Nice move by Fischerle (Division 7 engine in my Amateurs)

[Graham Banks]

[D]6k1/7p/2p1q1p1/rp1p1n2/3P1P1P/PQPBpKP1/8/4R3 B

MangoPaulaAjedrez 4.1 v Fischerle 0.9.30b

Black played Nxh4+ and won fairly quickly.

[lucasart]

I'm not sure Nxh4 is the correct move here. The opponent must have blundered somewhere. Here is a more correct continuation, as proposed by Critter:
[pgn]
[FEN "6k1/7p/2p1q1p1/rp1p1n2/3P1P1P/PQPBpKP1/8/4R3 b - - "]
1.. Nxh4+ 2. gxh4 Qh3+ 3. Ke2 Qh2+ 4. Ke3 Ra8 5. Re2 Re8+ 6. Kd2 Qxf4+ 7. Kc2 Rxe2+ 8. Bxe2 *
[/pgn]
I don't think black wins here.

That being said, the fact that lower rated engines make blunders, is also what makes their games more exciting to watch

[Graham Banks]

Here is the full game:

[pgn][Event "44th Amateur D7"]
[Site "ChessGUI"]
[Date "2014.01.11"]
[Round "18.3"]
[White "MangoPaolaAjedrez 4.1"]
[Black "Fischerle 0.9.30b 64-bit"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Time "1:20:12 p.m."]
[ECO "A45"]
[Opening "Trompowsky; Opocensky; Ruth Opening"]
[TimeControl "40/1500:40/1500:40/1500"]
[PlyCount "98"]
[Number "105"]
[Termination "GUI adjudication"]
[BlackType "program"]
[WhiteType "program"]
[Variant "normal"]

