Details about Leela Chalange in Jerusalem

[lkaufman]

game 19
I think Leela gave the human a draw too fast and there was no simple ddrawfor the human in case of moves like 46. Bd5

[pgn][Event "casual classical game"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/SxftFixP"]
[Date "2025.11.29"]
[Round "?"]
[White "LeelaRookOdds"]
[Black "shmulikhagadol"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[BlackElo "2400"]
[WhiteElo "2400"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/1NBQKBNR w Kkq - 0 1"]
[Termination "normal"]
[PlyCount "100"]
[WhiteType "human"]
[BlackType "human"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 e5 3. d5 Nf6 4. Nc3 c6 5. h3 Be7 6. g4 h6 7. Nge2 Na6 8. Ng3
cxd5 9. exd5 Bd7 10. Bd2 Qb6 11. b3 Rc8 12. a3 Rxc3 13. Bxc3 Qc5 14. Bd2
Qxd5 (14. .. Nxd5 15. b4 (15. Bg2 Nf4 16. Bxb7 Bc6 17. Bxc6+ Qxc6) 15. ..
Qd4 16. Bg2 Qc4) 15. c4 Qc6 16. Be2 Nc5 17. O-O h5 18. g5 Bxh3 19. Bf3 e4
20. Bh1 Ng4 21. Re1 O-O (21. .. d5 22. cxd5 Qd6 23. Bxe4 (23. b4? Nxf2) 23.
.. Nxe4 24. Rxe4 Qxd5) (21. .. Nxf2 22. Kxf2 Nd3+ 23. Kg1 Bg4 24. Qb1 Nxe1
25. Qxe1 Qb6+ 26. Qf2) 22. Nxe4 Nxe4 23. Rxe4 Qc5 (23. .. d5 24. cxd5 Qc7
25. Bf4 Bd6) 24. Qf3 Bxg5 25. Bb4 Qb6 26. Qg3 h4 27. Qf3 Nf6 28. Qxh3 Nxe4?
(28. .. a5 29. Bc3 (29. Be1 Nxe4 30. Bxe4 Re8 31. Qd3 d5 32. Qxd5 Qxb3) 29.
.. Nxe4 30. Bxe4 Qxb3) 29. Bxe4 Qd4 30. Bxb7 Qf6? (30. .. a5 31. Bc3 (31.
Bxa5 31. .. Qa7 32. Qf5 Qxb7 33. Qxg5 Qxb3) (31. Be1 Qd1) 31. .. Qd1+ 32.
Kg2 Qxb3) 31. Bc6 Qg6 32. Kf1 Be7 33. Qf3 Kh8 (33. .. Bg5) 34. Bd5 f5 35.
Qe3 (35. Bd2) 35. .. Bg5 36. Qh3 Be7 37. Qe3 Bg5 38. Qh3 Be7?? {Blunder.
Qh6 was best.} 39. Qd3?? {Blunder. Qe3 was best.} (39. Qe3) 39. .. Qg5 40.
Bd2 f4?! {Inaccuracy. Qh5 was best.} (40. .. Qh5 41. Bf3 Qg6) 41. Qf3 g6
42. b4 Qf5 {Black offers draw} 43. Be4 Qe6 44. Bd5 Qf5 45. Be4 Qe6 46. Kg2?
{Mistake. Bd5 was best.} (46. Bd5 Qd7 47. Qe4 Kg7 48. Be6 d5 49. cxd5 Qc7)
46. .. Kg7 47. Bd5 Qf5 48. Be4 Qe6 49. Bd5 Qf5 50. Be4 Qe6?? {The game is a
draw.} (50. .. Qg5+ 51. Kh1) 1/2-1/2
[/pgn]

You are probably right, although the exchange and a pawn advantage with this reduced material is probably more than a knight up at the start, so it isn't surprising. LeelaRookOdds (and LeelaKnightOdds) assume that the opponent is roughly a par (2500) GM playing at a classical time limit.

[Uri Blass]

I asked NM itay sitbon for the reason he accepted a draw with more than 40 minutes on the clock in the first game when he drew against leela.
He could at least think for more time before accepting a repetition.

He explained that he had a cold so could not concentrate and felt that if he is going to continue and try to win he is going to destroy his position
About the second game that he lost he said:
"In the second game, I just wasn't focused from the start, so I wasn't thinking at all. I was too cold to think seriously in two classic games one after the other."

[Uri Blass]

Here is some analysis of game 20 the draw against itay sitbon.

