Stockfish scored +3 in RR5 while AllieStein and Leela only scored +1. As a result AllieStein and Stockfish are leading and only 0.5 points apart, Leela is in 3rd 1 point behind Stockfish. There is only one RR left in the division and it is possible that Leela, last season's champion, will not qualify for the superfinal.
Stockfish survived another RR without a crash, though every occasion it thinks long on a move is a source of drama - is it thinking or crashing? If it survives RR6 there is a good probability it will qualify for the superfinal despite having two crashes. Both Leela and KomodoMCTS are hoping for a third crash.
A few interesting games
Leela - ScorpioNN: There were no exchanges other than a pair of bishops in the opening, the engines played behind their pawn lines. Evals started to increase after the position opened up a little on the queen side. The game reached a B vs N ending, Leela a pawn up. Leela created connected passers on the king side and that was enough for a win.
Stockfish - Stoofvlees: Stockfish outplayed Stoofvlees in a BN vs BB ending. After locking the king side Stockfish created a passer on the queen side and reduced to a N vs B position. The black bishop had to watch the passer, and the white pieces were able to create a passer on the king side to win the game.
AllieStein - Houdini: AllieStein trapped a black bishop and its eval started to increase. The engines exchanged pieces gradually, AllieStein captured the trapped bishop and the game reached a RBB vs RB position with no pawns. Both engines thought the 7-man position was a win for white and the game was adjudicated quickly, before the win was demonstrated.
AllieStein - Stoofvlees: Stoofvlees missed a mate threat tactic and lost a piece, the game reached a RRB vs RR position. The engines played on for more than 50 moves and the game ended with mate on the board.
Stockfish - Houdini: Stockfish had an eval over 1 from the start. Both kings remained in the center, Stockfish pushed pawns on the king side and one reached the 7th rank. There were many early exchanges and only RB vs RB remained, Houdini was a pawn up but its rook had to block the white pawn on g7. Houdini lost its bishop to remove the white passer and the game was adjudicated a few moves later.
Komodo - AllieStein: see featured game below.
KomodoMCTS - Stockfish: Stockfish pushed pawns on the king side and concentrated forces. Its eval jumped over 5 (negative) after it opened the h file, KomodoMCTS realized it was in trouble a move too late. The king side threat was too strong, KomodoMCTS lost a rook and then was a full queen down. The game was adjudicated quickly.
Featured game: Komodo - AllieStein
Premier division, game 136
Link to game on TCEC
AllieStein was a pawn up early, evals were close to 0 as the engines exchanged many pieces. Both engines had passers on the queen side, Komodo's passer was on the 6th rank.
AllieStein moved its king forward and immediately regretted it, both evals jumped over 1.5. The white rooks could attack the black king, Komodo captured a pawn and pushed its passer to the 7th rank.
After exchanging a pair of rooks the game reached a RB vs RN position. The engines captured the queen side passers and Komodo captured all the black pawns and went two pawns up.
Komodo pushed the pawns forward, the game continued for another 15 moves before adjudication. An unexpected loss for AllieStein, first win for Komodo against one of the top 3 engines.
For some reason I don't know, Allie thought almost 1 hour on move 26. I think that influenced the defeat quite a lot.
ReplyDeleteSo true, and I missed this important fact when I wrote the post. Thanks for pointing this out.
DeleteBy the way, very good blog. Congratulations!
ReplyDelete