Test position: A beauty (Crafty 23.2 vs Gaviota 0.74.41)

[michiguel]

This post has nothing to do with CC for me. It has to do with aesthetics as a chess player.

Carlos Pesce sent me this game he just played.

This position is an absolute beauty. Black is a pawn down, but it is about to get it back after Rh3 Re4 Rah8 Rh4 (the plain and clumsy way) but black has other plans... Can you see it? scroll down. Not difficult, but very unnatural for humans.

[d]r6r/p3k3/b1p1p3/8/3P4/2N2pP1/PP3P2/R3R1K1 b - - 3 27

























27.... Bf1!

and black won. Can other engines see this in blitz? Carlos told me that some other engines have problems.

[Event "Computer Chess Game"]
[Site "ATHLON64"]
[Date "2010.03.04"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Crafty-23.2 PS"]
[Black "Gaviota v0.74.41"]
[Result "0-1"]
[TimeControl "300"]
[Annotator "3. +0.44 26... +0.63"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. Ne2 cxd4 8.
cxd4 f6 9. exf6 Nxf6 10. O-O Bd6 11. Nf3 O-O 12. Bf4 Bxf4 13. Nxf4 Ne4 14.
g3 Qf6 15. h4 h6 16. Bxe4 dxe4 17. Ne5 Rd8 18. Nxc6 bxc6 19. Qc2 g5 20.
hxg5 hxg5 21. Ne2 Qf3 22. Qd2 Kf7 23. Qxg5 Rh8 24. Qf4+ Ke7 25. Qxf3 exf3
26. Nc3 Ba6 27. Rfe1 Bf1 28. Rxe6+ Kxe6 29. Rxf1 Rh6 30. Ne4 Kd5 31. Nd2
Rb8 32. b3 Rf8 33. Re1 Re6 34. Rxe6 Kxe6 35. Kh2 Kd5 36. g4 Kxd4 37. Kg3 c5
38. Nxf3+ Kc3 39. Ne5 Kb2 40. g5 Kxa2 41. Nd7 Rc8 42. g6 Rd8 43. Nxc5 Rg8
44. f4 Rxg6+ 45. Kf3 Rc6 46. b4 Ka3 47. Nd3 Kb3 48. f5 Rb6 49. Ke4 Kc3 50.
b5 Rxb5 51. f6 a5 52. Ne5 a4 53. f7 Rb8 54. Nd7 Rd8 55. Nc5 a3 56. Ne6 Rh8
57. Nd4 Rf8 58. Nb5+ Kb4 59. Nxa3 Kxa3 60. Ke5 Rxf7 61. Ke6 Rf1 62. Ke5
Re1+ 63. Kf5 Kb4 64. Kf4 Kc4 65. Kf5 Kd4 66. Kf4 Rf1+ 67. Kg5 Ke4 68. Kg6
Rf5 69. Kg7 Ke5 70. Kg6 Ke6 71. Kg7 Rg5+ 72. Kh6 Kf6 73. Kh7 Rh5+ 74. Kg8
Rh4 75. Kf8 Rh8#
{Gaviota says Black mates} 0-1

[Graham Banks]

This post has nothing to do with CC for me. It has to do with aesthetics as a chess player.

Embarrassingly, I fell for a similar move against a kid at a recent club anniversary, when I had a totally won game.

Nice move though. Well done Gaviota!

[yanquis1972]

the problem with using this position as a test for other engines is that, in fact, there is a better defense -- rybka sees it instantly but other engines may have trouble:

