Lemming ACCA Report

[BubbaTough]

A little late, but a couple people have been asking for a report on my ACCA tournament so here it is. Keep in mind, LearningLemming makes up all its own openings, so it is responsible for any success or failure in that area.

Game 1. (0 - 0 - 0)

[Event "ICC tourney 919 (45 10 u)"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2008.11.08"]
[Round "1"]
[White "LearningLemming"]
[Black "Tinker"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2646"]
[BlackElo "2362"]
[ECO "D47"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 Bb7 9. O-O b4 10. Na4 Qa5
[D] r3kb1r/pb1n1ppp/2p1pn2/q7/Np1P4/3BPN2/PP3PPP/R1BQ1RK1 w kq - 2 10
Lemming has left "book" with a decent looking position.

11. a3 Qh5 12. Be2 bxa3 13. bxa3 Qa5 14. Qc2 Be7 15. Bd2 Qc7 16. Rfb1 O-O 17. e4 e5 18. Nxe5 Nxe5 19. dxe5 Qxe5 20. Bc3 Qc7 21. Bd3 h6 22. Rb3 Rab8 23. e5 Nd5 24. Bd4 Rfd8 25. e6 fxe6 26. Rab1 Nb6
[D] 1r1r2k1/pbq1b1p1/1np1p2p/8/N2B4/PR1B4/2Q2PPP/1R4K1 w - - 2 26
White could have a nice advantage with Bxb6, but instead decides on a dangerous sacrifice to open up black’s king.

27. Bh7+ Kh8 28. Bxg7+ Kxg7 29. Qg6+ Kh8 30. Qxh6 Bf8 31. Qxe6 Qxh7 32. Rh3 Nxa4 33. Rxh7+ Kxh7 34. Qe4+ Kh8 35. Qxa4
[D] 1r1r1b1k/pb6/2p5/8/Q7/P7/5PPP/1R4K1 b - - 0 35
A tough position for both sides. If black can organize his pieces white will have problems, but it is not clear that is possible. Tinker started playing a little worse here, thinking that black had the advantage and that white would be trying for a perpetual.

Rd7 36. Qxa7 Rbd8 37. h4 Ba8 38. Qe3 Bg7 39. a4 Rd3 40. Qg5 R3d5 41. Qg6 R5d6 42. Qh5+ Rh6 43. Qg5 Rf6 44. Re1 Rdf8 45. Re7 R6f7 46. a5 Rxe7 47. Qxe7 Kg8 48. a6 Bf6 49. Qe6+ Kg7 50. h5 c5 51. a7 Bd4 52. h6+ Kh8 53. Kh2 Ba1 54. f4 Rg8 55. g4 Bd4
[D]b5rk/P7/4Q2P/2p5/3b1PP1/8/7K/8 w - - 1 55
black has his pieces somewhat organized, but white's pawns are rolling. Easy win for white.

56. g5 Bb7 57. g6 c4 58. f5 Rd8 59. Qe7 1-0

[BubbaTough]

Game 2 (1 - 0 - 0).

[Event "ICC tourney 919 (45 10 u)"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2008.11.08"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Buzz"]
[Black "LearningLemming"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2829"]
[BlackElo "2646"]
[ECO "C90"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Be7 5. O-O Nf6 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. a4 Bd7 10. d4 Re8 11. Qd3
[D] r2qr1k1/2pbbppp/p1np1n2/1p2p3/P2PP3/1BPQ1N2/1P3PPP/RNB1R1K1 b - - 2 11
End of "book" for LearningLemming. Position looks fine for black.
h6 12. a5 Qc8 13. h3 Qb7 14. d5 Na7 15. Be3 c5 16. Bc2 Nc8 17. Nbd2 Bf8 18. b4 c4 19. Qe2 Ne7 20. Nh4 g5 21. Nhf3 Ng6 22. Qd1 Qc8 23. Nf1
[D] r1q1rbk1/3b1p2/p2p1nnp/Pp1Pp1p1/1Pp1P3/2P1BN1P/2B2PP1/R2QRNK1 b - - 5 23
Another speculative sacrifice for LearningLemming here. It looks quite plausible I think.
Bxh3 24. gxh3 Qxh3 25. Qe2 Nf4 26. Bxf4 exf4 27. Nd4 Nxd5 28. f3
Nxc3 29. Qd2 Na4 30. Ra3 Rad8 31. Bxa4 bxa4 32. Nc6 Rc8 33. Nd4 d5 34. exd5 Rxe1 35. Qxe1 Qd7 36. Nc2 Qxd5 37. Kf2 h5 38. Rxa4 Qd3 39. Qd2
[D] 2r2bk1/5p2/p7/P5pp/RPp2p2/3q1P2/2NQ1K2/5N2 b - - 2 39
White's pieces are discombobulated. I would think black's game is won here.
Rd8 40. Qe2 g4 41. fxg4 Qxe2+ 42. Kxe2 hxg4 43. Ra1 c3 44. Kf2 f5 45. Re1 Kf7 46. Rb1 Be7 47. Kg1 f3 48. Nfe3 Rd2 49. Rf1 Kg6 50. Rf2 Bh4 51. Rxd2 cxd2 52. Nd4 f4 53. Nd1 Be7 54. Nc6 Bf8 55. Kf1 Kf5 56. Nf2 Bg7 57. Nd1 g3 58. b5 Ke4 59. bxa6 Bf8 60. Nc3+ Kd3 61. Ne5+ Kxc3 62. Nxf3 d1=Q+ 63. Kg2 Qe2+ 64. Kh3 Qxf3 65. Kh4 Be7+ 66. Kh3 Kb4 67. a7 g2+ 68. Kh2 Qg3+ 69. Kg1 Bc5# 0-1

