Bots on Our Side (Part 2)

As I noted in the previous post, I have written here about computer vs computer Jerome Gambit games, and about human vs computer Jerome Gambit games (see "Ionman vs the Bots").

The other day I also ran into some games in The Database where a computer, GriffyJr at FICS - which had starred as the defender against Ionman in the Jerome Gambit games mentiond above - was playing White.

Like the play of GriffySr, I wanted to see what "junior" was playing!

GriffyJr - ManOOwar
FICS, 2003

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 

The Semi-Italian game. If Black plays ...Bc5 at some point, it can turn into a Jerome Gambit. White needs a "waiting" move or two.

4.d4

Or 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 d6 6.dxe5 Nxe5 7.Nxe5 dxe5 8.Bxf7+ Ke7 9.Qxd8+ Kxd8 10.Nd2 Bd6 11.b4 Rf8 12.Bc4 Bd7 13.O-O b5 14.Bb3 Re8 15.a4 bxa4 16.Bxa4 Bxa4 17.Rxa4 Ke7 18.Rd1 Reb8 19.f3 Kf8 20.Nc4 Rd8 21.Be3 a6 22.Rda1 Ne8 23.b5 a5 24.Nxa5 Be7 25.Nc6 Rxa4 26.Rxa4 Rd3 27.Kf2 Rxc3 28.Nxe5 Bd6 29.Ng6+ Kf7 30.Nh8+ Kg8 31.Ng6 Rc2+ 32.Kf1 Rb2 33.e5 Bf8 34.Rf4 Rb1+ 35.Kf2 Rb2+ 36.Kg3 Black forfeited on time, GriffyJr - ABOSS, FICS, 2009.

