Frankfurt. Fritz vs. Humans

Day 1

The first playing day when the higher chess society met with the electronic monster called FRITZ on Primergy K800 whose intellect was estimated as 2744 ELO was a disappointment for protein chess players. Having won the game against the Indian V. Anand, the electronic wonder was satisfied with draws in the rest three games.

Kramnik - FRITZ on Primergy K800 [A10]

1. c4 f5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. g3 g6 4. b4 Bg7 5. Bb2 d6 6. d4

Vladimir used already a similar plan against the Leningrad Variation of the Dutch Defence one year ago in a tournament in Spain, though the order of moves in the beginning of that game was slightly different than in this game. After 1. Nf3 f5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 g6 4. g3 Bg7 5. b4 O-O 6. Bb2 c6 7. Bg2 Na6 8. a3 Nc7 9. O-O d6 10. Nbd2 Kh8 11. a4 a6 12. Ne1 Qe8 13. Nd3 Be6 14. Rc1 g5 15. e3 Rd8 16. Qe2 Qf7 17. f3 Bc8 18. e4 the wide front of pawns on the fourth horizontal gained an advantage for White in the game Kramnik - Illescas Cordoba (Dos Hermanas,1999).

6... c6 7. Bg2 d5

FRITZ is less compliant than Illescas Cordoba, it is not going to give a big space advantage to White.

8.Nbd2 dxc4 9. Nxc4 Be6 10. Qc2 Bd5 11. O-O Be4 12. Qb3 Qd5

Black builds mighty redoubts on white squares in the centre of the board.

13. Rfc1 Nbd7 14. Na5 Rb8 15. a4 Bh6 16. Rf1

The rook must retreat. There is no 16. Rd1? because of 16... Qxb3 17. Nxb3 and 17... Bc2.

16... g5

The centre of the board is under control of black pieces, and they begin to display an activity on the kingside. The fact that the black king stays in the centre does not worry the hardware box.

17. b5 g4 18. Ne1 Bd2

The computer plays very originally. Black bishops are strolling on the opponent's side of the board without ceremony.

19. Qxd5 Bxd5 20. Bxd5 Nxd5

More solid would be 20... cxd5 21. Nb3 Bxe1 (if 21... Bh6, then 22. Nd3, and Black has to secure the square c5) 22. Rfxe1 Kf7 23. Rec1 Rhc8.

21. Nc4 Bxe1

Black has an alternative of 21... Bc3 22. Rc1 (the move 22. Nd3 would cost a pawn to White after 22... Bxb2 23. Ncxb2 Nc3) 22... cxb5 23. axb5 Rc8 24. Ne3 Kf7 with a sure position.

22. Rfxe1 h5 23. e4

In full compliance with classical canons White meets the flank play of his opponent with a blow in the centre. Nevertheless, the base square d5 still is an islet for black pieces.

23… fxe4 24. Rxe4 Rh7 25. Rae1 cxb5 26. axb5

It's hard to judge merits of the bothering 26. Nd6+.

26... N7f6 27. R4e2 Nc7

28. b6

White helps Black to create a passed pawn on the queenside which makes the black pieces free, as a result. With 28. Ba3!? Nfd5 29.Re5 White would have kept some pressure.

28... axb6 29. Nxb6 Nd7

Now Black can either force a favourable exchange of knights, or advance his b-pawn.

30. Nc4 b5 31. Ne3 Nf6 32. Rd1 Rd8 33. Rc1 e6 34. Rc5 b4 35. Kg2 Rd6 36. h3 Ncd5 37. Nc4 gxh3+ 38. Kxh3 Ra6 39. Bc1 Rb7 40. Bf4

White is now playing for a draw and he is ready to part with a pawn for the sake of a peaceful end.

40... Nxf4+ 41. gxf4 Rd7 42. f5 Rxd4 43. Rxe6+ Rxe6 44. fxe6 Ne4 45. Rc6 Nxf2+ 46. Kg2 Ne4 47. Ne3 Nd6 48. Rb6 Rd3 49. Kf2 b3 50. Rb8+ Ke7 51. Ke2 Rd4 52. Rxb3 Kxe6 53. Rd3 1/2-1/2 Draw.