[BubbaTough]

Game 3 (2 - 0 - 0).


[Event "ICC tourney 919 (45 10 u)"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2008.11.08"]
[Round "3"]
[White "LearningLemming"]
[Black "ChessThinkerX"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "2646"]
[BlackElo "2923"]
[ECO "D46"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. e3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. e4 dxc4 8. Bxc4 e5 9. dxe5 Nxe5 10. Nxe5 Bxe5 11. Qxd8+ Kxd8 12. Bxf7 Bxc3+ 13. bxc3 Nxe4 14. O-O Rf8 15. Bc4 Re8
[D] r1bkr3/pp4pp/2p5/8/2B1n3/2P5/P4PPP/R1B2RK1 w - - 3 15
A nice edge for white out of the opening. I was happy with this, since Thinker was getting a lot of good press and I was expecting a tough game. The position has winning chances for white, and almost no losing chances. Lemming pressed hard, but Thinker defended well enough for the draw.
16. Re1 Bf5 17. Bf4 Nxc3 18. Be5 b5 19. Bb3 Nd5 20. Bxg7 Kc7 21. Be5+ Kb7 22. Rad1 Rad8 23. f4 Rd7 24. h3 h5 25. Kf2 Red8 26. Kf3 h4 27. Ba1 Bg6 28. Re5 Bf7 29. Bc2 Nc7 30. Rxd7 Rxd7 31. Kg4 Rd2 32. Bb3 Rxg2+ 33. Kxh4 Bxb3 34. axb3 Nd5 35. f5 Rf2 36. Kg3 Rf1 37. Bd4 Rd1 38. Re4 Rf1 39. f6 Nxf6 40. Re7+ Kc8 41. Rxa7 Kb8 42. Rg7 Nh5+ 43. Kg2 Rf5 44. Re7 Kc8 45. h4 Rf4 46. Bf2 Rb4 47. Rf7 Kd8 48. Rf3 Kd7 49. Kh3 Ke6 50. Bc5 Re4 51. Be3 Ke5 52. Bf2 Nf6 53. Rc3 Kd6 54. Kg3 Nh5+ 55. Kg2 Rg4+ 56. Kf1 Nf6 57. Rh3 Rg6 58. Be3 Nh5 59. Bg5 c5 60. Kf2 Ke5 61. Re3+ Kd4 62. Re7 c4 63. bxc4 bxc4 64. Kf3 c3 65. Rd7+ Kc4 66. Rc7+ Kd3 67. Kg4 Ng7 68. h5 Rxg5+ 69. Kxg5 Ne6+ 70. Kf5 Nxc7 71. h6 c2 72. h7 c1=Q 73. h8=Q 1/2-1/2

[BubbaTough]

Game 4. (2 - 0 - 1).