[pgn][Event "casual classical game"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/1K1ZS7q1"]
[Date "2025.11.29"]
[Round "?"]
[White "LeelaRookOdds"]
[Black "itay121"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[BlackElo "2400"]
[WhiteElo "2000"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/1NBQKBNR w Kkq - 0 1"]
[Termination "normal"]
[PlyCount "85"]
[WhiteType "program"]
[BlackType "human"]

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nbd2 Bf5 4. Nh4 Bd7 5. e3 e6 6. f4 c5 7. c3 Qb6 8.
a4 cxd4 9. exd4 Qa5 10. Bd3 g6 11. g4 Be7 12. Qe2 Nc6 13. Ng2 a6 14. O-O
Qxa4 15. Ne3 Nxd4 16. cxd4 Qxd4 17. Nf3 Qb6 18. g5 Ne4 19. Kg2 Bb5 20. Ng4
Rc8 21. Be3 Bc5 22. Bc1 Bxd3 23. Qxd3 Qb5 24. Qd1 h5 25. gxh6 f5 26. Nge5
Rxh6 27. Re1 Kf8 28. Nd3 Bd6 29. Be3 Kg8 30. Rg1 Qe8 (30. .. Qc6 31. Nd4
Qc7) 31. Kh1 Be7 32. Bd4 Bf6 33. Bxf6 Nxf6 34. Nde5 Rc7 35. Qd4 Ne4 36. Qb6
Rc2 37. h4 Nf2+ 38. Kh2 Ne4+ (38. .. Qe7) 39. Kh3 Nf2+ 40. Kh2 Ne4+ (40. ..
Qe7 41. Rxg6+ Rxg6 42. Nxg6 Qf6) 41. Kh3 Nf2+?? {(-2.69 ? 0.00) Blunder.
Qe7 was best.} (41. .. Qe7 42. Nxg6 Nf2+ 43. Qxf2 Rxf2 44. Nxe7+ Kf7 45.
Kg3 Rc2) 42. Kg3?? {(0.00 ? -2.79) Blunder. Kh2 was best.} (42. Kh2) 42. ..
Ne4+?? {(-2.79 ? 0.00) Blunder. Qe7 was best.} (42. .. Qe7 43. Rg2 (43. Qb3
Ne4+ 44. Kh3 Re2 45. Rg2 (45. Qb6 Rxh4+ 46. Nxh4 Qxh4+ 47. Kxh4 Rh2#) 45.
.. Rxg2 46. Kxg2 Qc5) 43. .. Ne4+ 44. Kh3 Rxg2 45. Kxg2 Rh7) 43. Kh3 {The
game is a draw.} 1/2-1/2
[/pgn]

[Uri Blass]

analysis of game 21

[pgn][Event "casual classical game"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/kVNMdeFv"]
[Date "2025.11.29"]
[Round "?"]
[White "LeelaRookOdds"]
[Black "seriousplayerfr"]
[Result "1-0"]
[BlackElo "2400"]
[WhiteElo "2400"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/1NBQKBNR w Kkq - 0 1"]
[Termination "normal"]
[PlyCount "65"]
[WhiteType "human"]
[BlackType "human"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Qc2 Nf6 4. h3 dxc4 5. e4 b5 6. d3 cxd3 7. Bxd3 e6 8.
O-O Bb7 9. Nc3 Nbd7 10. Bf4 a6 11. Rd1 Be7 12. a4 Qa5 13. b3 Nc5 14. Bf1
Rd8 15. Nd2 Rd7 16. Be3 O-O 17. Rb1 Qc7 18. Nf3 b4 19. e5 bxc3? {losing a
piece there is a way to win after it but there is a more simple way to win
by trading} (19. .. Nd5) 20. exf6 gxf6 21. b4 Rd5?! {Inaccuracy. Nxa4 or
Ne4 were best.} (21. .. Ne4 22. Qxe4 c5 23. Qg4+ Kh8 24. bxc5 Rg8 25. Qh5
Be4) (21. .. Nxa4 22. Qxa4 c5 23. bxc5 Bxf3 24. gxf3 Bxc5 25. Bf4 (25. Bxc5
Qxc5 26. Qxd7 c2 27. Re1 Qa5) 25. .. Bd6 26. Be3 Rfd8) 22. bxc5 Bxc5 23.
Bh6 Rfd8 24. Qxc3 Bf8?? {Blunder. Be7 was best.now black does not win} (24.
.. Be7 25. Nh2 Kh8 26. Ng4 Rd4 27. Be3 c5 28. Bxd4 Rxd4 29. a5 h5 30. Ne3)
25. Bxf8 Kxf8 26. Qxf6 Ke8 27. Ng5 Bc8 28. Nxh7 Rf5 29. Qh6 Qf4?? {A losing
Blunder. Kd7 was best.} (29. .. Kd7) 30. Qf8+ Kd7 31. Nf6+ Kc7 32. Qe7+ Bd7
33. Bxa6 {. Black resigns} 1-0
[/pgn]

[Uri Blass]

analysis of game 22 when I do not understand why leela allowed a trade instead of making the position more complicated.