Anand - FRITZ on Primergy K800 [A81]

1. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 g6 4. c3 Bg7 5. Qb3 Nc6 6. Nf3 d6 7. O-O e5 8. d5

The statement that the longer a pawn chain is, the worse computers play, found no confirmation in this game.

8... Ne7 9. c4 O-O 10. Rd1 Ne4 11. Nc3 Nxc3 12. Qxc3 a5 13. Qc2

13... a4!?

A small provocation.

14. Rb1

White has put trust in it.

14... f4!

Computer derives benefit from the fact that the white queen and the rook b1 are on the same diagonal.

15. Ng5

If 15. gxf4 exf4 16. Nd4, then White has to reckon with 16... Nf5 (in case of 16... Bxd4 17. Rxd4 Bf5 18. Be4 c5 19. Rd1 White is relatively OK) 17.Ne6 (after 17. Nxf5 Bxf5 18. Be4 the white king is endangered with 18...Qg5+ 19. Kh1 Qh4) 17... Bxe6 18. dxe6 Nd4 19.Qe4 Qf6, and the black knight can bring many more troubles to White.

15... Nf5 16. Ne4 Nd4 17. Qd3 Bg4 18. f3 Bd7 19. b3 axb3 20. axb3 Ra2 21. Bb2 Bf5 22. Bxd4 exd4 

23. g4?

After 23. Ra1 White's position cannot be called pleasant, but after the move in the game he will miss a pawn.

23... Bxe4! 24. fxe4 Qg5 25. Ra1

There is no 25. h3 because of 25... h5 26. gxh5 (if 26. Bf3, then 26...Qh4), and now 26... f3 solves.

25... Rxa1 26. Rxa1 Qxg4 27. Ra7 Qh4 28. Ra1

28. Rxb7 cannot be played because of 28.... Ra8 29. Qf3 d3 30. exd3 Bd4+ 31. Kh1 Ra1+ 32. Bf1 Qg5, and Black mates.

28... Be5 29. h3 Qg3 30. Qxg3 fxg3 31. Rf1

After 31. Ra2 Rf2 32. b4 (there is no 32. Bf3 because of 32... d3) the solution is 32... Kg7, to be followed with d4-d3 or even with an immediate 32... d3!, and if 33. Ra8+ Kg7 34. exd3, then 34... Bd4 35. Kh1 Rd2 wins.

31... Ra8 32. Rf3 Ra1+ 33. Bf1 Kg7 34. Kg2 h5 35. h4 Ra2 36. Kh3 c6 37. dxc6 bxc6 38. Kg2 c5 39. Kh3 Kh6 40. Rd3 g5 41. hxg5+ Kxg5 42. Rf3 Bf4 43. Rd3 Ra1 44. Rf3 Re1 0-1 White resigned. White cannot prevent the black king from getting to g4 because of the zugzwang.

FRITZ on Primergy K800 - Morozevich [C01]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Bd6 5. c4 dxc4 6. Bxc4

It's more convenient for a computer to play a position with an open centre.

6... Nf6 7. O-O O-O 8. Nc3 Nc6 9. h3 h6 10. Re1 Bf5 11. d5 Ne7 12. Be3 a6 13. Bd4 Ng6 14. a4 Re8 15. Qb3 b6 16. Rxe8+ Nxe8 17. Re1 Nf6 18. Kh1 Nh7

18... Nf4 appears to be more active, now if 19.Ne5, then 19... Nd7.

19. Ne4 Bxe4 20. Rxe4 Ng5 21. Re1 Nxf3 22. Qxf3 Qd7 23. b3 Re8 24. Rxe8+ Qxe8 25. g3 a5 26. Kg2 Qe7 27. Qf5 Be5?

Black should not have removed the bishop from the blocking stand.