[-0.15] d=26 28.Re4 Bg2 29.Rh4 Rxh4 30.gxh4 Rh8 31.Kh2 Rxh4 32.Kg3 Rxd4 33.Rc1 Kd7 34.Re1 Kd6 35.Nd1 Rd2 36.Ne3 Kc7 37.Nc4 Rc2 38.b3 Rxa2 39.Rxe6 Bf1 40.Ne5 Bb5 41.Nxf3 c5 42.Re5 Kb6 43.Re3 (0:03:49) 102625kN
[-0.15] d=25 28.Re4 Bg2 29.Rh4 Rxh4 30.gxh4 Rh8 31.Kh2 Rxh4 32.Kg3 Rxd4 33.Rc1 Kd7 34.Re1 Kd6 35.Nd1 Rd2 36.Ne3 Kc7 37.Nc4 Rc2 38.b3 Rxa2 39.Rxe6 Bf1 40.Ne5 Bb5 41.Nxf3 c5 42.Re5 Kb6 43.Re3 (0:03:06) 82339kN
[-0.17] d=24 28.Re4 Bg2 29.Rh4 Rxh4 30.gxh4 Rh8 31.Kh2 Rxh4 32.Kg3 Rxd4 33.Rc1 Kd7 34.Re1 Kd6 35.Re3 a5 36.Ne4 Ke5 37.Ng5 Kf5 38.Nxf3 Rg4 39.Kh2 Bf1 40.Re1 Bb5 41.Kh3 Rb4 42.Kg3 a4 43.a3 (0:01:13) 32283kN
[-0.17] d=23 28.Re4 Bg2 29.Rh4 Rxh4 30.gxh4 Rh8 31.Kh2 Rxh4 32.Kg3 Rxd4 33.Rc1 Kd7 34.Re1 Kd6 35.Re3 a5 36.Ne4 Ke5 37.Ng5 Kf5 38.Nxf3 Rg4 39.Kh2 Bf1 40.Re1 Bb5 41.Kh3 Rb4 42.Kg3 a4 43.a3 (0:00:46) 20247kN
[-0.17] d=22 28.Re4 Bg2 29.Rh4 Rxh4 30.gxh4 Rh8 31.Kh2 Rxh4 32.Kg3 Rxd4 33.Rc1 Kd7 34.Re1 Kd6 35.Re3 a5 36.Ne4 Ke5 37.Ng5 Kf5 38.Nxf3 Rg4 39.Kh2 Bf1 40.Re1 Bb5 41.Kh3 Rb4 42.Kg3 a4 43.a3 (0:00:35) 15496kN
[-0.17] d=21 28.Re4 Bg2 29.Rh4 Rxh4 30.gxh4 Rh8 31.Kh2 Rxh4 32.Kg3 Rxd4 33.Rc1 Kd7 34.Re1 Kd6 35.Re3 a5 36.Ne4 Ke5 37.Ng5 Kf5 38.Nxf3 Rg4 39.Kh2 Bf1 40.Re1 Bb5 41.Kh3 Rb4 42.Kg3 a4 43.a3 (0:00:25) 11212kN
[-0.17] d=20 28.Re4 Bg2 29.Rh4 Rxh4 30.gxh4 Rh8 31.Kh2 Rxh4 32.Kg3 Rxd4 33.Rc1 Kd7 34.Re1 Kd6 35.Re3 a5 36.Ne4 Ke5 37.Ng5 Kf5 38.Nxf3 Rg4 39.Kh2 Bf1 40.Re1 Bb5 41.Kh3 Rb4 42.Kg3 a4 43.a3 (0:00:20) 8947kN
[-0.20] d=19 28.Re4 Bg2 29.Rh4 Rxh4 30.gxh4 Rh8 31.Kh2 Rxh4 32.Kg3 Rxd4 33.Rc1 Kd7 34.Re1 Kd6 35.Re3 a5 36.Ne4 Ke5 37.Ng5 Kf5 38.Nxf3 Rg4 39.Kh2 Bf1 40.Re1 Bb5 41.Kh3 Rb4 42.Kg3 (0:00:16) 7369kN
[-0.24] d=18 28.Re4 Bc4 29.Rae1 Rh3 30.R1e3 Rah8 31.Rh4 R8xh4 32.gxh4 Rxh4 33.Rxf3 Rxd4 34.b3 Bd5 35.Rh3 Kd6 36.Rh7 a5 37.Ra7 Bf3 38.Kh2 Rd3 39.Nb1 (0:00:09) 4155kN
[-0.24] d=17 28.Re4 Bg2 29.Rh4 Rxh4 30.gxh4 Rh8 31.Kh2 Rxh4 32.Kg3 Rxd4 33.Rc1 Kd7 34.Re1 Kd6 35.Re3 e5 36.Ne4 Kd5 37.Nf6 Ke6 38.Ng4 Rd5 39.Ra3 Rb5 40.b3 (0:00:03) 1609kN
[-0.25] d=16 28.Re4 Bg2 29.Rh4 (0:00:02) 1246kN
[-0.25] d=15 28.Re4 (0:00:02) 1242kN
[-0.39] d=15 28.Re4 (0:00:01) 623kN
[-0.59] d=14 28.Re4 (0:00:00) 290kN
[-0.62] d=14 28.Rxe6 (0:00:00) 244kN
[-0.46] d=13 28.Rxe6 (0:00:00) 58kN
[-0.46] d=12 28.Rxe6 (0:00:00) 0kN
[-0.46] d=11 28.Rxe6 (0:00:00) 0kN

