Gossip2: stupid engines

[Henk]

Go to move 18.
[pgn]
[Event "Dresden"]
[Site "Dresden GER"]
[Date "1926.04.09"]
[EventDate "1926.04.04"]
[Round "5"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Aron Nimzowitsch"]
[Black "Akiba Rubinstein"]
[ECO "A34"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "91"]

1. c4 { Notes by Raymond Keene. Awarded the prize for the
best-played game.} c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4
Nb4 6. Bc4 e6 7. O-O N8c6 8. d3 Nd4 9. Nxd4 cxd4 10. Ne2 a6
11. Ng3 Bd6 12. f4 O-O 13. Qf3 Kh8 14. Bd2 f5 15. Rae1 Nc6
16. Re2 Qc7 17. exf5 exf5 18. Nh1 {!! A wonderful idea. White
has in mind the manoeuvre Nh1-f2-h3-g5, in conjunction with
Qh5, as a method of assaulting the position of Black's
king. When I first read My System I was so impressed by this
game that I deliberately created situations in my next few
games where the move Ng3-h1 was possible, in the belief that
this mystical retreat would somehow result in a miraculous
increase of energy in my position, irrespective of whatever
else may have been happening on the board at the time.}
18...Bd7 19. Nf2 Rae8 20. Rfe1 Rxe2 21. Rxe2 Nd8 22. Nh3 Bc6
23. Qh5 g6 24. Qh4 Kg7 25. Qf2 {Another brilliant idea. The
threat to the d-pawn forces Black to withdraw either his queen
or his king's bishop from the defence of his kingside. }
25...Bc5 26. b4 Bb6 27. Qh4 {Back again and with redoubled
strength. } 27...Re8 {Or 27...Rf6 28 Ng5 h6 29 Nh7 +- }
28. Re5 {!} Nf7 {If 28...Rxe5 29 fxe5 Qxe5 30 Qh6+ or 28...h6
29 g4 hxg4 30 f5 Qxe5 31 f6+ Qxf6 32 Qxh6 mate. These
beautiful variations are just an indication of what
Nimzowitsch saw. } 29. Bxf7 Qxf7 30. Ng5 Qg8 31. Rxe8 Bxe8
32. Qe1 {! A decisive change of front. } 32...Bc6 33. Qe7+ Kh8
34. b5 {!! Who would expect the death-blow to come from this
quarter? If Black plays 34..axb5 he is mated as follows: 35
Ne6 h5 36 Qf6+ Kh7 37 Ng5+ Kh6 38 Bb4! In view of this,
Rubinstein elects to surrender a piece but that too is
obviously without hope.} 34...Qg7 35. Qxg7+ Kxg7 36. bxc6
36...bxc6 37. Nf3 c5 38. Ne5 Bc7 39. Nc4 Kf7 40. g3 Bd8
41. Ba5 Be7 42. Bc7 Ke6 43. Nb6 h6 44. h4 g5 45. h5 g4 46. Be5
1-0
[/pgn]

[Henk]

If it takes much time to create a fen and you get a 'stupid' best move back it is most disappointing. This time it was not the case of course for game was available in pgn format.

[BeyondCritics]

What is the "best" move? Something that Stockfish or a GM will tell about?
It is an ill defined concept.
If you play a random engine, the best moves are e4, bc4, qf3 and qf7 mate.

Against a human Nh1!! is clearly the best move here, since it asks serious questions.
However stockfish sees that this is fended off easily (say with a timely 21...h6!) with better play for black, so it does not consider it.
In this type of open position stockfish is really very, very close to "perfection". Just go through the next few moves and enjoy how stockfish wipes the floor with both of them. No comparison with human chess.

[Henk]

Be aware that if after h6 a Queen is on g6 and a knight on g5 then hg Qh5 is check mate.

[BeyondCritics]

Yes agreed, this is the problem, from a human perspective.
But again, stockfish easily detects and nullifies that in time.
In a position where most would no even think about attacking, 18.Nh1!! threatens to grab the "initiative". Other moves would effectively do nothing, so 18.Nh1 is the preferred move against humans.

