracy. There is a simpler plan to get the advantage}
(9. .. cxd5 10. exd5 a6) 10. Bd2 Nbd7?! {Inaccuracy. Qc5 was best.} (10. ..
Qc5 {withthe idea Nc4} 11. dxc6 (11. Bd3 11. .. Nc4 12. Bc1? Qb4) (11. b3
Nfxd5) 11. .. Nc4) 11. Bc4 c5 12. f4 a6 13. O-O Qc7 14. b3 Rb8 15. Qe2
Nb6?! {Inaccuracy. losing a pawn} (15. .. Qd8 {one of nany moves tharare
better because it does not lose a pawn}) 16. fxe5 Nxc4 17. exf6 (17. Qxc4
dxe5 18. Nxf7 {is another way to win the pawn and inspite of trading some
pieces the position is still not simple}) 17. .. gxf6 18. Nxf7 Kxf7 19.
Qxc4 b5 20. Qe2 Bd7 21. Bf4 Ke8 22. axb5 axb5 23. Ra1 Qb7 24. Qf3 Ra8 25.
Re1 Qb6 26. Be3 Qa5 27. Bf4 Qb6 28. Ne2 Kd8 29. Ng3 h4 30. Nf5 Bxf5 31.
exf5 Ra2 32. Kh2 Rg8 33. Re2 Qb7 34. Bd2 Qa7 (34. .. Qd7 {attack f5 weak
pawn of white is better} 35. Qd3 Kc8 36. Be1 Rh8 37. Qe4 Rh5 38. Bxh4 Rxf5
39. Bg3 (39. Qxe7 Qxe7 40. Rxe7 Rxc2) 39. .. Bd8) 35. Be1 c4 36. Bxh4 Ra1?!
{Inaccuracy. cxb3 or Qc7 were better when cxb3 is more simple way to win}
(36. .. cxb3 37. Bf2 (37. Qxb3 Rg7 38. Qxb5 Qa6) 37. .. Qc7 38. cxb3 Rxe2
39. Qxe2 Qc3 40. Qxb5 Bf8 41. g4 Rh8 42. h4 Rg8 43. Qe2 Qe5+ 44. Qxe5 dxe5)
37. Bf2 Qc7 38. Qe3 cxb3? (38. .. Re8 {is one of the winning moves}) (38.
.. c3) 39. cxb3 Rg7 40. Qh6 Rg8 41. Qh7 Re8 42. Qf7 Rf8 43. Qg7 Re8 44. Bd4
Rd1?? {A losing blunder. Qc1 was.enough for a draw} (44. .. Qc1) 45. Bxf6
Qc1 46. Bxe7+ Kc8 47. Bg5 Rh1+ 48. Kg3 Rxe2 49. Bxc1 Rg1 50. Qc3+ Kd7 51.
Qc6+ {White wins on time.} 1-0
[/pgn]

[Uri Blass]

game 28

[pgn][Event "casual classical game"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/3rGyKnj4"]
[Date "2025.11.29"]
[Round "-"]
[White "LeelaRookOdds"]
[Black "oded789"]
[Result "1-0"]
[BlackElo "2000"]
[WhiteElo "2400"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/1NBQKBNR w Kkq - 0 1"]
[Termination "normal"]
[PlyCount "119"]
[WhiteType "human"]
[BlackType "human"]

