The strongest passer

[Lyudmil Tsvetkov]

[d]r1r1nbk1/3q1p1p/4pBpP/p2pP1N1/1ppP2N1/2n5/2PQBPP1/R3R1K1 b - - 3 2

Here is the position after white Ng5. SF evaluates it at about +1 on ply 30 and proposes Nxe2+ for black.

I told you not to play Ne2.

Black simply plays a4, and further a3-a2, winning.

White threatens nothing.

Input a4, and then a3, and when the a pawn gets to a2, I would be glad if you again report the score.

Ok, a4 Bf1 a3 (SF proposes Be7) g3 (dumb - LA)

Yahoo! The score fell to +0.24 to +0.42 with tendency to fall further and SF alternates between Bg7 and f3.

You simply continue with a2.

[d]r1r1nbk1/3q1p1p/4pBpP/3pP1N1/1ppP2N1/2n3P1/p1PQ1P2/R3RBK1 w - - 0 4

I think here already SF will recognize black is better.

You never play Be7 for black, the bishop stays at f8, then you include for black Rcb8, Ra3, if necessary, and black is winning.

SF does not want to play a3, and prefers b3 instead all the time, as the file-based bonus for connected b pawns is 3 times higher than for connected a pawns. I understand a higher bonus, but 3 times higher?

For the same reason, SF wants to play Be7, exchanging a piece with worse psqt for an enemy piece with better psqt, but Bf8 is much stronger here, sheltering the king and helping with the advance of the a passer, also defending pawn on b4.

[Lyudmil Tsvetkov]

OK, I continue the line after a2 a bit: Qe3 Rcb8 (if Re3 instead of Qe3, then Rcb8 again Rf3 Ne4)

[d]rr2nbk1/3q1p1p/4pBpP/3pP1N1/1ppP2N1/2n1Q1P1/p1P2P2/R3RBK1 w - - 0 5

Lyudmil, what does your Sf say about the above position?

[lantonov]

[d]r1r1nbk1/3q1p1p/4pBpP/3pP1N1/1ppP2N1/2n3P1/p1PQ1P2/R3RBK1 w - - 0 4

I think here already SF will recognize black is better.

You never play Be7 for black, the bishop stays at f8, then you include for black Rcb8, Ra3, if necessary, and black is winning.

SF does not want to play a3, and prefers b3 instead all the time, as the file-based bonus for connected b pawns is 3 times higher than for connected a pawns. I understand a higher bonus, but 3 times higher?

For the same reason, SF wants to play Be7, exchanging a piece with worse psqt for an enemy piece with better psqt, but Bf8 is much stronger here, sheltering the king and helping with the advance of the a passer, also defending pawn on b4.

Well, here is the line on black a2 after a long SF think (ply 36)
36 0.00 8.67G 1:49:09 Bg7 Be7 Nf6+ Bxf6 exf6 Nd6 f3 Ncb5 Qxb4 Nxd4 Qc3 Qa7 Kg2 N6f5 g4 Qa3 Qxa3 Rxa3 gxf5 gxf5 Rec1 Rb8

A draw! I think you did it again

[lantonov]

OK, I continue the line after a2 a bit: Qe3 Rcb8 (if Re3 instead of Qe3, then Rcb8 again Rf3 Ne4)

[d]rr2nbk1/3q1p1p/4pBpP/3pP1N1/1ppP2N1/2n1Q1P1/p1P2P2/R3RBK1 w - - 0 5

Lyudmil, what does your Sf say about the above position?

This is the output:

28 +0.20? 453.5M 5:28.33 Kh2 b3?
28 +0.29? 436.6M 5:15.72 Kh2 b3?
28 +0.36? 417.9M 5:00.47 Kh2 b3?
27 +0.42 386.9M 4:38.19 Kh2 Be7 Qf3 b3 cxb3 cxb3 Qxc3 b2 Bd3 Ra3 Qc2 bxa1=Q Rxa1 Bxf6 exf6 Qc7 Bxg6 Qxc2 Bxc2 Rb2 Bxh7+ Kf8 Bc2 Nxf6 Nxf6 Rxc2 Kg2 Ra7 Nf3 Rb2 Ne5 Rb1
27 +0.40! 369.0M 4:24.89 Kh2!
27 +0.19! 349.8M 4:11.34 Kh2!
27 +0.11? 348.9M 4:10.67 Kh2 Be7?
27 +0.20? 300.0M 3:32.83 Kh2 Be7?
27 +0.27! 290.0M 3:25.72 Kh2!
26 +0.20 254.4M 3:00.44 Kg2 Be7 Be2 Qd8 Qf3 Bxf6 exf6 Nd6 Ne5 Nce4 Nxe4 dxe4 Qf4 Rc8 Qd2 Qb6 d5 b3 cxb3 cxb3 dxe6 e3 fxe3 b2 exf7+ Kh8 f8=B Rxf8
26 +0.21? 229.3M 2:42.56 Qf3 Ne4?
26 +0.27? 194.4M 2:17.69 Qf3 Ne4?
25 +0.33 168.4M 1:59.16 Qf3 Ne4 Nxe4 dxe4 Qxe4 b3 Bxc4 b2 Rxa2 b1=Q Rxa8 Qxe1+ Qxe1 Rxa8 c3 Qc8 Bf1 Nxf6 Nxf6+ Kh8 Qc1 Be7 Bg2 Ra2 c4 Bxf6 exf6 Kg8
25 +0.36? 143.9M 1:41.84 Bg7 Be7?
25 +0.50? 117.1M 1:22.81 Bg7 Be7?
25 +0.60? 98.8M 1:10.02 Bg7 Be7?
25 +0.66? 88.2M 1:02.77 Bg7 Be7?
24 +0.72 77.0M 0:54.95 Bg7 Be7 Nf6+ Bxf6 exf6 b3 cxb3 cxb3 Qxc3 b2 Rxa2 Rxa2 Bd3 Nxg7 Bb1 Ne8 Bxa2 Qa7 Bb1 Nxf6 Qd2 Ne8 Qe3 Qe7 Nf3 Qc7 Kg2 Nd6 Ne5 Rc8 Qf4 Qe7 Rh1
24 +0.78? 74.4M 0:52.98 Bg7 Be7?
24 +0.94! 71.5M 0:50.97 Bg7!
24 +0.73! 71.3M 0:50.84 Bg7!
24 +0.65? 70.6M 0:50.31 Bg7 Be7?
24 +0.74? 65.9M 0:47.16 Bg7 Be7?
24 +0.81? 61.4M 0:44.19 Bg7 Be7?
23 +0.87 53.6M 0:38.61 Bg7 Be7 Nf6+ Bxf6 exf6 b3 cxb3 cxb3 Qxc3 b2 Rab1 axb1=Q Rxb1 Nxg7 fxg7 Qe7 Qd2 Qb4 Qf4 Qe7 Nf3 f6 Qd2 Ra2 Qc3 Qd7 Qe1 Rb3 Bh3
23 +0.81! 52.4M 0:37.77 Bg7!
23 +0.65? 51.9M 0:37.36 Bg7 Be7?
23 +0.86? 45.1M 0:32.86 Bg7 Be7?
23 +1.06! 37.9M 0:28.02 Bg7!
23 +1.00! 37.4M 0:27.69 Bg7!
22 +0.94? 33.9M 0:25.25 Bg7 Be7?
22 +1.01? 32.0M 0:23.95 Bg7 Be7?
21 +1.07 30.0M 0:22.59 Bg7 Be7 Nf6+ Bxf6 exf6 b3 cxb3 cxb3 Qxc3 b2 Rxa2 Rxa2 Rb1 Nxg7 fxg7 Qe7 Qd2 f6 Nf3 Qd7 Qc3 Qc8 Bh3 Qd7 Kg2 Rb6 Qd2 Qe8 Qe3 Rc6
21 +1.09! 28.7M 0:21.69 Bg7!
21 +0.95! 28.4M 0:21.41 Bg7!
21 +0.86! 28.3M 0:21.33 Bg7!
21 +0.79! 28.2M 0:21.25 Bg7!
20 +0.73 27.4M 0:20.61 Bg7 Be7 Nf6+ Bxf6 exf6 b3 cxb3 cxb3 Qxc3 b2 Rxa2 Rxa2 Rb1 Nxg7 fxg7 Qe7 f4 f6 Nf3 Qb7 Bh3 Ra6 Qe3 Qf7 Kg2 Rbb6 Qe2
20 +0.76! 27.1M 0:20.42 Bg7!