[De Vos W]

r6r/p3k3/b1p1p3/8/3P4/2N2pP1/PP3P2/R3R1K1 b - - 0 1

Analysis by Deep Fritz 10:

1...Rh6 2.Re4 Rah8 3.Rh4 Rxh4 4.gxh4 Rxh4 5.Rd1 Rg4+ 6.Kh1 Rg2 7.Rd2 Bc4 8.b3 Bd5 9.Rc2 Kd6
-/+ (-1.02) Depth: 9/28 00:00:00 199kN
1...Rh6 2.Re4 Rah8 3.Rh4 Rxh4 4.gxh4 Rxh4 5.Rd1 Rg4+ 6.Kh1 Rg2 7.Rd2 Bc4 8.b3 Bd5 9.Rc2 Kd6
-/+ (-1.02) Depth: 10/18 00:00:00 264kN
1...Rh6 2.Re4 Rah8 3.Rh4 Rxh4 4.gxh4 Rxh4 5.Rd1 Rg4+ 6.Kh1 Rg2 7.Rd2 Bc4 8.b3 Bd5 9.Rc2 Kd6
-/+ (-1.02) Depth: 11/20 00:00:00 458kN
1...Rh6 2.Re4 Rah8 3.Rh4 Rxh4 4.gxh4 Rxh4 5.Rd1 Rg4+ 6.Kh1 Rg2 7.Rd2 Bc4 8.b3 Bd5 9.Rc2 Kd6
-/+ (-1.02) Depth: 12/30 00:00:00 799kN
1...Rh6 2.Re4 Rah8 3.Rh4 Rxh4 4.gxh4 Rxh4 5.Rd1 Rg4+ 6.Kh1 Rg2 7.Rd2 Bc4 8.b3 Bd5 9.Rc2 Kd6
-/+ (-1.02) Depth: 13/30 00:00:00 3393kN
1...Bf1
-/+ (-1.02) Depth: 13/30 00:00:01 4638kN
1...Bf1 2.Rxe6+ Kxe6 3.Rxf1 Rh6 4.Ne4 Rf8 5.Re1 Kd5 6.Nd2 Kxd4 7.Re3 Rhf6 8.b4 Kd5 9.Nb3
-/+ (-0.90) Depth: 14/36 00:00:01 561...Rh6 20kN
-/+ (-0.91) Depth: 14/36 00:00:01 5793kN
1...Rh6 2.Re4 Rah8 3.Rh4
-/+ (-1.02) Depth: 14/38 00:00:01 6432kN
1...Rh6 2.Re4 Rah8 3.Rh4 Rxh4 4.gxh4 Rxh4 5.Rd1 Rg4+ 6.Kh1 Rg2 7.Rd2 Bc4 8.b4
-/+ (-1.03) Depth: 15/33 00:00:02 9209kN
1...Rh6 2.Re4 Rah8 3.Rh4 Rxh4 4.gxh4 Rxh4 5.Rd1 Rg4+ 6.Kh1 Rg2 7.Rd2 Bc4 8.b4
-/+ (-1.03) Depth: 16/36 00:00:04 18872kN
1...Bf1