{ Intel i5 Quad }
1.d4 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]} Nf6 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]}
2.Bg5 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]} g6 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]}
3.Bxf6 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]} exf6 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]}
4.e3 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]} Bg7 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]}
5.g3 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]} O-O {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]}
6.Bg2 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]} d5 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]}
7.Ne2 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]} c6 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]}
8.O-O {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]} Bf5 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]}
9.Nbc3 {[%eval 0,15] [%emt 00:00:59]} Bh6 {(Qb6) [%eval 31,10] [%emt 00:00:25]}
10.Nf4 {(a3) [%eval -49,14] [%emt 00:00:52]} Bxf4 {(Na6) [%eval 29,10] [%emt 00:00:29]}
11.exf4 {(exf4) [%eval -11,15] [%emt 00:00:44]} Qd6 {(Re8) [%eval 11,9] [%emt 00:00:18]}
12.Re1 {(a3) [%eval 0,16] [%emt 00:00:53]} Na6 {(Na6) [%eval 7,11] [%emt 00:01:41]}
13.a3 {(a3) [%eval 0,16] [%emt 00:00:51]} Rfe8 {(Rfe8) [%eval 3,11] [%emt 00:01:18]}
14.Qd2 {(Re3) [%eval 0,15] [%emt 00:00:49]} b6 {(Kg7) [%eval 3,9] [%emt 00:00:33]}
15.Rxe8 {(Rxe8) [%eval 0,14] [%emt 00:00:47]} Rxe8 {(Rxe8) [%eval -1,12] [%emt 00:00:24]}
16.Nd1 {(Nd1) [%eval 0,16] [%emt 00:00:45]} Be4 {[%eval -18,12] [%emt 00:00:44]}
17.Bh3 {(Bh3) [%eval 0,16] [%emt 00:00:43]} Nc7 {[%eval -18,10] [%emt 00:00:17]}
18.Nc3 {(Nc3) [%eval 15,16] [%emt 00:00:34]} f5 {(Bf3) [%eval -18,11] [%emt 00:01:13]}
19.Re1 {(Qd1) [%eval 0,14] [%emt 00:00:40]} Qf6 {(Ne6) [%eval -3,10] [%emt 00:00:21]}
20.Re3 {(Qd1) [%eval 0,15] [%emt 00:00:38]} Ne6 {[%eval 3,11] [%emt 00:00:20]}
21.Nxe4 {(Nxe4) [%eval 0,15] [%emt 00:00:37]} fxe4 {[%eval 17,12] [%emt 00:00:25]}
22.c3 {(c3) [%eval 19,15] [%emt 00:00:29]} Qe7 {(Qe7) [%eval 1,12] [%emt 00:01:10]}
23.Qc2 {(Re1) [%eval 17,14] [%emt 00:00:30]} Rb8 {(f5) [%eval 3,10] [%emt 00:00:24]}
24.Re1 {(Re1) [%eval 0,14] [%emt 00:00:33]} a5 {[%eval 6,10] [%emt 00:00:25]}
25.Qa4 {(Ra1) [%eval 0,15] [%emt 00:00:32]} Nd8 {[%eval 7,10] [%emt 00:00:25]}
26.f5 {(Ra1) [%eval 0,15] [%emt 00:00:30]} Qf6 {(Qg5) [%eval 5,11] [%emt 00:00:22]}
27.fxg6 {(Qd1) [%eval 0,14] [%emt 00:00:29]} fxg6 {(fxg6) [%eval 12,10] [%emt 00:00:31]}
28.Bd7 {(Rb1) [%eval 35,13] [%emt 00:00:28]} Rb7 {(Kg7) [%eval 17,12] [%emt 00:00:52]}
29.Bg4 {(Bh3) [%eval 0,15] [%emt 00:00:27]} Nf7 {(Rf7) [%eval 37,11] [%emt 00:00:29]}
30.h4 {(c4) [%eval 31,14] [%emt 00:00:21]} Nh6 {(Nh6) [%eval 37,11] [%emt 00:00:22]}
31.Be2 {(Bh3) [%eval 0,15] [%emt 00:00:25]} e3 {[%eval 59,11] [%emt 00:00:41]}
32.f4 {(Rf1) [%eval 0,16] [%emt 00:00:24]} Nf5 {[%eval 93,11] [%emt 00:00:32]}
33.Kg2 {(Kg2) [%eval 0,14] [%emt 00:00:23]} Re7 {[%eval 73,10] [%emt 00:00:36]}
34.b4 {(Qb3) [%eval 18,14] [%emt 00:00:20]} Ra7 {(Ra7) [%eval 50,11] [%emt 00:00:34]}
35.bxa5 {(Bg4) [%eval 0,15] [%emt 00:00:21]} Rxa5 {(Rxa5) [%eval 55,11] [%emt 00:01:05]}
36.Qb3 {(Qb3) [%eval 0,15] [%emt 00:00:20]} b5 {[%eval 107,11] [%emt 00:00:49]}
37.Bd3 {(Bg4) [%eval 0,14] [%emt 00:00:20]} Qe6 {(Nxh4) [%eval -3,12] [%emt 00:01:16]}
38.Kf3 {(Kf3) [%eval 0,15] [%emt 00:00:19]} Nxh4 {[%eval -17,12] [%emt 00:00:57]}
39.gxh4 {(gxh4) [%eval 0,16] [%emt 00:00:18]} Qh3 {[%eval -26,12] [%emt 00:00:34]}
40.Ke2 {(Ke2) [%eval 0,16] [%emt 00:00:00]} Qxh4 {[%eval 0,12] [%emt 00:00:28]}
41.Rf1 {(Rf1) [%eval 0,16] [%emt 00:01:17]} Qh2 {[%eval 279,14] [%emt 00:00:22]}
42.Kxe3 {(Kxe3) [%eval 0,17] [%emt 00:01:14]} Ra8 {[%eval 415,14] [%emt 00:01:11]}
43.Kf3 {(Qd1) [%eval 0,17] [%emt 00:01:11]} Re8 {[%eval 415,14] [%emt 00:00:54]}
44.Rd1 {(Qd1) [%eval 0,17] [%emt 00:01:08]} Qh3 {[%eval 30979,14] [%emt 00:00:39]}
45.Kf2 {(Kf2) [%eval 0,17] [%emt 00:00:00]} Re3 {[%eval 30981,13] [%emt 00:00:19]}
46.Be2 {(Be2) [%eval -1534,17] [%emt 00:00:57]} Qg3 {(Qg3) [%eval 30983,1] [%emt 00:00:00]}
47.Kf1 {[%eval -1534,17] [%emt 00:00:00]} Qxf4 {[%eval 30985,1] [%emt 00:00:00]}
48.Ke1 {[%eval -98987,14] [%emt 00:00:06]} Rg3 {(Rg3) [%eval 30987,1] [%emt 00:00:00]}
49.c4 {[%eval -98990,15] [%emt 00:00:08]} Rg1 {(Rg1) [%eval 30989,1] [%emt 00:00:00]}
0-1[/pgn]

