Weird WCRCC game

[hgm]

The game Bron - Joker at WCRCC was one of the strangest I ever saw. Too bad I bungled saving the pgn with engine scores. (I had gaven a saveGameFile, but apparently Vista does not allow creation of file in C:\Program Files\... , so I coldn't find any pgn afterwards... )

Code: Select all

thebaron (2552) vs. JokerX (2345) --- 2009.08.16 11:13:28 1010
Unrated Standard match, initial time: 25 minutes, increment: 4 seconds

Move  thebaron           JokerX          
----  ----------------   ----------------
  1.  d4       (0:00)    Nf6      (0:23)  
  2.  c4       (0:01)    e6       (0:34)  
  3.  Nf3      (0:03)    d5       (0:13)  
  4.  Bg5      (0:02)    dxc4     (0:35)  
  5.  Nc3      (0:01)    c5       (0:12)  
  6.  e3       (0:01)    cxd4     (0:21)  
  7.  Qxd4     (1:02)    Qxd4     (0:37)  
  8.  Nxd4     (1:11)    Nd5      (0:01)  
  9.  Bxc4     (2:09)    Nxc3     (1:05)  
 10.  bxc3     (0:00)    Bc5      (0:23)  
 11.  Nb5      (0:48)    Na6      (0:24)  
 12.  O-O      (0:34)    f6       (0:48)  
 13.  Bh4      (0:00)    Bd7      (0:46)  
 14.  Rad1     (1:35)    O-O-O    (0:34)  
 15.  Nd6+     (0:00)    Bxd6     (0:19)  
 16.  Rxd6     (0:34)    Nc7      (0:45)  
 17.  Rfd1     (0:30)    Bb5      (0:27)  
 18.  Bb3      (0:47)    Rxd6     (0:20)  
 19.  Rxd6     (0:39)    e5       (0:07)  
 20.  f4       (0:33)    e4       (0:36)  
 21.  Be1      (0:00)    Rd8      (0:49)  
 22.  Rxd8+    (0:41)    Kxd8     (0:58)  
 23.  Bg8      (0:00)    h5       (0:43)  
 24.  c4       (0:40)    Be8      (0:31)  
 25.  Bb4      (0:00)    g6       (0:41)  
 26.  Kf2      (0:25)    Kd7      (0:21)  
 27.  Bc5      (0:38)    b6       (0:20)  
 28.  Bd4      (0:02)    f5       (0:41)  
 29.  Bf6      (0:51)    Ne6      (0:29)  
 30.  Kg3      (0:16)    Nd8      (0:14)  
 31.  Bd5      (0:45)    Nc6      (0:12)  
 32.  Bc3      (0:35)    Ne7      (0:16)  
 33.  Bb7      (0:12)    Bf7      (0:16)  
 34.  Ba6      (0:29)    Nc8      (0:02)  
 35.  Bd4      (0:30)    Nd6      (0:28)  
 36.  c5       (0:00)    bxc5     (0:22)  
 37.  Bxc5     (0:01)    Bxa2     (0:18)  
 38.  Bxa7     (0:13)    Kc6      (0:09)  
 39.  Kh4      (0:18)    Nf7      (0:24)  
 40.  Be2      (0:00)    Be6      (0:13)  
 41.  Bd4      (0:38)    Bb3      (0:17)  
 42.  Ba6      (0:22)    Bd5      (0:26)  
 43.  Be2      (0:59)    Ba2      (0:31)  
 44.  Bf1      (0:26)    Bb3      (0:25)  
 45.  Ba6      (0:25)    Ba2      (0:10)  
 46.  g3       (0:26)    Bd5      (0:14)  
 47.  Ba7      (0:21)    Be6      (0:14)  
 48.  Be2      (0:20)    Kb7      (0:16)  
 49.  Bc5      (0:35)    Kc6      (0:15)  
 50.  Ba3      (0:16)    Kb6      (0:16)  
 51.  Bb4      (0:29)    Bb3      (0:11)  
 52.  h3       (0:01)    Bd5      (0:16)  
 53.  Be7      (0:11)    Be6      (0:07)  
 54.  Bb4      (0:15)    Bb3      (0:10)  
 55.  Be7      (0:24)    Kc6      (0:20)  
 56.  Bf8      (0:11)    Kd5      (0:09)  
 57.  Bb5      (0:14)    Bd1      (0:12)  
 58.  Be8      (0:14)    Ke6      (0:11)  
 59.  Bb5      (0:04)    Kd5      (0:10)  
 60.  Bb4      (0:08)    Bc2      (0:10)  
 61.  Be8      (0:00)    Ke6      (0:12)  
 62.  Bb5      (0:01)    Bd3      (0:06)  
 63.  Bc6      (0:20)    Kf6      (0:06)  
 64.  Bd5      (0:19)    Bb5      (0:13)  
 65.  g4       (0:12)    hxg4     (0:07)  
 66.  Bc3+     (0:07)    Ke7      (0:04)  
 67.  Bb4+     (0:05)    Kf6      (0:20)  