20 +0.65? 26.9M 0:20.22 Bg7 Be7?
20 +0.86! 26.2M 0:19.70 Bg7!
20 +0.79? 26.0M 0:19.53 Bg7 Be7?
19 +0.86 24.3M 0:18.30 Bg7 Be7 Nf6+ Bxf6 exf6 b3 cxb3 cxb3 Qxc3 b2 Bd3 bxa1=Q Rxa1 Nxg7 fxg7 f6 Nf3 Qe7 Nh4 Qa3 Qc6 Qe7 Qc2 Qa3 Nxg6 hxg6
19 +0.72! 24.1M 0:18.19 Bg7!
19 +0.62? 24.1M 0:18.13 Bg7 Be7?
19 +0.82! 20.2M 0:14.69 Bg7!
19 +0.75! 20.2M 0:14.63 Bg7!
18 +0.69 20.1M 0:14.55 Bg7 Be7 Nf6+ Bxf6 exf6 b3 cxb3 cxb3 Qxc3 b2 Bd3 bxa1=Q Rxa1 Nxg7 fxg7 f6 Nf3 Qb7 Qd2 Qb1+ Bxb1
18 +0.71? 17.4M 0:12.55 Kg2 Be7?
18 +0.91! 14.2M 0:10.38 Kg2!
18 +0.85! 14.0M 0:10.25 Kg2!
17 +0.79 13.8M 0:10.08 Kg2 Be7 Be2 Bxf6 exf6 Rb7 Ne5 Qd8 Bg4 Nxf6 Bf3 Nfe4 Nxe4 dxe4 Bxe4 Nxe4 Qxe4 Qd5 Nxc4
17 +0.76? 13.2M 0:09.63 Kg2 Be7?
17 +0.92! 12.4M 0:09.05 Kg2!
17 +0.81? 12.3M 0:08.98 Kg2 Be7?
17 +0.89! 11.4M 0:08.36 Kg2!
17 +0.82? 10.5M 0:07.72 Kh1 Be7?
17 +0.89? 8.66M 0:06.50 Kh1 Be7?
16 +0.95 7.25M 0:05.55 Kh1 Be7 Rac1 Qd8 Qf4 Nxf6 exf6 Bd6 Qe3 Qf8 Ra1 Kh8 Bg2 Qg8 Bf3 Rb7
16 +1.04? 6.41M 0:04.99 Qd2 Be7?
16 +1.10? 5.95M 0:04.67 Qd2 Be7?
15 +1.16 5.24M 0:04.17 Qd2 Be7 Qc1 Bxf6 exf6 b3 cxb3 cxb3 Qxc3 b2 Bd3 Qc7 Qd2 bxa1=Q Rxa1 Ra4 Nf3 Qa7 Nfe5 Qxd4 Rxa2 Rxa2 Qxa2
15 +1.32? 3.83M 0:03.08 Kg2 Be7?
15 +1.48! 3.78M 0:03.03 Kg2!
14 +1.72 1.84M 0:01.67 Bg7 b3 cxb3 cxb3 Bxf8 b2 Qxc3 b1=Q Bg7 Qe7 Nf6+ Nxf6 exf6 Qd7 Qf3 Qf5 Qe3 Rb1
13 +1.77 1.07M 0:01.06 Rec1 Be7 Qf4 Qd8 Re1 Nxf6 exf6 Bd6 Qf3 Nb5 Qe3 Qf8 Ne5
12 +1.84 510884 0:00.59 Kh2 Be7 Bg2 Qd8 Qf4 Nxf6 exf6 Bd6 Qf3 Qb6 Re3 Qxd4 Ree1
11 +2.13 156744 0:00.22 Qf3 Be7 Re3 Ne4 Bxe7 Qxe7 Nxe4 dxe4 Qxe4 Qc7 Bg2 Qd7 Qf4
10 +2.40 86520 0:00.13 Qf3 Be7 Re3 Ne4 Nxe4 dxe4 Qxe4 Bxf6 exf6 c3
9 +2.43 47483 0:00.08 Bg2 Be7 Qf3 Ne4 Nxe4 dxe4 Qxe4 Bxf6 exf6
8 +2.42 26117 0:00.05 Bh3 Be7 Qf3 Nb5 Bxe7 Qxe7 Nf6+ Kh8 Nfxh7
7 +2.67 13496 0:00.03 Bh3 Be7 Qf3 Nb5 Bxe7 Qxe7 Nf6+ Kh8
6 +2.40 8179 0:00.02 Be2 Nxe2+ Qxe2 b3 cxb3 cxb3 f4
5 +3.44 1438 0:00.02 Bg2 Nc7 f3 N7b5 f4
4 +4.47 460 0:00.02 Bg2 Nc7 f4 Nb1
3 +3.71 374 0:00.02 Bg2 Nc7 f4
2 +6.09 151 0:00.02 Bg2 b3 Qxc3 bxc2
1 +4.00 72 0:00.02 Bg2
0 #
Not very comfortable. Fell from +4 to +0.20.