28. Be3?

The computer cannot yet do what a human can. It proves to be not able to estimate right the consequences of the breakthrough 28. d6! cxd6 (there is no 28... Bxd6? because of 29. Qxg6) 29. Bxb6 Qb7+ 30. Qf3 Qxf3+ (no 30... Qxb6?? in view of 31. Qxf7+ Kh7 32. Qg8#) 31. Kxf3 Bc3 32. Ke4 Kf8 33. f4 (33.Kd5 is a blank shot because of 33... Ne7+ 34.Kxd6 Nc8+, and the endgame with bishops of different colours is drawn) that leads to a hard endgame by Black.

28... Bd6 29. Bd3 Qe5 30. Qxe5 Nxe5 31. Bf5 g6 32. f4 Nc4 33. bxc4 gxf5 34. Bd4 Kh7 35. Kf3 Kg6 36. Be5 f6

Leading to a drawn pawn endgame.

37. Bxd6 cxd6 38. Ke3 h5 39. Kd4 Kf7 40. Kc3 Ke7 41 Kd3 Kf7 42. Ke2 Kg7 43. Ke1 Kf7 44. Kf2 Kg7 45. Ke2 Kf7 1/2-1/2 Draw.

The only person who had no troubles was Peter Leko.

FRITZ on Primergy K800 - Leko [C47]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bb4 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Bd3 d5 8. exd5 cxd5 9. O-O O-O 10. Bg5 c6 11. Qf3 Bd6 12. Rfe1 Rb8 13. Na4 Rb4 14. b3 Rg4 15. Bxf6 Qxf6 16. Qxf6 gxf6 17. Rad1 

17... Rg5

A new move. 17... Kh8 18. c4 Rfg8 19. g3 occurred in the game Nunn - G Garcia (London, 1994).

18. f3 Re5 19. g3 Rfe8 20. Kf2 h5 21. f4 Rxe1 22. Rxe1 Rxe1 23. Kxe1 h4

Black's two bishops balance out the defects of his pawn structure.

24. Kf2 Bg4 25. Ke3 hxg3 26. hxg3 c5 27. c4 dxc4 28. Bxc4 Bd7 29. Nc3 Kg7 30. Kd3 Bf5+ 31. Ne4 Bc7 32. Bd5 Ba5 33. Ke3 Bxe4 34. Bxe4 Be1 35. g4 Kf8 36. Bd3 Ke7 37. Ba6 1/2-1/2 Draw.

Day 2

Kramnik achieved in the second game what he had failed to do in the first. Black performed a positional sacrifice of a pawn and then managed to organise a mating attack of the opponent's king.

FRITZ on Primergy K800 - Kramnik [A27]

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 f5 4. d4

4. g3 is more precise, securing a safe retreat to h4 for the knight.

4... e4 5. Ng5 Bb4 6. Nh3 Nf6 7. e3 Bxc3+ 8. bxc3 d6 9. Nf4 O-O 10. h4 Qe7

V. Kramnik managed to get a closed position which made it hard for the computer to demonstrate its advantage in calculating speed.

11. c5 Nd8 12. Qb3+ Ne6 13. Bc4 Re8 14.Ba3 Kh8 15. Bxe6

The computer decides to exchange its active pieces for the sake of gaining the chess material.

15... Bxe6 16. Qxb7 d5

17. Rb1

It looks as if Kramnik's insensitive rival is afraid. It would be computer-like to take another pawn with 17. Nxe6 Qxe6 18. Qxc7, but after 18... Qa6 19. Bb4 Qc4! (threatening 20...a5!) White would encounter problems, because the move 20.Qa5 would be followed a blow from other side: 20... f4 21. Rh3 Ng4, and Black's position falls to pieces.

17... Bf7 18. Rb3 Rec8 19. c6 Qd8 20. Qa6 Nh5 21. Nxh5 Bxh5 22. Rb7 Qf6 23. O-O?!

