Game 6/10
The MCGPro2024 gets revenge. I will tell you now the match does not end in a draw, but will keep you wondering as to which machine won!
[Event "Active,Classic Book"]
[Round "6"]
[White "MCGP2024"]
[Black "Maia1900 6 ply"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D00"]
1.d4 d5 2.Bg5 c5 3.dxc5 {Out of book} Qa5+ 4.Nc3 Nc6 5.Qxd5 Be6 6.Qe4 Nf6 7.Bxf6 exf6 8.e3 Bxc5 9.Bb5 O-O 10.O-O-O Bb4 11.Nge2 Rfe8 12.a3 Bxa3 13.Bxc6 bxc6 14.bxa3 Qxa3+ 15.Kd2 Rad8+ 16.Ke1 Qc5 17.Qa4 Bf5 18.Rd2 h6 19.Kd1 Rb8 20.Kc1 Rb4 21.Qa1 Reb8 22.Rhd1 Qb6 23.Rd6 Rb2 24.Nd4 Bg6 25.Qa4 Rb4 26.Nxc6 Rxa4 27.Ne7+ Kh7 28.Rxb6 Ra1+ 29.Rb1 Rbxb1+ 30.Nxb1 Bxc2 31.Kxc2 Ra2+ 32.Kb3 Rxf2 33.Rd2 Rf1 34.Nc3 Re1 35.Ra2 Rxe3 36.Rxa7 Re1 37.Nf5 Kg6 38.Nh4+ Kh5 39.Nf3 Re3 40.Rxf7 g5 41.Rxf6 g4 42.Rf5+ Kg6 43.Nh4+ Kg7 44.Rf4 h5 45.Nf5+ Kg6 46.Nxe3 Kg5 47.Rf5+ Kg6 48.Ne4 h4 49.Rg5+ Kh6 50.Nxg4+ Kh7 51.Nef6+ Kh8 52.Rg8# 1-0
I have seen before how the Maia bot does not always follow usual opening moves, occasionally throwing in little surprises. In this game, the Queen’s Bishop Attack (Levitsky Attack) was played but on the second move Maia played 2…c5 instead of the preferred h6. But we also know that the MCGP2024’s classic book also has unusual lines. Perhaps this is Maia’s attempt to gain an early advantage by throwing the MCGP off its tracks? Well, obviously this tactic did not work in this game as we can see from the result.
Play followed 3.dxc5 and then Maia played 3…Qa5+?!
I think the Maia bot has an attacking style of play, but in this opening the played moved is a little premature. Better maybe would have been 3…h6 to ward off White’s aggressive Bishop.
In the following position Black had just moved 9…O-O giving the following position:
Despite the Maia making a questionable opening move with its Queen earlier, there is a possible Queen-side attack forming with the two Bishops, Knight and Queen; I’ve noticed that Maia can be very good in forming attacks, although as we shall see in this game it does not always work out.
White’s Knight on c3 is pinned but the MCGP2024 played 10.O-O-O moving its King to the Queen side which I felt was a little dangerous. Maybe better would have been 10.Ne2 supporting the pinned Knight on c3 and allowing for King-side castling. On the plus side, White now has a Rook on the open d file.
Play continued 10…Bb4 Deep HIARCS thinks 10.Ne5 would have been better but it was looking 20 ply ahead! 11. Nge2 Rfe8 maybe 11…f5 would have made more of a statement. 12.a3 and now the MCGP2024 is fighting off the attack and gaining an advantage. 12…Bxa3?! The Maia is aiming for some form of sacrificial glory:
Play continued 13. Bxc6 bxc6 14.bxa3 Qxa3+ and now Black is down a useful Bishop has double pawns on the f file and White can easily move away from danger.
The MCGP2024 continued to outplay Maia until the final checkmate, well done to the MCGPro2024!
Current score 3 – 3
A close match so far, but who will win in the end?