Machines will do all. Only wrong software can interfere with theirs good work.
Diagram 1:
[d]3N2r1/2K1p3/4Pk2/8/Bp5b/8/2P5/8 b - - 0 1
It is a simple endgame position with 10 pieces.
We are waiting that top engines are able to find the easy way to win:
1… Bg3+ 2. Kd7 Rxd8 3.Kxd8 Kxe6 (diagram 2 below).
Diagram 2:
[d]3K4/4p3/4k3/8/Bp6/6b1/2P5/8 w - - 0 1
It is a win for black
I tried to use (diagram 1) the best engine and after 1 hour (PIV, 3GHz, 2 threads) I resigned.
Code: Select all
Houdini_15a_w32:
4/10 00:00 929 58.000 +2,42 Bh4g3+ Kc7d7 Bg3e5 Nd8c6
5/13 00:00 1.784 89.000 +2,25 Bh4g3+ Kc7d7 Rg8g5 Nd8c6 Rg5d5+ Kd7e8
5/13 00:00 2.114 100.000 +2,51 Rg8g2 Nd8c6 Bh4g3+ Kc7b6 Bg3e5 Nc6xb4 Be5d4+ Kb6c7 Kf6xe6
5/13 00:00 3.168 99.000 +2,58 Rg8g4 Nd8c6 Kf6xe6 Ba4b3+ Ke6f5 Kc7d7
6/15 00:00 4.217 113.000 +2,41 Rg8g4 Nd8c6 Kf6xe6 Ba4b3+ Ke6f5 Kc7d7 Rg4e4
7/15+ 00:00 7.868 135.000 +2,54 Rg8g4
7/15 00:00 11.941 178.000 +2,30 Bh4f2 Nd8c6 Bf2c5 Ba4b3 Rg8g2 Kc7d7 Rg2d2+ Kd7c7
7/15 00:00 13.485 192.000 +2,33 Bh4e1 Nd8c6 Be1c3 Ba4b3 Rg8g2 Kc7d7 Rg2d2+ Kd7e8
8/15 00:00 14.320 168.000 +2,33 Bh4e1 Nd8c6 Be1c3 Ba4b3 Rg8g2 Kc7d7 Rg2d2+ Kd7e8
8/15 00:00 15.558 174.000 +2,35 Rg8g4 Ba4b3 Bh4g3+ Kc7d7 Rg4d4+ Kd7e8 Rd4d2 Nd8c6 Bg3c7
9/17 00:00 30.492 260.000 +2,38 Bh4g3+ Kc7d7 Bg3d6 Nd8c6 Rg8g2 Ba4b3 Rg2d2 Kd7e8 Bd6c5 Ke8f8
10/17 00:00 55.705 357.000 +2,30 Bh4g3+ Kc7d7 Bg3d6 Nd8f7 Bd6b8 Ba4b3 Rg8g3 Kd7c6 Bb8e5 Kc6c5 Be5c3
10/19 00:00 69.451 394.000 +2,37 Bh4f2 Ba4b3 Bf2c5 Kc7c6 Bc5d4 Kc6d7 Rg8g2 Nd8c6 Bd4c5 Kd7c7 Bc5d6+ Kc7d7 Rg2d2 Kd7e8 Bd6c5 Ke8f8 Rd2g2
11/19 00:00 84.148 414.000 +2,37 Bh4f2 Ba4b3 Bf2c5 Kc7c6 Bc5d4 Kc6d7 Rg8g2 Nd8c6 Bd4c5 Kd7c7 Bc5d6+ Kc7d7 Rg2d2 Kd7e8 Bd6c5 Ke8f8 Rd2g2
12/21 00:00 130.681 491.000 +2,34 Bh4f2 Ba4b3 Bf2c5 Kc7c6 Bc5d4 Kc6d7 Rg8g2 Kd7c6 Bd4c3 Kc6c5 Rg2g5+ Kc5c4 Rg5g4+ Kc4b5 Rg4h4 Nd8f7 Rh4h5+ Kb5c6