[Event "44th Amateur D7"]
[Site "ChessGUI"]
[Date "2014.01.11"]
[Round "18.3"]
[White "MangoPaolaAjedrez 4.1"]
[Black "Fischerle 0.9.30b 64-bit"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Time "1:20:12 p.m."]
[ECO "A45"]
[Opening "Trompowsky; Opocensky; Ruth Opening"]
[TimeControl "40/1500:40/1500:40/1500"]
[PlyCount "98"]
[Number "105"]
[Termination "GUI adjudication"]
[BlackType "program"]
[WhiteType "program"]
[Variant "normal"]

{ Intel i5 Quad }
1.d4 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]} Nf6 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]}
2.Bg5 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]} g6 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]}
3.Bxf6 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]} exf6 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]}
4.e3 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]} Bg7 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]}
5.g3 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]} O-O {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]}
6.Bg2 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]} d5 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]}
7.Ne2 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]} c6 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]}
8.O-O {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]} Bf5 {[%eval 0,1] [%emt 00:00:00]}
9.Nbc3 {[%eval 0,15] [%emt 00:00:59]} Bh6 {(Qb6) [%eval 31,10] [%emt 00:00:25]}
10.Nf4 {(a3) [%eval -49,14] [%emt 00:00:52]} Bxf4 {(Na6) [%eval 29,10] [%emt 00:00:29]}
11.exf4 {(exf4) [%eval -11,15] [%emt 00:00:44]} Qd6 {(Re8) [%eval 11,9] [%emt 00:00:18]}
12.Re1 {(a3) [%eval 0,16] [%emt 00:00:53]} Na6 {(Na6) [%eval 7,11] [%emt 00:01:41]}
13.a3 {(a3) [%eval 0,16] [%emt 00:00:51]} Rfe8 {(Rfe8) [%eval 3,11] [%emt 00:01:18]}
14.Qd2 {(Re3) [%eval 0,15] [%emt 00:00:49]} b6 {(Kg7) [%eval 3,9] [%emt 00:00:33]}
15.Rxe8 {(Rxe8) [%eval 0,14] [%emt 00:00:47]} Rxe8 {(Rxe8) [%eval -1,12] [%emt 00:00:24]}
16.Nd1 {(Nd1) [%eval 0,16] [%emt 00:00:45]} Be4 {[%eval -18,12] [%emt 00:00:44]}
17.Bh3 {(Bh3) [%eval 0,16] [%emt 00:00:43]} Nc7 {[%eval -18,10] [%emt 00:00:17]}
18.Nc3 {(Nc3) [%eval 15,16] [%emt 00:00:34]} f5 {(Bf3) [%eval -18,11] [%emt 00:01:13]}
19.Re1 {(Qd1) [%eval 0,14] [%emt 00:00:40]} Qf6 {(Ne6) [%eval -3,10] [%emt 00:00:21]}
20.Re3 {(Qd1) [%eval 0,15] [%emt 00:00:38]} Ne6 {[%eval 3,11] [%emt 00:00:20]}
21.Nxe4 {(Nxe4) [%eval 0,15] [%emt 00:00:37]} fxe4 {[%eval 17,12] [%emt 00:00:25]}
22.c3 {(c3) [%eval 19,15] [%emt 00:00:29]} Qe7 {(Qe7) [%eval 1,12] [%emt 00:01:10]}
23.Qc2 {(Re1) [%eval 17,14] [%emt 00:00:30]} Rb8 {(f5) [%eval 3,10] [%emt 00:00:24]}
24.Re1 {(Re1) [%eval 0,14] [%emt 00:00:33]} a5 {[%eval 6,10] [%emt 00:00:25]}
25.Qa4 {(Ra1) [%eval 0,15] [%emt 00:00:32]} Nd8 {[%eval 7,10] [%emt 00:00:25]}
26.f5 {(Ra1) [%eval 0,15] [%emt 00:00:30]} Qf6 {(Qg5) [%eval 5,11] [%emt 00:00:22]}
27.fxg6 {(Qd1) [%eval 0,14] [%emt 00:00:29]} fxg6 {(fxg6) [%eval 12,10] [%emt 00:00:31]}
28.Bd7 {(Rb1) [%eval 35,13] [%emt 00:00:28]} Rb7 {(Kg7) [%eval 17,12] [%emt 00:00:52]}
29.Bg4 {(Bh3) [%eval 0,15] [%emt 00:00:27]} Nf7 {(Rf7) [%eval 37,11] [%emt 00:00:29]}
30.h4 {(c4) [%eval 31,14] [%emt 00:00:21]} Nh6 {(Nh6) [%eval 37,11] [%emt 00:00:22]}
31.Be2 {(Bh3) [%eval 0,15] [%emt 00:00:25]} e3 {[%eval 59,11] [%emt 00:00:41]}
32.f4 {(Rf1) [%eval 0,16] [%emt 00:00:24]} Nf5 {[%eval 93,11] [%emt 00:00:32]}
33.Kg2 {(Kg2) [%eval 0,14] [%emt 00:00:23]} Re7 {[%eval 73,10] [%emt 00:00:36]}
34.b4 {(Qb3) [%eval 18,14] [%emt 00:00:20]} Ra7 {(Ra7) [%eval 50,11] [%emt 00:00:34]}
35.bxa5 {(Bg4) [%eval 0,15] [%emt 00:00:21]} Rxa5 {(Rxa5) [%eval 55,11] [%emt 00:01:05]}
36.Qb3 {(Qb3) [%eval 0,15] [%emt 00:00:20]} b5 {[%eval 107,11] [%emt 00:00:49]}
37.Bd3 {(Bg4) [%eval 0,14] [%emt 00:00:20]} Qe6 {(Nxh4) [%eval -3,12] [%emt 00:01:16]}
38.Kf3 {(Kf3) [%eval 0,15] [%emt 00:00:19]} Nxh4 {[%eval -17,12] [%emt 00:00:57]}
39.gxh4 {(gxh4) [%eval 0,16] [%emt 00:00:18]} Qh3 {[%eval -26,12] [%emt 00:00:34]}
40.Ke2 {(Ke2) [%eval 0,16] [%emt 00:00:00]} Qxh4 {[%eval 0,12] [%emt 00:00:28]}
41.Rf1 {(Rf1) [%eval 0,16] [%emt 00:01:17]} Qh2 {[%eval 279,14] [%emt 00:00:22]}
42.Kxe3 {(Kxe3) [%eval 0,17] [%emt 00:01:14]} Ra8 {[%eval 415,14] [%emt 00:01:11]}
43.Kf3 {(Qd1) [%eval 0,17] [%emt 00:01:11]} Re8 {[%eval 415,14] [%emt 00:00:54]}
44.Rd1 {(Qd1) [%eval 0,17] [%emt 00:01:08]} Qh3 {[%eval 30979,14] [%emt 00:00:39]}
45.Kf2 {(Kf2) [%eval 0,17] [%emt 00:00:00]} Re3 {[%eval 30981,13] [%emt 00:00:19]}
46.Be2 {(Be2) [%eval -1534,17] [%emt 00:00:57]} Qg3 {(Qg3) [%eval 30983,1] [%emt 00:00:00]}
47.Kf1 {[%eval -1534,17] [%emt 00:00:00]} Qxf4 {[%eval 30985,1] [%emt 00:00:00]}
48.Ke1 {[%eval -98987,14] [%emt 00:00:06]} Rg3 {(Rg3) [%eval 30987,1] [%emt 00:00:00]}
49.c4 {[%eval -98990,15] [%emt 00:00:08]} Rg1 {(Rg1) [%eval 30989,1] [%emt 00:00:00]}
0-1

