Game 8/10
It’s another draw, this time by 3rd fold repition. I hope this is not boring for people, but I’m actually enjoying the test of the CG Pro engines at this slow time control. I knew the match would be close but wanted to try and find out if the differences in the engines would be highlighted. So far the CGPro2024 has a won game in the least number of moves, but this doesn’t mean much. The same could happen the other way around given enough games, and there is time yet to witness this.
The older CGPro does calculate further ahead, especially noticeable in the end game and I have seen it calculate an extra 2ply. That said, it’s not made a difference so far in the score in this match so maybe the extra knowledge in the newer CGPro makes up for this? Swings and roundabouts as they say, in some positions the extra search depth may help and in others, the extra knowledge may make the difference.
[Event "CGP2024 V CGP 40m/2h 20m/1h Classic Book"]
[Round "8"]
[White "CGP2024"]
[Black "CGPro"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C49"]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.O-O O-O 6.d3 d6 7.Bg5 Bxc3 8.bxc3 Bd7 9.Nd2 Ne7 10.Bxf6 gxf6 {Both out of book} 11.Bxd7 Qxd7 12.Qf3 Qe6 13.a4 b6 14.a5 Kh8 15.axb6 axb6 16.d4 Kg7 17.Rfb1 Rg8 18.d5 Qd7 19.c4 h6 20.Qh5 f5 21.Qh3 Rad8 22.Ra7 fxe4 23.Qxd7 Rxd7 24.Nxe4 f5 25.Ng3 Kf6 26.f3 Nc8 27.Rb7 Re7 28.Ra1 Kg6 29.Ra8 Reg7 30.Ne2 Ne7 31.Ra6 Nc8 32.Kf1 h5 33.Ra8 Kh6 34.g3 h4 35.Rbb8 Ne7 36.Rxg8 Nxg8 37.gxh4 Nf6 38.Kf2 Kh5 39.Rh8+ Kg6 40.Rf8 Rh7 41.Kg3 Re7 42.c3 Re8 43.Rxe8 Nxe8 44.Nc1 Kh5 45.Kh3 f4 46.Nd3 Ng7 47.Nf2 Nf5 48.Ne4 Nxh4 49.Nf6+ Kg5 50.Ne4+ Kh5 51.Nf6+ Kg5 52.Ne4+ Kh5 1/2-1/2
The Four Knights, symmetrical variation was played until both machines were out of book at move 10.
It’s been mentioned before but the Classic book (London) contains dubious lines and that is the case in this game. At move 9 both machines were still in book but the selected moves starting from Black’s 8th move are either interesting or dubious:
Black had just moved 8…Bd7?! Qe7 is considered good.
Play continued 9.Nd2 Ne7? Better would have been the book move 9…h6! 10.Bxf6 gxf6 11/Bxd7 Qxd7:
And white is in a much stronger position while Black’s King is now exposed.
Apart from weakness in the Classic opening book both machines played accurately and defended well, so we have the unsurprising draw.
Score now is 4 – 4
Ray