Next Komodo match: queen for two minors

[lkaufman]

We're going to try another match vs. FM Larry Gilden (now age 75, but probably the strongest active player in U.S. age 75 or older). As you may recall, he beat Komodo by three to zero recently at knight odds. This time the handicap is queen for two minor pieces; White removes queen, Black removes two knights one game, two bishops one game, and bishop and knight (b8,c8) one game. Usual time limit of 45' + 15".
Based on the standard 1-3-3-5-9 count, these handicaps should be equal to knight odds. It might even be argued that they are larger than knight odds, because they start with the equivalent of two minor pieces per side already exchanged off. Both Stockfish and Houdini6 rate the average value of these three handicaps as just a tiny bit (just a few centipawns) less than knight odds. Komodo thinks that they are on average more clearly less than knight odds, more like 1/3 of a pawn or so. Perhaps this match will shed some light on this question. The only relevant prior game was a draw with GM Joel Benjamin at queen for two bishops, presumably the smallest of the three handicaps.
Match date October 10 at noon Eastern Time, Komodochess broadcast.
Next GM match on chess.com will be against Alex Lenderman in November; I'll post details after the Gilden match.
How will Komodo do without its queen?

[Nordlandia]

Komodo excels in Queen vs Minor imbalance positions. This will be interesting. I look forward to this match.

[Lyudmil Tsvetkov]

We're going to try another match vs. FM Larry Gilden (now age 75, but probably the strongest active player in U.S. age 75 or older). As you may recall, he beat Komodo by three to zero recently at knight odds. This time the handicap is queen for two minor pieces; White removes queen, Black removes two knights one game, two bishops one game, and bishop and knight (b8,c8) one game. Usual time limit of 45' + 15".
Based on the standard 1-3-3-5-9 count, these handicaps should be equal to knight odds. It might even be argued that they are larger than knight odds, because they start with the equivalent of two minor pieces per side already exchanged off. Both Stockfish and Houdini6 rate the average value of these three handicaps as just a tiny bit (just a few centipawns) less than knight odds. Komodo thinks that they are on average more clearly less than knight odds, more like 1/3 of a pawn or so. Perhaps this match will shed some light on this question. The only relevant prior game was a draw with GM Joel Benjamin at queen for two bishops, presumably the smallest of the three handicaps.
Match date October 10 at noon Eastern Time, Komodochess broadcast.
Next GM match on chess.com will be against Alex Lenderman in November; I'll post details after the Gilden match.
How will Komodo do without its queen?

Of course, Komodo has the most precise evaluation about this position, and you know that very well.

still, even Komodo is very conservative.
I guess queenless side is additionally favoured not by 1/3 of a pawn, but by 3/4 of a pawn or even more, because of the large number of pieces.

I tried that once, and it is much more difficult than pure knight odds to win for the handicap-taker, although still pretty easy to convert.

[Lyudmil Tsvetkov]

another interesting suggestion is rook for 2 pawns, for example a1 rook for c7 and g7 black pawns.

similar to knight for pawn, but I guess much more interesting.

[Graham Banks]

Komodo 2-1

[JJJ]

3 draw

[Nordlandia]

Idea for future Komodo odds matches.

As long as Komodo support playing with more than regular (32 pieces) there should be nothing wrong with this.

Couple of example positions ->

[d]r1bqkbnr/pppppppp/1p4p1/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w - - 0 1

[d]rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/2P2P2/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQK1NR w - - 0 1

Komodo play white.

[d]rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/3PPP2/PPPPPPPP/1NBQKBNR w - - 0 1

the possibilities are endless!

[JJJ]

I already proposed this kind of handicap, but Larry didn't want to play them because it is not close enough to normal chess with handicap. I understand this reason.

[Nordlandia]

I already proposed this kind of handicap, but Larry didn't want to play them because it is not close enough to normal chess with handicap. I understand this reason.

That is in my opinion quite conservative and puristic view.

C'mon loosen up a bit, i'm sure such matches is going to be fun to watch.

[JJJ]

Maybe they could propose one game and the others normal, just to try