-/+ (-1.04) Depth: 16/36 00:00:06 24192kN
1...Bf1 2.Rxe6+ Kxe6 3.Rxf1 Kf5 4.Nb1 Rad8 5.Nd2 c5 6.d5 Rxd5 7.Nxf3 Re8 8.Kg2 Re2 9.Rb1 a5
-/+ (-1.18) Depth: 16/40 00:00:06 27458kN
1...Bf1 2.Rxe6+ Kxe6 3.Rxf1 Kf5 4.Nb1 Rad8 5.Nd2 c5 6.d5 Rxd5 7.Nxf3 Rb8 8.b3 Rbd8 9.Kg2 Rd1 10.Rxd1 Rxd1
-/+ (-0.99) Depth: 17/40 00:00:12 52707kN
1...Rh7
-/+ (-0.99) Depth: 17/40 00:00:13 55326kN
1...Rh7 2.Re4 Rah8 3.Rh4 Rxh4 4.gxh4
-/+ (-1.03) Depth: 17/40 00:00:14 58223kN
1...Rh7 2.Re4 Rah8 3.Rh4 Rxh4 4.gxh4 Rxh4 5.Rd1 Rg4+ 6.Kh1 Rg2 7.Rd2 Bc4 8.b4 Bd5 9.Nxd5+ exd5 10.Rc2 Kd7 11.a4
-/+ (-0.93) Depth: 18/35 00:00:28 118mN
1...Bf1
-/+ (-0.94) Depth: 18/38 00:00:30 125mN
1...Bf1 2.Rxe6+ Kxe6 3.Rxf1 Kf5 4.Nb1 Rad8 5.Nd2 c5 6.d5 Rxd5 7.Nxf3 Rb8 8.b3 Rbd8 9.Re1 Rd1
-/+ (-1.07) Depth: 18/46 00:00:34 141mN
1...Bf1 2.Rxe6+ Kxe6 3.Rxf1 Kf5 4.Nb1 Rad8 5.Nd2 c5 6.d5 Rxd5 7.Nxf3 Rhd8 8.Kg2 Rd1 9.Rxd1
-/+ (-0.94) Depth: 19/50 00:00:56 232mN
1...Bf1 2.Rxe6+ Kxe6 3.Rxf1 Kf5 4.Nb1 Rad8 5.Nd2 c5 6.d5 Rxd5 7.Nxf3 Rhd8 8.Kg2 Rd1 9.Rxd1
-/+ (-0.94) Depth: 20/50 00:01:59 496mN
1...Bf1 2.Rxe6+ Kxe6 3.Rxf1 Kf5 4.Nb1 Rad8 5.Nd2 c5 6.d5 Rxd5 7.Nxf3 Rhd8 8.Kg2 Rd1 9.Rxd1
-/+ (-0.98) Depth: 21/57 00:03:55 974mN
1...Bf1 2.Rxe6+ Kxe6 3.Rxf1 Kf5 4.Nb1 Rad8 5.Nd2 c5 6.d5 Rxd5 7.Nxf3 Rhd8 8.b3 Rd1 9.Nh4+
-/+ (-1.05) Depth: 22/55 00:08:10 2029mN