 68.  Bc3+     (0:00)    Ke7      (0:08)  
 69.  hxg4     (0:32)    Be2      (0:12)  
 70.  Bb4+     (0:14)    Kf6      (0:01)  
 71.  Bc3+     (0:07)    Ke7      (0:06)  
 72.  Bb4+     (0:07)    Kf6      (0:08)  
 73.  g5+      (0:03)    Kg7      (0:07)  
 74.  Kg3      (0:01)    Bb5      (0:06)  
 75.  Be7      (0:10)    Ba6      (0:09)  
 76.  Kf2      (0:18)    Bb5      (0:10)  
 77.  Ke1      (0:09)    Ba6      (0:16)  
 78.  Kd2      (0:00)    Bf1      (0:13)  
 79.  Kc3      (0:11)    Be2      (0:07)  
 80.  Kb4      (0:13)    Bd3      (0:07)  
 81.  Bc4      (0:10)    Bc2      (0:04)  
 82.  Bb3      (0:04)    Bxb3     (0:14)  
 83.  Kxb3     (0:08)    Kh8      (0:04)  
 84.  Kc4      (0:08)    Kg7      (0:10)  
 85.  Bf6+     (0:07)    Kg8      (0:10)  
 86.  Kd5      (0:12)    Kh7      (0:08)  
 87.  Ke6      (0:07)    Kg8      (0:02)  
 88.  Ba1      (0:31)    Nd8+     (0:06)  
 89.  Kd5      (0:08)    Kf7      (0:05)  
 90.  Be5      (0:09)    Ne6      (0:09)  
 91.  Kd6      (0:02)    Nf8      (0:05)  
 92.  Ba1      (0:07)    Ne6      (0:05)  
 93.  Bf6      (0:01)    Nf8      (0:07)  
 94.  Ba1      (0:00)    Nh7      (0:08)  
 95.  Be5      (0:07)    Nf8      (0:05)  
 96.  Kc6      (0:05)    Ke6      (0:03)  
 97.  Bb2      (0:42)    Nd7      (0:05)  
 98.  Ba3      (0:06)    Nb8+     (0:19)  
 99.  Kc7      (0:00)    Nd7      (0:06)  
100.  Bb4      (0:00)    Nf6      (0:08)  
101.  gxf6     (0:06)    Kxf6     (0:01)  
102.  Kd7      (0:07)    Kf7      (0:09)  
103.  Bd6      (0:08)    Kg8      (0:04)  
104.  Be5      (0:01)    Kf7      (0:05)  
105.  Kd6      (0:08)    Kg8      (0:01)  
106.  Ke6      (0:08)    Kh7      (0:04)  
107.  Kf7      (0:05)    Kh6      (0:08)  
108.  Bf6      (0:05)    Kh5      (0:15)  
109.  Be7      (0:03)    Kh6      (0:03)  
110.  Bd8      (0:09)    Kh5      (0:08)  
111.  Be7      (0:00)    Kh6      (0:06)  
112.  Bg5+     (0:05)    Kh5      (0:04)  
113.  Bf6      (0:02)    Kh6      (0:03)  
114.  Bg7+     (0:11)    Kh5      (0:04)  
115.  Kf6      (0:03)    g5       (0:04)  
116.  fxg5     (0:16)    f4       (0:10)  
117.  Kf5      (0:36)    f3       (0:04)  
118.  Kxe4     (0:03)    f2       (0:04)  
119.  Bf6      (0:07)    f1=Q     (0:02)  
120.  Ke5      (0:02)    Kg4      (0:05)  
121.  e4       (0:04)    Kf3      (0:05)  
122.  g6       (0:04)    Qb5+     (0:05)  
123.  Kd6      (0:01)    Kxe4     (0:04)  
124.  g7       (0:05)    Qe8      (0:02)  
125.  Bc3      (0:18)    Kf5      (0:10)  
126.  Kc5      (0:01)    Qd8      (0:04)  
127.  Bd4      (0:02)    Ke4      (0:06)  
128.  Ba1      (0:02)    Qd5+     (0:07)  
129.  Kb4      (0:02)    Kd3      (0:03)  
130.  Bf6      (0:03)    Qc4+     (0:07)  
131.  Ka5      (0:00)    Qb3      (0:03)  
132.  Ka6      (0:11)    Qd5      (0:03)  
133.  Be7      (0:06)    Qa2+     (0:03)  
134.  Kb5      (0:04)    Qb2+     (0:08)  
135.  Kc6      (0:00)    Qxg7     (0:12)  
136.  Bd8      (0:00)    Kc4      (0:04)  
137.  Kd6      (0:04)    Qg6+     (0:03)  
138.  Ke5      (0:03)    Qe8+     (0:01)  
139.  Kf5      (0:15)    Qxd8     (0:01)  
140.  Ke6      (0:00)    Qg5      (0:00)  
141.  Kd7      (0:01)    Kc5      (0:00)  
142.  Ke6      (0:01)    Kc6      (0:00)  
143.  Kf7      (0:00)    Kd6      (0:00)  
144.  Kf8      (0:00)    Ke6      (0:00)  
145.  Ke8      (0:00)    Qg8#     (0:00)  
       {White checkmated} 0-1

