OpenChess

Massive turn-around in the endgame -- Rybka now evals at -1.25 (as does Houdini), as it looks like Black has the chances with RRB+3 vs RR+6. One question here is whether the engines understand that (for instance) RB vs RPP is "dominated" by RB vs R, in that if the RB-side can't win with the pawns off, there is no win. Maybe even RRB vs RR (+pawns). There's also a few lines that lead to White having 4 (or 5) pawns for a Rook. All quite delicate.
5k2/p3r3/2Pp4/bP1r4/P4PP1/5PK1/3pR3/3R4 w - - 4 48
I think White's 45/46th move (Re6, which allowed d2, and then Re2) was poor, and that something like f5 was likely superior to head for a draw.

Game 29 sideline: what happens if Black blunders with 26... Re7? [Rybka had Re7 in her PV at move 25].
3rrq2/pp3p1k/3p1n1p/2pP1P2/2P3pP/2PQ2B1/P5PK/4RR2 b - - 9 26As usual, most combos only appear in the notes.

Game 29, move 31:5qk1/p4p2/1p1p1n1p/2pP1P2/2P2QpP/2P5/P5PK/4B3 b - - 0 31Rybka played Kg7. I think Qe7 draws more easily (and h5 probably transposes to the Qe7 line).
31... Qe7 32. Bg3 h5 33. Qxd6 Qxd6 34. Bxd6 Ne4 35. Bb8 a6 36. Bc7 Kf8 37. Bxb6 Ke7, and White's extra pawn(s) don't do much (Black can play Nxc3, or Nd2/Nxc4 and try for Kd6/Kxd5, for instance -- the White King is also out of play for now).
31... Qe7 32. Qxh6 Qe5+ 33. Bg3 Qxf5, and Black's kingside pressure (after Ne4) is sufficient to draw. E.g. 34. h4 Ne4 35. Bxd6 Qf2.
Both sides are now at +0.2 after 31... Kg7 32. Bg3 Qc8, whereas Houdini (after a long think before exchanging Rooks at moves 29 and 30) had dropped to -0.01 before Rybka chose Qe7.

To Martin, the organizer of this great Elite Match Season 1.

Here in this position, the game stops when there was plenty of game left in the game I could say! This match should have lasted much longer and end up in a position that is much clearer than this one. Therefore, I really see a need to improve further your adjudication rules for the next Elite Match. You will have plenty of time to refine them to your liking, as the Elite Match is held only at the end of the Division matches.
[Event "TCEC - Elite Match - S1"]
[Site "http://www.tcec-chess.org"]
[Date "2011.02.04"]
[Round "30.1"]
[White "Rybka 4.0"]
[Black "Houdini 1.5a"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[FEN "7k/p1bb1p2/7p/4p2q/4P3/5NP1/P1Q1B2P/7K b - - 10 44"]
[Variant "normal"]
7k/p1bb1p2/7p/4p2q/4P3/5NP1/P1Q1B2P/7K b - - 10 44
And here is the full game:
[Event "TCEC - Elite Match - S1"]<br> [Site "<a href="http://www.tcec-chess.org" class="postlink">http://www.tcec-chess.org</a>"]<br> [Date "2011.02.04"]<br> [Round "30.1"]<br> [White "Rybka 4.0"]<br> [Black "Houdini 1.5a"]<br> [Result "1/2-1/2"]<br> [Time "14:52:04"]<br> [ECO "A06"]<br> [Opening "A06"]<br> [TimeControl "9000+30"]<br> [PlyCount "87"]<br> [Number "30"]<br> [Termination ""]<br> [WhiteType "program"]<br> [BlackType "program"]<br> [Variant "normal"]<br> <br> { Intel Core i7 980x @ 4272 MHz }<br> 1.Nf3 { ev=0.00, d=1, mt=00:00:00, tl=02:30:00, s=0 kN/s, pv=Nf3, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> d5 { ev=0.00, d=1, mt=00:00:00, tl=02:30:00, s=0 kN/s, pv=d5, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> 2.d4 { ev=0.00, d=1, mt=00:00:00, tl=02:30:00, s=0 kN/s, pv=d4, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> Nf6 { ev=0.00, d=1, mt=00:00:00, tl=02:30:00, s=0 kN/s, pv=Nf6, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> 3.c4 { ev=0.00, d=1, mt=00:00:00, tl=02:30:00, s=0 kN/s, pv=c4, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> e6 { ev=0.00, d=1, mt=00:00:00, tl=02:30:00, s=0 kN/s, pv=e6, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> 4.Nc3 { ev=0.00, d=1, mt=00:00:00, tl=02:30:00, s=0 kN/s, pv=Nc3, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> Be7 { ev=0.00, d=1, mt=00:00:00, tl=02:30:00, s=0 kN/s, pv=Be7, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> 5.Bg5 { ev=0.00, d=1, mt=00:00:00, tl=02:30:00, s=0 kN/s, pv=Bg5, tb=0, R50=48, }<br> h6 { ev=0.00, d=1, mt=00:00:00, tl=02:30:00, s=0 kN/s, pv=h6, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> 6.Bh4 { ev=0.00, d=1, mt=00:00:00, tl=02:30:00, s=0 kN/s, pv=Bh4, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> O-O { ev=0.00, d=1, mt=00:00:00, tl=02:30:00, s=0 kN/s, pv=O-O, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> 7.e3 { ev=0.00, d=1, mt=00:00:00, tl=02:30:00, s=0 kN/s, pv=e3, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> b6 { ev=0.00, d=1, mt=00:00:00, tl=02:30:00, s=0 kN/s, pv=b6, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> 8.Bd3 { ev=0.00, d=1, mt=00:00:00, tl=02:30:00, s=0 kN/s, pv=Bd3, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> Bb7 { ev=0.00, d=1, mt=00:00:00, tl=02:30:00, s=0 kN/s, pv=Bb7, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> 9.O-O { ev=0.00, d=1, mt=00:00:00, tl=02:30:00, s=0 kN/s, pv=O-O, tb=0, R50=48, }<br> c5 { ev=0.00, d=1, mt=00:00:00, tl=02:30:00, s=0 kN/s, pv=c5, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> 10.Rc1 { ev=0.00, d=1, mt=00:00:00, tl=02:30:00, s=0 kN/s, pv=Rc1, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> Nbd7 { ev=0.00, d=1, mt=00:00:00, tl=02:30:00, s=0 kN/s, pv=Nbd7, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> 11.cxd5 { ev=0.00, d=21, pd=Nxd5, mt=00:05:02, tl=02:24:57, s=775 kN/s, pv=c4d5 f6d5 h4g3 d7f6 c3d5 d8d5 d3c4 d5f5 c4d3 b7e4, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> Nxd5 { ev=0.00, d=27, pd=Bg3, mt=00:11:12, tl=02:18:48, s=18144 kN/s, pv=f6d5 h4g3 d5c3 b2c3 d7f6 d1e2 f6e4 g3e5 a8c8 f1d1, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> 12.Bg3 { ev=0.00, d=22, pd=N7f6, mt=00:05:06, tl=02:20:22, s=727 kN/s, pv=h4g3 d7f6 d1e2 d5c3 b2c3 a8c8 d3a6 d8d5 a6c4 d5e4, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> Nxc3 { ev=-0.05, d=27, pd=bxc3, mt=00:05:38, tl=02:13:41, s=18103 kN/s, pv=d5c3 b2c3 d7f6 d1e2 d8d5 g3e5 f8c8 d3c4 d5d7 c4b5, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> 13.bxc3 { ev=0.00, d=24, pd=Rc8, mt=00:06:24, tl=02:14:29, s=700 kN/s, pv=b2c3 a8c8 d1e2 d7f6 d3a6 d8d5 a6c4 d5f5 c4a6 f5d5, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> Nf6 { ev=-0.06, d=27, pd=Qe2, mt=00:09:54, tl=02:04:19, s=18002 kN/s, pv=d7f6 d1e2 d8d5 g3e5 f8c8 d3c4 d5d7 c4b5 d7d8 b5a6, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> 14.Qe2 { ev=0.00, d=22, pd=Qd5, mt=00:11:50, tl=02:03:11, s=705 kN/s, pv=d1e2 d8d5 g3e5 f6e4 d3c4 d5c6 c4b5, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> Qd5 { ev=-0.04, d=26, pd=Be5, mt=00:02:19, tl=02:02:32, s=17880 kN/s, pv=d8d5 g3e5 f8c8 d3c4 d5d7 c4b5 d7d8 b5a6 b7a6 e2a6, tb=0, R50=48, }<br> 15.Be5 { ev=0.00, d=22, pd=Ne4, mt=00:02:38, tl=02:01:05, s=700 kN/s, pv=g3e5 f6e4 d3c4 d5c6 c4b5 c6c8 b5d3 f7f6 e5f4 g7g5, tb=0, R50=48, }<br> Rfc8 { ev=-0.11, d=25, pd=Bc4, mt=00:02:25, tl=02:00:38, s=17644 kN/s, pv=f8c8 d3c4 d5d7 c4b5 d7d8 b5a6 b7a6 e2a6 c5d4 c3d4, tb=0, R50=47, }<br> 16.Bc4 { ev=-0.14, d=22, pd=Qd8, mt=00:09:02, tl=01:52:35, s=787 kN/s, pv=d3c4 d5d8 c4a6, tb=0, R50=47, }<br> Qd7 { ev=-0.10, d=25, pd=Bb5, mt=00:04:42, tl=01:56:28, s=17597 kN/s, pv=d5d7 c4b5 d7d8 b5a6 b7a6 e2a6 c5d4 e3d4 c8c6 a6e2, tb=0, R50=46, }<br> 17.Bb5 { ev=-0.11, d=21, pd=Qd8, mt=00:08:49, tl=01:44:17, s=778 kN/s, pv=c4b5 d7d8 f1d1 c5d4, tb=0, R50=46, }<br> Qd8 { ev=-0.12, d=26, pd=Ba6, mt=00:04:53, tl=01:52:06, s=17978 kN/s, pv=d7d8 b5a6 b7a6 e2a6 c5d4 e3d4 c8c6 a6e2 a8c8 c3c4, tb=0, R50=45, }<br> 18.Rfd1 { ev=-0.08, d=21, pd=cxd4, mt=00:03:00, tl=01:41:48, s=798 kN/s, pv=f1d1 c5d4 f3d4 d8f8 d4b3 c8d8 f2f3 a8c8, tb=0, R50=45, }<br> cxd4 { ev=-0.13, d=24, pd=Ba6, mt=00:02:43, tl=01:49:54, s=17967 kN/s, pv=c5d4 b5a6 b7a6 e2a6 f6d5 e5d4 d8c7 c3c4 d5b4 