[pgn][Event "casual classical game"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/2DodfoJx"]
[Date "2025.11.29"]
[Round "?"]
[White "LeelaRookOdds"]
[Black "BishopBoss08"]
[Result "0-1"]
[BlackElo "2200"]
[WhiteElo "2200"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/1NBQKBNR w Kkq - 0 1"]
[Termination "normal"]
[PlyCount "154"]
[WhiteType "human"]
[BlackType "human"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. g4 c5 5. d5 Nxg4 6. Nf3 d6 7. Qc2 exd5 8.
cxd5 Nd7 9. Rg1 Nde5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxg7 Qf6 12. Rg3 Bd7 13. Bg5 Qg6 14.
Qd2 f6 15. Bf4 Qf7 16. a3 Bxc3 17. Rxc3 Rg8 18. Bg3 O-O-O 19. b4 Kb8 20.
bxc5 dxc5 21. f3 Rxg3 22. hxg3 Qe7 {Black offers draw} 23. e4 Qd6 24. Be2
h5 25. Qh6 c4 26. Kd2 Re8 27. Qe3 f5 28. Bxc4 {do not understand this move
that allows black to trade pieces and make the win easier} Nxc4+ 29. Rxc4
Qxg3 30. e5 Qxe5 31. Qxe5+ Rxe5 32. d6 Rd5+ 33. Ke3 Rxd6 34. Rh4 Be8 35.
Rf4 Rd5 36. Rh4 Kc7 37. Rc4+ Bc6 38. Rh4 Ra5 39. a4 Rxa4 40. Rxh5 Ra3+ 41.
Kd4 Rxf3 42. Rh7+ Kb6 43. Rh2 Rf4+ 44. Ke5 Re4+ 45. Kxf5 Re8 46. Rb2+ Kc5
47. Rc2+ Kd6 48. Rd2+ Bd5 49. Rb2 b6 50. Kf4 Kc5 51. Rc2+ Bc4 52. Rh2 b5
53. Rh5+ Kb4 54. Rh1 a5 55. Rb1+ Bb3 56. Rh1 a4 57. Rh4 a3 58. Kg5+ Bc4 59.
Rh1 a2 60. Ra1 Re2 61. Kf4 Rb2 62. Ke5 Rb1 63. Rxa2 Bxa2 64. Ke4 Bc4 65.
Ke5 Rd1 66. Kf4 Kc5 67. Kf5 b4 68. Kf4 b3 69. Kg4 b2 70. Kf5 b1=Q+ 71. Kg5
Qd3 72. Kg4 Rg1+ 73. Kf4 Qf1+ 74. Ke3 Rg3+ 75. Ke4 Qd3+ 76. Ke5 Qd6+ 77.
Ke4 Bd3# {Black wins by checkmate.} 0-1
[/pgn]

[Uri Blass]

some analysis of game 23

[pgn][Event "casual classical game"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/G7O1j1qI"]
[Date "2025.11.29"]
[Round "?"]
[White "LeelaRookOdds"]
[Black "Yannay_2004"]
[Result "0-1"]
[BlackElo "2400"]
[WhiteElo "2400"]
[TimeControl "5400+30"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/1NBQKBNR w Kkq - 0 1"]
[Termination "normal"]
[PlyCount "114"]
[WhiteType "human"]
[BlackType "human"]

1. f4 Nf6 2. e3 d6 3. Nf3 g6 4. h3 Bg7 5. d3 e5 6. g4 e4 7. Nd4 c5 8. Ne2
d5 9. Bg2 h5 10. g5 Ng8 11. Nec3 f5 12. gxf6 Nxf6 13. dxe4 dxe4 14. Nd2 Nc6
15. Qe2 Be6 16. O-O Qb6 17. Ndxe4 Nxe4 18. Nxe4 O-O-O 19. Ng5 Bd5 20. e4
(20. c3 {not sure but may be betterpractical chance} Bxg2 21. Kxg2 (21.
Qxg2 Rd7) 21. .. Rhe8) 20. .. Nd4! 21. Qf2 Bc4 22. Re1 Ne2+ 23. Rxe2 Rd1+
24. Re1 Rxc1 25. e5 Rxe1+ 26. Qxe1 Qxb2 27. Ne4 Bd5 28. Nd6+ Kb8 29. Bxd5
Qd4+ 30. Qf2 Qxd5 31. c4 Qd4 32. Kg2 Qxf2+ 33. Kxf2 Rf8 34. Ke3 Bh6 35. Ke4
Bxf4 36. Kd5 g5 37. e6 Bxd6 38. Kxd6 Rf6 39. Kd7 g4 40. hxg4 hxg4 41. e7
Rf7 42. Ke8 Rxe7+ 43. Kxe7 g3 44. Kd6 g2 45. Kxc5 g1=Q+ 46. Kd5 Qe3 47. c5
Kc7 48. a4 Qd3+ 49. Ke5 Kc6 50. a5 Qe3+ 51. Kf5 Kd5 52. Kf6 Qf4+ 53. Ke7
Qe5+ 54. Kf8 Qc7 55. Kg8 Ke6 56. c6 Kf6 57. Kh8 Qg7# {Black wins by
checkmate.} 0-1
[/pgn]