Author: Robert Hyatt
Date: 21:01:58 07/13/99
Go up one level in this thread
On July 13, 1999 at 21:33:59, Phil Dixon wrote: >On July 13, 1999 at 20:19:30, Bruce Moreland wrote: > >> >>On July 13, 1999 at 19:26:56, Phil Dixon wrote: >> >>>On July 13, 1999 at 00:23:03, Robert Hyatt wrote: >>> >>>> >>>>Earlier tonite, Crafty was involved in a match with GM Loek van Wely on >>>>ICC. 5 3 time control, and crafty was winning about its normal percentage >>>>against him (about 80%, match was 9 wins, 2 losses, 1 draw at the point >>>>where the following game was played). In this game, Crafty was >>>>in book until move 23. As we passed move 20, I was counting pawns >>>>and pieces and concluded white was probably lost. At move 23, >>>>Crafty's first search said -4.00, and I thought aha, book learning >>>>to the rescue as this is dead lost. But without spoiling anything, >>>>this was the result. :) >>>> >>>>Actually, I will spoil it. At move 40, it announced a mate in 38 moves. >>>> >>>>:) >>> >>>Did GM Van Wely know that Crafty had announced a mate in 38? Do you think it is >>>demoralizing to the GM when computers announce mates in a large number of moves? >>> In analyzing the game with Fritz, move 18 for White, and move 31...?? for >>>Black are not looked on favorably. Would you agree with that assessment? >> >>Crafty was in book until approximately move 23. I haven't played over the game, >>but I know that the opening is well known. >> >>bruce > >After searching the "Big 98" database from ChessBase on position, I find a total >of 46 games out of 875,000. I think this hardly qualifies as "well known". No >less than 15 had the move 18.c4 instead of 18.Nxf6+. With the move 18.Nxf6+, >White won 32% of the games and Black won 25%. The move 18.c4 has 26% wins for >White and 40% for Black. While it appears that 18.Nxf6+ is the more playable >move, Black did make several errors in this game. >However, on move 32...Kb5 is the only move. Crafty was in book thru move 23. But that doesn't mean that those moves are considered 'opening theory'. I think Bruce was talking about this particular variant of the Sicilian called the poison pawn variation. It is well known, and perhaps one of the 'sharpest' openings in the Sicilian library. But by the time we got to Nxf6+ we are well beyond what would be called the 'opening'. BTW van Wely had other prepared openings that he tried... one where he gave up a queen for two minor pieces plus a huge bind. But crafty broke the bind and the game fell apart. But it took 20+ moves to break out of his prepared analysis... After the sac had happened, I should add... Very deep stuff these GMs try...
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