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. Qe2 Nc6 4. Nf3 Bc5 5. c3 d6 6. d3 Be6 7. Bb5 a6 8.
Ba4 b5 9. Bc2 Bxa2 10. O-O Be6 11. h3 Qd7 12. Rd1 Bb6 13. d4 exd4 14. cxd4
d5 15. Ne5 Nxe5 16. dxe5 Ng8 (16. .. Ng4 {engines prefer this move but I
think that it is more complicated} 17. hxg4 Bxg4 18. Qe1 Bxd1 19. Qxd1
O-O-O) 17. exd5 Bxd5 18. Nc3 Ne7 19. Bg5 c6 20. Ne4 Nf5 {interesting move
to lose materialfor trading queens} (20. .. Qe6) 21. Qg4 Ne3 22. fxe3 Qxg4
23. hxg4 O-O 24. Bf4 Rfd8 25. Rc1 c5? (25. .. a5) (25. .. Re8 {was better}
26. Nd6? (26. Kh2 Bxe4 (26. .. Bxe3 27. Bxe3 Rxe5 28. Bd4 Rxe4 29. Bxe4
Bxe4) 27. Bxe4 g5 28. Bxg5 Rxe5 29. Rxc6 Bxe3 30. Bxe3 Rxe4) 26. .. Rxe5)
26. Kf2 c4 (26. .. Bxe4 27. Bxe4 Ra7) 27. Rh1 Be6 (27. .. Bxe4 28. Bxe4 g6)
28. g5 Rd7?? {Blunder. black has many winning moves but now it is a a
draw.} (28. .. Rac8 29. Kg3 g6 30. Nf6+ Kf8 31. Rxh7 Ke7 32. Bxg6 Rh8 33.
e4 Rxh7 34. Bxh7) (28. .. Rd3) (28. .. g6) 29. Nf6+ gxf6?! {Inaccuracy. Kf8
was best but does not change the theoretical draw result.} (29. .. Kf8) 30.
Bxh7+ Kf8 31. exf6 Rd2+ 32. Kg3?? {Blunder. Ke1 was best.and only way for a
draw} (32. Ke1 Rdd8 33. Be4 Kg8 34. Bh7+ Kf8) 32. .. Rc8?? {Blunder. Ke8
was best.mow it is a draw} (32. .. Ke8 33. Be4 Rc8 34. g6 fxg6 35. Rh7 Bf7
36. Bf3 g5 37. Be5 Bc5 38. Bg4) 33. Bf5 Kg8 34. Bxe6?! (34. Bh7+ Kf8 35.
Bf5 Kg8 {was the simplest way for a draw}) 34. .. fxe6 35. g6 Rd7 36. Be5?
{A losing Mistake. Kg4 was the only way for a draw.} (36. Kg4) 36. .. Bc7
37. f7+ Kf8 38. Rh8+ Ke7 39. Rxc8 Bxe5+ 40. Kf3 Bg7 41. Re8+ Kf6 42. Rg8
Rc7 43. Ke4 b4?? {A missing win Blunder. Rc5 was best.} (43. .. Rc5 44.
f8=Q+) 44. g4 Bh6 45. g5+?? {A losing Blunder. Rh8 was best.} (45. Rh8) 45.
.. Kxg5 46. Rh8 Bg7 47. Rh7 Kxg6?? {Missing a win blunder. c3 force mate in
at most 33 moves.} (47. .. c3 48. Rxg7 (48. b3 c2 49. f8=Q c1=Q 50. Qd6
Qc2+ 51. Kf3 Qf5+ 52. Qf4+ Qxf4+ 53. exf4+ Kxg6) 48. .. cxb2 49. f8=Q b1=Q+
50. Ke5 Qb2+ 51. Kxe6 Rxg7 52. Qf4+ Kh5 53. Qf3+ Kh4 54. Qf4+ Kh3 55. Qf5+
(55. Qf3+) 55. .. Kg2 56. Qg4+ Kf2 57. Qf5+ Ke1 58. Qe4 Qc3 59. Qh1+ Kf2
60. Qh2+ Kxe3 61. Qg3+ Kd2 62. Qg2+ Kc1 63. Qf1+ Kb2 64. Qe2+ Kb3 65. Kf5
Qc2+ 66. Qxc2+ Kxc2) 48. f8=Q Bxf8 49. Rxc7 a5?? {Blunder. Bg7 or b3 were
best.and enough for a draw} (49. .. Bg7 50. Rxc4 Bxb2 51. Rxb4 {tablebase
draw}) (49. .. b3) 50. Rxc4 a4 51. Ke5 Kf7 52. Rc7+ Be7 53. Ra7 a3 54. bxa3
bxa3 55. e4 a2 56. Rxa2 Bf6+ 57. Kd6 Be7+ 58. Kd7 Bf6 59. Rf2 e5 60. Rf5 {.
Black resigns} 1-0
[/pgn]