"Beating
the machines"
Every
once in a while a student will ask me: "Can you beat your (chess) computer?"
And the answer is: "No!!," ... 99% of the
time. They are simply too strong.
But once in a while I get lucky. Here is a
training game I played on an idyllic,
sunny Saturday afternoon. Not a bad game,
eh?
NM
A.J. Goldsby I (2200) - CP Fritz 8.0 (2650)
[B40]
Training Game (TC:
Game in 20 min.)
Pensacola, FL (USA) 30.08.2003
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This
is a training game that I played against Fritz 8.0 (full-strength) one
day.
The
time control was "Game in 20 minutes." (Plus one second per move.)
(The human was given 5 extra minutes and also 20 seconds per move.)
**The computer estimates its own rating ... how it arrives at this, I have no
idea.**
*************************************************************************************************************
1.e4
c5; 2.Nf3 e6; 3.c4, {Diagram?}
No way I want to play a 'book' line ... the computer's book is more
extensive than mine.
This explains why I play the way I do.
--->
I definitely ...
DELIBERATELY ... want to avoid main lines. (!!)
[ More normal is the line: 3.d4, cxd4;
4.Nxd4, "+/=" etc. ]
3...Nc6;
4.Nc3 Nf6;
Obviously there is nothing wrong with normal and consistent development.
Obviously
if Black wants to close the center ... that is fine with me.
[ 4...e5!?; 5.g3!, "+/=" ]
5.a3,
I want to play d4, but I don't like the idea of the pin. (See the line just
below.)
[ 5.d4, cxd4; 6.Nxd4, Bb4!?;
"<=>" ]
Over the next few move, both sides
develop in a fairly normal manner.
5...a6; 6.d4 cxd4; 7.Nxd4 Qc7; 8.Be3 Be7; 9.Rc1!
0-0; 10.Be2 b6;
11.f3!? Bb7; 12.0-0,
A fairly interesting middle-game position has been reached. I have purposely played a
line that
really DE-emphasizes tactics and I try to make it primarily a positional game.
[ White could also try: 12.b4!?
"+/=" with a slight edge.
Or 12.Nd5!?, exd5; 13.cxd5,
"~" with an uncertain outcome. ]
The
program remarkably seems to sense that the position is inferior ...
and seeks relief through exchanges.
12...Nxd4;
13.Bxd4 Bd6!?; 14.g3,
Of course this move concedes the draw that Black could achieve after ...Bxg3.
[ The position ... after the moves:
14.h3?, Bh2+; 15.Kh1[], Bf4!;
16.Rc2, Nh5; "/+"
{Diagram?} ... is too horrible to contemplate. ]
14...Rad8;
In hindsight, it may have been better to grab the draw.
[ Maybe it was better to play:
14...Bxg3; 15.hxg3, Qxg3+;
16.Kh1, Qh3+;
17.Kg1, Qg3+; 18.Kh1, Qh3+;
("=") etc. ]
Black exchanges pieces ... but soon
winds up missing his dark-squared Bishop.
15.Kg2 Bc5!?; 16.b4 Bxd4; 17.Qxd4 d6; 18.Rfd1 e5!?; ('?!')
{Diagram?}
This looks very bad, (positionally); but I already had threats like Na5, winning a Pawn.
[ </= 18...Bc6?!; ('?')
19.b5, Bb7; 20.Na4, "+/" ]
19.Qe3
Rc8?!; 20.Na4! Nd7; 21.Qd3!,
With this move ... I hit all the key squares.
[ Interesting was: 21.Qd2, "+/="
with a slight edge to White. ]
21...f5!?;
Naturally, Black must try to scare up a little counterplay here.
[ </= 21...Qc6?!; 22.Nc3,
Rfd8; 23.Qxd6, "+/" ]
The
next few moves all look forced.
22.exf5 e4!?; 23.fxe4 Rxf5!?; 24.Qxd6 Bxe4+; 25.Kg1
Bc6;
26.Qe6+ Rf7;
Black had to play this, or lose major material.
[ </= 27...Kh8??; 28.QxR/f5,
"+/-" ]
Now I come up with a nice way to
improve my position.
27.b5! Bb7;
This was forced.
[ Not 27...axb5??; 28.cxb5,
"+/-" with a deadly pin. ]
Now I actually sat staring at this
position for at least 3-5 minutes ...
before it dawned upon me that I had a little combination ...
28.Rxd7! Qxd7; 29.Qxd7 Rxd7; 30.Nxb6 Rcd8; 31.Nxd7
Rxd7; {Diag?}
White now has a winning material advantage, all that is required is a little technique.
***
My first instinct was to
simply play the move a4, to keep my pawns together;
but I found something a trifle better. The rest really needs no comment.
32.c5! axb5; ('!?') 33.c6 Bxc6; 34.Rxc6 Rb7; 35.Rc3 Kf7;
36.Rb3 Ke6;
37.Bxb5 Ra7; 38.a4 g5; 39.Kf2 h5; 40.Ke3 g4;
41.Ke4 Kf6; 42.Rc3,
42...Kg7; 43.Rc6 Re7+; 44.Kf5 Kh7; 45.Kg5, {Diagram?}
Here the computer actually offered to give up the game! (Black
Resigns.)
All
my wins against the computer ... (lately) ... follow roughly the same
course:
Out of book opening, lots of drawing opportunities, anti-positional play by the
box,
a bad ending, a sacrifice and wriggling to avoid the loss, then the crush.
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Copyright
(©) A.J. Goldsby I; Copyright (c) A.J.G; 2003.
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Copyright (c) {LM} A.J. Goldsby I
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 1995-2008.
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