New tournament with lots of different AIs

[TracySMiller]

The next match features #4 seed Chessmaster Grandmaster Edition vs. #13 seed Excalibur Grandmaster. Best of 6

Game 1 opens with a nice tactical game by Chessmaster with the Black pieces. Chessmaster leads the match 1-0.

WHITE Excalibur Grandmaster
BLACK Chessmaster Grandmaster Edition
RESULT 0-1

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 b6 7. Ngf3 Be7 8. dxc5 bxc5 9. Qa4 Qc7 10. O-O c4 11. Bb1 Nc6 12. Nxc4 dxc4 13. Be4 Bb7 14. Qxc4 O-O 15. Rd1 Rac8 16. Bf4 Nc5 17. Bxc6 Qxc6 18. Rac1 Ba6 19. Qb4 Rfe8 20. Nd4 Qe4 21. Nc2 Qg6 22. Qa5 Be2 23. Nb4 Bxd1 24. Rxd1 Qg4 25. Rd4 Qe2 26. h3 Qe1+ 27. Kh2 Qxf2 28. Bc1 Bh4 29. Rg4 Red8 30. Bh6 Rd1 31. Rxh4 Rg1 32. Rg4 Qe1 33. Rxg7+ Kh8 34. Qd8+ Rxd8 35. Rxh7+ Kxh7 36. Nc6 Rh1#

[TracySMiller]

Excalibur Grandmaster falls into a trap and loses a Knight early on. Chessmaster wraps up the game in 40 moves. Chessmaster leads the match 2-0.

WHITE Chessmaster Grandmaster Edition
BLACK Excalibur Grandmaster
RESULT 1-0

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nf3 Be7 7. e4 O-O 8. Be2 Bg4 9. Bf4 Qb6 10. Qc2 Bxf3 11. Bxf3 Nbd7 12. Be2 Ne5 13. a4 Qb4 14. a5 Nc4 15. Ra4 Qxb2 16. Qxb2 Nxb2 17. Ra2 b5 18. axb6 axb6 19. Rxb2 Ra1+ 20. Bd1 Nd7 21. O-O Bf6 22. Rc2 Be5 23. Bxe5 Nxe5 24. Be2 Rxf1+ 25. Kxf1 f5 26. Rb2 Ra8 27. Rxb6 Ra1+ 28. Nd1 fxe4 29. Rxd6 Nd3 30. Rd7 Nb2 31. d6 e3 32. Rb7 Nd3 33. Rb8+ Kf7 34. d7 Nxf2 35. d8=Q Rxd1+ 36. Bxd1 Nxd1 37. Qd6 e2+ 38. Ke1 g5 39. Rb7+ Ke8 40. Qe7#

[TracySMiller]

Another nice tactical game by Chessmaster, which takes a commanding 3-0 lead in the match.

WHITE Excalibur Grandmaster
BLACK Chessmaster Grandmaster Edition
RESULT 0-1

1. e4 c5 2. c3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Bd3 cxd4 5. cxd4 g6 6. Bg5 Bg7 7. Nf3 O-O 8. O-O Nc6 9. Nbd2 h6 10. Bh4 g5 11. Bg3 g4 12. d5 gxf3 13. dxc6 fxg2 14. Kxg2 bxc6 15. Qa4 Rb8 16. Nb3 c5 17. Rac1 Rb4 18. Qxa7 Nxe4 19. Bxe4 Rxe4 20. Rfe1 Re6 21. Rcd1 Qe8 22. Qa3 Bb7+ 23. f3 Qb5 24. Qa5 Qc6 25. Rd3 c4 26. Rxe6 fxe6 27. Nd4 Bxd4 28. Rxd4 Qxf3+ 29. Kh3 Qf1+ 30. Kg4 e5 31. Rxd6 Qf5+ 32. Kh4 Qg5+ 33. Kh3 Qh5+ 34. Bh4 Qf5+ 35. Kg3 Qf3#

[TracySMiller]

Chessmaster again gets a piece up, then allows Excalibur Grandmaster some scary-looking checks, but the outcome was never seriously in doubt. Chessmaster wins the match 4-0 and advances to Round Two.