4...Nxd4 

Better is the capture 4...exd4 5.Nxd4 (5.c3 dxc3 6.Nxc3 Na5 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qh5+ Ke7 10. Qxa5 Nf6 11.e5 Ng4 12.h3 c6 13.Qxd8+ Kxd8 14.hxg4 d5 15.Ng5 Kc7 16.e6 Be7 17.Bf4+ Kb6 18.Nf7 Rf8 19.Be3+ Kc7 20.Nxd5+ Kb8 21.Bf4+ Bd6 22.Bxd6,  checkmate GriffyJr - godina, FICS, 2009) 5...Bc5 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qxc5 Nf6 (9...Ne7 10.O-O d6 11.Qd4 Be6 12.Nc3 Rf8 13.Bxh6 Rg8 14.Rad1 c5 15.Qd3 Nc6 16.Qg3 Ne5 17.f4 Nd7 18.Bg5 Qc8 19.Rf3 Nf6 20.Bxf6 Kxf6 21.e5+ Ke7 22.exd6+ cxd6 23.f5 Bxf5 24.Rxd6 c4 25.Qe5+ Kf7 26.Rf6+ Kg7 27.R6xf5+ Kh7 28.Rh3 checkmate, GriffyJr - korrigan, FICS, 2009) 10.e5 Nd5 (10...Qe8 11.O-O Nd5 12.c4 Nb6 13.Na3 Ba6 14.Bf4 Kg7 15.e6 Rf8 16.Qe3 g5 17.Be5+ Kg8 18.exd7 Qxd7 19.Rad1 Qf5 20.b3 Rae8 21.Rde1 Nd7 22.Qxa7 Nxe5 23.Qxa6 Nd3 24.Rxe8 Rxe8 25.Qxc6 Re1 26.f3 Rxf1+ 27.Kxf1 Nf4 28.Qe8+ Kg7 29.Qe7+ Kg6 30.Qe8+ Kf6 31.Qf8+ Ke5 32.Qg7+ Qf6 33.Qxc7+ Kf5 34.Qh7+ Qg6 35.Qxg6+ Nxg6 36.b4 Ne5 37.Ke2 Kf4 38.g3+ Kf5 39.b5 Ke6 40.b6 Kd6 41.f4 Nc6 42.fxg5 hxg5 43.Ke3 Kc5 44.b7 Kb6 45.Nb5 Kxb7 46.a4 Na5 47.Kd4 Kc6 48.g4 Nb3+ 49.Ke5 Kc5 50.Nd6 Kb4 51.Kf6 Kxa4 52.Kxg5 Kb4 53.Kf6 Kc5 54.Ke5 Nd4 55.h3 Nf3+ 56.Kf4 Nh4 57.Ke5 Ng6+ 58.Kf5 Ne7+ 59.Ke6 Nc6 60.h4 Kd4 61.h5 Ne5 62.g5 Ng4 63.g6 Ke3 64.g7 Black resigned, GriffyJr - VovaWest, FICS, 2009) 11.O-O Bb7 (11...Qe7 12.Qd4 Qe6 13.c4 Ne7 14.Nc3 Nf5 15.Qe4 Rb8 16.Rd1 Bb7 17.f3 c5 18.Qf4 g5 19.Qg4 Nd4 20.Qxe6+ Kxe6 21.f4 gxf4 22.Bxf4 Rhg8 23.g3 h5 24.Na4 d6 25.Nc3 Rbf8 26.Bh6 Rf3 27.exd6 cxd6 28.Re1+ Kd7 29.Rad1 h4 30.Ne2 Nf5 31.Bf4 hxg3 32.hxg3 Ba6 33.Kg2 Rxf4 34.Nxf4 Rxg3+ 35.Kf2 Bxc4 36.Re5 Rg5 37.Rxc5 Bxa2 38.Ra5 Be6 39.Rxa7+ Kc6 40.Nxe6 Nh4 41.Nxg5 Nf5 42.Ra5 Black resigned, GriffyJr - Zugzwango, FICS, 2009) 12.Na3 d6 13.Qd4 Qe7 14.Nc4 c5 15.Qg4 dxe5 16.Qe4 Rae8 17.Re1 Kf6 18.Qf3+ Kg7 19.Nxe5 Qf6 20.Qe4 Rhf8 21.Bxh6+ Kxh6 22.Ng4+ Kg7 23.Nxf6 Rxe4 24.Nxe4 Nb4 25.Nxc5 Bc6 26.Ne6+ Kf7 27.Nxf8 Kxf8 28.Re2 Bb5 29.Rd2 c5 30.a3 Nc6 31.Re1 Nd4 32.Re5 a6 33.Rxc5 Ne6 34.Re5 Kf7 35.Rd6 Nf4 36.b3 Be8 37.c4 Nh5 38.Kf1 Black resigned, GriffyJr - Hatashi, FICS, 2002. 

There is also 4...d6 5.dxe5 Nxe5 6.Nxe5 dxe5 7.Bxf7+ Ke7 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nc3 c6 10.Be3 Nf6 11.O-O-O+ Kc7 12.f3 Bd7 13.a3 Rd8 14.Kb1 Bd6 15.Bxa7 b6 16.Bxb6+ Kxb6 17.Rxd6 Kc7 18.Rdd1 Be8 19.Rxd8 Kxd8 20.Rd1+ Ke7 21.Bb3 Bf7 22.Bxf7 Kxf7 23.Rd6 Rc8 24.a4 Ke7 25.Rd3 Nh5 26.a5 Nf4 27.Rd2 Ne6 28.Kc1 Nc7 29.Kd1 Rd8 30.Rxd8 Kxd8 31.Ke2 Kd7 32.Ke3 g5 33.Kd3 Kd6 34.Na4 Na6 35.Nb6 Kc7 36.Nc4 Nc5+ 37.Ke3 Nd7 38.a6 Kb8 39.h4 Ka7 40.hxg5 hxg5 41.Nd6 Kxa6 42.Nf7 Kb5 43.Nxg5 Kc4 44.Ne6 Nc5 45.b3+ Kc3 46.Nxc5 Kxc2 47.g4 Kc3 48.Kf2 Kd4 49.Ne6+ Kc3 50.g5 Kxb3 51.g6 Kb4 52.g7 c5 53.Ke2 c4 54.g8=Q c3 55.Qb8+ Kc4 56.Qb1 Black resigned, GriffyJr - ManchesterUtd, FICS, 2009.

