Humorous study claimed to be winning for white

[Nordlandia]

Last official Komodo is able to drew SF Dev on my system. My system is not the strongest nor the weakest, consisting of I7-5960X 4.5GHz with 16 GB RAM and decent NVMe SSD. Better hardware mean games will be fought otherwise. Xeon games will be appreciated with ample time control.

Now the study is funny because white retreat all pieces to their original squares. Recent SF analysis show that every piece except one is needed to do that for consistent advantage. The real question is if the advantage of 1+ (~ 1.3 ±) is enough to win.

[d]1r2bb1k/4p3/2pn1p2/pp2p3/1Pr5/N2BPP1n/RBPPNP2/4K1R1 w - - 0 1

[pgn][Event "sp.p Humor Tourney EBUR#093"] [Site "?"] [Date "2004.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Costeff=G"] [Black "(+0888.66e1h8)"] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "1r2bb1k/4p3/2pn1p2/pp2p3/1Pr5/N2BPP1n/RBPPNP2/4K1R1 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "29"] [EventDate "2004.??.??"] {EBUR/9 EG#15143} 1. Rh1 $1 (1. Rg3 $2 Rh4 2. bxa5 Ra8 3. Nb1 Ng5 4. Ng1 Bf7 5. Ra1 Bg7 6. Nc3 Ra6 7. Nce2 c5 8. f4 exf4 9. Nxf4 c4 10. Bf1 e5 11. Nfe2 Nge4 12. Rh3 Rxh3 13. Nxh3 b4 14. Nc1 Nb7 15. Ra4 Bf8 16. Bg2 Bd5) (1. Nxc4 $2 Nxg1 2. Nxd6 Nxf3+ 3. Kd1 exd6 4. bxa5 Ra8 5. Be4 Nh4 6. a6 d5 7. Bh1 Bh5 8. f4 Bd6 9. Ke1 Kg7 10. Kf2 Kf8) (1. Bxc4 $2 Nxg1 2. Nxg1 axb4) 1... Rh4 2. Ng1 $1 (2. bxa5 $2 Bh5 3. Ng3 Bxf3 4. Rh2 Ra8 5. Nb1 Kg7 6. Nf5+ Nxf5 7. Bxf5 Bd5 8. Ra1 Ng5 9. Rxh4 Nf3+ 10. Ke2 Nxh4) (2. Nb1 $2 Bh5 3. bxa5 Bxf3 4. Rh2 Kg7 5. Nec3 Nf4 6. Rxh4 Ng2+ 7. Kf1 Nxh4 8. a6 Ra8) 2... Bf7 3. Ra1 $1 axb4 4. Nb1 $1 Be6 ( 4... Nc4 5. Bc1 Be6 6. Bf1) (4... b3 5. cxb3 Bxb3 6. Rxh3 Rxh3 7. Nxh3) 5. Bf1 $1 (5. f4 $2 Nc4 6. Bxc4 bxc4 7. fxe5 Bg7 8. Ra7 b3 9. cxb3 Rxb3 10. exf6 Rxb2 11. fxg7+ Kxg7 12. Nc3 Nxg1 13. Rxg1+ Kf7) 5... Nc4 (5... Nxg1 6. Rxh4+ Kg8 7. Bg2 Nc4 8. Bc1 e4 9. Rxe4 Bh3 10. Bxh3 Nxh3 11. d3 Ne5 12. Nd2 Ng5 13. Rxb4) ( 5... b3 6. cxb3 Bxb3 7. Rxh3 Rxh3 8. Nxh3 Nc4 9. Bc1 e6 10. d3 Bb4+ 11. Ke2 Rd8 12. Nd2 Nxd2 13. Bxd2) 6. Bc1 $1 Nd6 {<eg>} (6... Nxg1 7. Rxh4+ Kg7 8. Bg2 e4 9. Rxe4) (6... e4 7. fxe4 Nxg1 8. Rxh4+ Kg7 9. Rh1 Nf3+ 10. Kd1 Rd8 11. Be2 Bg4 12. d3 c5 13. Nd2 Ncxd2 14. Bxd2 Kg6 15. Ra7 Rc8 16. Kc1) (6... Nb6 7. d3 b3 8. cxb3 Bxb3 9. Rxh3 Rxh3 10. Nxh3 Nd5 11. Bb2 b4 12. Nd2 Bc2 13. Ng5 Kg8 14. Ne6) 7. d3 b3 8. cxb3 Bxb3 9. Rxh3 Rxh3 10. Nxh3 b4 11. Bb2 Kg7 12. Nd2 Bf7 13. Bg2 Rb6 14. f4 exf4 15. Nxf4 1-0 [/pgn]

