(1) Stockfish 1.7.1 - Deep Rybka 4 [D85]
Computer tournament in Norway, 30.05.2010

Huffington Post, June 7, 2010

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 The machines reached the modern version of the Exchange variation of the Grunfeld defense with the white knight being anchored on the square f3.

7...c5 The attack on the most sensitive point in White's center, the pawn d4, begins. The move also allows Black to slide his Queen to the square a5, creating several crosspins on the diagonals a1-h8 and e1-a5.

8.Rb1 The Rook escapes from the long shadow of the dark bishop on g7 and prevents 7...Qa5. [Reversing the move order 8.Be3 gives Black a chance to seek comfort in the endgame with 8...Qa5 9.Qd2 Nc6 10.Rc1 cxd4 11.cxd4 Qxd2+ 12.Kxd2 ]

8...0-0 [The bullheaded 8...Qa5? is refuted by 9.Rb5! and Black has problems 9...Qxc3+ (9...Qxa2 10.Rxc5 White removes the attacker and acquires a strong center. Black has to be careful, for example 10...0-0 11.Bc4 Qa1 12.Bxf7+! Kxf7 13.Qb3+ e6 (13...Be6 14.Ng5+ Ke8 15.Nxe6 Qxc1+ 16.Ke2 Qxh1 17.Nxg7+ Kd8 (17...Kd7 18.Qd5# ) 18.Qxb7 and White mates.) 14.Rxc8! Rxc8 15.Ng5+ Kf8 16.0-0 Qa6 17.Nxe6+ Ke7 18.Ba3++- ) 10.Bd2 Qa3 11.Qc2! threatening to catch the Queen either with 12.Ra5 or with 12.Rb3 Qa4 13.Bb5. ]

9.Be3 [Planning Qd1-d2 with the idea Be3-h6, exchanging the dark Bishops. In the last 30 years, the most work among the top players has been done in the line 9.Be2 cxd4 10.cxd4 Qa5+ 11.Bd2 Qxa2 12.0-0 White's strong pawn center is a good compensation for the sacrificed pawn.]

9...Qa5 [Now the endgame 9...cxd4 10.cxd4 Qa5+ 11.Qd2 Qxd2+ 12.Kxd2 Nc6 13.Bd3 Rd8 14.d5 is less pleasant.; Black can seek counterplay with 9...Nc6 10.Qd2 cxd4 11.cxd4 Bg4 for example 12.d5 Bxf3 13.gxf3 Ne5 14.Be2 Qc8 15.0-0 Qh3 equalizing.]

10.Qd2 [10.Rb5? doesn't work since after 10...Qxc3+ 11.Bd2 Qa3 12.Rxc5 Nc6 White's center is hanging.]

10...b6 [10...Nc6!? leads to a promising queen sacrifice: 11.Rb5 cxd4! 12.Rxa5 dxe3 13.Qxe3 Nxa5 first appearing in the game Vaganian-Tseshkovsky, Erevan 1982. White may still claim some advantage after 14.Nd4 Bd7 15.e5 Rfc8 16.f4 Rc7 17.Bb5 as in the game Akobian-Howell, Wijk aan Zee 2010.]

11.h4!?N [It didn't take the machine long to find this novelty, but is there enough time to pound Black's kingside with the h-pawn without surrendering the center? The usual moves 11.Rc1 or 11.Rb5 should not bother Black. 11.Rc1 ; 11.Rb5 ]

11...Rd8 [Black can tackle the white center differently: 11...Nc6 12.Rc1 Bg4 13.d5 Rad8 but White can strike with 14.h5 Bxh5 (14...gxh5 15.Qb2!? Bxf3 16.gxf3 Ne5 17.f4 Ng6 18.Rxh5 e6 19.Bc4 with White's edge.; 14...Ne5 15.Nxe5 Bxe5 16.f3 Bd7 17.Bf4 ) 15.Bh6! threatening 16.Rxh5 gxh5 17.Qg5 mating.]

12.Rc1 Overprotecting the c-pawn, allows White to push his d-pawn forward.

12...Nc6 13.d5 e6?! [Black believes that he has time to undermine White's pawn center, but it is a dangerous assumption. The tsunami comes in very quickly. Seeking relief with 13...Qa4 gives White the edge after 14.Qc2 Qxc2 15.Rxc2 Ne5 16.Nxe5 Bxe5 17.h5 e6 18.Bc4 but it was a better choice.]

14.h5! Picking up the speed.

14...exd5 15.hxg6!? Instead of playing the expected 15.exd5, White goes full throttle, accelerating the attack.

15...hxg6?! [Rybka makes a little slip. Black can defend better against the assault on the h-file with 15...fxg6! for example 16.Bh6! Bh8! (16...dxe4? 17.Bc4+ Kh8 18.Bxg7+ Kxg7 19.Qh6+ Kf6 20.Qh4+ Kg7 21.Qxh7+ Kf6 22.Qf7# ; 16...Bf6 17.Bg5 dxe4 18.Bc4+ Kf8 19.Qf4+- ; 16...Bxh6 17.Qxh6 Rd7 18.Ng5 Re7 19.Be2 Bf5 20.Nxh7! Bxe4 21.Ng5+- ) 17.exd5 Ba6 18.d6 c4 19.Be2 Rd7 and the game goes on.; After 15...dxe4? 16.gxh7+ Kh8 (16...Kf8 17.h8Q++- ) White plays 17.Bh6! Bf6 18.Bg5 Bg7 19.Ne5! Bxe5 20.Bxd8 Be6 21.Bg5+/- with advantage.]

16.Bh6! Sacrificing two pawns, but exchanging the dark Bishops leaves the black King trembling.