[yurikvelo]

Nimzowitsch/Keene awful commenters: http://pastebin.com/84XSaDeP

Usually human "brilliant ideas" rely solely on opponent blunder moves, which is masterpiece of OTB play: making opponent to play bad is not worse of playing strong yourself.


18. .. Nh1? give away advantage to black, even if black play 19. .. Rae8 at 21 they still could keep advantage with h6

Rubinstein is not obliged to play these bad moves:

Code: Select all

D=27, 2 059 MN, Komodo 9.3
-0,15	21. ... h6 22.Nh3 g6 23.Kh1 Be8
=0,00	21. ... b5 22.Bb3 h6 23.Qd5 Bc8
=0,00	21. ... Bb4 22.Bxb4 Nxb4 23.Nh3 b5
+0,21	21. ... Ne7 22.Nh3 Bc6 23.Qh5 Be8
+0,22	21. ... Nd8 22.Nh3 Bb5 23.Bb3 Nf7   <--- Rubinstein
+0,22	21. ... g6 22.h4 Be8 23.Nh3 h6
+0,28	21. ... Be8 22.Nh3 Bf7 23.Ng5 Bxc4
+0,51	21. ... Re8 22.Rxe8+ Bxe8 23.Qd5 Ne7

D=22, 226 MN
+0,22	22. ... Bb5 23.Bb3 Nf7 24.Re1 Bc6
+0,35	22. ... Ba4 23.Ng5 h6 24.Re1 Bb5
+0,41	22. ... h6 23.Ng5 Ba4 24.Re1 Bb5
+0,44	22. ... Qc6 23.Ng5 h6 24.b4 b5
+0,45	22. ... Be8 23.Ng5 Bg6 24.Re6 Nxe6
+0,46	22. ... Nf7 23.a3 Ba4 24.Qd5 h6
+0,46	22. ... Bc6 23.Qh5 Nf7 24.b4 b6     <--- Rubinstein

D=27, 1 521 MN
+0,57	23. ... Nf7 24.Be1 Ba4 25.b3 Bc6
+0,74	23. ... h6 24.Ng5 Rf6 25.a3 Bd7
+0,78	23. ... g6 24.Qh4 Bb5 25.Bxb5 axb5  <--- Rubinstein
+0,89	23. ... b5 24.Ba5 Qb7 25.Bb3 Nf7
+1,05	23. ... b6 24.Ng5 g6 25.Qh4 Bb5

D=25, 790 MN
+0,72	24. ... Bb5 25.Bxb5 axb5 26.Ng5 b6
+0,77	24. ... Kg7 25.Qf2 Bc5 26.Ng5 b5    <--- Rubinstein
+0,95	24. ... b6 25.Ng5 Bb5 26.Qf2 Qg7
+1,00	24. ... b5 25.Bb3 Kg7 26.Qf2 Qa7
+1,33	24. ... Bc5 25.Ng5 Bb5 26.Bxb5 axb5

With 26. b4? Nimzowitsch neutralized Rubinstein inaccuracies.
Decisive 1-move blunder which decided outcome of this game is not mentioned at all.

Code: Select all

D=25, 185 MN
+0,28	26. ... Be7 27.Qxd4+ Bf6 28.Qc5 b6
+3,89	26. ... Bb6 27.Qe1 Be4 28.Nf2 Re8   <--- Rubinstein
+4,50	26. ... Ba7 27.Qe1 Be4 28.Nf2 Re8

Posterity might beleive 18. Nh1?? was brilliant idea, but that was inferior move (possibly even black win).

Nimzowitsch missed forced win opportunity and forgive Rubinstein blunder

Code: Select all

D=28, 643 MN
+4,70	27.Qe1 Be4 28.Nf2 Re8 29.Nxe4 Rxe4
+1,22	27.Ng5 Re8 28.Rxe8 Bxe8 29.Qe2 Bb5	<--- Nimzowitsch
+0,73	27.Qh4 Re8 28.Rxe8 Bxe8 29.Ng5 h6

D=26, 483 MN
+0,76	28.Rxe8 Bxe8 29.Ng5 h6 30.Qe1 Bb5
+0,71	28.Re5 h6 29.g4 Qd6 30.Qg3 fxg4       <--- Nimzowitsch
=0,00	28.Ng5 Rxe2 29.Qxh7+ Kf8 30.Qh8+ Ke7