5.Bxf7+ 

GriffyJr treats the position as if it were a Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+). White's loss of his d-pawn actually helps the attack. 

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke8

This move allows a forced checkmate - which GriffyJr misses!

No matter; White still has a won game.

Not much better was 6...Ke6 7.Qxd4 Nf6 8.Ng6 Kf7 9.Nxh8+ Kg8 10.Ng6 c5 11.Qd3 Be7 12.O-O d6 13.Bf4 Qb6 14.Nxe7+ Kf7 15.Bxd6 Qxb2 16.Nc3 Be6 17.e5 Nd7 18.Qg6+ Kf8 19.Nf5+ Kg8 20.Qxg7 checkmate, GriffyJr - itsanelmo, FICS, 2009. 

7.Qh5+ Ke7 

7...g6 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Nc4+ Kc6 (10...Kc5 11.Qd5+ Kb4 12.Bd2+ Ka4 13.Qa5 checkmate GriffyJr - augustwest, FICS, 2006) 11.Qd5 checkmate, GriffyJr - RedPimpernel, FICS, 2004

8.Ng6+

The mate is 8.Qf7+ Kd6 9.Nc4+ Kc5 10.Qd5+ Kb4 11.Bd2+ Ka4 13.Qa5, the same idea as in the later game against augustwest, above.

8...Kf6 9.Qh4+

Instead, 9.Nxh8 was stronger, but the bot knows that many human players do not like to lose their Queen...

9...Kxg6 10.Qxd8 Be7 11.Qxc7 Black resigned

These moves also occurred in GriffyJr - materialist, FICS, 2001

Bots on Our Side (Part 1)

I have posted here about computer vs computer Jerome Gambit games, and about human vs computer Jerome Gambit games (see "Ionman vs the Bots").

The other day I ran into some games in The Database where a computer  - GriffySr at FICS - was playing White.

What??? 

I suddenly had visions of Steffen Jakob's Crafty clone Brause and his own creation Hossa - both set up to play the Halloween Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nxe5!?).

How cool would it be to have an engine playing the Jerome Gambit!?

It turns out, GriffySr is not that engine, but it was fun to look at its games, anyway!

GriffySr - asmsk
standard, FICS, 2002

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Na5

Okay, if you play the Jerome Gambit, someday you will face this move. The "objectively" best response is 4.Nxe5, but that shouldn't be your first choice - and it is not GriffySr's choice, either.

4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.d4 Bh6 10.Bxh6 Rxh6 11.Qg5+ Nf6 12.Qg7+ Ke8 13.Qxh6 c6 14.Nd2 d5 15.e5 Ne4 16.Nxe4 dxe4 17.Qg6+ Kf8 18.e6 Qxd4 19.Qf7 checkmate


Here's another line.

GriffySr - ccie
standard, FICS, 2008

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

Again, if you are looking for a Giuoco Piano to transform into a Jerome Gambit, the Semi-Italian defense is designed to side-step that. White can temporize with 4.0-0 or 4.Nc3 and hope Black will then play 4...Bc5 - or he can advance in the center.

4.d4

After 4.Nc3 Black added a second bad idea, and was crushed: 4...Na5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke8 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Nd5 checkmate, GriffySr -mackadee, FICS, 2002.

4...exd4

The alternatives are poor, but sometimes played:

4...Nxd4 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke8 (6...Kf6 7.Qxd4 Black resigned, GriffySr - ankoay, FICS, 2009) 7.Qh5+ Ke7 8.Ng6+ Kf6 9.Qh4+ Kxg6 10.Qxd8 Be7 11.Qxc7 Black resigned, GriffyJr - ManOOwar, FICS, 2003.