(05.03.2010)

[David Dahlem]

the problem with using this position as a test for other engines is that, in fact, there is a better defense -- rybka sees it instantly but other engines may have trouble:

[d]r6r/p3k3/2p1p3/8/3P4/2N2pP1/PP3P2/R3RbK1 w - - 0 28

FireBird 1.2:

17 00:08 8.904.473 1.089.000 -0.42 Re1e4 Bf1g2 Re4h4 Rh8xh4 g3xh4 Ra8h8 Kg1h2 Rh8xh4+ Kh2g3 Rh4xd4 Nc3d1 Rd4d2 b2b3 Bg2f1 Nd1c3 Bf1e2 Ra1h1 Be2d3 Kg3xf3 Rd2c2 Nc3e4 Bd3xe4+ Kf3xe4 Rc2xa2 f2f4 a7a5 Ke4e5 Ra2e2+ Ke5d4 Ke7d6 Rh1d1 e6e5+ Kd4c4+ Kd6e6 f4xe5 Ke6xe5
18+ 00:10 10.416.150 1.091.000 -0.34 Re1e4 Bf1g2 Re4h4 Rh8xh4 g3xh4 Ra8h8 Kg1h2 Rh8xh4+ Kh2g3 Rh4xd4 Nc3d1 Rd4d2 b2b3 Bg2f1 Nd1c3 Bf1e2 Ra1h1 Be2d3 Kg3xf3 Rd2c2 Nc3e4 Bd3xe4+ Kf3xe4 Rc2e2+ Ke4d3 Re2xa2 f2f4 Ke7d6 Rh1h8 Ra2g2 b3b4 Rg2g3+ Kd3e4
18 00:10 10.551.202 1.087.000 -0.35 Re1e4 Bf1g2 Re4h4 Rh8xh4 g3xh4 Ra8h8 Kg1h2 Rh8xh4+ Kh2g3 Rh4xd4 Nc3d1 Rd4d2 b2b3 Bg2f1 Nd1c3 Bf1e2 Ra1h1 Rd2c2 Nc3e4 Rc2xa2 Rh1h7+ Ke7e8 Rh7c7 Ke8d8 Rc7xc6 Kd8d7 Rc6d6+ Kd7e7 Rd6c6 e6e5 Rc6c5 Ke7e6 Ne4g5+ Ke6f5 Ng5xf3
19 00:13 13.857.159 1.088.000 -0.30 Re1e4 Bf1g2 Re4h4 Rh8xh4 g3xh4 Ra8h8 Kg1h2 Rh8xh4+ Kh2g3 Rh4xd4 Nc3d1 Rd4d2 b2b3 Bg2f1 Nd1c3 Bf1e2 Ra1h1 Rd2c2 Nc3e4 Rc2xa2 Rh1h7+ Ke7e8 Rh7c7 Ke8d8 Rc7xc6 Kd8d7 Rc6d6+ Kd7e7 Rd6c6 a7a5 Kg3f4 Be2d3 Ne4c5 Bd3f5 Kf4xf3 Ra2d2
20 00:14 15.626.532 1.089.000 -0.30 Re1e4 Bf1g2 Re4h4 Rh8xh4 g3xh4 Ra8h8 Kg1h2 Rh8xh4+ Kh2g3 Rh4xd4 Nc3d1 Rd4d2 b2b3 Bg2f1 Nd1c3 Bf1e2 Ra1h1 Rd2c2 Nc3e4 Rc2xa2 Rh1h7+ Ke7e8 Rh7c7 Ra2a5 b3b4 Ra5a2 Ne4g5 Be2c4 Ng5xf3 Bc4d5 Nf3e5 Ke8d8 Rc7h7
21 00:31 33.435.288 1.099.000 -0.24 Re1e4 Bf1g2 Re4h4 Rh8xh4 g3xh4 Ra8h8 Kg1h2 Rh8xh4+ Kh2g3 Rh4xd4 Nc3d1 Rd4d2 b2b3 Bg2f1 Nd1c3 Bf1e2 Ra1h1 Rd2c2 Nc3e4 Rc2xa2 Rh1h7+ Ke7e8 Kg3f4 Be2b5 Kf4xf3 a7a5 Kf3f4 Ra2b2 Kf4e5 Rb2xb3 Ke5xe6 Bb5c4+ Ke6d6 Bc4d3 Ne4f6+ Ke8f8 Rh7e7
22 00:33 35.590.220 1.097.000 -0.24 Re1e4 Bf1g2 Re4h4 Rh8xh4 g3xh4 Ra8h8 Kg1h2 Rh8xh4+ Kh2g3 Rh4xd4 Nc3d1 Rd4d2 b2b3 Bg2f1 Nd1c3 Bf1e2 Ra1h1 Rd2c2 Nc3e4 Rc2xa2 Rh1h7+ Ke7e8 Kg3f4 Be2b5 Kf4xf3 a7a5 Kf3f4 Ra2b2 Kf4e5 Rb2xb3 Ke5xe6 Bb5c4+ Ke6d6 Bc4d3 Ne4f6+ Ke8f8 Rh7e7
23 00:46 50.457.740 1.099.000 -0.22 Re1e4 Bf1g2 Re4h4 Rh8xh4 g3xh4 Ra8h8 Kg1h2 Rh8xh4+ Kh2g3 Rh4xd4 Nc3d1 Rd4d2 b2b3 Bg2f1 Nd1c3 Bf1e2 Ra1h1 Rd2c2 Nc3e4 Be2d3 Rh1h7+ Ke7d8 Kg3xf3 Rc2xa2 Kf3e3 Bd3c2 Rh7b7 Bc2xe4 Ke3xe4 a7a5 Ke4e5 Ra2xf2 Ke5d6 Rf2d2+ Kd6xc6 Rd2d3 Rb7a7 Rd3d5 Kc6b6 Rd5d3 Ra7xa5 Rd3xb3+ Kb6c5

