Release : Chess System Tal EXTREME

[PHILOCHESS]

Apologies for moving slightly away from the main topic of this thread, which is the release of CST EXTREME.

Since you mentioned Absurd, I thought it might be interesting to share one of the games from the tests I have been running with several engines.

In this game, Absurd 1.0 defeated Dragon 4.6. What I found most interesting is that it did not win through a wild sacrifice or a direct attack on the king. The win came in a much more positional way.

Absurd gradually shifted the play to the queenside. After the early queen exchange, White expanded with a4-a5 and later b4, creating a structure in which the queenside became the main battlefield.

The decisive element was the creation of a dangerous outside passed pawn on the a-file. After White’s rook became active and the a-pawn reached a7, Black’s pieces were tied down.

I found this quite instructive, especially in relation to your comments about style engines. Even a very aggressive or unbalanced engine may sometimes express its character not only through sacrifices, but also through the way it creates practical problems and positional pressure.

It's no big surprise against a considerable lower rated engine, because Absurd or CST-EXTREME don't need to launch their fire arsenal. Against equal and especially against stronger engines it is obliged to salt opponents with fire else it will lose.

The https://rebel7775.wixsite.com/rebel/pla ... ating-list is based on an 3400 elo pool style engines has to gain style points and Absurd being the lowest elo rated engine ( est. 3000) tops the list. Patricia-3 (est. 3200) on place 4 also profits playing 3400 elo engines. For an engine like Stockfish 17.1 playing 3400 elo engines is a disadvantage, it will win most of its game in a normal positional way against 3400 engines and win not much style points.

Nothing is perfect.

Yes, I agree with your point. Against a clearly lower-rated engine, Absurd does not need to show its full firepower, and that certainly limits the value of the game as evidence of its extreme style.

My point was more modest: I found the game instructive because it shows that even a highly unbalanced engine can sometimes create pressure in a positional way, through structure and piece activity, rather than through immediate sacrifices.

So I agree: as a style test, the opposition matters a lot.

Indeed, nothing is perfect.