Author: Frank Phillips
Date: 04:03:08 05/27/01
CCT3 day 1: Reflection of a newbie. This was my first tournament. Having started programming from scratch almost 4 years ago, the prospect of the event left me with foolishly childish feelings of trepidation for a man of my long years. This had not been helped by Searcher's recent performance on the internet chess clubs and by emergency programming on the Friday before the event introducing a bug trying to enhance the program following a passed pawn race loss. What was it Bob Hyatt said, never play in a tournament with an untested program. Given all this, my objective was to not finish last and win at least one game. Realistically my assessment of my program's ability was a class below the best amateurs and commercials but probably not the worst. One unknown was that my program was untested at long time controls, having played mostly G5 or G5+3. Game 1: Searcher versus Yace 1/2-1/2 I would not have wished for this as my first game, given recent losses. Things looked ominous on the queenside where I had castled until the program found a knight sacrifice leading to perpetual check. At least I would not get zero. Game 2: Searcher versus Markol 1-0 White again. And a win. Half the objective achieved. This showed a weakness that I am unsure how to address. Searcher built up a fine position but seemed to find itself in a sort of potential well unable to make progress, repeating similar positions to maintain its advantage until it finally varied and found (one of) the obvious plans of pushing the d-pawn. IM Schroer who was commenting (and did a fine job) thought Searcher was winning smoothly. Sadly it does not have his skill of turning winning into won. Game 3: PostModernist versus Searcher 1/2-1/2 The great escape. My opening book is a random collection of many games, including it would seem those from studies of how not to play particular openings. Several times on ics it has come out the opening 2 pawns or more down. This was not as bad, but with my king stranded in the middle, Postmodernist played a great game to end up in a 3P+B versus R ending that looked won. At this point PostModernist was showing a score of almost +3, mine around -1. Obviously mine did not understand the magnitude of its error.....probably. Searcher quickly got its king in front of the opponents 2 kingside passed pawns and as the game progressed I became more hopefull, if still doubtful, that I might hold a draw. Eventually PostModernist's score dropped to 0.00 and we played out an EGTB draw. Nice chat with the author during this game, who remained friendly and objective despite I suspect a measure of frustration. Game 4: Searcher versus PatzerSMP 1-0 Outgunned against a 2 processor 1GHz machine, I was very pleased with this game. Searcher chose 2B for R+P. I was unsure whether the opponent's b and c pawns would be a problem. IM Schroer seemed to prefer the 2B, which gave me some hope. Searcher managed to blockade the pawns with its knight and the resulting attack was pleasing. At 3 out of 4 I am in the chasing pack. Things are about to get much harder. I expect day 2 to be very different. If only we could stop now. BTW Didn't GNUChess do well......................Dan :))
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