This gift didn't stop Rubinstein from crazy blundering

Code: Select all

D=22, 199 MN
+0,39	28. ... Qd7 29.g4 h6 30.gxf5 gxf5
+0,64	28. ... h6 29.a4 Bxa4 30.b5 Qd7
+0,80	28. ... Qd6 29.a4 Nf7 30.Rxe8 Bxe8
+0,88	28. ... Ba7 29.g4 Qd6 30.gxf5 gxf5
+0,89	28. ... h5 29.a4 Nf7 30.Qg3 Bxa4
+1,64	28. ... Nf7 29.Bxf7 Qxf7 30.Ng5 Qg8   <----- Rubinstein

D=28, 286 MN
+1,79	31. ... Qxe8 32.Qxh7+ Kf6 33.h4 Qd7
+6,22	31. ... Bxe8 32.Qe1 h5 33.Qe7+ Kh6    <----- Rubinstein
+M06	31. ... h6 32.Ne6+ Qxe6 33.Rxe6 Kg8
+M06	31. ... h5 32.Ne6+ Qxe6 33.Rxe6 Bd8
+M05	31. ... Kf6 32.Nxh7+ Kg7 33.Qf6+ Kxh7
+M04	31. ... Bd5 32.Re7+ Kf8 33.Nxh7+ Qxh7

D=25, 1 057 MN
+04,37	32. ... h5 33.Qe7+ Kh6 34.Qxb7 Bd8
+08,55	32. ... Kf8 33.b5 a5 34.Bb4+ axb4
+09,17	32. ... h6 33.Qe5+ Kf8 34.b5 a5
+09,40	32. ... Bc7 33.Ne6+ Kh8 34.Bc3 h5
+11,98	32. ... Bf7 33.Qe5+ Kf8 34.b5 a5
+12,22	32. ... Bd8 33.Ne6+ Qxe6 34.Qxe6 Bb5
+13,02	32. ... Bd7 33.Qe7+ Kh8 34.Qxd7 h6
+13,55	32. ... Bc6 33.Qe5+ Kf8 34.b5 Qd5   <----- Rubinstein
+13,99	32. ... Qf7 33.Nxf7 Kxf7 34.Qe5 Bd8

D=26, 654 MN
+10,69	34.Nf7+ Kg7 35.Nd8+ Kh8 36.Ne6 Bd8
+10,66	34.Ne6 Bd8 35.Nxd8 Qg7 36.Nxc6 Qxe7
+06,75	34.b5 Qg7 35.Qe6 h6 36.Nf7+ Kh7     <----- Nimzowitsch &#40;marked as !!)

D=28, 384 MN
+7,80	35.Qe6 Qg8 36.Qe5+ Qg7 37.bxc6 Qxe5
+6,33	35.Nf7+ Kg8 36.Nh6+ Qxh6 37.Qe6+ Kg7
+3,96	35.Qxg7+ Kxg7 36.bxc6 bxc6 37.a4 c5   <----- Nimzowitsch

[Henk]

I don't see it 21. .. h6 and then I think 22. Qh5 and not 22. Nh3 but later 23. Nh3

[yurikvelo]

[pgn][Event "Hoogovens A Tournament"]
[Site "Wijk aan Zee NED"]
[Date "1999.01.20"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "4"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Garry Kasparov"]
[Black "Veselin Topalov"]
[ECO "B06"]
[WhiteElo "2812"]
[BlackElo "2700"]
[PlyCount "87"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be3 Bg7 5. Qd2 c6 6. f3 b5
7. Nge2 Nbd7 8. Bh6 Bxh6 9. Qxh6 Bb7 10. a3 e5 11. O-O-O Qe7
12. Kb1 a6 13. Nc1 O-O-O 14. Nb3 exd4 15. Rxd4 c5 16. Rd1 Nb6
17. g3 Kb8 18. Na5 Ba8 19. Bh3 d5 20. Qf4+ Ka7 21. Rhe1 d4
22. Nd5 Nbxd5 23. exd5 Qd6 24. Rxd4 cxd4 25. Re7+ Kb6
26. Qxd4+ Kxa5 27. b4+ Ka4 28. Qc3 Qxd5 29. Ra7 Bb7 30. Rxb7
Qc4 31. Qxf6 Kxa3 32. Qxa6+ Kxb4 33. c3+ Kxc3 34. Qa1+ Kd2
35. Qb2+ Kd1 36. Bf1 Rd2 37. Rd7 Rxd7 38. Bxc4 bxc4 39. Qxh8
Rd3 40. Qa8 c3 41. Qa4+ Ke1 42. f4 f5 43. Kc1 Rd2 44. Qa7 1-0[/pgn]