WHITE Chessmaster Grandmaster Edition
BLACK Excalibur Grandmaster
RESULT 1-0

1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7 8. h5 Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 Qc7 11. Bd2 e6 12. O-O-O Ngf6 13. Ne4 O-O-O 14. g3 Nc5 15. Nxc5 Bxc5 16. c4 Ng4 17. Qe2 Be7 18. Rhe1 Qb6 19. Kb1 Bf6 20. Bf4 Qb4 21. Qc2 Bxd4 22. Nxd4 Rxd4 23. Qe2 Rxd1+ 24. Rxd1 Rg8 25. b3 Qc5 26. Qxg4 Qxf2 27. Bxh6 f5 28. Qg6 Qe2 29. Kc1 Qe5 30. Qf7 Qa1+ 31. Kc2 Qxa2+ 32. Kc3 Qa5+ 33. Kb2 Qe5+ 34. Kb1 Qe4+ 35. Kc1 Qxc4+ 36. bxc4 Rd8 37. Rxd8+ Kxd8 38. Bg5+ Kc8 39. Qg8+ Kd7 40. Qd8#

[TracySMiller]

The next match features #5 seed Millennium King Performance vs. #12 seed Kasparov's Gambit, a DOS program from the 90's. Best of 6.

Game One featured our first draw of the match. Both sides played a nice Rook & Pawn endgame. The match is tied 1/2-1/2.

WHITE Kasparov's Gambit
BLACK Millennium King Performance
RESULT 1/2-1/2

1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. d4 cxd4 5. cxd4 d6 6. Bc4 e6 7. Nf3 Nb6 8. Bd3 dxe5 9. dxe5 N8d7 10. O-O Nc5 11. Bc2 Qxd1 12. Rxd1 Bd7 13. Nc3 Rc8 14. a4 Na6 15. Be3 Nc4 16. Bxa7 Nxb2 17. Rdb1 Bb4 18. Bd4 Bxc3 19. Bxc3 Nxa4 20. Bxa4 Bxa4 21. Rxb7 Rxc3 22. Ra7 Bc6 23. R7xa6 Bxf3 24. gxf3 O-O 25. Kg2 Rc5 26. f4 h5 27. Ra7 Rd8 28. Rb1 Rc4 29. Kg3 Rd3+ 30. f3 g5 31. f5 h4+ 32. Kf2 Rc2+ 33. Kg1 exf5 34. e6 Kg7 35. exf7 Rc8 36. Kg2 Rd2+ 37. Kh1 h3 38. Rg1 Kf8 39. Rxg5 Rc1+ 40. Rg1 Rdd1 41. Ra8+ Kxf7 42. Rg8 Rf1 43. Rg6 f4 44. Rg7+ Kf6 45. Rg6+ Ke5 46. Rxf1 Rxf1+ 47. Rg1 Rxg1+ 48. Kxg1 Kd4 49. Kf1 Kd3 50. Kf2 Kd2 51. Kf1 Ke3 52. Ke1 Kxf3 53. Kf1 Ke3 54. Ke1 Ke4 55. Ke2 Kf5 56. Kf2 Ke6 57. Kf3 Ke5 58. Kf2 Kf5 59. Kf3 Kg5 60. Kf2 Kg4 61. Ke2 f3+ 62. Ke3 f2 63. Kxf2 Kf4

[TracySMiller]

Game Two went to Millennium King Performance in a King+Pawn endgame. Millennium King Performance leads the match 1 1/2-1/2.

WHITE Millennium King Performance
BLACK Kasparov's Gambit
RESULT 1-0

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 c5 3. Bg2 Nc6 4. d4 Nf6 5. O-O Bg4 6. dxc5 e5 7. c4 Bxc5 8. cxd5 Qxd5 9. Qxd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Bxd5 O-O-O 12. Nc3 Rxd5 13. Nxd5 Bxe2 14. Bf4 Nf3+ 15. Kg2 Bxf1+ 16. Rxf1 Rd8 17. Ne3 Bxe3 18. fxe3 Nd2 19. Rc1+ Kd7 20. Rc7+ Ke6 21. Rxb7 Ra8 22. h3 Ne4 23. Rb5 f6 24. Kf3 Nd2+ 25. Ke2 Ne4 26. Ra5 g5 27. Bc7 Kd7 28. Bb6 Nxg3+ 29. Kf3 Nf5 30. Rxa7+ Rxa7 31. Bxa7 h5 32. a4 Nh4+ 33. Kf2 Nf5 34. e4 Ne7 35. Bd4 f5 36. Bf6 fxe4 37. Bxe7 Kxe7 38. Ke3 Kd6 39. Kxe4 Kc5 40. a5 g4 41. hxg4 hxg4 42. b4+ Kb5 43. Kf4 g3 44. Kxg3 Ka6 45. Kf4 Kb5 46. Ke5 Ka6 47. Kd6 Kb5 48. Kd5 Ka6 49. Kc6 Ka7 50. b5 Kb8 51. b6 Kc8 52. b7+ Kb8 53. a6 Ka7 54. Kc7 Kxa6 55. b8=Q Ka5 56. Qb3 Ka6 57. Qa4#

[TracySMiller]

Millennium King Performance wins another endgame battle and now leads the match 2 1/2-1/2.