[Event "ICC tourney 919 (45 10 u)"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2008.11.08"]
[Round "4"]
[White "NaumXMP"]
[Black "LearningLemming"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2765"]
[BlackElo "2646"]
[ECO "D47"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 Bb7 9. O-O a6 10. e4 c5 11. d5 Qc7 12. dxe6 fxe6 13. Bc2 c4 14. Nd4 Qb6 15. Be3 Bc5 16. b4
[D] r3k2r/1b1n2pp/pq2pn2/1pb5/1PpNP3/2N1B3/P1B2PPP/R2Q1RK1 b kq b3 0 16
First move out of "book". Position looked fine until black's last move. Now white seems to have nice advantage. Naum proceeds to roll LearningLemming from here.
Bxd4 17. Bxd4 Qc6 18. f4 O-O 19. Rf2 Rf7 20. a4 Nf8 21. Bc5 N8d7 22.
Be3 e5 23. f5 Nf8 24. Qe2 Qd6 25. Rb1 Bc6 26. g4 Ne8 27. g5
[D] r3nnk1/5rpp/p1bq4/1p2pPP1/PPp1P3/2N1B3/2B1QR1P/1R4K1 b - - 0 27
uggh. Do we really have to see the rest?
Nc7 28. a5 Rd8 29. h4 Bb7 30. h5 Qc6 31. Qg4 Rd6 32. h6 g6 33. Rbf1 gxf5 34. Rxf5 Rdd7 35. Bc5 Nce6 36. Rxf7 Rxf7 37. Rxf7 Kxf7 38. Qf5+ Kg8 39. Nd5 Ng6 40. Nf6+ Kh8 41. Nxh7 Qe8 42. Nf6 Qf7 43. Ng4 Nxg5 44. Qxg5 Kh7 45. Nf6+ Kh8 46. Bd1 Ba8 47. Bh5 c3 48. Bxg6 Qa2 49. Qxe5 Qb1+ 50. Kg2 Qc2+ 51. Bf2 Qxf2+ 52. Kxf2 Bc6 53. Qb8+ Be8
54. Qxe8# 1-0

[BubbaTough]

Game 5. (2 - 1 - 1)

[Event "ICC tourney 919 (45 10 u)"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2008.11.09"]
[Round "5"]
[White "LearningLemming"]
[Black "SlowChess"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2646"]
[BlackElo "2481"]
[ECO "B08"]

1. d4 g6 2. e4 d6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. Be2 c6 6. O-O O-O 7. a4 Na6 8. a5 Nb4
[D] r1bq1rk1/pp2ppbp/2pp1np1/P7/1n1PP3/2N2N2/1PP1BPPP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 1 8
First move out of "book". I am happy with white's position. Slowchess is quite a good engine, so I expected a tough fight.
9. Bd2 c5 10. dxc5 dxc5 11. Qc1 Nc6 12. Rd1 e5 13. Bg5 Nd4 14. Nxd4 cxd4 15. Nd5 Qd6 16. Nxf6+ Bxf6 17. c3 Re8 18. Qd2 Bg7 19. h4 Qc6 20. cxd4 exd4
[D] r1b1r1k1/pp3pbp/2q3p1/P5B1/3pP2P/8/1P1QBPP1/R2R2K1 w - - 0 20
Black is a bit behind in development, so LearningLemming decides to sacrifice its e pawn to try to attack before black's queenside gets into the game.
21.h5 Qxe4 22. Bf3 Qf5 23. Re1 Be5 24. a6 Rb8
[D] 1rb1r1k1/pp3p1p/P5p1/4bqBP/3p4/5B2/1P1Q1PP1/R3R1K1 w - - 1 24
White's aggression is paying off. It now start launches a decisive blow
25. Rxe5 Rxe5 26. Bf4 d3 27. Bxe5 Qxe5 28. Re1 Qd6 29. Re8+ Kg7 30. h6+ Kf6
[D] 1rb1R3/pp3p1p/P2q1kpP/8/8/3p1B2/1P1Q1PP1/6K1 w - - 1 30
Hard to imagine black escaping this position. And he doesn't.
31. Re3 Qc7 32. axb7 Bf5 33. g4 Be6 34. Rxd3 Qe5 35. Re3 Qc7 36. Rc3 Qe5 37. Rc5 Qxc5 38. Qf4+ Ke7 39. Qxb8 Qb6 40. Qf4 Bxg4 41. Qg5+ f6 42. Qxg4 Qxb2 43. Qe4+ Kf7 44. Qc4+ Ke7 45. Qe2+ Qxe2 46. Bxe2 a6 47. b8=Q 1-0

[BubbaTough]

Game 6 (3 - 1 - 1)

[Event "ICC tourney 919 (45 10 u)"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2008.11.09"]
[Round "6"]
[White "LearningLemming"]
[Black "Rybka"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "2646"]
[BlackElo "2813"]
[ECO "D38"]

