Author: Torstein Hall
Date: 11:24:06 08/21/01
I resently saw a game in a local newspaper where one of the players "improved" on the opening theory in the following position. NN - NN Bergen Open 2001 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Be2 a6 9.e4 b4 10.e5 bxc3 11.exf6 Bb4 TN This move was presented as an improvment over normal theory! The reason behind the move was as follows. If 12.fxg7+ then c2+!! and black is winning easily. [D]r1bqk2r/3n1ppp/p1p1pP2/8/1b1P4/2p2N2/PP2BPPP/R1BQK2R w KQkq - 0 Of course white can not be that naive, but plays 12.0-0 Nxf6 and we reach the critical position 1. [D]r1bqk2r/5ppp/p1p1pn2/8/1b1P4/2p2N2/PP2BPPP/R1BQ1RK1 w kq - 0 13 Can your program find the best move here? Some computer attempts: Crafty at ply 12 gives: 13.Qa4?! with a score of - 0.17 (Black is better) Hiarcs 7.32:Likes 13.Ne5?! with -0.5 score Fritz comes up with the correct move at ply 12 but can not see that white has a large advantage!: 13.bxc3! OK lets continue: 13.bxc3 Bxc3 If 13...Be7 black play the normal variation with a tempo missing. (The real)Critical position 2: [D]r1bqk2r/5ppp/p1p1pn2/8/3P4/2b2N2/P3BPPP/R1BQ1RK1 w kq - 0 14 What to play with white? Fritz want to play: Rb1?! at ply 13 Hiarcs also likes Rb1 Crafty goes for the same shit..... Can any program within normal tournament time limits find the right move? And the right answer is: 14.Ba3! Here is a typical continuation. 14...Bxa1 15.Qxa1 Bb7 16.Ne5 Qc7 17.Nc4 and now some computers start to realise that white has the advantage. Let the game continue: 17...Nd5 18.Nd6+ Kd8 19.Qb2 Bc8 20.Rb1 a5 21.Bc5 a4 22.Bc4 [D]r1bk3r/2q2ppp/2pNp3/2Bn4/p1BP4/8/PQ3PPP/1R4K1 b - - 0 22 ..and now even the dullest computer start to see the truth. White has a big advantage! It looks like computer chess has a long way to go before it understand the consept of a real positional sacrifise. Torstein PS I guess this is Childrens knowledge for Kramnik. Maybee I should mail him the game. :-)
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