WHITE Kasparov's Gambit
BLACK Millennium King Performance
RESULT 0-1

1. e4 e6 2. Qe2 c5 3. Nf3 b6 4. d3 Ne7 5. g3 Nbc6 6. Bg5 f6 7. Bd2 d5 8. Bh3 e5 9. Bxc8 Rxc8 10. O-O Qd7 11. Nc3 Nd4 12. Qd1 g5 13. Rc1 h5 14. a4 Kf7 15. Bxg5 Qg4 16. Nxd4 cxd4 17. Qxg4 hxg4 18. Nb5 fxg5 19. Nd6+ Ke6 20. Nxc8 Nxc8 21. exd5+ Kxd5 22. Kg2 Bc5 23. Rh1 Nd6 24. h3 gxh3+ 25. Rxh3 Rc8 26. Kf3 Bb4 27. Ke2 e4 28. Rh5 exd3+ 29. Kxd3 Ne4 30. f4 Nf2+ 31. Ke2 Rxc2+ 32. Rxc2 d3+ 33. Kxf2 dxc2 34. Rh1 Bd2 35. Ke2 c1=Q 36. Rxc1 Bxc1 37. fxg5 Kc4 38. g6 Bxb2 39. Ke3 Kb4 40. Kd3 Kxa4 41. Kc2 Bg7 42. Kd3 b5 43. Kc2 b4 44. Kd2 b3 45. Kc1 b2+ 46. Kc2 Kb4 47. g4 a5 48. g5 Kc4 49. Kd2 b1=Q 50. Ke3 Qg1+ 51. Kf4 Qg2 52. Kf5 Kd5 53. Kf4 Kd4 54. Kf5 Qe4#

[TracySMiller]

Millennium King Performance makes a cute rook sacrifice on move 32 to seal the victory and the match, winning 3 1/2-1/2 and advancing to Round Two.

WHITE Millennium King Performance
BLACK Kasparov's Gambit
RESULT 1-0

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 d6 5. c4 e5 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Nc3 Nf6 8. Be2 Be7 9. Be3 O-O 10. O-O Be6 11. Rc1 Qd7 12. Qd2 Ng4 13. Bg5 Bxg5 14. Qxg5 h6 15. Qd2 Rad8 16. Rfd1 Qb7 17. c5 dxc5 18. Qxd8 Rxd8 19. Rxd8+ Kh7 20. Rc2 c4 21. Bxg4 Bxg4 22. Rcd2 Be6 23. Re8 Kg6 24. h3 Kg5 25. Kh2 Kf4 26. Red8 Qb6 27. Rg8 g6 28. Rgd8 h5 29. h4 Kg4 30. g3 Kf3 31. Kg1 a5 32. R2d3+ cxd3 33. Rxd3+ Kg4 34. Kg2 Qxf2+ 35. Kxf2 g5 36. hxg5 Kxg5 37. Rd6 c5 38. Ra6 a4 39. Rxa4 f5 40. Ra6 Bc8 41. Rc6 Bd7 42. Rxc5 Kf6 43. Nd5+ Ke6 44. Nb6 Be8 45. exf5+ Kxf5 46. Nc4 Kf6 47. b4 h4 48. b5 hxg3+ 49. Kxg3 Bxb5 50. Rxb5 Ke6 51. a4 e4 52. a5 Kd7 53. a6 e3 54. Re5 e2 55. a7 e1=Q+ 56. Rxe1 Kc6 57. a8=Q+ Kc5 58. Re4 Kb5 59. Qb7+ Kc5 60. Qb6+ Kd5 61. Rd4#

[TracySMiller]

The next match features #6 seed Mephisto Master vs. #11 seed Rebel 12, which was the last DOS version of the venerable software series. Best of Six.

