Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!tektronix!hplabs!sri-unix!mclure@sri-prism From: mclure%sri-prism@sri-unix.UUCP Newsgroups: net.chess Subject: number-cruncher closes pawn structure Message-ID: <12909@sri-arpa.UUCP> Date: Tue, 28-Aug-84 01:19:24 EDT Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.12909 Posted: Tue Aug 28 01:19:24 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 30-Aug-84 10:44:27 EDT Lines: 101 Administrivia ------------- >From now on, English notation will be included for all moves. Also, if you feel very strongly about a given move, you may send a comment to the list in an attempt to convince others of your worthy cause as one player here did with his move which won. The next move will be sent out around September 3rd-5th. I will be out of town during this period, although still reading mail. The Vote Tally -------------- The winner is: 9 ... Bg4 (B-KN5) A total of 24 moves were cast. The Machine Moves ----------------- Depth Move Time for search Nodes Machine's Estimate 8 ply d5 17 hours, 8 minutes 6.5x10^7 += (P-Q5) Humans Move # Votes BR ** -- BQ BK BB -- BR 9 ... Bg4 (B-N5) 12 ** BP ** -- ** BP BP BP 9 ... Be7 (B-K2) 6 BP ** BN BP -- BN -- ** 9 ... exd4 (PXP) 3 ** -- ** WP BP -- ** -- 9 ... Qb6 (Q-N3) 3 -- ** -- ** WP ** BB ** 9 ... h5 (P-KR4) 1 ** -- ** -- ** WN ** -- WP WP -- ** -- WP WP WP WR WN WB WQ WR WB WK -- Prestige 8-ply The machine still thinks it is ahead positionally. Its evaluation improved by about 8% of a pawn over the last position. The Game So Far --------------- 1. e4 (P-K4) c5 (P-QB4) 6. Re1 (R-K1) a6 (P-QR3) 2. Nf3 (N-KB3) d6 (P-Q3) 7. Bf1 (B-KB1) e5 (P-K4) 3. Bb5+(B-N5ch) Nc6 (N-QB3) 8. d4 (P-Q4) cxd4 (PXP) 4. o-o (O-O) Bd7 (B-Q2) 9. cxd4 (PXP) Bg4 (B-N5) 5. c3 (P-QB3) Nf6 (N-KB3) 10. d5 (P-Q5) Commentary ---------- From Wilkins , USCF ? Regarding Sloan's analysis of why the machine thought it was behind after book: he leaves out the most likely explanation, namely, that the evaluation function is wrong sometimes (try writing one yourself if you think you can always get the "right" answer). Concluding that the opening line does not match the machine's style from the negative evaluation assumes that the evaluation is correct with respect to the machine's style (unlikely). From John W. Perry , USCF 1890ish I don't see why everybody is worried about Black's king being in the center since black CANNOT force the king file to be opened. Black's best 9th move seems very clear to me 9...Bg4. Following this move I don't see how White can proceed favorably. 10 d5 will lead to 10...Nd4 which will lead to several possibilities none of which look good for white --- either a loss of the two bishops or a breakup of pawns on his castled kingside. If White counters with Nbd2 and then white cannot use his queen knight to occupy the hole on d5. In summary, it appears that most positional trumps are in black's favor --- he can occupy the QB file quicker than From: Bernard Gunther , USCF 1800ish My vote goes to: 9: Bg4 This forces action in the middle of the board while allowing us to get out of the problem of having an isolated pawn. From: rod@Maryland.arpa (Rodrigo Fontecilla), USCF ? I must apologize for my past analysis. I had the wrong position. e5 wasn't that bad after all. My vote is for 9...., Bg4 forcing 10. dxe and the game is even after 10.....,exd 11.Qxd8 Rxd8 or 11. Qb3 Be7 12 Bg5 0-0 Solicitation ------------ Your move, please? Replies to Arpanet: mclure@sri-unix or Usenet: sri-unix!mclure. DO NOT SEND REPLIES TO THE ENTIRE LIST! Just send them to one of the above addresses.