[Dann Corbit]

I only have a shallow search for this one.
[d]1r2bb1k/4p3/2pn1p2/pp2p3/1Pr5/N2BPP1n/RBPPNP2/4K1R1 w - - acd 38; acs 581; bm Rh1; c3 "Rh1"; c6 Arves.01179; ce 98; pm Rh1; pv Rh1 Rh4 Ng1 Bf7 Ra1 axb4 Nb1 Be6 Bf1 c5 Bxh3 Bf5 d3 c4 e4 Be6 dxc4 bxc4 c3 b3 Ra7 Nb7 Ba3 Nd6 Bb4 Nc8 Ra6 Nd6 Bg2 Rxh1 Bxh1 Rd8 Ra7 Kh7 Ne2 Rd7 Rxd7 Bxd7 Nd2 Bh6 Bxd6 Bxd2+ Kxd2;

[peter]

I only have a shallow search for this one.
[d]1r2bb1k/4p3/2pn1p2/pp2p3/1Pr5/N2BPP1n/RBPPNP2/4K1R1 w - - acd 38; acs 581; bm Rh1; c3 "Rh1"; c6 Arves.01179; ce 98; pm Rh1; pv Rh1 Rh4 Ng1 Bf7 Ra1 axb4 Nb1 Be6 Bf1 c5 Bxh3 Bf5 d3 c4 e4 Be6 dxc4 bxc4 c3 b3 Ra7 Nb7 Ba3 Nd6 Bb4 Nc8 Ra6 Nd6 Bg2 Rxh1 Bxh1 Rd8 Ra7 Kh7 Ne2 Rd7 Rxd7 Bxd7 Nd2 Bh6 Bxd6 Bxd2+ Kxd2;

After Backward of author's lines CFish also (like in your variant) prefers 5...c5 (<1) instead of author's ...Nc4 (>2).

After 5...c5 I have this output, started with full hash from Backward:

[d]1r3b1k/4p3/3nbp2/1pp1p3/1p5r/4PP1n/1BPP1P2/RN2KBNR w - - 0 1

1r3b1k/4p3/3nbp2/1pp1p3/1p5r/4PP1n/1BPP1P2/RN2KBNR w - - 0 1

Analysis by CF EXT 170319 x64 POP NUMA:

6.Bxh3 Bh6 7.Ra7 Bf5 8.d3 c4 9.f4 c3 10.fxe5 Nc8 11.Ra2 b3 12.cxb3 cxb2 13.exf6 Rb6 14.Rxb2 Rxf6 15.Bg2 Rxh1 16.Bxh1 Bxd3 17.Nc3 Bg7 18.Rd2 Rg6 19.Rxd3 Rxg1+ 20.Ke2 Rxh1 21.Rd8+ Kh7 22.Rxc8 Bxc3 23.Rxc3 Rb1 24.Rc7 Rxb3 25.Rxe7+ Kg6 26.f4 Rb1 27.Re5 b4 28.Kd3 b3 29.Kc3 Kf7 30.Rb5 Rc1+ 31.Kb2
+/- (1.12) Depth: 41/78 00:22:35 29133MN

Like Jon I'd also say that isn't a forced win, even if the end of the output- line is one.

[peter]

I only have a shallow search for this one.
[d]1r2bb1k/4p3/2pn1p2/pp2p3/1Pr5/N2BPP1n/RBPPNP2/4K1R1 w - - acd 38; acs 581; bm Rh1; c3 "Rh1"; c6 Arves.01179; ce 98; pm Rh1; pv Rh1 Rh4 Ng1 Bf7 Ra1 axb4 Nb1 Be6 Bf1 c5 Bxh3 Bf5 d3 c4 e4 Be6 dxc4 bxc4 c3 b3 Ra7 Nb7 Ba3 Nd6 Bb4 Nc8 Ra6 Nd6 Bg2 Rxh1 Bxh1 Rd8 Ra7 Kh7 Ne2 Rd7 Rxd7 Bxd7 Nd2 Bh6 Bxd6 Bxd2+ Kxd2;

After Backward of author's lines CFish also (like in your variant) prefers 5...c5 (<1) instead of author's ...Nc4 (>2).