[reflectionofpower]

I like the move though, something I would go for.

[syzygy]

41.Rf1 seems to lose the game.
[D]6k1/7p/2p3p1/rp1p4/3P1P1q/PQPBp3/4K3/4R3 w - - 0 41

[RolandoFurioso]

[D]6k1/7p/2p1q1p1/rp1p1n2/3P1P1P/PQPBpKP1/8/4R3 B

MangoPaulaAjedrez 4.1 v Fischerle 0.9.30b

Black played Nxh4+ and won fairly quickly.

Hi Graham,

thanks for posting this! I've just seen it on Saturday, as I was abroad (SE Asia) during whole January.

Nice to see that Fischerle is playing such "positional" sacrifices! Though, in this particular case, I lean to say that the sacrifice is questionable. Pitting some very strong engines against each other starting with the position after Nxh4 typically resulted in a white win, though only after a quite long battle.

On the other hand, from a psychological perspective, Nxh4+ might well be justified against weaker opponents as it definitely creates opportunities. (Though I'm definitely not claiming that Fischerle possesses such psychological skills )

Moreover, even some very strong engines suggest this sacrifice at a search depth of up to 14 half moves, and in fact judge this move only marginally worse than the slightly preferred Ta7. Hence, we yet lack the definite evidence required to finally decide upon the soundness of Nxh4+. I'd thus just say it's a quite interesting move at the least, though one shouldn't try it against Magnus C. ... .

Roland