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This appendix provides annotations by James Quon (a national chess master rated 2301) of a 12 game series between the best-evolved chess player versus Pocket Fritz 2.0, under simulated tournament conditions. The best-evolved player is named Blondie25, following earlier work in evolving checkers playing programs [13, 16]. Blondie25 plays as black in the first six games, and as white in the remaining six games.
Standard legend for chess symbols:
= equal
+= slight advantage white
=+ slight advantage black
+- clear advantage white
-+ clear advantage black
+-- decisive advantage white
--+ decisive advantage black
! good move
!! brilliant move
? bad move
?? blunder
!? interesting move involving some risk
?! dubious move
+ check
# checkmate
1-0 white wins
0-1 black wins
½-½ draw
Pocket Fritz 2.0 - Blondie25 [B29]
NSI La Jolla (1), 2004
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6
This rare variation of the Sicilian Defense in not Black's best option as it allows White to advance with e5, forcing Black to lose time retreating its Knight instead of developing normally. "Hypermodernists” may argue that Black is provoking White into overextending its position so Black may eventually launch a counter-attack, but recent results demonstrates success for White in this variation.
3.Nc3
As mentioned previously, White can advance his e-pawn. Here's one example from a recent event demonstrating how White gained the advantage. 3.e5 Nd5 4.Nc3 e6 5.Nxd5 exd5 6.d4 Nc6 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Qxd5 d6 9.exd6 Qb6 10.Qe4+ Be6 11.Bc4 +- Sebag-Sikorova 2002. If 11...Bxf2+ 12.Ke2 0-0 13.Bxe6 fxe6 14.Ng5 Nd4+ 15.Kd1 +/= and amazingly White retains an advantage. A human player would find it difficult to defend the White side correctly because his King is in the center, but this is the sort of defensive task in which chess computers excel.
3...d5 4.exd5 Nxd5 5.Bb5+ Bd7 6.Bc4
6.Qe2 Nb4 7.Bxd7+ Qxd7 8.d3 N4c6 += did not lead to a significant advantage as in Kaiumov-Arbakov 002, and Khamatgaleev-Belozerov 2002 which both ended in draws.
6...Nb6 =
Pocket Fritz has missed some opportunities and Black is now right back in the game.
7.Be2 Nc6 8.d4 cxd4 9.Nxd4 e5 10.Nxc6 Bxc6 11.0-0 Bb4 12.Bd3 Bxc3
Pocket Fritz should not allow the doubling of its pawns. Perhaps it valued the open b-file, although it should not gain sufficient compensation for the permanent weakness created in its position. Also, surrendering the Bishop-pair when we are close to the endgame is unwise.
13.bxc3 0-0 14.Qg4 Qe7
14...Re8 15.Rd1 Qf6 16.Be3 h6 17.Bxb6 axb6 18.Bc4 Ra4 +=.
15.Re1 e4 16.Qf5?
This is an artificial move that loses time. Better is 16.Bg5 Qe5 17.Bxe4 Bxe4 18.Rxe4 Qxc3 19.Qd1 =+ although White is still left with a horribly weak c-pawn.
16...Rfe8 =+ 17.Be2 Ba4?!
Black has a fine position and should improve its position versus going for the material advantage. 17...Nd5 18.c4 Qb4 19.Ba3 Ne3! assuring that White's pawn structure remains fractured. 20.Bxb4 Nxf5 =+.
18.Be3 Bxc2 19.Rac1 g6
This move unnecessarily weakens Black's castled position. The gain of time on White's Queen should not compensate for this. It appears that Black wants to outpost its Bishop on d3, and needs to remove the Queen from f5 do accomplish this. Better is simply 19...Ba4 =+.
20.Qb5 Ba4 21.Qb2
Better is 21.Qa5= keeping the Queen on an active square.
21...Bc6 22.Bd4 Qg5?!
22...Nd5 23.Rcd1 b6 24.Bc4 Rad8 =+.
23.Be3 Qf5
This move will cost Black more time. Black can keep the pressure on White with 23...Nd5 24.Rcd1 b6 25.Bc4 Rad8 =+.
24.Bd4 Nd7 25.Qd2 Ne5 26.Qh6 f6 27.Rb1 b6 28.Qh4 Rad8 29.Rbd1
White cannot find a clear plan and allows Black to consolidate its position. Many computers, once they achieve what it thinks is the optimal position, will shift pieces back and forth as opposed to uncovering ways to make progress. A human player playing White would realize his position is deteriorating and take action to change the trend.
29...Rd6 30.a3 Red8 31.Qh6 Bd5 32.a4 Bb3 33.Ra1 Bc2
Black should focus its attention on the d4 square, forcing the position open and activating its Rooks. 33...Nc6 34.Be3 Qa5 35.Rec1 Ne5 -+ leading to a larger advantage for Black.
34.a5 bxa5 35.Rec1 Bd3 36.Bd1 Bc4 37.Rab1 Nc6 38.Rb7 R8d7 39.Rxd7 Rxd7 40.Be3 Ne5 41.Rb1 Rd8 42.Ra1 a6 43.Bd4 Nc6 44.Bb6 Rd3 45.Rc1 Rd5
45...Qb5! is another fine move for Black. 46.Be3 Ne5+-.
46.Bc2 Ne5 47.Qh4 Nd3 48.Bxd3 Rxd3 49.Re1 Bd5 50.Bxa5
50.Bd4 Kg7 51.h3 a4 52.Ra1 g5 53.Qh5 e3 54.fxe3 -+.
50...g5 51.Qh5 Bf7 52.Qh6
52.Qe2 Qxa5 53.Qxe4 Qxc3 54.Rf1 Rd8 55.Qa4 a5 56.Rb1 Re8 57.Qd1 Be6 -+.
52...e3!
An excellent move! Black finds the best way to break through White's defenses.
53.f3 Qxa5 54.Qxf6 Qxc3
54...Qc5 55.g4 Rd1 56.Rxd1 e2+ 57.Rd4 e1Q+ 58.Kg2 Qe2+ 59.Kh3 Qce7 60.Rd8+ Be8 -+ wins for Black.
55.Qxg5+ Kh8 56.Qh4 Bb3 57.Kf1
57.h3 doesn't help either after 57...Rd6 58.Kh2 Rg6 59.Re2 Bc4 60.Qd8+ Rg8 61.Qc7 Re8 62.f4 Qd3.
57...Bc4 58.g4
58.Kg1 e2 59.h3 Rd1 60.Kh2 Rxe1 61.Qd8+ Bg8 62.Qe7 Rh1+ 63.Kxh1 e1Q+ -+ wins for Black.
58...Rd1+ 59.Kg2 Rxe1 60.Qd8+ Bg8 61.Qh4 Qb2+ 62.Kh3 Rg1 63.Qe7 e2 64.Qh4 Qa1
65.Qf2 Qf1+ 66.Kh4 Qxf2+ 67.Kg5 e1Q 68.h3 Qe5+ 69.Kh6 Qh4#
White is checkmated. 0-1