After 5...c5 I have this output, started with full hash from Backward:

[d]1r3b1k/4p3/3nbp2/1pp1p3/1p5r/4PP1n/1BPP1P2/RN2KBNR w - - 0 1

1r3b1k/4p3/3nbp2/1pp1p3/1p5r/4PP1n/1BPP1P2/RN2KBNR w - - 0 1

Analysis by CF EXT 170319 x64 POP NUMA:

6.Bxh3 ...

6.Nxh3 might be stronger, but then there is 5...Bh6, with this I did let SF play out over night with 90'30", 24 threads of 12x3GHz and 32Mb hash:

[pgn] [Event "Stellung ausspielen (CFEXT17319x64POPNUM"] [Site "?"] [Date "2004.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Costeff, G."] [Black "5...Bh6, Cook"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator "Martan,Peter"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "1r2bb1k/4p3/2pn1p2/pp2p3/1Pr5/N2BPP1n/RBPPNP2/4K1R1 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "167"] 1. Rh1 Rh4 2. Ng1 Bf7 3. Ra1 axb4 4. Nb1 Be6 5. Bf1 Bh6 6. Bxh3 {[%eval 124,37] } c5 {[%eval 124,41]} 7. d3 {[%eval 128,40]} c4 {[%eval 112,40]} 8. dxc4 { [%eval 92,39]} Nxc4 {[%eval 92,42]} 9. Bc1 {[%eval 99,40]} Bf5 {[%eval 101,42]} 10. Ra2 {[%eval 78,39]} Rg8 {[%eval 87,43]} 11. Nd2 {[%eval 89,42]} Nxe3 { [%eval 87,44]} 12. fxe3 {[%eval 70,42]} Bxe3 {[%eval 79,48]} 13. Ne2 {[%eval 70,46]} Rxh3 {[%eval 61,48]} 14. Rxh3+ {[%eval 84,45]} Bxh3 {[%eval 73,48]} 15. Nb3 {[%eval 77,46]} Bb6 {[%eval 81,47]} 16. Bd2 {[%eval 67,46]} Rg2 {[%eval 70, 47]} 17. Bxb4 {[%eval 68,42]} Be6 {[%eval 69,46]} 18. Ra6 {[%eval 76,44]} Bf2+ {[%eval 73,45]} 19. Kd1 {[%eval 80,48]} Bc4 {[%eval 69,46]} 20. Nbc1 {[%eval 84,47]} Rh2 {[%eval 61,45]} 21. Nd3 {[%eval 61,44]} Be3 {[%eval 56,44]} 22. Ng3 {[%eval 66,45]} Bd5 {[%eval 61,47]} 23. Ne4 {[%eval 56,44]} f5 {[%eval 61,48]} 24. Nd2 {[%eval 66,46]} e4 {[%eval 66,44]} 25. Bc3+ {[%eval 62,46] (fxe4)} Kh7 {[%eval 58,47]} 26. fxe4 {[%eval 55,42]} fxe4 {[%eval 71,45]} 27. Nb4 {[%eval 57,43]} Bf7 {[%eval 61,44]} 28. Ra8 {[%eval 61,43]} Bh6 {[%eval 61,47]} 29. Rh8+ {[%eval 57,43]} Kg6 {[%eval 57,1]} 30. Nxe4 {[%eval 61,46]} Rh4 {[%eval 52,49]} 31. Ng3 {[%eval 49,44]} Rc4 {[%eval 52,51]} 32. Be1 {[%eval 52,49]} Be6 {[%eval 61,53]} 33. Ke2 {[%eval 61,49]} Bf4 {[%eval 52,47]} 34. Nd3 {[%eval 52, 47]} Bg4+ {[%eval 52,53]} 35. Kf1 {[%eval 52,54]} Bc7 {[%eval 52,54]} 36. Rh4 { [%eval 52,55]} Bd6 {[%eval 52,53]} 37. c3 {[%eval 52,54]} Kg5 {[%eval 