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Qb3 Nc6 6. Bg5 O-O 7. e3 a5
[D] r1bq1rk1/1pp2ppp/2n1pn2/p2p2B1/1bPP4/1QN1PN2/PP3PPP/R3KB1R w KQ a6 0 7
First move out of book. Pretty even game here.
8. a4 h6 9. Bh4 Bd6 10. Be2 Nb4 11. O-O Be7 12. Ne5 b6 13. cxd5 exd5 14. Na2 Qd6 15. Nxb4 axb4 16. Bb5 c5 17. Nc6 Bb7 18. Nxe7+ Qxe7
[D] r4rk1/1b2qpp1/1p3n1p/1Bpp4/Pp1P3B/1Q2P3/1P3PPP/R4RK1 w - - 0 18
White needs to forget about the two bishops and grab that knight on f6 before it starts causing trouble. After Bxf6 the position looks pretty equal to me....perhaps a very slight advantage for black. After missing this concept, things roll down hill for LearningLemming as it proceeds to compile its error with a number of additional positional mistakes and gets squeezed to death. I think the game has already been annotated in another thread so I shan't torture myself with a laborious review.
19. dxc5 bxc5 20. Qd3 Qe5 21. Qe2 Rfc8 22. a5 c4 23. a6 Bc6 24. Bxc6 Rxc6 25. a7 Ne4 26. f3 Nc5 27. Bf2 Nb3 28. Ra2 Qe7 29. Qd1 Qc5 30. Qc2 Rxa7 31. Rxa7 Qxa7 32. Rd1 Qa2 33. h4 c3 34. Rxd5 Rc8 35. Bg3 Nc5 36. Qf5 Ne6 37. bxc3 bxc3 38. Ra5 Qd2 39. Ra7 c2 40. Qxf7+ Kh8 41. Qxe6 c1=Q+ 42. Kh2 Qcc2 43. Qh3 Qxe3 44. Qd7 Rg8 45. Rc7 Qce2 46. Qf5 Qd1 47. Rc8 Qeg1+ 48. Kh3 Qh1+ 49. Kg4 Qd4+ 50. Kh5 Rd8 51. Rc6 Qd5 52. Rxh6+ Kg8 53. Rh8+ Kxh8 54. Qxd5 Rxd5+ 55. Kg4 Qxg2 56. Kf4 Qe2 57. Be1 Rd4+ 58. Kg3 Qxe1+ 59. Kh3 Qf2 60. f4 Rxf4 61. h5 Rh4# 0-1

[BubbaTough]

Result summary. 3-2-1 tied for fourth with losses two Naum and Rybka. I am happy to say that in the last couple years my only tournament losses have been to Naum, Rybka, and Junior despite running on a single processor. I thought the learning showed promise, giving me nice positions in most games, but is still inferior to top program books (Naum + Rybka). It will be interesting to see if this is still the case after a couple more years of learning.

The overall play of the engine was suspiciously aggressive. Sacrifices (piece or pawn) in half of its games seems a bit much, particularly since LearningLemming is actually somewhat weak as a tactician. I would guess the engine would be a bit stronger if I worked on reducing its sacrificial tendencies, though I doubt I will any time soon (not only because it may reduce the attractiveness of its play, but because its not as easy to do this as it sounds).

-Sam

[swami]

Good reports, Sam. The game of Lemming against Tinker is worth going through, IMO.

This Lemming's got the pretty cool playing style, I rate it next to Thinker and Chess Tiger.

I read it in your naming engine thread that you're planning to release the engine, presumably without the learning feature? Is that still on the pipeline?

[BubbaTough]

Good reports, Sam. The game of Lemming against Tinker is worth going through, IMO.

This Lemming's got the pretty cool playing style, I rate it next to Thinker and Chess Tiger.

I read it in your naming engine thread that you're planning to release the engine, presumably without the learning feature? Is that still on the pipeline?

I would hope you like LearningLemming's style, since my goal of incorporating your feedback was to make LearningLemming more Swami-eske .

I still plan to release LearningLemming, but have no idea when. I want to add multi-processor support, and reduce bugs still (trying to help CCRL get LearningLemming running made it clear there are still some issues to resolve before supporting a release to the general public). I have no idea how long that will take. At my current development pace, it could be quite a while.

-Sam

[swami]

Good reports, Sam. The game of Lemming against Tinker is worth going through, IMO.

This Lemming's got the pretty cool playing style, I rate it next to Thinker and Chess Tiger.

I read it in your naming engine thread that you're planning to release the engine, presumably without the learning feature? Is that still on the pipeline?

I would hope you like LearningLemming's style, since my goal of incorporating your feedback was to make LearningLemming more Swami-eske .

I still plan to release LearningLemming, but have no idea when. I want to add multi-processor support, and reduce bugs still (trying to help CCRL get LearningLemming running made it clear there are still some issues to resolve before supporting a release to the general public). I have no idea how long that will take. At my current development pace, it could be quite a while.

-Sam

Really delighted that it could play little more human like. In every single game, I notice the huge change in its playing style. It's nothing at all like the older lemming.

I'd guess changing the style permanently does effect the performance, If it's little better then that's good compensation for a genuine playing style.