First Baron's score crept up to +6.9, in the KBBPPPKBNPPP end-game, while Joker's score kept hovering slightly below zero, and then from one move to the next Baron's score fell to +0.73!

Then Joker was so stupid to trade the like Bishops. It was convinced the KBPPPKNPPP was a dear draw, which it probably initially was. But in stead of repeating moves in manouevred in a strange way with its Knight, and was then faced with a deadly zugzwang that it did not see coming at all. Joker was searching 28 ply in these positions, against Baron ~16. (Score dropping from 0 to -4 when it becme the root position.) Strange thing is that Joker is not supposed to do null move with only a Knight. So no idea what caused the blindness, it must be a severe bug.

[d]8/2Kn4/4k1p1/5pP1/1B2pP2/4P3/8/8 b - - 34 100
Zugzwang for Joker came as a lightning bolt

Because of the zugzwang Joker had to give the Knight, and the resulting KBPPKPPP was of course totally won for the Baron. I think Baron went to +14 and Joker to -12. Joker played on, and an incredible blunder by the Baron let Joker's last Pawn promote. I am very curious if Richard can figure out what caused this. After that the KBPKQ looked tricky, because the Pawn is on the 7th defended by the Bishop (and Joker has no EGTB and zero end-game knowledge). But Joker was able to find the win.

[d]8/6B1/5K2/6Pk/4pp2/4P3/8/8 w - - 0 117
Baron plays Kf5??? in stead of exf4!

So never despair and never resign. Even when you are at -12 with only one Pawn left, it is still possible to win the game.