13/21 00:00 212.766 573.000 +2,34 Bh4f2 Ba4b3 Bf2c5 Kc7c6 Bc5d4 Kc6d7 Rg8g2 Kd7c6 Bd4c3 Kc6c5 Rg2g5+ Kc5c4 Rg5g4+ Kc4b5 Rg4h4 Nd8f7 Rh4h5+ Kb5c6
14/21 00:00 317.682 621.000 +2,34 Bh4f2 Ba4b3 Bf2c5 Kc7c6 Bc5d4 Kc6d7 Rg8g2 Kd7c6 Bd4c3 Kc6c5 Rg2g5+ Kc5c4 Rg5g4+ Kc4b5 Rg4h4 Nd8f7 Rh4h5+ Kb5c6
15/24 00:01 548.784 683.000 +2,34 Bh4f2 Ba4b3 Bf2c5 Kc7c6 Bc5d4 Kc6d7 Rg8g2 Kd7c6 Bd4c3 Kc6c5 Rg2g5+ Kc5c4 Rg5g4+ Kc4b5 Rg4h4 Nd8f7 Rh4h5+ Kb5c6
16/25 00:01 1.107.215 750.000 +2,32 Bh4f2 Ba4b3 Bf2c5 Kc7c6 Bc5d4 Nd8f7 Bd4c3 Bb3d5 Rg8a8 Kc6b5 Ra8a1 Bd5b3 Kf6f5 Kb5c5 Ra1a5+ Kc5c6 Kf5f6 Kc6d7 Bc3d4 Kd7c6 Ra5a6+ Kc6b5
17/28 00:02 2.061.996 782.000 +2,32 Bh4f2 Ba4b3 Bf2c5 Kc7c6 Bc5d4 Nd8b7 Rg8a8 Kc6b5 Ra8b8 Kb5c6 Rb8h8 Kc6b5 Kf6e5 Nb7a5 Bd4c3 Kb5c5 Ke5e4 Na5c6 Rh8h5+ Kc5c4
18/29- 00:04 3.351.510 803.000 +2,21 Bh4f2 Ba4b3
18/31 00:08 7.077.865 814.000 +2,20 Bh4f2 Ba4b3 Bf2c5 Nd8c6 Rg8g2 Kc7d7 Rg2g5 Kd7c7 Rg5g2 Kc7d7
19/31 00:11 8.942.509 823.000 +2,20 Bh4f2 Ba4b3 Bf2c5 Nd8c6 Rg8g2 Kc7d7 Bc5d6 Nc6a5 Bd6e5 Na5c6 Rg2d2+ Kd7c8 Be5d6 Kc8b7 Rd2g2 Kb7b6 Rg2g5 Kb6a6 Rg5h5 Ka6b6 Rh5h2 Kb6b5 Rh2h4 Bb3d5 Rh4h5 Kb5c4
20/33 00:14 11.947.177 834.000 +2,19 Bh4f2 Ba4b3 Bf2c5 Nd8c6 Rg8g2 Kc7d7 Bc5d6 Kd7c8 Rg2g5 Kc8d7 Rg5b5 Nc6d4 Rb5h5 Nd4f3 Rh5c5 Nf3d2 Rc5c7+ Kd7e8 Bd6e5 Nd2f3 Be5f4 Nf3d4 Rc7c3 Ke8d7 Bf4c7 Nd4c6
21/34 00:21 17.717.071 842.000 +2,19 Bh4f2 Ba4b3 Bf2c5 Nd8c6 Rg8g2 Kc7d7 Bc5d6 Kd7c8 Rg2g5 Kc8b7 Bd6f4 Bb3c4 Rg5c5 Bc4b3 Bf4d6 Kb7b6 Rc5f5 Kb6a6 Rf5h5 Ka6b7 Rh5b5+ Kb7a6 Rb5h5 Ka6b7
22/37 00:30 25.225.789 846.000 +2,19 Bh4f2 Ba4b3 Bf2c5 Nd8c6 Rg8g2 Kc7d7 Bc5d6 Kd7c8 Rg2g5 Kc8b7 Bd6f4 Bb3c4 Rg5c5 Bc4b3 Bf4d6 Kb7b6 Rc5f5 Kb6a6 Rf5h5 Ka6b7 Rh5b5+ Kb7a6 Rb5h5 Ka6b7
23/41 00:44 38.196.018 855.000 +2,19 Bh4f2 Ba4b3 Bf2c5 Nd8c6 Rg8g2 Kc7d7 Bc5d6 Kd7c8 Rg2g5 Kc8b7 Bd6f4 Kb7b6 Bf4e3+ Kb6c7 Be3c5 Kc7c8 Rg5h5 Kc8b7 Bc5e3 Kb7c7 Be3f4+ Kc7b7 Bf4d2 Kb7c7 Bd2f4+ Kc7b7
