Affordable Computer Chess Tournament - QUARTER-FINALS

[TracySMiller]

OK, the first game in the Excalibur Ivan vs. Radio Shack Master 2200X goes to the underdog Ivan. RS Master 2200X made an uncharacteristic 11 Mistakes, but still had a chance to draw in this complicated endgame:

[fen]r7/2Q1P3/p3q3/4k3/8/1P5P/P4PP1/6K1 w - - 2 39[/fen]

Every move matters in the endgame. If Black plays 39...Kf5, a draw is possible. But after 39...Kf6?, the evaluation drops to -4.1, and the game is effectively over.

Here's the game: https://lichess.org/wSoQRXC1

[TracySMiller]

How RS Master 2200X can go from 11 Mistakes to 0 Mistakes is hard to fathom. Excalibur Ivan only made 1 Mistake, and neither unit made any blunders in this draw.

Here's the final position:

[fen]8/Q7/1p3k2/8/6b1/P2B1q2/2P5/6K1 w - - 14 46[/fen]

I usually play these games until the checkmate or draw is declared by the units, but I was exhausted, and SF had been calling a dead draw for about 20 straight moves, so I think I was OK to call this one a draw.

Here's the game: https://lichess.org/xGg1f97Z

[TracySMiller]

RS Master 2200X ties the match with this nice strategic win. Here's where the tide really started turning:

[fen]6k1/2pqr1pp/4r1b1/1pQn1p2/3PN3/1P3P1P/3NR1P1/2R3K1 w - - 0 36[/fen]

Here Black has coordinated his pieces nicely, and White is cowering. Black is attacking the White Knight, and White can last a little longer by retreating it to c3. Material loss is unavoidable though, so White chooses the moment to double its rooks, but it doesn't matter much at this point. Black gets the win.

Here's the game: https://lichess.org/IPUAz059

[TracySMiller]

Excalibur Ivan makes 4 Blunders in this game, and the RS Master 2200X converts the win in solid fashion. In the following position, Black mistakenly thinks taking the g3 pawn with its Queen is preferable to salvaging its Knight. Bad mistake.

[fen]6k1/2q3pp/1p2p3/p2n1p2/2rPP3/P4PPP/1B1RQ3/5K2 w - - 0 36[/fen]

Here's the game: https://lichess.org/optJG9Jm

[TracySMiller]

RS Master 2200X is really starting to roll now. Excalibur Ivan doesn't play badly but makes one fatal blunder that costs it the game. Here's the position:

[fen]2krr3/ppp2ppp/8/b2b4/8/2P1BP2/PP2N1PP/3RK2R w K - 5 19[/fen]

The only way for white to save material is to play Kf2, but after Bf2??, the Black move Bc4 is deadly.

Here's the game: https://lichess.org/ZCufkyiL

[TracySMiller]

RS Master 2200X is starting to make this a rout with this positional win. Black plays this unusual opening poorly, especially in the following position:

[fen]r1bqkb1r/pp2pppp/8/3n4/3Q4/6P1/PP2PPBP/RNB1K2R w KQkq - 0 8[/fen]

The best move is e6, but Black plays Be6, misplacing the Bishop, which later gets captured, creating doubled pawns that white takes advantage of.

Here's the game: https://lichess.org/NAiicf5l

[TracySMiller]

Excalibur Ivan finally slows down the express train that is RS Master 2200X, but the frustrating thing is it should have had a win.

[fen]8/5N2/6K1/p6P/P3k3/8/8/2b5 w - - 3 81[/fen]

In this position, all white has to do is play Ng5 to block the Black Bishop from the h-pawn. Instead, it played h6???, Black promptly took the pawn, and we get a draw.

Here's the game: https://lichess.org/KA1w3Taw#0

[TracySMiller]

Ugh. Grandmaster draw. RS Master 2200X maintains a 5.5-2.5 lead. Here's the final position:

[fen]r3k2r/4bppp/pqp1pn2/3pNb2/3P1B2/P1N1P3/1P1Q1PPP/R4RK1 w kq - 9 18[/fen]

Here's the game: https://lichess.org/0vvYPYTq

[TracySMiller]

In the sloppiest game of the match thus far, Excalibur Ivan made 6 Blunders to RS Master 2200X's 5 blunders. The endgame was unbalanced but interesting, with connected passed pawns vs. central passed pawn supported by King. In this position...

[fen]8/3B4/P6p/1P6/2kp4/6P1/4KP2/r7 w - - 0 58[/fen]

...white has some chances with Bc6, but after Kd2, Black is able to use its rook and king to support the passed pawn to victory.

Here's the game: https://lichess.org/UJmQPFmd

[paulwise3]

Hi Tracy,

When are you going to enjoy us with more games in these matches?

Regards, Paul

[TracySMiller]

The Radio Shack 2200X moves to within one win of taking the match with this victory. Just one mistake and one blunder for the 2200X, versus 4 mistakes and 2 blunders for the Excalibur Ivan. Here's the worst blunder for black:

[fen]3r2k1/pQ1bbppp/7n/3pp1N1/3q1P2/PP1P2PP/6B1/2R1R2K w - - 1 28[/fen]

Here black played the horrible Qxd3, when Nf5 is required.

Here's the link to the game: https://lichess.org/3zp5126P#0

[TracySMiller]

The Radio Shack Master 2200X wraps up the match and advances to the Semi-Finals, defeating the Excalibur Ivan 8.5-2.5. Here's the biggest blunder that led to the defeat:

[fen]8/7p/2pQ2pk/2P2p2/p3q3/7P/4rPP1/3R2K1 w - - 0 34[/fen]

White is already in trouble trying to deal with Black's unopposed a-pawn. White can last a good bit longer with Rd4, but after Kf1, Black wraps up the game and the match by continuing the a-pawn advance.

Here's the link to the game: https://lichess.org/kpGqeJqJ#0

Here's the link to the tournament results thus far: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... sp=sharing

spacious_mind wins this point with his 9.0-3.0 prediction.

The last match of the quarter-finals will be the Radio Shack Mega 2050X vs. the Mephisto Advanced Travel Chess. I'm really looking forward to this match, as these may be close in strength.

[TracySMiller]

The Radio Shack Mega 2050X opens the match win a win over the Mephisto Advanced Travel Chess. The first game was very even, until a fatal blunder. Before this move, White was up no more than about 1.0, but after the blunder, it's Mate in 11.

Here's the position:

[fen]3R4/1pr1kppp/p7/8/6P1/3QP2P/P4P1K/2q5 w - - 8 36[/fen]

Black must play Qc6 to guard against the mating threat, but unfortunately black played f6???

Here's the game: https://lichess.org/BSqC1uFQ#71

[TracySMiller]

The RS Mega 2050X wins its second straight game against the Mephisto Advanced Travel Chess. The Radio Shack unit takes advantage of some tactical mistakes and grabs a quick lead with its accurate attack.

Here's the turning point:

[fen]r1b2rk1/pp3ppp/2p2q2/2bnn3/B2N4/2P2P2/PP4PP/RNBQR1K1 w - - 1 13[/fen]

White MUST play Bc2 to guard against the Black Knight incursion on d3. Instead, White played Nd2?, and the game is already over tactically.

Here's the game: https://lichess.org/lTmjQ4ln#0

[ricard60]

What happend to this interesting match? hope TracySMiller is Ok.

Regards
Ricardo