[Gian-Carlo Pascutto]

[Event "ICC tourney 1010 (25 4 u)"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2009.08.16"]
[Round "11"]
[White "thebaron"]
[Black "JokerX"]
[WhiteElo "2552"]
[BlackElo "2345"]
[ECO "E10"]
[Result "0-1"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Bg5 dxc4 5. Nc3 c5 6. e3
cxd4 7. Qxd4 Qxd4 8. Nxd4 Nd5 9. Bxc4 Nxc3 10. bxc3 Bc5
11. Nb5 Na6 12. O-O f6 13. Bh4 Bd7 14. Rad1 O-O-O 15. Nd6+
Bxd6 16. Rxd6 Nc7 17. Rfd1 Bb5 18. Bb3 Rxd6 19. Rxd6 e5
20. f4 e4 21. Be1 Rd8 22. Rxd8+ Kxd8 23. Bg8 h5 24. c4 Be8
25. Bb4 g6 26. Kf2 Kd7 27. Bc5 b6 28. Bd4 f5 29. Bf6 Ne6
30. Kg3 Nd8 31. Bd5 Nc6 32. Bc3 Ne7 33. Bb7 Bf7 34. Ba6 Nc8
35. Bd4 Nd6 36. c5 bxc5 37. Bxc5 Bxa2 38. Bxa7 Kc6 39. Kh4
Nf7 40. Be2 Be6 41. Bd4 Bb3 42. Ba6 Bd5 43. Be2 Ba2 44. Bf1
Bb3 45. Ba6 Ba2 46. g3 Bd5 47. Ba7 Be6 48. Be2 Kb7 49. Bc5
Kc6 50. Ba3 Kb6 51. Bb4 Bb3 52. h3 Bd5 53. Be7 Be6 54. Bb4
Bb3 55. Be7 Kc6 56. Bf8 Kd5 57. Bb5 Bd1 58. Be8 Ke6 59. Bb5
Kd5 60. Bb4 Bc2 61. Be8 Ke6 62. Bb5 Bd3 63. Bc6 Kf6 64. Bd5
Bb5 65. g4 hxg4 66. Bc3+ Ke7 67. Bb4+ Kf6 68. Bc3+ Ke7
69. hxg4 Be2 70. Bb4+ Kf6 71. Bc3+ Ke7 72. Bb4+ Kf6 73. g5+
Kg7 74. Kg3 Bb5 75. Be7 Ba6 76. Kf2 Bb5 77. Ke1 Ba6 78. Kd2
Bf1 79. Kc3 Be2 80. Kb4 Bd3 81. Bc4 Bc2 82. Bb3 Bxb3
83. Kxb3 Kh8 84. Kc4 Kg7 85. Bf6+ Kg8 86. Kd5 Kh7 87. Ke6
Kg8 88. Ba1 Nd8+ 89. Kd5 Kf7 90. Be5 Ne6 91. Kd6 Nf8
92. Ba1 Ne6 93. Bf6 Nf8 94. Ba1 Nh7 95. Be5 Nf8 96. Kc6 Ke6
97. Bb2 Nd7 98. Ba3 Nb8+ 99. Kc7 Nd7 100. Bb4 Nf6 101. gxf6
Kxf6 102. Kd7 Kf7 103. Bd6 Kg8 104. Be5 Kf7 105. Kd6 Kg8
106. Ke6 Kh7 107. Kf7 Kh6 108. Bf6 Kh5 109. Be7 Kh6
110. Bd8 Kh5 111. Be7 Kh6 112. Bg5+ Kh5 113. Bf6 Kh6
114. Bg7+ Kh5 115. Kf6 g5 116. fxg5 f4 117. Kf5 f3
118. Kxe4 f2 119. Bf6 f1=Q 120. Ke5 Kg4 121. e4 Kf3 122. g6
Qb5+ 123. Kd6 Kxe4 124. g7 Qe8 125. Bc3 Kf5 126. Kc5 Qd8
127. Bd4 Ke4 128. Ba1 Qd5+ 129. Kb4 Kd3 130. Bf6 Qc4+
131. Ka5 Qb3 132. Ka6 Qd5 133. Be7 Qa2+ 134. Kb5 Qb2+
135. Kc6 Qxg7 136. Bd8 Kc4 137. Kd6 Qg6+ 138. Ke5 Qe8+
139. Kf5 Qxd8 140. Ke6 Qg5 141. Kd7 Kc5 142. Ke6 Kc6
143. Kf7 Kd6 144. Kf8 Ke6 145. Ke8 Qg8# {White checkmated}
0-1

[Gian-Carlo Pascutto]

I also had a "strange" game, unfortunately it cost me the tournament victory.