52,55]} 38. Rh8 {[%eval 52,50]} Bxg3 {[%eval 52,54]} 39. Bxg3 {[%eval 52,56]} Rxc3 { [%eval 52,56]} 40. Bh4+ {[%eval 52,52]} Kg6 {[%eval 52,55]} 41. Rd8 {[%eval 52, 56]} Be6 {[%eval 52,53]} 42. Ke1 {[%eval 52,52]} Bc4 {[%eval 52,52]} 43. Ne5+ { [%eval 52,51]} Kf5 {[%eval 52,53]} 44. Nc6 {[%eval 52,54]} e5 {[%eval 52,54]} 45. Kd2 {[%eval 52,53]} Rh3 {[%eval 52,52]} 46. Bf2 {[%eval 52,53]} Ke4 { [%eval 52,53]} 47. Nb4 {[%eval 52,55]} Rb3 {[%eval 52,53]} 48. Bc5 {[%eval 52, 56]} Rh3 {[%eval 52,56]} 49. Rf8 {[%eval 52,53]} Rh2+ {[%eval 52,47] (Th1)} 50. Bf2 {[%eval 53,50] (Kc3)} Bb3 {[%eval 53,46] (Th1)} 51. Na6 {[%eval 53,50]} Bc4 {[%eval 53,52]} 52. Nb4 {[%eval 53,46] (Kc2)} Rh3 {[%eval 53,49] (Le6)} 53. Be1 {[%eval 52,47]} Bb3 {[%eval 52,50]} 54. Rf6 {[%eval 52,49]} Kd4 {[%eval 52,50]} 55. Bf2+ {[%eval 52,51]} Ke4 {[%eval 52,49]} 56. Be1 {[%eval 52,49] (Lg1)} Bc4 {[%eval 52,46] (Kd4)} 57. Rf2 {[%eval 52,49]} Be6 {[%eval 52,50]} 58. Kc2 { [%eval 52,50]} Rf3 {[%eval 52,50]} 59. Rd2 {[%eval 52,52]} Re3 {[%eval 52,49]} 60. Bf2 {[%eval 52,53]} Rh3 {[%eval 52,50]} 61. Bc5 {[%eval 52,47]} Bc4 { [%eval 52,50] (Lb3+)} 62. Rf2 {[%eval 52,53]} Bf1 {[%eval 52,50] (Lb3+)} 63. Kb2 {[%eval 52,49] (Tf6)} Bc4 {[%eval 52,53]} 64. Kc2 {[%eval 52,53] (Tf8)} Bf1 {[%eval 52,46]} 65. Bb6 {[%eval 52,50] (Tf8)} Bc4 {[%eval 52,53]} 66. Rf6 { [%eval 52,52]} Rh2+ {[%eval 52,45] (Ld3+)} 67. Kc3 {[%eval 52,52] (Lf2)} Rh3+ { [%eval 52,54]} 68. Kd2 {[%eval 52,52]} Rh1 {[%eval 52,51]} 69. Kc3 {[%eval 52, 52] (Lc5)} Rh3+ {[%eval 52,50] (Tb1)} 70. Kd2 {[%eval 52,51] (Kc2)} Rb3 { [%eval 52,49] (Th1)} 71. Bc5 {[%eval 52,50]} Rb2+ {[%eval 52,46]} 72. Kc3 { [%eval 52,49]} Rb3+ {[%eval 52,45]} 73. Kd2 {[%eval 52,46] (Kc2)} Rb2+ {[%eval 52,44]} 74. Kc3 {[%eval 52,45]} Rb3+ {[%eval 52,39]} 75. Kc2 {[%eval 52,44]} Rh3 {[%eval 52,43]} 76. Rf8 {[%eval 52,43] (Kd2)} Bd3+ {[%eval 43,42] (Th2+)} 77. Kb2 {[%eval 52,39] (Kd1)} Bc4 {[%eval 43,41]} 78. Kc2 {[%eval 43,40]} Rh2+ {[%eval 33,36] (Ld3+)} 79. Bf2 {[%eval 32,35]} Rh1 {[%eval 36,39]} 80. Bc5 { [%eval 39,38] (Lg3)} Rh2+ {[%eval 0,32] (Th3)} 81. Bf2 {[%eval 0,39] (Kb1)} Rh3 {[%eval 33,41]} 82. Be1 {[%eval 0,40]} Rh2+ {[%eval 0,40]} 83. Kc3 {[%eval 0, 44] (Ld2)} Rh3+ {[%eval 0,43]} 84. Kb2 {[%eval 0,43] (Kc2)} 1/2-1/2 [/pgn]

Evals in quoting included.