The castling cannot make the position of the white king better. After 23. Rxa7 Rab8 24. Rb7 (if 24. Bb4, then 24... f4) Black would develop his initiative on white squares with 24... f4 or 24... Be8.

23... h6 24. Bc5 Kh7 25. Bxa7 Qxh4 26. Rfb1

26... Bf3!

White pieces are too far from the kingside for to help their king.

27. Qf1

The capture of the bishop 27. gxf3 would have resulted inevitably in a mate to the white king: 27... exf3 28. Rb8 (if 28. Qd3, then 28... Rf8 29. Qd1 Qh5 30. Rb8 Rf6) 28... Rcxb8 29. Rxb8 Rxa7!.

27... Re8 28. Bb8

FRITZ wants to engage his bishop in the defence. After 28. Rxc7 Re6 29. Rbb7 Rg6 30. Rf7 Qg4 the pressure of the black pieces on the square g2 would have forced White to resign.

28... Raxb8!

White's plans were not to be realised. After 28... Re6 29. Bxc7 White would have achieved his goal.

29. Rxb8 Re6 30. Rf8 Rg6 31. Rxf5 Rxg2+ 32. Qxg2 Bxg2 0-1 White resigned.

V. Anand did not manage to revenge himself. It seems that he even did not want to.

FRITZ on Primergy K800 - Anand [C42]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. c4 c6 9. cxd5 cxd5 10. Nc3 Re8

10... Nxc3 11. Bxc3 Bg4 is imprinted in the minds of most chess players. Anand shows that there is another way, too, at least for a game with a computer.

11. Bxe4 dxe4 12. Ng5 Bf5 13. Re1

13... Nc6

Previously 13... h6 14. Ngxe4 Bxe4 15. Nxe4 Bxh2+ 16. Kxh2 Qh4+ 17. Kg1 Rxe4 18. Rxe4 Qxe4 19. Be3 Nc6 20. Qd2 Rd8 occurred with a convenient position by Black (D. Feletar -G. Lazovic, Medulin, 1997). Probably the Indian grandmaster did not want 14.g4!? in this case.

14. d5 Nb4 15. Ngxe4 Bxe4 16. Nxe4 Nxd5 17. Bg5 Be7 18. Qh5 g6 19. Bxe7 gxh5 20. Bxd8 Raxd8 21. Kf1 Kg7 22. Rad1 b6 23. Rd4 Nf6 24. Nd6 Rxe1+ 25. Kxe1 Kg6 26. h3 Ne4 27. Rxe4 Rxd6 28. a4 a5 29. Ke2 Rd5 1/2-1/2 Draw.

Trying to derive benefit from the stand of the black king in the centre of the board at any price, A. Morozevich overestimated his opportunities and suffered a defeat.

Morozevich - FRITZ on Primergy K800 [D00]

1. d4 d5 2. Bf4 Nf6 3. e3 c5 4. c3 e6 5. Nd2 Nc6 6. Bd3 Qb6 7. Rb1 Nd7

Black prepares a breakthrough in the centre, to the detriment of his development.

8. Ngf3 f6

A move of a beginner or an alien.

9. Bg3 Be7 10. O-O f5

Black now sees that 10... e5 is risky because of 11. e4, and he changes his plan, demonstrating an enviable composure henceforth.

11. c4!

Black cannot get away with the tempos that he has lost, moving his pawns.

11... cxd4 12. cxd5 exd5 13. Nxd4 Nxd4 14. exd4 f4

15. Bh4!

White is not entrapped with a primitive computer trap 15. Bxf4 Qxd4 16. Qf3 O-O.

15... Bxh4 16. Qh5+ Kd8

Black's king is forced to venture on a walk. After 16... g6 17. Qxh4 Qxd4 18. Rfe1+ Kf7 19. Qe7+ it would be all over for the Black very soon.

17. Qxh4+ Qf6 18. Qh5 Nb6

If 18... Qxd4, then 19. Qg5+ is strong.