24/41 01:03 54.783.060 866.000 +2,19 Bh4f2 Ba4b3 Bf2c5 Nd8c6 Rg8g2 Kc7d7 Bc5d6 Kd7c8 Rg2g5 Kc8b7 Bd6f4 Bb3c4 Rg5c5 Bc4b3 Bf4d6 Kb7b6 Rc5f5 Kb6a6 Rf5h5 Ka6b7 Kf6f5 Kb7b6 Kf5e4 Bb3c4 Rh5h2 Kb6b5 Rh2xc2 Nc6xb4 Rc2c3 Bc4d5+ Ke4d4
25/41 01:37 85.099.561 873.000 +2,19 Bh4f2 Ba4b3 Bf2c5 Nd8c6 Rg8g2 Kc7d7 Bc5d6 Kd7c8 Rg2g5 Kc8b7 Bd6f4 Kb7a6 Bf4d2 Ka6b7 Rg5h5 Kb7c8 Rh5h4 Kc8b7 Bd2c3 Kb7b6 Rh4h5 Kb6c7 Bc3e5+ Kc7b6 Be5d6 Nc6d8 Rh5f5 Nd8c6 Rf5f2 Kb6b5
26/45 02:32 134.162.166 879.000 +2,19 Bh4f2 Ba4b3 Bf2c5 Nd8c6 Rg8g2 Kc7d7 Bc5d6 Kd7c8 Rg2g5 Kc8b7 Bd6f4 Bb3c4 Rg5c5 Bc4b3 Rc5h5 Kb7c8 Rh5b5 Kc8d7 Bf4d6 Kd7c8 Rb5f5 Kc8b7 Rf5g5 Kb7b6 Rg5h5 Nc6d8 Rh5f5 Nd8c6 Rf5f2 Kb6b5
27/47 04:25 232.912.976 877.000 +2,19 Bh4f2 Ba4b3 Bf2c5 Nd8c6 Rg8g2 Kc7d7 Bc5d6 Kd7c8 Rg2g5 Kc8b7 Bd6f4 Bb3c4 Rg5c5 Bc4b3 Rc5h5 Kb7c8 Rh5b5 Kc8d7 Bf4d6 Kd7c8 Rb5h5 Kc8b7 Rh5f5 Kb7b6 Kf6g6 Bb3c4 Rf5f2 Bc4b3
28/47 08:34 418.836.500 814.000 +2,19 Bh4f2 Ba4b3 Bf2c5 Nd8c6 Rg8g2 Kc7d7 Bc5d6 Nc6d8 Bd6e5 Nd8c6 Rg2d2+ Kd7c8 Be5d6 Kc8b7 Rd2f2 Kb7a6 Rf2f5 Ka6b6 Rf5h5 Kb6a6 Rh5g5 Ka6b6 Rg5f5 Kb6a6 Rf5h5 Ka6b6 Rh5g5 Kb6b7 Bd6f4 Bb3c4 Rg5c5 Bc4b3 Rc5h5 Kb7c8 Rh5b5 Kc8d7 Bf4d6 Kd7c8 Rb5h5 Kc8b7 Rh5f5 Kb7b6 Rf5h5
29/51 18:08 844.917.265 776.000 +2,19 Bh4f2 Ba4b3 Bf2c5 Nd8c6 Rg8g2 Kc7d7 Bc5d6 Nc6d8 Bd6e5 Nd8c6 Rg2d2+ Kd7c8 Be5d6 Kc8b7 Rd2f2 Kb7a6 Rf2f5 Ka6b6 Rf5h5 Kb6a6 Rh5g5 Ka6b6 Rg5f5 Kb6a6 Rf5h5 Ka6b6 Rh5f5 Kb6a6
30/53 32:14 1.422.643.813 735.000 +2,19 Bh4f2 Ba4b3 Bf2c5 Nd8c6 Rg8g2 Kc7d7 Bc5d6 Nc6d8 Bd6e5 Nd8c6 Rg2d2+ Kd7c8 Be5d6 Kc8b7 Rd2f2 Kb7a6 Rf2f5 Ka6b6 Rf5h5 Kb6a6 Kf6g7 Nc6a5 Rh5f5 Na5c6 Rf5g5 Ka6b6 Kg7f6 Kb6b7 Bd6f4 Bb3c4 Rg5c5 Bc4b3 Rc5h5 Kb7c8 Rh5b5 Kc8d7 Bf4d6 Kd7c8 Rb5h5 Kc8b7 Rh5c5 Kb7b6 Rc5f5 Kb6a6 Rf5g5 Ka6b7 Bd6f4
31/55 58:04 2.456.449 659 705.000 +2,19 Bh4f2 Ba4b3 Bf2c5 Nd8c6 Rg8g2 Kc7d7 Rg2d2+ Kd7c8 Rd2h2 Kc8b7 Rh2h5 Kb7a6 Bc5d6 Ka6b6 Rh5f5 Nc6d8 Rf5g5 Nd8c6 Rg5h5 Kb6a6 Rh5f5 Ka6b6 Rf5g5 Kb6a6 Rg5h5 Ka6b6