[Event "ICC tourney 1010 (25 4 u)"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2009.08.16"]
[Round "12"]
[White "dshawul"]
[Black "Sjeng"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ICCResult "Game drawn because neither player has mating material"]
[WhiteElo "1978"]
[BlackElo "2720"]
[Opening "Queen's Indian accelerated"]
[ECO "E12"]
[NIC "QP.07"]
[Time "12:20:31"]
[TimeControl "1500+4"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 b6 3. Nc3 Bb7 4. Nf3 e6 5. a3 Ne4 6. Nxe4 Bxe4 7. Nd2 Bb7 8.
e3 Be7 9. b3 O-O 10. Nf3 d6 11. Bd3 f5 12. O-O Qe8 13. Qe2 Qg6 14. Bb2 Nd7
15. Rae1 Be4 16. Rd1 a5 17. Ne1 e5 18. Bxe4 fxe4 19. f3 Bg5 20. dxe5 Nxe5
21. f4 Nd3 22. Nxd3 exd3 23. Qxd3 Bf6 24. Bxf6 Qxf6 25. e4 Rae8 26. Rde1 Kh8
27. e5 Qf7 28. b4 axb4 29. axb4 h6 30. b5 Re6 31. Qd4 Qe7 32. Re4 dxe5 33.
fxe5 Re8 34. Rfe1 Kg8 35. h3 Rd8 36. Qe3 Rf8 37. Kh2 Rf5 38. Qd4 Kh8 39.
R4e3 Kg8 40. Qd5 Kh7 41. Qd3 g6 42. Qd5 h5 43. Qd4 Kg8 44. h4 Qf7 45. Re4
Qe7 46. Kg1 g5 47. hxg5 Rxg5 48. R4e3 Kh8 49. R1e2 Kh7 50. Kh1 Kh6 51. Qd5
Qf7 52. Re1 Qe7 53. Re4 Rf5 54. Kg1 Kg7 55. Qd4 Kh6 56. R4e2 Kg7 57. Re3 Rg5
58. Qd5 Reg6 59. R1e2 Re6 60. Kh2 Kh6 61. Qd2 Qg7 62. Kh1 Qe7 63. Re4 Qg7
64. Kh2 Kh7 65. Qd3 Kh6 66. Qd4 Kh7 67. R4e3 Qe7 68. Qe4+ Kh6 69. Qf4 Kh7
70. Re4 Qg7 71. Kg1 Kh8 72. Qe3 Qe7 73. Kh1 Qg7 74. Qd4 Kh7 75. R4e3 Qe7 76.
Qc3 Kh6 77. Re4 Rf5 78. Re1 Qg5 79. Qd4 Qe7 80. Qe3+ Qg5 81. Qe2 Kg7 82. Kg1
Qe7 83. Qe3 Qg5 84. Qd4 Qe7 85. Qc3 Kh6 86. Qe3+ Kg7 87. Re2 Kg6 88. Qd3 Kh6
89. Kh2 Qg7 90. Qd4 Rg5 91. R4e3 Qe7 92. g3 Kg7 93. Kg2 Kh6 94. Kh1 Rf5 95.
Re1 Qf7 96. Kh2 Rf2+ 97. Kg1 Rf5 98. Qd2 Kg7 99. Qd8 Kh6 100. Qd3 Qg6 101.
Qd2 Kg7 102. Qd7+ Rf7 103. Qd4 Qf5 104. R3e2 Kh7 105. Kh2 Kh6 106. Rd1 Qf3
107. Qd2+ Kg6 108. Rde1 Qf5 109. Re3 Qf2+ 110. Qxf2 Rxf2+ 111. Kh3 Rf5 112.
Kh4 Rg5 113. Re4 Kf5 114. R1e2 Kg6 115. Kh3 Kf5 116. Rd4 Rxe5 117. Rxe5+
Kxe5 118. Rd7 c6 119. bxc6 Ke6 120. Rb7 Rg4 121. Rxb6 Rxc4 122. c7+ Kd7 123.
Rb7 Ra4 124. Rb8 Kxc7 125. Rb3 Ra1 126. Rd3 Re1 127. Ra3 Rh1+ 128. Kg2 Rc1
129. Ra5 Rc2+ 130. Kh3 Kd8 131. Rf5 Kd7 132. Rd5+ Kc8 133. Kh4 Rh2+ 134. Kg5
Rh3 135. Rc5+ Kd8 136. Kf4 Rh2 137. Rd5+ Kc8 138. Ke3 Kc7 139. Rc5+ Kb8 140.
Kf3 Kb7 141. Rb5+ Ka8 142. Rb1 Rc2 143. Rb3 Ka7 144. Ra3+ Kb8 145. Kf4 Rc4+
146. Kg5 Rc5+ 147. Kh4 Kb7 148. Re3 Kc6 149. Rd3 Rb5 150. Rd8 Rb3 151. Rd4
Re3 152. Ra4 Kd7 153. Kxh5 Rxg3 154. Ra5 Kd6 155. Ra6+ Kc7 156. Ra7+ Kb8
157. Ra6 Rh3+ 158. Kg4 Kb7 159. Kxh3 Kxa6
{Game drawn because neither player has mating material}
1/2-1/2

