Season 16 league 1, final results

Final crosstable:
Stoofvlees +10, Laser +6, ScorpioNN Ethereal +5, Chiron Xiphos Andscacs +3, Fizbo Ginkgo +1, ChessBrain -1, rofChade Jonny -2, Arasan -5, Pedone -10, Fire -17, Booot DQ.

Stoofvlees, Laser, ScorpioNN and Ethereal will play a 2-DRR playoff to determine which two engines promote to the premier league. Stoofvlees and ScorpioNN continue on their "qualification to premier" journey, Ethereal and Laser will try to stop at least one of them in the playoff.

Arasan, Pedone, Fire and Booot are relegated to league 2. Arasan and Pedone go back immediately after promoting from league 2. Booot was disqualified after 3 crashes. Fire's new partial NN version was weaker than the original, perhaps it will get stronger and climb back up again next season.

Notable games:

Game 130, Chiron - ChessBrain: ChessBrain had a queen side passer in a closed position. Evals jumped after the king side opened, Chiron gave a rook for a knight to defend its king. ChessBrain pushed the passer and made threats on both sides of the board, Chiron's defense collapsed. 

Game 151, Laser - Ethereal: 3-fold draw after 19 moves.

Game 159, rofChade - Ginkgo: rofChade had connected queen side passers in a RBB vs RBN position. Eventually Ginkgo traded pieces and reduced to a R vs BN ending, but two extra white pawns gave the win to rofChade.


After 20 rounds: Stoofvlees +7, Ethereal +4, ScorpioNN Laser +3, Ginkgo Xiphos Andscacs +2, Chiron +1, ChessBrain Fizbo 0, Jonny -1, Booot Arasan rofChade -2,  Pedone -8, Fire -9. Many engines still in the race for the top 4 places, Stoofvlees firmly in the lead. Pedone and Fire are close to relegation, two more spots still contested. Ginkgo and Booot have two crashes each and are in danger of disqualification.

Game 179, ChessBrain - ScorpioNN: ScorpioNN was close to a win in a queen ending two pawns up, but it couldn't find the winning moves and ChessBrain held the draw.

Game 189, Ethereal - Ginkgo:  Ethereal created an advanced central passer and reduced to a RRN vs RRB position with an extra pawn. Ginkgo eventually lost a piece to stop the pawn, leading to a winning RN vs R ending.

After 24 rounds: Stoofvlees +8, Ethereal +5, Chiron Laser +4, ScorpioNN Xiphos Andscacs +3, Fizbo +1, Ginkgo 0, ChessBrain -1, Jonny rofChade -2, Arasan -3, Pedone -9, Fire -14, Booot DQ. Booot crashes for the third time and is disqualified, its games not considered. With 6 games left there is only one relegation spot open. At the top Chiron joined the race while Ginkgo lost touch with the leaders. There are 6 engines in the race for 3 spots. Top engines that still have to play Booot (effectively these engines have one less game to play): Ethereal, Xiphos, Laser, Andscacs. 

Game 208, ScorpioNN - Stoofvlees: Stoofvlees had an eval advantage in a closed position, the position opened and the game reached a RN vs RR ending. Stoofvlees pushed a passer to the 2nd rank and failed to see an immediate mate threat, it delayed as much as possible but still ScorpioNN mated.

After 27 rounds: Stoofvlees +9, ScorpioNN Laser Ethereal +5, Chiron +4, Xiphos Andscacs +3, Ginkgo +1, Fizbo 0, ChessBrain -1, rofChade Jonny -2, Arasan -5, Pedone -10, Fire -15, Booot DQ. Only 3 games left to play. Arasan is the most probable 4th engine to relegate. At the top ScorpioNN improved its position, the race is still close.

Game 218, Fizbo - Chiron: The game reached a RRN vs RRB position, the white king came forward and the movement of the black pieces was restricted. Fizbo captured two pawns and reduced to a winning RN vs RB ending.

In round 28 Ethereal draws Stoofvlees, Chiron takes a step back, Arasan draws Jonny and its chances of escape are low, rofChade beats Fire and is almost surely safe from relegation.

In round 29 all relevant games were draws, Arasan can escape only if Ginkgo crashes, at the top ScorpioNN, Laser and Ethereal are one point clear of the chasing engines. 

In the last round Ginkgo did not crash and Arasan relegates. Xiphos and Chiron drew their games, Andscacs' last game was against Booot, none of them catch up with the leaders. Laser added a win and it finishes in 2nd place.