Rebel 12 takes the first game with the powerful Rook sacrifice 32. Rxh6, instead of taking the offered Queen, and leads the match 1-0.

WHITE Rebel 12
BLACK Mephisto Master
RESULT 1-0

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 Be7 6. Bd3 d5 7. O-O Nc6 8. c4 Nb4 9. Be2 O-O 10. a3 Na6 11. Nc3 Nxc3 12. bxc3 Be6 13. Qb3 Rb8 14. Re1 dxc4 15. Bxc4 Bxc4 16. Qxc4 Bd6 17. Ra2 c5 18. Qd3 Qc7 19. Ng5 f5 20. Ne6 Rfe8 21. Rae2 Qf7 22. Ng5 Rxe2 23. Qxe2 Qd5 24. c4 Bxh2+ 25. Kxh2 Qd6+ 26. g3 Rf8 27. Bf4 Qh6+ 28. Kg2 Qf6 29. Qf3 b6 30. Re6 Qxd4 31. Be5 h6 32. Rxh6 Qe4 33. Nxe4 gxh6 34. Qh5 Rf7 35. Ng5 Re7 36. Qg6+ Kf8 37. Qxf5+ Kg8 38. Qc8+ Re8 39. Qxe8#

[TracySMiller]

Nice endgame play from Rebel 12 gets the full point, and now Rebel leads the match 2-0.

WHITE Mephisto Master
BLACK Rebel 12
RESULT 0-1

1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nf3 Bg4 4. Qa4 Bxf3 5. exf3 e6 6. cxd5 exd5 7. Ba6 Qe7+ 8. Kd1 Qb4 9. Bb5 Qxa4+ 10. Bxa4 O-O-O 11. Be3 Bd6 12. Nc3 Nge7 13. Rc1 a6 14. Rb1 Rhf8 15. Re1 Nf5 16. Bxc6 bxc6 17. Rc1 Kd7 18. g3 Rb8 19. Kc2 Rfe8 20. Re2 Re6 21. Kd3 h6 22. Rce1 Rbe8 23. f4 h5 24. h3 R6e7 25. g4 Nh4 26. Bc1 hxg4 27. Rxe7+ Rxe7 28. Rxe7+ Kxe7 29. hxg4 f5 30. gxf5 Kf6 31. Be3 Kxf5 32. Ne2 Ng2 33. Ng3+ Kg4 34. Ne2 Nxf4+ 35. Nxf4 Bxf4 36. Ke2 Bxe3 37. Kxe3 Kf5 38. b3 g5 39. Kf3 g4+ 40. Kg3 Ke4 41. a3 Kxd4 42. Kf4 c5 43. b4 c4 44. f3 c3 45. Kxg4 c2 46. a4 c1=Q 47. b5 Ke5 48. f4+ Qxf4+ 49. Kh3 Qf2 50. Kg4 Qg2+ 51. Kh5 Kf5 52. bxa6 Qg5#

[CANARISTUDIO]

Fascinating !!!

[TracySMiller]

Rebel 12 takes a commanding 3-0 lead with this tactical gem featuring two outstanding sacrifices, a Rook sacrifice on move 27 and a Knight sacrifice on move 33.

WHITE Rebel 12
BlACK Mephisto Master
RESULT 1-0

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 cxd4 12. cxd4 Bb7 13. d5 Rc8 14. Bd3 Nd7 15. b4 Nc4 16. a4 bxa4 17. Nc3 Re8 18. Qe2 Qc7 19. Nxa4 f5 20. Bg5 Bxg5 21. Nxg5 fxe4 22. Qxe4 Nf6 23. Qh4 h6 24. Ne4 Bxd5 25. Nxf6+ gxf6 26. Nc3 Bb7 27. Re4 Bxe4 28. Nxe4 Rf8 29. Nxf6+ Kg7 30. Ng4 Rf4 31. Qxh6+ Kf7 32. Rxa6 Nb2 33. Nxe5+ dxe5 34. Rg6 Ke7 35. Re6+ Kf7 36. Bh7 Qc1+ 37. Kh2 Qc2 38. Bxc2 Rxf2 39. Bh7 Rxg2+ 40. Kxg2 Rc2+ 41. Bxc2 Nc4 42. Qf6+ Kg8 43. Re8#

[TracySMiller]

Rebel 12 finishes off the match with another clean, tactical victory. With this 4-0 match victory, Rebel 12 advances to Round Two. It seems I got the seeding wrong with this one, as Rebel 12 likely should've been seeded higher than Mephisto Master, so in Round Two I'll make Rebel 12 the #6 seed.