Another example of "brilliant" move 24.Rxd4!!?

Engines never select this move. Not because they are blind, but because they do not blunder

Code: Select all

Stockfish 171114, D=42, 100 BN
01. -0.43: 24...Kb6 25.b4 Qxf4 26.Rxf4 Nxd5 27.Rxf7 cxb4 28.axb4 Nxb4
02. =0.00: 24...Rhe8 25.Rxe8 Nxe8 26.Qxf7+ Kb6 27.Nc6 Bxc6 28.dxc6 Qxd4
03. =0.00: 24...Rhf8 25.c4 cxd4 26.Qxd4+ Kb8 27.Re7 Nd7 28.Bxd7 Rxd7
04. =0.00: 24...Rhg8 25.c4 cxd4 26.Qxd4+ Kb8 27.c5 Qc7 28.Qxf6 Rxd5
05. =0.00: 24...Bxd5 25.Rxd5 Nxd5 26.Qxf7+ Nc7 27.Re6 Qd1+ 28.Ka2 Rd7  
06. =0.11: 24...g5 25.Qxd6 Rxd6 26.Rdd1 Rxd5 27.Rxd5 Bxd5 28.c4 bxc4
07. =0.15: 24...Nxd5 25.Qxf7+ Kb8 26.Rdd1 c4 27.Re6 Qc7 28.Qxc7+ Nxc7
08. +0.42: 24...Qxf4 25.Rxf4 Nxd5 26.Rxf7+ Kb6 27.Nb3 Rhe8 28.Rxe8 Rxe8
09. +0.70: 24...Kb8 25.Qxd6+ Rxd6 26.Rf4 Bxd5 27.c4 Nh5 28.cxd5 Nxf4
10. +0.86: 24...Bb7 25.Qxd6 Rxd6 26.Rdd1 Re8 27.Rxe8 Nxe8 28.Nxb7 Kxb7
11. +1.47: 24...h5 25.c4 g5 26.Qxd6 Rxd6 27.Re7+ Kb8 28.Rd2 g4
12. +1.95: 24...h6 25.c4 bxc4 26.Nxc4 Nxd5 27.Qxf7+ Qc7 28.Qxc7+ Nxc7
13. +2.85: 24...c4 25.Rxc4 Qxf4 26.Rxf4 Nxd5 27.Rxf7+ Kb8 28.c4 bxc4
14. +3.62: 24...Ne8 25.Qxf7+ Nc7 26.Re6 Rd7 27.Rxd6 Rxf7 28.Rd2 Ne8
15. +3.87: 24...b4 25.axb4 cxb4 26.Rxb4 Qxf4 27.Rxf4 Rhe8 28.Rxe8 Nxe8
16. +5.30&#58; 24...cxd4 25.Re7+ Kb8 26.Qxd4 Nd7 27.Bxd7 Rxd7 28.Rxd7 Qxd7     <----- Topalov
17. +6.18&#58; 24...Ng4 25.Nc6+ Bxc6 26.dxc6 Qxf4 27.Rxf4 Nh6 28.Re7+ Ka8

[BeyondCritics]

To be fair, i just copied engine output.
So 21..h6! fends off everything:
[d] 5r1k/1pqb2p1/p1nb3p/5p2/2Bp1P2/3P1Q2/PP1BRNPP/6K1 w - - 0 22


Stockfish dislikes 22.Dh5 because off 22..Bxf4. Otherwise it thinks it is completely equal.

[BeyondCritics]

After 18.Nh1? black should be winning, you believe?