World Computer Chess Championship 2015

[Jeroen]

I think a 'backwardation' is in order: shorter book lines are better!

Just take the example below: Hiarcs plays about 25 moves out of book and then can only hope for a draw. Nice game by Ginkgo, no chance for black whatsoever. Such lines 'kill' your tournament....

[Event "WCSC"]
[Site "Leiden"]
[Date "2015.07.04"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Ginkgo"]
[Black "Hiarcs"]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "141"]
[TimeControl "60+1"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 dxc4 7. e4 g5 8. Bg3 b5 9. Be2 Bb7 10. O-O Nbd7 11. Ne5 h5 12. Nxd7 Qxd7 13. Be5 Rh6 14. Qc1 Ng4 15. Bxg4 hxg4 16. Qxg5 Rg6 17. Qh4 Be7 18. Qh8+ Bf8 19. Qh5 Qe7 20. Rfd1 O-O-O 21. Bg3 Rg5 22. Qh4 Qf6 23. Be5 Qg6 24. Qg3 Rd7 25. Qe3 Rh5 26. Ne2 Qh7 27. Bg3 f6 28. Qf4 Bd6 29. e5 fxe5 30. dxe5 Bxe5 31. Rxd7 Qxd7 32. Qxg4 Bxb2 33. Qg8+ Qd8 34. Qxe6+ Qd7 35. Qg8+ Qd8 36. Qg4+ Qd7 37. Qxh5 Bxa1 38. h4 Ba6 39. Nf4 Bd4 40. Qg6 b4 41. Ne6 Bb5 42. h5 b3 43. axb3 cxb3 44. Nxd4 Qxd4 45. Qf7 Kd8 46. Qf8+ Kd7 47. Qf5+ Ke7 48. Be5 Qd5 49. Qf6+ Kd7 50. h6 Bd3 51. Qg7+ Ke6 52. f4 Qc5+ 53. Kh2 Qe7 54. Qg3 Qh7 55. Qh4 Qd7 56. Qg4+ Bf5 57. Qg8+ Qf7 58. Qc8+ Kd5 59. Qd8+ Kc4 60. g4 Bg6 61. Qd4+ Kb5 62. f5 Bh7 63. Qd3+ Kb6 64. Kg3 c5 65. Qd6+ Kb5 66. f6 b2 67. Bxb2 Bg6 68. Qe7 Qb3+ 69. Kh4 Qc2 70. Kg5 Bh7 71. f7 1-0

[Jeroen]

Or take a look at this game:

[Event "WCSC"]
[Site "Leiden"]
[Date "2015.07.04"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Hiarcs"]
[Black "Komodo"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D27"]
[PlyCount "81"]
[EventDate "2015.07.04"]

1. d4 e6 2. c4 d5 3. Nf3 dxc4 4. e3 Nf6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O a6 7. Bb3 b5 8. a4 b4 9. e4 Bb7 10. e5 Ne4 11. Nbd2 Nxd2 12. Bxd2 cxd4 13. Ng5 Be7 14. Qh5 Bxg5 15. Bxg5 Qd7 16. Rfd1 Nc6 17. Rac1 h6 18. Be3 Qe7 19. Bxd4 Nxd4 20. Rxd4 Rd8 21. Rxd8+ Qxd8 22. Bxe6 g6 23. Qh3 fxe6 24. Qxe6+ Kf8 25. Qxg6 Qd2 26. Qf5+ Ke8 27. Qe6+ Kf8 28. Qf6+ Kg8 29. Qe6+ Kf8 30. Qf6+ Kg8 31. Qg6+ Kf8 32. Qf5+ Ke8 33. Qh5+ Ke7 34. Qh4+ Ke8 35. Qh5+ Ke7 36. Qh4+ Ke8 37. Qc4 Rf8 38. Qe6+ Kd8 39.
Qb6+ Ke8 40. Qe6+ Kd8 41. Qb6+ 1/2-1/2

You cannot win tournaments by playing such lines .

[ernst]

Besides operator, isn't Erdo the book creator of Komodo a well?

[Harvey Williamson]

Besides operator, isn't Erdo the book creator of Komodo a well?

He is also the guy that won $10000 playing against Jeroens book with, possibly, a weaker engine.

[mjlef]

Besides operator, isn't Erdo the book creator of Komodo a well?

He is also the guy that won $10000 playing against Jeroens book with, possibly, a weaker engine.

I second that! Erdo is smart, friendly, hard working and a great operator, and I am very pleased he offered to help us out. His knowledge about effective openings against computers is amazing. I could not be happier.

As for the book lines, we gave Erdo specific instructions on what we wanted in the book, and he is doing a great job carrying them out.

As a side comment, people should not jump to conclusion looking at a few games from an as yet uncompleted tournament. A hand full of games is not enough to judge the quality of a chess engine or an opening book. Jumping to conclusions without significant evidence is just what you need to end up building a weak engine.

[mclane]

As long as I can remember the book guys fight endless wars in the forums.
I guess this has to do with them doing chess, that is also kind of war.

[ernst]

Besides operator, isn't Erdo the book creator of Komodo a well?

He is also the guy that won $10000 playing against Jeroens book with, possibly, a weaker engine.

I second that! Erdo is smart, friendly, hard working and a great operator, and I am very pleased he offered to help us out. His knowledge about effective openings against computers is amazing. I could not be happier.

As for the book lines, we gave Erdo specific instructions on what we wanted in the book, and he is doing a great job carrying them out.

As a side comment, people should not jump to conclusion looking at a few games from an as yet uncompleted tournament. A hand full of games is not enough to judge the quality of a chess engine or an opening book. Jumping to conclusions without significant evidence is just what you need to end up building a weak engine.

Who, stop! It was just a question, not by any means an attack on Erdo.

However the question got answered nonetheless.

[Jeroen]

His knowledge about effective openings against computers is amazing. I could not be happier.

You sound like a politician who claims that a bad election result is actually very good

Looking at the many opening lines Komodo has played sofar, we can conclude that:

1. In the WCCC you left book against Hiarcs in a questionable position with zero winning chances.

2. In the WCCC you played a questionable line against Jonny, which you finally lost costing you the title.

3. In the WCSC you left book against Hiarcs with zero winning chances.

4. In the WCSC you played lines against Ginkgo and Shredder with white that led to absolutely nothing.

Knowing that Komodo is currently the best program available, winning against Stockfish on fast hardware and with slow time controls, the results are hugely disappointing. No title in the WCCC, three draws against weaker opponents in the WCSC.

It is the results that count, not your opinion. Komodo simply fails to impress and the book is largely responsible for that.

[Harvey Williamson]

Who, stop! It was just a question, not by any means an attack on Erdo.

However the question got answered nonetheless.

Ernst,

My comment and I am sure Marks also was not aimed at you.

Cheers,
Harvey

[Jeroen]

He is also the guy that won $10000 playing against Jeroens book with, possibly, a weaker engine.

I have quite a good (and positive) record against Erdo, thank you.

Same with Hiarcs, by the way.

But I can imagine that you are not entirely satisfied with the current performance of the Hiarcs book, that is throwing away (half) points left and right....