onegoodmove: Fight Your Fears

Not long ago Chris posted links to articles by Jeff Sonas discussing the man vs machine competition in chess and makes the claim that the players are improving at a rate equal to that of the computers. International Master Igor Ivanov recently sent me a game he played at the Internet Chess Club Many programers test there programs there since there are so many titled players willing to play against the computers. Igor often plays against the computers there and has gained real insight into how they play and the dangers they pose. But there are truisms in chess that apply whether you are playing against the machine or another human. This is a great game since Igor risks much by gambiting a couple of pawns for a lead in development. Interestingly the computer he played against on this ocassion is named Man vs. Machine. Play through it you'll enjoy and game as well as Igor's notes.

igormvsmc.vchd

Ivanov, I - Man vs Machine Computer
Internet Chess Club, 2003

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. c3 dxc3 5. Bc4

A very important moment. To learn chess you have to fight your fear of losing, even if you are dealing with a machine that is very smart and also very stupid, at the same time. It is said, and well known that to give material to a machine is an incredible risk and so it is, but you take it.5. ... cxb2 6. Bxb2 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 Nf6 8. e5 Ng4 9. 0-0 0-0

If Black cannot snatch the pawn at e5 then 7... Nf6 must be a mistake and 7 ... d6 should be tried instead.10. Nd5 And now Black is cooked it appears.10. ... Bc5 11. h3 Nh6 12. g4

this opens the King of course, but restraining the Black Knight on h6 justifies the risk 12. ... b6 This looks like a perfect loss of a tempo, but did I not say that the machine is stupid.13. Qd2 d6 14. Nf6+

14. ... gxf6 15. Qxh6 dxe5 16. Rad1 Nd4 17. Bxd4 Bxd4 18. Rxd4

Why? well I had to save the Knight on f3 is needed for the final assualt18. ... exd4 19. Bd3 f5 20. Ng5

that is why the rook was sacrificed. 20. ... Qxg5 21. Qxg5+ Kh8 22. Qf6+ Kg8 23. gxf5

Black is now dead of course, but it is a very delicious exercise to finish off your enemy, most painfully, ask any of the true believers.23. ... Bb7 24. Kh2 Rfd8 25. Rg1+ Kf8 26. Re1