16...Re8 Greedy, but what else is there? [Can Black avoid the trade and play 16...Bh8? White continues with 17.Bg5! threatening to sacrifice the Exchange on h8 and use the weak dark squares for a mating attack. For example 17...dxe4 (17...Bg4 18.Bxd8 Rxd8 (18...Nxd8 19.Rxh8+ Kxh8 20.Ne5 Be6 21.exd5+- ) 19.Rxh8+ Kxh8 20.Qh6+ Kg8 21.Ng5 Rd7 22.Nh7! Rd6 23.Qf8+ Kxh7 24.Qxf7+ Kh6 25.Qf4+ Kh7 26.Qxd6+- ; 17...f6 18.Rxh8+! Kxh8 19.Bxf6+ Kh7 (19...Kg8 20.Qh6+- ) 20.Qf4!+- ; 17...Re8 18.Rxh8+! Kxh8 19.Bf6+ Kh7 (19...Kg8 20.Qh6+- ) 20.Ng5+ Kg8 21.Qxd5 Be6 22.Qxc6+- ; 17...Bg7 18.Bxd8 Nxd8 19.Bc4!+/- ) 18.Rxh8+! Kxh8 19.Bf6+ Kh7 (19...Kg8 20.Qh6 ) 20.Qg5 c4 21.Ne5+- threatening 22.Qh4+ and 23.Qh8 mate.; After 16...dxe4? White wins by sacrificing the Queen 17.Bxg7! Kxg7 (17...Rxd2 18.Bf6 threatening 19.Rh8 mate.) 18.Qh6+ Kf6 19.Qg5+ Kg7 (19...Ke6 20.Bc4+ Kd7 21.Rd1+ Nd4 (21...Kc7 22.Qf4+ Kb7 23.Qxf7++- ) ) 20.Ne5 and Black is lost, for example 20...Bd7 21.Nxc6 Bxc6 22.Qe5+ f6 23.Qe7+ Kg8 24.Bc4+ Bd5 25.Qxf6 mates.]

17.Bxg7 Rxe4+ 18.Be2 Kxg7 [After 18...Rxe2+ 19.Kxe2 Ba6+ 20.Kd1 Qa4+ 21.Rc2 Kxg7 White gets a decisive mating attack with 22.Rh4! d4 23.Qh6+ Kf6 24.Rf4+ Ke6 25.Qg7!+- ]

19.Ng5 Re7 [Giving up the Exchange 19...Rxe2+ leads to a triumphant King parade: 20.Kxe2 (20.Qxe2? Ba6 21.Qe3 d4 22.Ne6+ fxe6 23.Qh6+= ) 20...Ba6+ 21.Kf3 Nd4+ 22.Kg4 f5+ 23.Kf4 Ne2+ 24.Ke5 Re8+ 25.Ne6+ Rxe6+ 26.Kxe6 Nd4+ 27.Ke5 and White wins.]

20.Rh7+ Kg8 21.Rxf7! (Breaking through.)

21...Qa4 [Preventing 22.Qf4. Capturing the Rook 21...Rxf7 loses to 22.Qxd5+- ; After 21...Qa3? 22.Qf4 Rxe2+ 23.Kxe2 Ba6+ 24.Kf3+- wins.]

22.Rxe7 Nxe7 23.Qe3 Qd7 It seems that Black is almost escaping, but White activates the last attacking piece.

24.Kd2! The King makes a victorious step, preparing to swing the rook to the h-file. Black is in dire straits and has to cover the vulnerable dark squares.

24...Qd6 [24...d4 25.Bc4+ Kf8 (25...Nd5 26.Qe5 ) 26.Ne6+ Ke8 27.Qf3 Nf5 28.Bb5+- ; After 24...Nf5 25.Qe5 Ng7 (25...Qd6 26.Qe8+ Kg7 27.Qf7+ Kh6 28.g3 Nxg3 29.f4 Ne4+ 30.Nxe4 dxe4+ 31.Ke3+- ) 26.Bd3+- White has a winning attack.; 24...b5 25.Qxc5+- ]

25.Rh1 Qf6 [Black has to cover the square h8. After 25...Bf5 26.Rh8+ Kxh8 27.Nf7+ wins.]

26.Nh7! Chasing the black Queen away from supporting the black King. White's storm is unstoppable.

26...Qd6 [After 26...Qg7 27.Qg5 Kf7 28.Qf4+ Bf5 29.g4 White wins a piece.]

27.g4! [The immediate 27.Qf3 Bf5 28.g4 also worked.]

27...c4 Black is left without counterplay: [27...Rb8 28.Qf3+- ; 27...d4 28.Bc4++- ]

28.g5 [(Securing a nice outpost on f6, but 28.Qf3! wins, too. 28.Qf3! Bf5 29.gxf5 Nxf5 30.Ng5+- ]

28...d4 29.Qf3 A decisive double-attack.

29...dxc3+ 30.Ke1 Qd2+ [After 30...Nd5 31.Bxc4 Be6 32.Bxd5 wins, for example 32...c2 33.Nf6+ Kf8 34.Ne8+! Kxe8 (34...Kg8 35.Rh8+! Kxh8 36.Qf6++- ) 35.Rh8+ Kd7 36.Rh7+ Kc8 37.Qc3+ mating soon.]

31.Kf1 Qc1+ 32.Bd1 [32.Bd1 Bb7 33.Nf6+ Kf8 34.Rh8+ Kg7 35.Ne8+! Kxh8 (35...Rxe8 36.Qf6# ) 36.Qf6+ Kg8 37.Qg7# ] 1-0

It's like that, and that's the way it is!  HUH

It loses something without a board or visual aid.

Go to the chessbase website and click on the listed heading (4th item down on the home page.

http://www.chessbase.com/

last week's zugzwang problems.