ScorpioNN and Stoofvlees promote to the premier division. Two more NN engines enter the top TCEC division, after starting from the qualification league this season.
Ethereal was still in the race until it lost in the last game of the playoff.
Notable games:
Game 1, Stoofvlees - ScorpioNN: Stoofvlees had a small eval advantage for over 60 moves, but it lost its queen to a simple knight sacrifice and this was enough for ScorpioNN to win. What a way to start the playoff.
Game 2, Laser - Ethereal: There were almost no exchanges in the game, when the position started to open after 50 moves Laser had an advantage with a bishop pair to Ethereal's knights. Ethereal gave a pawn for some initiative but nothing came out of it. Laser went 3 pawns up and reduced to a winning RB vs RN position.
Game 4, Stoofvlees - Laser: The black pieces on the king side were almost trapped. Stoofvlees gradually exchanged pieces and when the position opened it was a pawn up in a RN vs RB position. Laser's king was stuck in the corner while the white king came forward, a second pawn gave Stoofvlees the win.
Game 5, Laser - ScorpioNN: Laser went up a pawn but ScorpioNN had the eval advantage. The black major pieces were strong in the open files, ScorpioNN placed two rooks on the 2nd rank and Laser was forced to give a rook for a knight to block a passer. The RB vs RR position was a win for ScorpioNN.
After RR1: ScorpioNN +2, Stoofvlees 0, Laser Ethereal -1, 4/6 decisive games. A good start for ScorpioNN, Stoofvlees has to be careful with its blunders.
Game 9, Ethereal - ScorpioNN: The game reached a QRB vs QRB position, Ethereal was a pawn up but evals were low. The game seemed to heading for a draw after a long shuffle, then Ethereal captured a second pawn and evals jumped. The black king was threatened and ScorpioNN gave more material to save it, losing the game.
Game 12, Stoofvlees - Ethereal: Stoofvlees gave a rook for a bishop and pawn, the game reached a QRB vs QRR closed position. The engines shuffled and exchanged pawns, Ethereal took a pawn on move 59 and evals jumped. The black king was exposed to attack and Stoofvlees forced a queen exchange, leading to a RB vs RR ending with connected advanced white passers, giving Stoofvlees the win.
After RR2: ScorpioNN Stoofvlees +1, Laser Ethereal -1. The two NN engines are in front, all engines have at least one win and one loss. All 6 game pairs had a 1.5-0.5 score, one decisive game per pair.
Game 16, Stoofvlees - Laser: Stoofvlees gave its queen for two bishops early in the game. Evals stayed low until Laser gave a rook for a knight, evals jumped in favor of Stoofvlees in a RBB vs QN imbalance. Stoofvlees pushed a pawn to the 7th rank and evals came back down, Laser found a perpetual check draw. Probably a missed chance for Stoofvlees.
All games were draws in RR3, no change in the standings. Any decisive game in the last round can have a big effect on the playoff result.
Game 20, Ethereal - Laser: Ethereal was a pawn up with an advanced passer, evals increased as the engines exchanged pieces. Laser tried to counter with an attack on the white king, eventually it captured the passer but lost a knight. The QRN vs QR position was a win for Ethereal.
Laser is 1.5 points behind with 2 games left, it is almost surely out of the race. Ethereal improved its chances, only 0.5 points behind.
Game 21, Ethereal - ScorpioNN: The game reached a RRB vs RRB position with Ethereal a pawn up, but ScorpioNN held the draw.
Game 24, Stoofvlees - Ethereal: Ethereal got into trouble in the opening, its queen attacked alone and captured a pawn on the queen side while Stoofvlees pushed pawns on the king side. Evals jumped high as Stoofvlees captured a knight for pawns, the win was just a matter of time.
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