31/55 1:10:19 2.973.738 488 704.000 +2,19 Bh4f2 Ba4b3 Bf2c5 Nd8c6 Rg8g2 Kc7d7 Rg2d2+ Kd7c8 Rd2h2 Kc8b7 Rh2h5 Kb7a6 Bc5d6 Ka6b6 Rh5f5 Nc6d8 Rf5g5 Nd8c6 Rg5h5 Kb6a6 Rh5f5 Ka6b6 Rf5g5 Kb6a6 Rg5h5 Ka6b6
Why?
To explain it we must test diagram 2, after 3 moves of solution.
Diagram 2:
[d]3K4/4p3/4k3/8/Bp6/6b1/2P5/8 w - - 0 1
Code: Select all
Houdini_15a_w32:
4/8 00:00 227 227.000 -0,25 Ba4b3+ Ke6d6 Kd8e8 e7e5 Ke8f7
4/8 00:00 354 29.000 -0,21 Ba4c6 Ke6d6 Bc6e4 e7e5
5/9 00:00 554 34.000 -0,26 Ba4c6 Ke6d6 Bc6e4 e7e5 Kd8e8
6/9 00:00 1.080 56.000 -0,23 Ba4c6 Ke6d6 Bc6e4 e7e5 Kd8e8 Bg3f4
7/11 00:00 2.163 90.000 -0,26 Ba4c6 Ke6d6 Bc6e4 e7e5 Kd8e8 Kd6e6 Ke8d8
8/11 00:00 3.770 145.000 -0,23 Ba4c6 Ke6d6 Bc6e4 e7e5 Kd8e8 Kd6e6 Ke8d8 Bg3f4
9/20 00:00 35.410 472.000 -0,45 Ba4c6 Ke6d6 Bc6e4 e7e5 Be4f3 Kd6c5 Kd8e7 Kc5d4 Bf3e2 e5e4 Ke7f6 e4e3 Kf6f5
9/20 00:00 47.188 462.000 -0,38 Kd8c8 Ke6d6 Kc8b7 Kd6c5 Ba4d7 e7e5 Bd7f5 Kc5d4 Kb7b6 e5e4 Kb6b5
10/20- 00:00 53.297 455.000 -0,43 Kd8c8 Ke6d6
10/20 00:00 80.089 530.000 -0,48 Kd8c8 Ke6d6 Kc8b7 Kd6c5 Ba4c6 e7e5 Bc6g2 Kc5d4 Kb7b6 e5e4 Kb6b5 e4e3 Kb5xb4 e3e2 c2c3+ Kd4d3
10/20 00:00 86.078 531.000 -0,45 Ba4c6 Ke6d6 Bc6e4 e7e5 Be4f3 Kd6c5 Kd8e7 Kc5d4 Bf3e2 e5e4 Ke7f6 e4e3 Kf6f5
11/20 00:00 114.822 574.000 -0,49 Ba4c6 Ke6d6 Bc6e4 e7e5 Be4f3 Kd6c5 Kd8e7 Kc5d4 Bf3e2 e5e4 Ke7f6 e4e3 Kf6f5 Bg3c7 Kf5g4
12/24+ 00:00 222.806 673.000 -0,43 Ba4c6
12/24 00:00 226.442 675.000 -0,43 Ba4c6 Ke6d6 Bc6g2 e7e5 Kd8e8 Kd6c5 Ke8f7 Kc5d4 Kf7g6 e5e4 Kg6f5 e4e3 Bg2f1 Kd4c3 Kf5e4 Bg3f2 Bf1d3
13/24 00:00 294.929 710.000 -0,40 Ba4c6 Ke6d6 Bc6g2 e7e5 Kd8e8 Kd6c5 Ke8f7 Kc5d4 Kf7g6 e5e4 Kg6f5 e4e3 Bg2f1 Bg3e5 Kf5g4 Kd4c3 Kg4f3 Kc3d2 Bf1e2
13/24 00:00 458.519 733.000 -0,39 Kd8e8 Ke6d6 Ke8f7 e7e5 Kf7g6 e5e4 Kg6f5 Kd6d5 Kf5g4 Bg3c7 Ba4b3+ Kd5d4 Bb3f7 Bc7b8 Bf7g8 Kd4c3 Bg8b3