19. Nf3 g6 20. Qh6

White wants to use the position of Black's king, having queens on the board, as a result, the white queen goes as far as to the side of the board. After 20. Qg5!? Rf8 21. Rfe1 Black would encounter big problems despite of a possible exchange of the queens.

20... Bd7 21. Ne5 Rc8 22. Rbc1 Rxc1 23. Rxc1 Be6

The position got simpler, and the white queen is still out of play.

24. h3 Nc8 25. Re1 Ne7 26. Nf3 Bd7

27. Re5?

This mistake will cost a pawn to White. Now it's evident that White had to introduce the queen into the play with 27. Qg5.

27... Nc6 28. Re2

If 28. Rxd5, then White would have neither material nor attack after 28... Nb4 29. Rxd7+ Kxd7 30. Bf5+ Ke8.

28... Kc8 29. Bb5

Again, the activity of white pieces would compensate the pawn to White after 29. Qg5 Qxg5 30. Nxg5 Nxd4 31. Re5 Bc6 32. Nf7 Rg8 33. Re7.

29... Nxd4 30. Bxd7+ Kxd7 31. Nxd4 Qxd4 32. Kh2 Qf6 33. Rd2 d4

The computer copes perfectly with the achievement of his extra pawn while the white queen is standing aside.

34. Rd3 Kc8 35. Rb3 Qe5 36. a4 Kb8 37. Rf3 a6 38. h4 Ka7 39. a5 Rd8 40. Qxh7 d3 0-1 White resigned.

Having got a closed position, P. Leko scored a success against the computer easily and without impressive effects, he simply crushed Black's fortifications as a nut.

Leko - FRITZ on Primergy K800 [A04]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d3 Nc6 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. O-O Nge7 7. Re1 d6 8. c3 e5 9. a3 O-O 10. b4 h6 11. Nbd2 Be6 12. Nc4 b5 13. Ne3 a5 14. bxc5 dxc5 15. c4 b4 16. Nd5 Qd6 17. Bb2 Rfb8

White got no advantage from the opening, still he got the play he wanted.

18. a4 Bg4 19. h3

19... Be6?!

The electronic monster is confused. He does not now what should be done next. Any human would be more consistent. All the more that after 19... Bxf3 20. Bxf3 Nd4 21. Bxd4 cxd4 there is no combination beginning with 22. c5 Qxc5 23. Rc1 Qd6 24. Nc7 Ra7 25. Nb5 because Black has here 25... Rxb5! 26. axb5 a4, and his passed pawns give a big advantage to him.

20. Nd2 Nd4 21. Bxd4 cxd4 22. Nb3 Ra7 23. Qd2 Kh7 24. Re2 Nc8 25. f4 Qc6?!

Another ugly move. Black puts his queen under control of the white bishop on g2.

26. f5 gxf5

After 26... Bxd5 27. exd5 Qd7 28. fxg6+ fxg6 29. Nc5 White has a noticeable advantage.

27. exf5 Bxd5

No 27... Bxf5? because of 28. Ne7 Qd7 29. Nxf5 Qxf5 30. Be4

28. Bxd5 Qf6 29. Rf2 Bf8 30. Kg2 Nb6 31. Be4 Nd7 32. Re1 Nc5 33. Qa2 Kg8 34. Rf3 Bd6 35. h4 Rc7 36. Kh3 Kh7 37.Nxc5 Bxc5 38. g4 b3 39. Qg2 Kh8

If 39... Rg8 40. Rb1 Be7 41. Qg3, then the advanced black b-pawn must die.

40. g5 Qd6 41. Qg4 Qd7 42. Qh5 Bf8 43. Rg3 Qd6 44. Reg1 b2

45. c5!

White draws the black rook away from the seventh horizontal.After 45. gxh6 Bxh6 46. Rg6 fxg6 47. Rxg6 Rh7 48. Rxd6 Bf8 some complications would be still possible.

45... Rxc5 46. gxh6 Bxh6 47. Rg6 Qxg6 48. fxg6 Kg7 49. gxf7+ 1-0

Black resigned.