19. .. Bg5??
20. .. Nxe5????

Two game losing blunders. Of course these are not reproducible. Analyzing offline Deep Sjeng sees they are losing in 4 plies.

And still it played them in the decisive game.

W...T...F

[Spock]

I also had a "strange" game, unfortunately it cost me the tournament victory.

Yes, you came incredibly close, congratulations on a great performance !

[F. Bluemers]

Too bad I bungled saving the pgn with engine scores. (I had gaven a saveGameFile, but apparently Vista does not allow creation of file in C:\Program Files\... , so I coldn't find any pgn afterwards... )

It might still be in C:\Users\"USER"\AppData\Local or C:\Users\"USER"\AppData\Roaming

[Daniel Shawul]

I think I had a _loosely similar_ situation against chessthinker where i think null moving with a bishop hurted a lot. Scorpio had an equal chance before making the endgame blunder. I have had enough of these stituations now so i will probably turn it off in a KB and KN endgame atleast or may be not do it first the first N / 2 plise

P.S : Does anyone know where i can get the PGNs ?

[Daniel Shawul]

I saw it live and I was sure sjeng blundered with a delicate positon where king safety dominates. Well if it is not reproducible then it could be one of those case where HT and mulit processor search produce unreproducible moves.. If it is any consolation even I wanted sjeng to win for the tibereak (_no lies_ Congratulations on a great performance !

Hiarcs and Rybka never gave me a chance with their super book which IMO should be limited to certain plies for a fair competition

cheers

[Spock]

Hiarcs and Rybka never gave me a chance with their super book which IMO should be limited to certain plies for a fair competition

cheers

Yes - I believe the level of book preparation that goes on now has destroyed normal chess, or at least my enjoyment of it. I like to see the engines do as much work as possible.
Of course, this is why I am a big fan of chess960. No books

[Vinvin]

Hello and congratulations Gian-Carlo,
what hardware did Sjeng use in the tournament, please ?

Vincent

...

[Steve B]

Hello and congratulations Gian-Carlo,
what hardware did Sjeng use in the tournament, please ?

Vincent

...

i wonder
this there a web page where the hardware for each competitor is shown?
Regards
Steve