[swami]

Great Tactics.

Congrats, Miguel.

[rlsuth]

It's a cute move, but is it really winning? Is it even better than Rh3?

[Robert Flesher]

This post has nothing to do with CC for me. It has to do with aesthetics as a chess player.

Carlos Pesce sent me this game he just played.

This position is an absolute beauty. Black is a pawn down, but it is about to get it back after Rh3 Re4 Rah8 Rh4 (the plain and clumsy way) but black has other plans... Can you see it? scroll down. Not difficult, but very unnatural for humans.

[d]r6r/p3k3/b1p1p3/8/3P4/2N2pP1/PP3P2/R3R1K1 b - - 3 27


Very cute! However, I don't think that move wins. It's an attempt at a swindle, but I cannot see an easy win.



1... Bf1 2. Re4! Bg2 3. Rh4 Rxh4 4. gxh4 Rh8 5. Kh2 Rxh4+ 6. Kg3 Rxd4 7. Rb1
Kd6 (7... a5 8. Nd1 a4 9. Ne3 Rd2 10. a3) 8. Nd1 a5 *

In both these positions black has an edge but I cannot see a forced win.

























27.... Bf1!

and black won. Can other engines see this in blitz? Carlos told me that some other engines have problems.

[Event "Computer Chess Game"]
[Site "ATHLON64"]
[Date "2010.03.04"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Crafty-23.2 PS"]
[Black "Gaviota v0.74.41"]
[Result "0-1"]
[TimeControl "300"]
[Annotator "3. +0.44 26... +0.63"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. Ne2 cxd4 8.
cxd4 f6 9. exf6 Nxf6 10. O-O Bd6 11. Nf3 O-O 12. Bf4 Bxf4 13. Nxf4 Ne4 14.
g3 Qf6 15. h4 h6 16. Bxe4 dxe4 17. Ne5 Rd8 18. Nxc6 bxc6 19. Qc2 g5 20.
hxg5 hxg5 21. Ne2 Qf3 22. Qd2 Kf7 23. Qxg5 Rh8 24. Qf4+ Ke7 25. Qxf3 exf3
26. Nc3 Ba6 27. Rfe1 Bf1 28. Rxe6+ Kxe6 29. Rxf1 Rh6 30. Ne4 Kd5 31. Nd2
Rb8 32. b3 Rf8 33. Re1 Re6 34. Rxe6 Kxe6 35. Kh2 Kd5 36. g4 Kxd4 37. Kg3 c5
38. Nxf3+ Kc3 39. Ne5 Kb2 40. g5 Kxa2 41. Nd7 Rc8 42. g6 Rd8 43. Nxc5 Rg8
44. f4 Rxg6+ 45. Kf3 Rc6 46. b4 Ka3 47. Nd3 Kb3 48. f5 Rb6 49. Ke4 Kc3 50.
b5 Rxb5 51. f6 a5 52. Ne5 a4 53. f7 Rb8 54. Nd7 Rd8 55. Nc5 a3 56. Ne6 Rh8
57. Nd4 Rf8 58. Nb5+ Kb4 59. Nxa3 Kxa3 60. Ke5 Rxf7 61. Ke6 Rf1 62. Ke5
Re1+ 63. Kf5 Kb4 64. Kf4 Kc4 65. Kf5 Kd4 66. Kf4 Rf1+ 67. Kg5 Ke4 68. Kg6
Rf5 69. Kg7 Ke5 70. Kg6 Ke6 71. Kg7 Rg5+ 72. Kh6 Kf6 73. Kh7 Rh5+ 74. Kg8
Rh4 75. Kf8 Rh8#
{Gaviota says Black mates} 0-1