a6a4, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> 19.Nxd4 { ev=-0.14, d=21, pd=Qf8, mt=00:04:23, tl=01:37:57, s=816 kN/s, pv=f3d4 d8f8 d4b3 c8d8 f2f3 f6e8 d1d4 e8d6 b5d3 f7f6, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> Qf8 { ev=-0.18, d=26, pd=Nb3, mt=00:03:46, tl=01:46:40, s=18506 kN/s, pv=d8f8 d4b3 c8d8 d1d4 d8d5 d4d5 f6d5 c3c4 d5b4 f2f4, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> 20.Nb3 { ev=-0.15, d=22, pd=Rd8, mt=00:04:40, tl=01:33:48, s=830 kN/s, pv=d4b3 c8d8 f2f3 e7a3 e5f6 g7f6 c1b1 a8c8 d1d8 c8d8, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> Rd8 { ev=-0.12, d=25, pd=Nd4, mt=00:03:18, tl=01:43:53, s=18184 kN/s, pv=c8d8 b3d4 a8c8 b5a6 b7a6 e2a6 f6e4 a6a7 e7d6 d4f3, tb=0, R50=48, }<br> 21.f3 { ev=-0.20, d=22, pd=Ba3, mt=00:06:32, tl=01:27:47, s=763 kN/s, pv=f2f3 e7a3, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> Ba3 { ev=-0.20, d=27, pd=Rxd8, mt=00:03:07, tl=01:41:18, s=18306 kN/s, pv=e7a3 d1d8 a8d8 c1d1 a3d6 d1d6 d8d6 e5d6 f8d6 e3e4, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> 22.Rxd8 { ev=-0.19, d=23, pd=Rxd8, mt=00:04:52, tl=01:23:27, s=698 kN/s, pv=d1d8 a8d8 c1d1 d8d1 e2d1 a7a6 b5e2 f8e7 e3e4 f6d7, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> Rxd8 { ev=-0.25, d=26, pd=Rd1, mt=00:02:22, tl=01:39:27, s=18284 kN/s, pv=a8d8 c1d1 a3d6 d1d6 d8d6 e5d6 f8d6 e3e4 e6e5 e2d3, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> 23.Rd1 { ev=-0.19, d=22, pd=Rxd1, mt=00:03:50, tl=01:20:08, s=732 kN/s, pv=c1d1 d8d1 e2d1 a7a6 b5e2 f8e7 e3e4 f6d7 e5g3 g8h7, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> Bd6 { ev=-0.23, d=27, pd=Rxd6, mt=00:02:36, tl=01:37:23, s=18592 kN/s, pv=a3d6 d1d6 d8d6 e5d6 f8d6 e3e4 e6e5 e2d3 d6a3 d3d2, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> 24.Bxf6 { ev=-0.26, d=23, pd=gxf6, mt=00:06:02, tl=01:14:38, s=741 kN/s, pv=e5f6 g7f6 b3d4 d6c7, tb=2, R50=50, }<br> gxf6 { ev=-0.26, d=24, pd=Nd4, mt=00:00:46, tl=01:37:08, s=17545 kN/s, pv=g7f6 b3d4 d6c5 f3f4 f6f5 b5a6 b7a8 e2b2 c5e7 a6e2, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> 25.Nd4 { ev=-0.26, d=22, pd=Bc7, mt=00:05:59, tl=01:09:11, s=664 kN/s, pv=b3d4 d6c7, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> Bc7 { ev=-0.27, d=24, pd=Bd3, mt=00:01:54, tl=01:35:46, s=17432 kN/s, pv=d6c7 b5d3 f6f5 f3f4 f8a3 e2c2 a3c5 d3f1 c7d6 g2g3, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> 26.Bc4 { ev=-0.17, d=22, pd=Qc5, mt=00:03:19, tl=01:06:23, s=647 kN/s, pv=b5c4 f8c5 f3f4 g8h8 c4b3 b7e4 b3c2 e4d5 c2d3 d5b7, tb=0, R50=48, }<br> Qc5 { ev=-0.23, d=26, pd=f4, mt=00:14:28, tl=01:21:49, s=18124 