14/25 00:00 526.906 742.000 -0,39 Kd8e8 Ke6d6 Ke8f7 e7e5 Kf7g6 e5e4 Kg6f5 Kd6d5 Kf5g4 Bg3c7 Ba4b3+ Kd5d4 Bb3f7 Bc7b8 Bf7g8 Kd4c3 Bg8b3
15/25 00:01 752.661 767.000 -0,39 Kd8e8 Ke6d6 Ke8f7 e7e5 Kf7g6 e5e4 Kg6f5 Kd6d5 Kf5g4 Bg3e5 Ba4b3+ Kd5d4 Bb3a4 Be5c7 Ba4c6 Bc7b8 Bc6d7 Kd4c3
16/25 00:01 1.176.799 796.000 -0,39 Kd8e8 Ke6d6 Ke8f7 e7e5 Kf7g6 e5e4 Kg6f5 Kd6d5 Kf5g4 Bg3e5 Ba4b3+ Kd5d4 Bb3a4 Be5c7 Ba4c6 Bc7b8 Bc6a4 Bb8e5 Ba4b5 Kd4c3
17/28 00:02 2.013.568 828.000 -0,41 Kd8e8 Ke6d6 Ke8f7 e7e5 Kf7g6 e5e4 Kg6f5 e4e3 Ba4b5 Kd6c5 Bb5e2 Kc5d4 Be2b5 Kd4c3 Kf5e4 Kc3d2 Ke4f3 Bg3e5 Bb5f1 Be5d4 Bf1d3
18/28 00:04 3.350.386 853.000 -0,41 Kd8e8 Ke6d6 Ke8f7 e7e5 Kf7g6 e5e4 Kg6f5 e4e3 Ba4b5 Kd6c5 Bb5e2 Kc5d4 Be2b5 Kd4c3 Kf5e4 Kc3d2 Ke4f3 Bg3e5 Bb5f1 Be5d4 Bf1d3
19/30- 00:04 3.936.505 860.000 -0,47 Kd8e8 Ke6d6
19/30- 00:06 5.341.053 867.000 -0,59 Kd8e8 Ke6d6
19/45- 00:16 14.813.456 921.000 -1,79 Kd8e8 Ke6d6
19/57 00:27 25.953.183 957.000 -2,25 Kd8e8 Ke6d6 Ke8f7 e7e5 Ba4b5 e5e4 Bb5f1 Kd6c5 Kf7e8 e4e3 Ke8d7 Kc5d4 Kd7c6 Bg3h4 Kc6b6 Kd4c3 Kb6b5 Bh4e1 Bf1e2 Kc3xc2 Kb5c4 b4b3 Be2d3+ Kc2d2 Bd3e4 b3b2 Kc4b3 Kd2c1 Kb3a2 e3e2 Be4b1 Be1c3
Engines use “null move pruning” to detect and eliminate weak moves.
In fact it is a cascade of threats with a gigantic reduction, for me “black hole”.
Houdini starts the first position (diagram 1) and gets the second position (diagram 2) after 3 moves and next tests a threat (null move pruning) which must give less than –2,19 to be a good threat.
Since the engine needs 19 depths to solve diagram 2 directly, it seems to be impossible to pass the threat.
Unfortunately, such positions can be millions. It applies to endgames mainly, but not only.
Practically, all infinite searches are unreliable.
How to play against such “imperfect“ engines?
Opposite castling and sacrifices with a longer motivation.