Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Contest: Win a Free Copy of Gothic Vortex

I have decided that the ChessV versus Gothic Vortex game is so complex to analyze, that I am having a contest. Whoever anotates the game the best, as judged by me, will win a free copy of the same version of the program used in the 2007 Gothic Chess Computer World Championship.

Here is the link to the game: ChessV vs. Gothic Vortex

Grading system:

"Points" will be given for:

Tactical correctness of lines
Demonstrating relevant variations (keyword: relevant!)
Writing sytle
Strategic insights and summary of objectives
Originality!

If you have never annotated a game before, read over some of the comments I have posted, and see if you can make similar remarks about the germane aspects of a given position. Since all posts will be recorded chronologically, the earliest poster will get credit for the lines/variations that might be "copied" in later posts. This should not discourage later posters since you might be able to find something wrong in their posts, or use it to build on more relevant descriptions.

You can start.... now! Good luck, and may the best annotator win!

5 comments:

Crocodile23 said...

WOW! A great game full of tactics and material exchanges.

ChessV - Gothic Vortex.
1.g3 Nh6 2.Nh3 {A very slight mistake. Seems like a normal opening move but actually is a bit dubious, weakening move. The Knight does not belong there. The reason? White Archbishop can't develop to the King-side but only to the Queenside so after a short castle white's King is weak. Playable yes, but not the best....}

2...Nc6 3.d4 g6 4.d5?! {Wrong plan. Allows entries to the weak g4 and i4 for the Knights. Also b2 has become weak now and white dark-squared Bishop has to guard it. 4.c3 is better.}

4...Ne5 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.Nc3 Af6 7.e4 d6 8.Ae2?? {Bad move! This is a really bad move. Abandons h2 and the defense of the critical King-side. Now things go downhill for white because of this. 8.j3 would be much better. For example 8.j3 O-0 9.f3 and white is fine.}

8...Ni4 9.Kg1 Ng4 {Black wins h2. Now it is very tough for white to survive. All these due to the very bad 8.Ae2??}

10.Bxi7? {Bad move again! It wins a poisoned Pawn, since it brings another piece in the attack of white, the Rook. White should have protected h2 with Rh1 and get rid of the Knights with j3 and f3 later.}

10...Ri8 11.Bf4 Nixh2 12.Ri1 Nj3 {This is nice too and wins but a more neat reply would be: Bj4, where after 13.Nxj4 Axj2 white's options are limited and loses material quickly. The original reply brings more pieces to the attack and removes the air of the white King. 12th move and the poor ChessV has already lost. This is a mini miniature! :-) }

13.Rh1 Rxi2 14.Af3 Ah5 15.Ag5 Bj4+ 16.Nxj4 Axj4+ 17.Kf1 Ngh2+ 18.Ke2 Bg4+ 19.f3 Nxf3! { Nice.}

20.Axf3 Bxf3+ 21.Kxf3 g5! {Pretty move. Pawn is immune since after 22.Bxg5, Archbishop has then check and threats g5 too.}

22.Kf2 gxf4 23.Rxh7 Ai5! {Gothic Vortex is just toying with its opponent. :-) Offers material for a startling finish!}

24.Ch1 Cf6! {A very good move! That's the spirit. Attacks but at the same time covers f5, since in a different case white's Chancellor would give check to the white King after Rh8+ so things would be complicated. Vortex does not allow any counterplay.
For example 24...e5? would allow 25.dxe6! Ag3+ 26.Kg1 (26...Axh1? allows mate in 5 for white with 27.Rxf7 Kg8 28.Bj5+) Rxg2 27.Kxg2 and now things are not easy for black since white has serious counterplay.
Yet 24...Axg3+ seems to win too but with some tricks for black having to find. Since after 25.Kg1 we have that:
25...Axh1 26.Rh8+ Kg7 27.Rxe8 Rxg2 (27...Qxe8 28.Bxh1 and things are complicated and not easy for black. Why to allow that?) 28.Kxh1 Rh2+ 29.Kg1 Qxe8 30.Qxj7 and now as unbelievable as it seems, black is in a serious repetition trouble!! It is very difficult to avoid 3-fold repetition of moves from the checks the Queen will give. But there is a line that he can win: 30...Kf6! 31.Qxj3 Qh8 32.Qi3 Rh4 33.Kf2 Rg8! (Ke5? loses) 34.Rh1 Rgg4 -+ So 24...Axg3+ wins too, but black had not so easy moves to find and it is on the edge of letting the win slip away.
24...Cf6 just is superior.
I had to praise Vortex for finding this move. Attacks and defends at the same time but avoids the tempting 24...e5?}


25.Rh8+ Kg7 26.Rxd8 Rxd8 {So what is going on now? Material is about equal here but the very bad placed white King decides. There are no saving moves for white, it just had to wait the way its opponent would finish him....}


27.Qd4 Ag4+ 28.Ke1 Rxg2 {This is the end. Vortex from now demonstrates a very nice mate that adds to the beauty of this game.}

29.Qd3 f3 30.Cf1 Nh2 31.e5 f2+ 32.Kd2 Nxf1+ 33.Rxf1 Ah6+ 34.Ke2 Cg4!{Shortens the mate. Cg4 and mate in 11. For what is worth for ChessV, it found the correct defense to resist as long as possible. 11 more moves....}

35.Ne4 Ac1+ 36.Kd1 Ae3+ 37.Qxe3 Cxe3+ 38.Kd2 Cxf1+ 39.Kc3 Ce3+ 40.Kb4 f1=C 41.Nxd6 Cxd5+ 42.Ka4 Rxd6 43.exd6 Cb6+ 44.Ka5 Cf5 0-1

Great game. Full of tactics but mistakes also by the ChessV player.

GothicChessInventor said...

Excellent work, and, so far, you win Vortex :)

Crocodile23 said...

I should also add something i was planning to add but i forgot yesterday:

35.Ne4 Ac1+ {Nice looking move! If white captures with the Rook a discovered check with 36...f1Q+ appears and after 37.Kxf1 Ch2+ 38.Ke1 Rg1+ 39.Qf1 Rxf1+ mate! Nice huh?
On the other hand, if white plays 36.Kf3 then 36...Ch2+ mate again. These A,C pieces are deadly!}

GothicChessInventor said...

Yes, this whole game has completely changed my view of Gothic Chess. Before, I used to think there were some motiffs that "had to be played" in the opening, call it the embryonic stage of Gothic Chess's "Opening Theory."

Now, it seems tactics and combinations are possibe even earlier than I had presumed. The concept of the opening, middlegame, and endgame are boundaries with lines that are blurred rather than sharply divided.

You must be on guard for game-ending tactics at every moment! How cool is that?

:)

geography_teacher said...

So is it too late to get in on this contest??