Update:
32 0.00 1.42G 17:47.78 Kh2 b3 cxb3 cxb3 Qxc3 b2 Bd3 bxa1=N Rxa1 Ra3 Qd2 Qa7 Kg2 Bb4 Qc2 Ra8 Bg7 Be7 Bf6 Bb4

[Lyudmil Tsvetkov]

[d]r1r1nbk1/3q1p1p/4pBpP/3pP1N1/1ppP2N1/2n3P1/p1PQ1P2/R3RBK1 w - - 0 4

I think here already SF will recognize black is better.

You never play Be7 for black, the bishop stays at f8, then you include for black Rcb8, Ra3, if necessary, and black is winning.

SF does not want to play a3, and prefers b3 instead all the time, as the file-based bonus for connected b pawns is 3 times higher than for connected a pawns. I understand a higher bonus, but 3 times higher?

For the same reason, SF wants to play Be7, exchanging a piece with worse psqt for an enemy piece with better psqt, but Bf8 is much stronger here, sheltering the king and helping with the advance of the a passer, also defending pawn on b4.

Well, here is the line on black a2 after a long SF think (ply 36)
36 0.00 8.67G 1:49:09 Bg7 Be7 Nf6+ Bxf6 exf6 Nd6 f3 Ncb5 Qxb4 Nxd4 Qc3 Qa7 Kg2 N6f5 g4 Qa3 Qxa3 Rxa3 gxf5 gxf5 Rec1 Rb8

A draw! I think you did it again

What draw?

Black has smashing advantage here.

In your line, I deviate after white's f3 with Rcb8 instead of Ncb5 (why give the valuable b4 pawn?):

[d]rr4k1/3q1pBp/3npPpP/3p2N1/1ppP4/2n2PP1/p1PQ4/R3RBK1 w - - 0 8

Any clue how are you going to draw this with white?

I see black win in a couple of moves.

[lantonov]

What draw?

Black has smashing advantage here.

In your line, I deviate after white's f3 with Rcb8 instead of Ncb5 (why give the valuable b4 pawn?):

[d]rr4k1/3q1pBp/3npPpP/3p2N1/1ppP4/2n2PP1/p1PQ4/R3RBK1 w - - 0 8

Any clue how are you going to draw this with white?

I see black win in a couple of moves.

SF admits defeat here: -1.7 on ply 27

[Lyudmil Tsvetkov]

What draw?

Black has smashing advantage here.

In your line, I deviate after white's f3 with Rcb8 instead of Ncb5 (why give the valuable b4 pawn?):

[d]rr4k1/3q1pBp/3npPpP/3p2N1/1ppP4/2n2PP1/p1PQ4/R3RBK1 w - - 0 8

Any clue how are you going to draw this with white?

I see black win in a couple of moves.

SF admits defeat here: -1.7 on ply 27

I told you, those engines can not play chess.

[lantonov]

I told you, those engines can not play chess.

Proven and sealed !

[lantonov]

To summarize:

The human tied the strongest engine's attack into a knot on the kingside and pierced it with a pawn ram on the queenside.

[carldaman]

White would never play c3 if black can reply b3, that would be completely irrational.

As a side note, c3 leads to the famous "pointy chain"! He might wanted to grab that nice attacking bonus (+40cp minimum?) for himself with playing c3. Might be a hint to think again about that static rule...

Excuse me, Ralph, but even if you gave 40 cps for the White pointy chain (a generous amount), Black is overrunning the Queenside with connected passers. That would be worth a lot more than 40 cps to Black, wouldn't you think? Hard to blame this on the pointy chain bonus.

Regards,
CL