Gligoric-Smyslov, 1959

[zullil]

No one can convince me this position is a draw.

This is my fear.

OK, SF this time plays Ba4. I'll post evaluations (but not PVs) as we go, so there is a record. SF already says 0 here.

[d]b7/1r3q1k/r2B2pb/p2nPp1p/B1pP1P1P/2P3QN/R6K/5R2 b - - 1 3

Your move.

[Lyudmil Tsvetkov]

No one can convince me this position is a draw.

This is my fear.

OK, SF this time plays Ba4. I'll post evaluations (but not PVs) as we go, so there is a record. SF already says 0 here.

[d]b7/1r3q1k/r2B2pb/p2nPp1p/B1pP1P1P/2P3QN/R6K/5R2 b - - 1 3

Your move.

Thanks Louis.

Rab6

[d]b7/1r3q1k/1r1B2pb/p2nPp1p/B1pP1P1P/2P3QN/R6K/5R2 w - - 0 2

You might want to do sufficiently long searches, or whatever it pleases you, so that in the end SF does not complain about unjust conditions.

[zullil]

Rab6

[d]b7/1r3q1k/1r1B2pb/p2nPp1p/B1pP1P1P/2P3QN/R6K/5R2 w - - 0 2

You might want to do sufficiently long searches, or whatever it pleases you, so that in the end SF does not complain about unjust conditions.

After a long search and a "last-minute" change of mind, SF says Ba3 with evaluation of 0.00
[d]b7/1r3q1k/1r4pb/p2nPp1p/B1pP1P1P/B1P3QN/R6K/5R2 b - - 3 4

[Lyudmil Tsvetkov]

Rab6

[d]b7/1r3q1k/1r1B2pb/p2nPp1p/B1pP1P1P/2P3QN/R6K/5R2 w - - 0 2

You might want to do sufficiently long searches, or whatever it pleases you, so that in the end SF does not complain about unjust conditions.

After a long search and a "last-minute" change of mind, SF says Ba3 with evaluation of 0.00
[d]b7/1r3q1k/1r4pb/p2nPp1p/B1pP1P1P/B1P3QN/R6K/5R2 b - - 3 4

I am always suspicious of those last-minute changes...

Rb8

[d]br6/5q1k/1r4pb/p2nPp1p/B1pP1P1P/B1P3QN/R6K/5R2 w - - 0 3

[zullil]

I am always suspicious of those last-minute changes...

Rb8
[d]br6/5q1k/1r4pb/p2nPp1p/B1pP1P1P/B1P3QN/R6K/5R2 w - - 0 3

SF plays Bc1 with evaluation remaining at 0.
[d]br6/5q1k/1r4pb/p2nPp1p/B1pP1P1P/2P3QN/R6K/2B2R2 b - - 5 5

[michiguel]

I am always suspicious of those last-minute changes...

Rb8
[d]br6/5q1k/1r4pb/p2nPp1p/B1pP1P1P/B1P3QN/R6K/5R2 w - - 0 3

SF plays Bc1 with evaluation remaining at 0.
[d]br6/5q1k/1r4pb/p2nPp1p/B1pP1P1P/2P3QN/R6K/2B2R2 b - - 5 5

And it will remain 0 until everybody is bored to oblivion.

Miguel

[zullil]

I am always suspicious of those last-minute changes...

Rb8
[d]br6/5q1k/1r4pb/p2nPp1p/B1pP1P1P/B1P3QN/R6K/5R2 w - - 0 3

SF plays Bc1 with evaluation remaining at 0.
[d]br6/5q1k/1r4pb/p2nPp1p/B1pP1P1P/2P3QN/R6K/2B2R2 b - - 5 5

And it will remain 0 until everybody is bored to oblivion.

Miguel

My apology to those who are bored. Lyudmil seems certain that Black can win here. If so, then there is some excitement ahead.

In any case, after this game, I will reconsider the "politeness" of engaging in this activity on this forum.

[michiguel]

I am always suspicious of those last-minute changes...

Rb8
[d]br6/5q1k/1r4pb/p2nPp1p/B1pP1P1P/B1P3QN/R6K/5R2 w - - 0 3

SF plays Bc1 with evaluation remaining at 0.
[d]br6/5q1k/1r4pb/p2nPp1p/B1pP1P1P/2P3QN/R6K/2B2R2 b - - 5 5

And it will remain 0 until everybody is bored to oblivion.

Miguel

My apology to those who are bored. Lyudmil seems certain that Black can win here. If so, then there is some excitement ahead.

In any case, after this game, I will reconsider the "politeness" of engaging in this activity on this forum.

I am not trying to discourage you, I am just saying this is a draw. And the draw score will remain so. I could have said until hell freezes over, or the Cubs win the World Series or...
Things are blocked and there is no entrance.

Miguel

[Lyudmil Tsvetkov]

I am always suspicious of those last-minute changes...

Rb8
[d]br6/5q1k/1r4pb/p2nPp1p/B1pP1P1P/B1P3QN/R6K/5R2 w - - 0 3

SF plays Bc1 with evaluation remaining at 0.
[d]br6/5q1k/1r4pb/p2nPp1p/B1pP1P1P/2P3QN/R6K/2B2R2 b - - 5 5

[d]br6/2n2q1k/1r4pb/p3Pp1p/B1pP1P1P/2P3QN/R6K/2B2R2 w - - 0 2

Nc7

[d]br6/2n2q1k/1r4pb/p3Pp1p/B1pP1P1P/2P3QN/R6K/2B2R2 w - - 0 2


I observe an interesting phenomenon on this forum (why did Louis also say this?): people are bored to death by this thread, and at the same time they are following it!

Well, no one makes you to do so; I simply do not notice the threads that do not interest me.

In any case, I think, we should have very high regard for Louis, and especially for his SF, even if it loses this game.

What concerns the game: black wins this, no doubt about that.
It is not that I assess the position as a win, that really does not matter, the matter of fact is, that usually, when claiming something, I additionally recheck with SF playing a bunch of shootouts, and when the shootouts confirm my hypothesis, then I am almost certain no one can disprove it.

Also in this particular case, whenever I try some shootouts on this position, black seems to gain the upperhand in some 70-80% of all cases, starting from a 0.0 score, or score slightly favouring white, and ending with black advantage, or considerable black advantage.

Shootouts are very good thing: they are a much better indicator than longer search/analysis done just by a single engine, as in the shootouts I conduct I manage to blend my own human positional understanding, suggesting moves here and there, with SF's superb tactical skills.

Also, with shootouts, the search is renewed every time, and, as most people know, searching closer to the root always tends to be more precise, even at quick time control.

So that, again, my belief is more or less based on fact.

The only problem is that probably I kind of do not give the best of myself currently, for objective reasons, maybe because of the so-called spring fatigue/weariness symptom, which somehow, or maybe something else closer or far related, kind of prevents me to fully concentrate on the game.

But not being able to fully concentrate does not of course mean you should not try.

[zullil]

Nc7

[d]br6/2n2q1k/1r4pb/p3Pp1p/B1pP1P1P/2P3QN/R6K/2B2R2 w - - 0 2

SF plays Rg1 with evaluation at 0.
[d]br6/2n2q1k/1r4pb/p3Pp1p/B1pP1P1P/2P3QN/R6K/2B3R1 b - - 7 6