[mathmoi]

MatMoi finds it fast enough,

Code: Select all

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 | pro |  temps   | score |   n   |                    pv                     |
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 | 3-> |  0:00.01 | -1.14 |  0.0M | Bc4 Ne4 Ke8                               |
 | 4-> |  0:00.03 | -1.22 |  0.0M | Bc4 Ne4 Ke8 b4                            |
 | 5-> |  0:00.04 | -1.14 |  0.0M | Bc4 Re3 Rhf8 Ne4 Ke8                      |
 | 6-> |  0:00.07 | -1.22 |  0.0M | Bc4 Re3 Rhf8 Ne4 Ke8 b4                   |
 | 7-> |  0:00.10 | -1.14 |  0.0M | Bc4 Re3 Rhf8 Rae1 Kd8 b3 Bd5              |
 | 8-> |  0:00.26 | -0.16 |  0.2M | Rh7 Re4 Rah8 Rh4 Rxh4 gxh4 Rxh4 Rd1       |
 | 9-> |  0:00.43 | -0.06 |  0.3M | Rh7 Re4                                   |
 |10-> |  0:00.66 |  0.12 |  0.5M | Rh7 Re4 Bd3 Rh4 Rxh4 gxh4 Rg8+ Kh1 Rg4    |
 |     |          |       |       | b4                                        |
 |11-> |  0:00.90 |  0.12 |  0.6M | Rh7 Re4 Bd3 Rh4 Rxh4 gxh4 Rg8+ Kh1 Rg4    |
 |     |          |       |       | b4 Rxd4                                   |
 |12   |  0:01.24 |  0.18 |  0.9M | Rh7 Re4 Bd3 Rh4 Rxh4 gxh4 Rg8+ Kh1 Rg4    |
 |     |          |       |       | h5 a5 a4                                  |
 |12-> |  0:02.91 |  0.18 |  2.4M | Rh7 Re4 Bd3 Rh4 Rxh4 gxh4 Rg8+ Kh1 Rg4    |
 |     |          |       |       | h5 a5 a4                                  |
 |13   |  0:03.53 |  0.18 |  2.8M | Rh7 Re4 Bd3 Rh4 Rxh4 gxh4 Rg8+ Kh1 Rg4    |
 |     |          |       |       | h5 a5 a4 Rxd4                             |
 |13-> |  0:04.87 |  0.18 |  3.5M | Rh7 Re4 Bd3 Rh4 Rxh4 gxh4 Rg8+ Kh1 Rg4    |
 |     |          |       |       | h5 a5 a4 Rxd4                             |
 |14   |  0:07.53 |  0.17 |  6.0M | Rh7 Re4 Bd3 Rh4 Rxh4 gxh4 Rd8 Kh2 Rxd4    |
 |     |          |       |       | Kg3 Be2 Re1 Bd3 Kxf3                      |
 |14   |  0:30.19 |  0.45 | 25.1M | Bf1 Rxe6+ Kxe6 Rxf1 Rh6 Ne4 Kd5 Nd2 Rf8   |
 |     |          |       |       | b3 Kxd4 Re1 a5 Ne4                        |
 |14-> |  0:30.41 |  0.45 | 25.1M | Bf1 Rxe6+ Kxe6 Rxf1 Rh6 Ne4 Kd5 Nd2 Rf8   |
 |     |          |       |       | b3 Kxd4 Re1 a5 Ne4                        |
 |15   |  0:41.51 |  0.45 | 31.7M | Bf1 Rxe6+ Kxe6 Rxf1 Rh6 Ne4 Kd5 Nd2 Rf8   |
 |     |          |       |       | Re1 Kxd4 Re3 Rhf6 Ne4 R6f7                |
 |15-> |  1:00.44 |  0.45 | 41.7M | Bf1 Rxe6+ Kxe6 Rxf1 Rh6 Ne4 Kd5 Nd2 Rf8   |
 |     |          |       |       | Re1 Kxd4 Re3 Rhf6 Ne4 R6f7                |
 |16...|  1:02.04 |  1/35 |       | Bf1                                       |
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 | temps=82.48 noeuds=61399778 noeudsq=214166840 nps=3340931.25               |
 | evals=214166840 ttprobes=122020413 tthit=6.41% ttexact=0.02%               |
 | ttalpha=35.11% ttbeta=64.88% fh=85.21% fhKiller=-1.#J%                     |
 | fhFirstHistory=59.40%                                                      |
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[michiguel]

This post has nothing to do with CC for me. It has to do with aesthetics as a chess player.

