Next Komodo vs. GM handicap match - "Opening Blunders&q

[lkaufman]

Our next Komodo vs. GM handicap match is with GM Eugene Perelshteyn, FIDE 2525, USCF 2609, born 1980. Scheduled for April 19 and 20 on chess.com/tv, with Perelshteyn commenting his own game just as Benjamin (and Hess and Williams) did, at same TC as Benjamin (45' + 30").
We are introducing a new form of handicap this time. Instead of changing the starting position by removing one or more chessmen, we start the game with the standard chess set-up, but stipulate a short opening sequence in which Komodo is required to make one or two blunders (either material or strategic). Here are the four opening sequences:

1. 1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 Nb8? 3.c4 Nc6 4.Nf3 Nb8?. Note that this is equivalent to the five move handicap Benjamin received in game 1, only Eugene chose different moves.

2. 1.e4 e6 2.d4 Ke7??. This amounts to a handicap of three moves plus castling rights, since Black will surely play ...Ke8 soon.

3. 1.d4 g5?? 2.Bg5. This is a form of pawn and two move odds, only it is the "g" pawn rather than the "f" pawn lost, and the move Bg5 is probably not optimal.

4. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nxe5?? Nxe5. This amounts to knight for pawn and two move odds. Komodo rates this as the largest of the four handicaps, while Eugene thinks it might be the toughest for him. Note that with the other knights developed first it is a real (though dubious) gambit, but here it is just a blunder.

Chess.com and Eugene were both enthusiastic about this idea. No one can say it is not "real" chess, since these positions require bad moves only by the computer; the human is playing moves he would choose anyway.

[duncan]

Our next Komodo vs. GM handicap match is with GM Eugene Perelshteyn, FIDE 2525, USCF 2609, born 1980. Scheduled for April 19 and 20 on chess.com/tv, with Perelshteyn commenting his own game just as Benjamin (and Hess and Williams) did, at same TC as Benjamin (45' + 30").
We are introducing a new form of handicap this time. Instead of changing the starting position by removing one or more chessmen, we start the game with the standard chess set-up, but stipulate a short opening sequence in which Komodo is required to make one or two blunders (either material or strategic). Here are the four opening sequences:

1. 1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 Nb8? 3.c4 Nc6 4.Nf3 Nb8?. Note that this is equivalent to the five move handicap Benjamin received in game 1, only Eugene chose different moves.

2. 1.e4 e6 2.d4 Ke7??. This amounts to a handicap of three moves plus castling rights, since Black will surely play ...Ke8 soon.

3. 1.d4 g5?? 2.Bg5. This is a form of pawn and two move odds, only it is the "g" pawn rather than the "f" pawn lost, and the move Bg5 is probably not optimal.

4. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nxe5?? Nxe5. This amounts to knight for pawn and two move odds. Komodo rates this as the largest of the four handicaps, while Eugene thinks it might be the toughest for him. Note that with the other knights developed first it is a real (though dubious) gambit, but here it is just a blunder.

Chess.com and Eugene were both enthusiastic about this idea. No one can say it is not "real" chess, since these positions require bad moves only by the computer; the human is playing moves he would choose anyway.

thanks for these new handicaps. I voted 3 for komodo.

there was once discussion about putting the king in the centre, was there any interest in that ?

[lkaufman]

Our next Komodo vs. GM handicap match is with GM Eugene Perelshteyn, FIDE 2525, USCF 2609, born 1980. Scheduled for April 19 and 20 on chess.com/tv, with Perelshteyn commenting his own game just as Benjamin (and Hess and Williams) did, at same TC as Benjamin (45' + 30").
We are introducing a new form of handicap this time. Instead of changing the starting position by removing one or more chessmen, we start the game with the standard chess set-up, but stipulate a short opening sequence in which Komodo is required to make one or two blunders (either material or strategic). Here are the four opening sequences:

1. 1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 Nb8? 3.c4 Nc6 4.Nf3 Nb8?. Note that this is equivalent to the five move handicap Benjamin received in game 1, only Eugene chose different moves.

2. 1.e4 e6 2.d4 Ke7??. This amounts to a handicap of three moves plus castling rights, since Black will surely play ...Ke8 soon.

3. 1.d4 g5?? 2.Bg5. This is a form of pawn and two move odds, only it is the "g" pawn rather than the "f" pawn lost, and the move Bg5 is probably not optimal.

4. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nxe5?? Nxe5. This amounts to knight for pawn and two move odds. Komodo rates this as the largest of the four handicaps, while Eugene thinks it might be the toughest for him. Note that with the other knights developed first it is a real (though dubious) gambit, but here it is just a blunder.

Chess.com and Eugene were both enthusiastic about this idea. No one can say it is not "real" chess, since these positions require bad moves only by the computer; the human is playing moves he would choose anyway.

thanks for these new handicaps. I voted 3 for komodo.

there was once discussion about putting the king in the centre, was there any interest in that ?

Well we did play two official games wtih FM Larry Gilden with Komodo's Black king starting on d5 and e5, as well as a couple blitz games that way with GM Alex Lenderman. Gilden drew one and lost one, while I believe Lenderman lost both the blitz games. It's probably a bit too much of a handicap for a GM in an official 45' + 30" game, since he could analyze it in advance with Komodo and pretty much work out the best way to play. A good handicap should be one where Komodo has many more or less equally good (or bad) ways to play, so preparation will be of limited value.

[JJJ]

I vote 3,5 for Komodo.
Nice to see these new handicap. I like them.

[Jesse Gersenson]

2. 1.e4 e6 2.d4 Ke7??. This amounts to a handicap of three moves plus castling rights, since Black will surely play ...Ke8 soon.

The Hollywood depiction of the sharp-eyed bookie, pad and paper in hand, writing down bets and giving 10:1 odds flashes across my mind.

Larry, you're the big-ticket draw. YOU ought to be commenting on the games, in addition to the player, though I guess it's just as well for you to pass one-line messages to the commentators.

[whereagles]

Will this be broadcast via komodochess arena? Or just chess.com?

[lkaufman]

Will this be broadcast via komodochess arena? Or just chess.com?

Probably just chess.com

[Vinvin]

I think this match will be very tough for Eugene !!

[Nordlandia]

A pawn is little agains the "beast"

Odds #4 resembles Halloween Gambit though.

Some dubvious/errors made in the opening is offset by the enormous strength difference in the middlegame and endgame.

I voted for 1.5 points (wrongfully). Although 2-3 points is more correct.

[lkaufman]

The resemblance to Halloween gambit is superficial. That gambit is justified by the facd that after kicking the c6 knight away White has e5 to chase the other knight back home. Here the knight is already at home so the sacrifice is totally unsound. Two tempi less for White here. One factor in the GMs favor is that all four positions could happen in real games without the GM playing any strange moves, so the match should feel more like normal chess. He gets four won games at the start. He can probably make draws if he so desires, but winning won't be easy. As usual we offer 3 times as much for a win as for a draw, mimicking the so-called "football" scoring system used in some major chess events.