4...d6 5.dxe5 Nxe5 6.Nxe5 dxe5 7.Bxf7+ Ke7 (7...Kxf7 8.Qxd8  Black resigned, GriffySr - JayadiHendro, FICS, 2009) 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nc3 c6 (9...Bb4 10.Bd2 Bxc3 11.Bxc3 Ke7 12.Bxg8 Rxg8 13.Bxe5 c6 14.O-O-O Be6 15.b3 g6 16.Bd6+ Ke8 17.Rhe1 Rg7 18.Kb2 Rd7 19.Bc5 Black forfeited by disconnection, GriffySr - JayadiHendro, FICS, 2009) 10.Be3 Nf6 11.O-O-O+ Kc7 12.f3 Bd7 13.a3 (13.Na4 b6 14.c4 Rd8 15.c5 b5 16.Nc3 Be7 17.Kb1 Rhf8 18.Bb3 a6 19.Rhe1 g5 20.h4 Rg8 21.Bxg8 gxh4 22.Bf7 h5 23.Bg5 Rf8 24.Bxf6 Rxf7 25.Bxe5+ Kc8 26.Kc2 Be6 27.Bd6 Bg5 28.Rd3 Rg7 29.Be5 Rg8 30.Rd6 Bd7 31.b4 Be7 32.Rd2 Bg5 33.f4 Be7 34.f5 Bg5 35.Rf2 Re8 36.Bd6 Bf6 37.e5 Kd8 38.exf6 Rxe1 39.f7 Black resigned, GriffySr - Sirpooba, FICS, 2009) 13...Rd8 14.Kb1 Bd6 15.Bxa7 b6 16.Bxb6+ Kxb6 17.Rxd6 Kc7 18.Rdd1 Be8 19.Rxd8 Kxd8 20.Rd1+ Ke7 21.Bb3 Bf7 22.Bxf7 Kxf7 23.Rd6 Rc8 24.a4 Ke7 25.Rd3 Nh5 26.a5 Nf4 27.Rd2 Ne6 28.Kc1 Nc7 29.Kd1 Rd8 30.Rxd8 Kxd8 31.Ke2 Kd7 32.Ke3 g5 33.Kd3 Kd6 34.Na4 Na6 35.Nb6 Kc7 36.Nc4 Nc5+ 37.Ke3 Nd7 38.a6 Kb8 39.h4 Ka7 40.hxg5 hxg5 41.Nd6 Kxa6 42.Nf7 Kb5 43.Nxg5 Kc4 44.Ne6 Nc5 45.b3+ Kc3 46.Nxc5 Kxc2 47.g4 Kc3 48.Kf2 Kd4 49.Ne6+ Kc3 50.g5 Kxb3 51.g6 Kb4 52.g7 c5 53.Ke2 c4 54.g8=Q c3 55.Qb8+ Kc4 56.Qb1 Black resigned, GriffyJr - ManchesterUtd, FICS, 2009. 

5.Nxd4 Bc5 6.Nxc6 

Or 6.Bxf7+ Kxf7 (6...Ke7 7.Nxc6+ bxc6 8.Bc4 Qf8 9.Be3 Bxe3 10.fxe3 Nf6 11.e5 Ng4 12.Qxg4 d6 13.exd6+ cxd6 14.Qe4+ Kd7 15.Rf1 Qe7 16.Rf7 Black resigned, GriffySr - sanssouci, FICS, 2006) 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxc5 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 Nf6 10.e5 Re8 11.O-O c5 12.Qc4+ d5 13.exd6+ Be6 14.Qxc5 Qd7 15.Nc3 Rac8 16.Qxa7 Ra8 17.Qd4 Rad8 18.Rd1 Bf5 19.Bxh6 Bxc2 20.Rd2 Qe6 21.f3 Rxd6 22.Qxd6, Black resigned, GriffySr - Mpalfi, FICS, 2006.

6...bxc6 7.Bxf7+ Kf8 8.Qf3 Ke7 9.Bf4 Nf6 10.Bg6 Ba6 11.e5 Nd5 12.Bg5+ Nf6 13.Bxf6+ Ke6 14.Qg4+ Kd5 15.Nc3 checkmate