Carlos Pesce sent me this game he just played.

This position is an absolute beauty. Black is a pawn down, but it is about to get it back after Rh3 Re4 Rah8 Rh4 (the plain and clumsy way) but black has other plans... Can you see it? scroll down. Not difficult, but very unnatural for humans.

[d]r6r/p3k3/b1p1p3/8/3P4/2N2pP1/PP3P2/R3R1K1 b - - 3 27


Very cute! However, I don't think that move wins. It's an attempt at a swindle, but I cannot see an easy win.



1... Bf1 2. Re4! Bg2 3. Rh4 Rxh4 4. gxh4 Rh8 5. Kh2 Rxh4+ 6. Kg3 Rxd4 7. Rb1
Kd6 (7... a5 8. Nd1 a4 9. Ne3 Rd2 10. a3) 8. Nd1 a5 *

In both these positions black has an edge but I cannot see a forced win.

Of course, it is not an immediate win. The moves wins a pawn (d4, compared to Rh3) and leaves black with an advantage.

Miguel

27.... Bf1!

and black won. Can other engines see this in blitz? Carlos told me that some other engines have problems.

[Event "Computer Chess Game"]
[Site "ATHLON64"]
[Date "2010.03.04"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Crafty-23.2 PS"]
[Black "Gaviota v0.74.41"]
[Result "0-1"]
[TimeControl "300"]
[Annotator "3. +0.44 26... +0.63"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. Ne2 cxd4 8.
cxd4 f6 9. exf6 Nxf6 10. O-O Bd6 11. Nf3 O-O 12. Bf4 Bxf4 13. Nxf4 Ne4 14.
g3 Qf6 15. h4 h6 16. Bxe4 dxe4 17. Ne5 Rd8 18. Nxc6 bxc6 19. Qc2 g5 20.
hxg5 hxg5 21. Ne2 Qf3 22. Qd2 Kf7 23. Qxg5 Rh8 24. Qf4+ Ke7 25. Qxf3 exf3
26. Nc3 Ba6 27. Rfe1 Bf1 28. Rxe6+ Kxe6 29. Rxf1 Rh6 30. Ne4 Kd5 31. Nd2
Rb8 32. b3 Rf8 33. Re1 Re6 34. Rxe6 Kxe6 35. Kh2 Kd5 36. g4 Kxd4 37. Kg3 c5
38. Nxf3+ Kc3 39. Ne5 Kb2 40. g5 Kxa2 41. Nd7 Rc8 42. g6 Rd8 43. Nxc5 Rg8
44. f4 Rxg6+ 45. Kf3 Rc6 46. b4 Ka3 47. Nd3 Kb3 48. f5 Rb6 49. Ke4 Kc3 50.
b5 Rxb5 51. f6 a5 52. Ne5 a4 53. f7 Rb8 54. Nd7 Rd8 55. Nc5 a3 56. Ne6 Rh8
57. Nd4 Rf8 58. Nb5+ Kb4 59. Nxa3 Kxa3 60. Ke5 Rxf7 61. Ke6 Rf1 62. Ke5
Re1+ 63. Kf5 Kb4 64. Kf4 Kc4 65. Kf5 Kd4 66. Kf4 Rf1+ 67. Kg5 Ke4 68. Kg6
Rf5 69. Kg7 Ke5 70. Kg6 Ke6 71. Kg7 Rg5+ 72. Kh6 Kf6 73. Kh7 Rh5+ 74. Kg8
Rh4 75. Kf8 Rh8#
{Gaviota says Black mates} 0-1