WHITE Mephisto Master
BLACK Rebel 12
RESULT 0-1

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. O-O Bg7 5. c3 Nf6 6. e5 Nd5 7. d4 cxd4 8. cxd4 O-O 9. Nc3 Nxc3 10. bxc3 d6 11. exd6 exd6 12. Ba3 a6 13. Bc4 Na5 14. Bd3 Be6 15. Nd2 Rc8 16. Ne4 Rc6 17. Re1 Nc4 18. Bc1 Qa5 19. Bf4 Nb2 20. Qc2 Nxd3 21. Qxd3 d5 22. Nc5 Bf5 23. Qf3 b6 24. Nb3 Qxc3 25. Qxd5 Be6 26. Qg5 Bxb3 27. axb3 Qxb3 28. Rxa6 Bxd4 29. Ra7 Re6 30. Rf1 Re2 31. Bg3 Rfe8 32. h3 Re1 33. Rxe1 Rxe1+ 34. Kh2 Qd1 35. Qd8+ Kg7 36. Rxf7+ Kxf7 37. Qd7+ Re7 38. Qd5+ Kg7 39. Qd6 Rf7 40. Be5+ Bxe5+ 41. Qxe5+ Kf8 42. Qb8+ Ke7 43. Qb7+ Qd7 44. Qxb6 Qd6+ 45. Qxd6+ Kxd6 46. Kg3 Ke5 47. f3 Kd4 48. Kf2 Rb7 49. Kg3 Ke3 50. h4 h5 51. Kh2 Kf4 52. Kh3 Rb3 53. Kh2 Rb1 54. g3+ Kxf3 55. g4 hxg4 56. h5 g3+ 57. Kh3 Rh1#

[TracySMiller]

The next match features #7 seed Novag Citrine vs. #10 seed TASC R40. Best of Six.

Game one saw TASC R40 overwhelm the Novag Citrine tactically with a nice combination, so TASC R40 takes a 1-0 lead.

WHITE TASC R40
BLACK Novag Citrine
RESULT 1-0

1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. d4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 g6 7. e4 Bg7 8. Rb1 cxd4 9. cxd4 O-O 10. Bc4 Nc6 11. Be3 Qa5+ 12. Kf1 Rd8 13. Rg1 Nxd4 14. Nxd4 e5 15. Bxf7+ Kxf7 16. Qb3+ Kf8 17. Nb5 Bf6 18. a4 Kg7 19. Rc1 Qa6 20. Rc7+ Rd7 21. Rc1 Bd8 22. Qc4 h6 23. Qb3 b6 24. Rc6 Bh4 25. f3 Qa5 26. g3 Bg5 27. f4 Bf6 28. f5 gxf5 29. exf5 Rd8 30. Bxh6+ Kh8 31. Qf7 Rd1+ 32. Ke2 Rd7 33. Qf8+ Kh7 34. Rxf6 Qxb5+ 35. axb5 Rc7 36. Bd2 Rc2 37. Rf7#

[TracySMiller]

In Game two, TASC R40 teaches the Novag Citrine a stern lesson in the dangers of not castling (and the dangers of playing Bird's Opening) with a vicious King assault. TASC R40 leads 2-0.

WHITE Novag Citrine
BLACK TASC R40
RESULT 0-1

1. f4 d5 2. Nf3 Bg4 3. d4 Nd7 4. Nbd2 e6 5. e3 Nh6 6. c4 Bb4 7. Qb3 Bxf3 8. Qxb4 Qh4+ 9. g3 Qh5 10. Rg1 O-O-O 11. Nxf3 Qxf3 12. Bg2 Qh5 13. Rh1 Nf6 14. Qc5 Kb8 15. Bd2 Nf5 16. cxd5 exd5 17. Kf1 Rhe8 18. Rc1 Rd7 19. Re1 Rde7 20. Rc1 c6 21. Kg1 Qe2 22. Qb4 Ng4 23. Rf1 Nfxe3 24. Bh3 Nxf1 25. Bxg4 Qxg4 26. Qd6+ Ka8 27. Qxe7 Rxe7 28. Bc1 Nxh2 29. Kxh2 Re2+ 30. Kg1 Qxg3+ 31. Kf1 Re1#