kN/s, pv=f8c5 f3f4 g8h8 c4b3 b7e4 g1f2 e6e5 f4e5 f6e5 e2g4, tb=0, R50=48, }<br> 27.f4 { ev=-0.14, d=21, pd=Kh8, mt=00:02:39, tl=01:04:16, s=646 kN/s, pv=f3f4 g8h8 c4b3 b7e4 g1f2 c5c3 g2g3 c3a5 a2a4 a5c3, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> Kh8 { ev=-0.15, d=25, pd=a4, mt=00:11:52, tl=01:10:29, s=17933 kN/s, pv=g8h8 a2a4 b7c6 c4b3 c6e4 b3c2 e4d5 e2f2 c5c3 d4b5, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> 28.Bb3 { ev=-0.23, d=21, pd=Qxc3, mt=00:03:10, tl=01:01:37, s=655 kN/s, pv=c4b3 c5c3 g1f2 c3a5 g2g3 b7e4 b3c4, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> Be4 { ev=-0.21, d=24, pd=Kf2, mt=00:02:14, tl=01:08:46, s=18163 kN/s, pv=b7e4 g1f2 e6e5 f4e5 f6e5 e2g4 e5d4 g4e4 d4e3 e4e3, tb=0, R50=48, }<br> 29.Kf2 { ev=-0.12, d=21, pd=Qxc3, mt=00:02:40, tl=00:59:28, s=622 kN/s, pv=g1f2 c5c3 d4b5 c3c5, tb=0, R50=48, }<br> e5 { ev=-0.10, d=24, pd=fxe5, mt=00:01:31, tl=01:07:47, s=18339 kN/s, pv=e6e5 f4e5 f6e5 d4f3 d8d6 b3f7 c5c3 f7b3 e4d3 e2e1, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> 30.fxe5 { ev=-0.05, d=21, pd=fxe5, mt=00:01:38, tl=00:58:21, s=611 kN/s, pv=f4e5 f6e5 d4f3, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> fxe5 { ev=-0.08, d=25, pd=Nf3, mt=00:01:28, tl=01:06:50, s=18963 kN/s, pv=f6e5 d4f3 d8d6 d1d6 c5d6 e2c4 e4g6 f2e1 c7d8 c4d5, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> 31.Nf3 { ev=-0.06, d=22, pd=Rxd1, mt=00:02:16, tl=00:56:37, s=713 kN/s, pv=d4f3 d8d1 e2d1 c5e7 g2g3 e4c6 b3d5 e7d6 c3c4 b6b5, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> Rxd1 { ev=-0.05, d=26, pd=Qxd1, mt=00:01:31, tl=01:05:51, s=18255 kN/s, pv=d8d1 e2d1 c5e7 g2g3 e4c6 d1d3 e5e4 d3c4 e7f6 c4d4, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> 32.Qxd1 { ev=-0.09, d=22, pd=Qe7, mt=00:00:42, tl=00:56:26, s=650 kN/s, pv=e2d1 c5e7 g2g3 b6b5 b3c2 e4c6, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> Qe7 { ev=-0.05, d=27, pd=g3, mt=00:01:30, tl=01:04:52, s=18289 kN/s, pv=c5e7 g2g3 e4c6 b3d5 e7d6 c3c4 b6b5 d1c2 b5c4 d5c4, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> 33.g3 { ev=-0.17, d=23, pd=b5, mt=00:04:08, tl=00:52:50, s=619 kN/s, pv=g2g3 b6b5 f3h4 e7f6 f2e2 f6c6 e2f2 c7a5 d1g4 e4d3, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> Bc6 { ev=-0.04, d=27, pd=Bd5, mt=00:01:36, tl=01:03:48, s=17492 kN/s, pv=e4c6 b3d5 e7d6 c3c4 b6b5 d1c2 b5c4 d5c4 d6g6 c4d3, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> 34.Bd5 { ev=-0.08, d=23, pd=Qd6, mt=00:02:27, tl=00:50:54, s=659 kN/s, pv=b3d5 e7d6 c3c4 b6b5 d1c2 b5c4 d5c4 d6g6 c4d3 g6e6, tb=1, R50=49, }<br> Qd6 { ev=-0.04, d=28, pd=c4, mt=00:01:26, tl=01:02:53, s=18472 kN/s, pv=e7d6 c3c4 b6b5 d1c2 b5c4 d5c4 d6g6 c4d3 g6e6 d3c4, tb=0, R50=48, }<br> 35.c4 { ev=-0.05, d=23, pd=b5, mt=00:01:49, tl=00:49:36, s=625 kN/s, pv=c3c4 b6b5 d1c2 b5c4 d5c4 d6g6 c4d3 g6e6 f3d2 h8g7, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> b5 { ev=-0.03, d=27, pd=Qc2, mt=00:01:23, tl=01:02:01, s=18943 kN/s, pv=b6b5 d1c2 b5c4 d5c4 d6g6 c4d3 g6e6 d3c4 e6f6 e3e4, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> 36.Qc2 { ev=-0.05, d=22, pd=bxc4, mt=00:01:43, tl=00:48:25, s=643 kN/s, pv=d1c2 b5c4 d5c4 d6g6 c4d3 g6e6 f3d2 h8g7 d3e4 c6e4, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> bxc4 { ev=-0.03, d=27, pd=Bxc4, mt=00:02:27, tl=01:00:05, s=19454 kN/s, pv=b5c4 d5c4 d6g6 c4d3 g6e6 d3c4 e6f6 e3e4 c6d7 f2g2, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> 37.Bxc4 { ev=-0.05, d=23, pd=Qg6, mt=00:02:09, tl=00:46:48, s=690 kN/s, pv=d5c4 d6g6 c4d3 g6e6 f3h4 c7b6 d3c4, tb=6, R50=50, }<br> Qc5 { ev=0.01, d=27, pd=Qd3, mt=00:04:21, tl=00:56:16, s=19172 kN/s, pv=d6c5 c2d3 h8g7 f3h4 e5e4 d3d4 c5d4 h4f5 g7g6 f5d4, tb=13, R50=49, }<br> 38.Qe2 { ev=0.00, d=23, pd=Qe7, mt=00:02:54, tl=00:44:25, s=634 kN/s, pv=c2e2 c5e7 e3e4 e7d7, tb=4, R50=49, }<br> Qe7 { ev=0.03, d=26, pd=e4, mt=00:01:41, tl=00:55:07, s=18696 kN/s, pv=c5e7 e3e4 c7d8 f2g2 h8g7 c4d5 c6d5 e4d5 e5e4 f3d4, tb=0, R50=48, }<br> 39.e4 { ev=0.00, d=23, pd=Qd7, mt=00:01:58, tl=00:42:59, s=711 kN/s, pv=e3e4 e7d7 f2g2 d7g4 c4d3 c6d7 e2c2 c7b6 f3e5 g4h3, tb=0, R50=50, }<br> Qd7 { ev=0.02, d=26, pd=Kg2, mt=00:01:18, tl=00:54:21, s=18660 kN/s, pv=e7d7 f2g2 h8g7 e2c2 c6b7 c4d5 b7c8 c2c4 d7h3 g2h1, tb=0, R50=49, }<br> 40.Kg2 { ev=0.00, d=24, pd=Qg4, mt=00:01:44, tl=00:41:46, s=691 kN/s, pv=f2g2 d7g4 c4d3 c6d7 e2c2 c7b6 f3e5 g4h3 g2h1 h3h5, tb=19, R50=49, }<br> Qg4 { ev=0.03, d=27, pd=Bd5, mt=00:02:13, tl=00:52:39, s=18985 kN/s, pv=d7g4 c4d5 c6d5 e4d5 e5e4 f3d4 g4e2 d4e2 h8g7 e2d4, tb=0, R50=48, }<br> 41.Bd3 { ev=0.00, d=25, pd=Qd7, mt=00:01:20, tl=00:40:57, s=759 kN/s, pv=c4d3 g4d7 d3c4 d7g4, tb=11, R50=48, }<br> Bd7 { ev=0.00, d=27, pd=Qc2, mt=00:01:50, tl=00:51:20, s=18567 kN/s, pv=c6d7 e2c2 g4h3 g2h1 h3h5 d3e2 c7b6 c2b2 d7c6 f3e5, tb=2, R50=47, }<br> 42.Qc2 { ev=0.00, d=26, pd=Qh3, mt=00:03:53, tl=00:37:36, s=762 kN/s, pv=e2c2 g4h3 g2h1 h3h5 d3e2, tb=246, R50=47, }<br> Qh3+ { ev=0.04, d=30, pd=Kh1, mt=00:02:15, tl=00:49:37, s=18851 kN/s, pv=g4h3 g2h1 h3h5 d3e2 d7g4 f3g1 c7b6 e2g4 h5g4 c2e2, tb=18, R50=46, }<br> 43.Kh1 { ev=0.00, d=27, pd=Qh5, mt=00:01:50, tl=00:36:18, s=676 kN/s, pv=g2h1 h3h5 d3e2 c7b6 c2b2 d7c6 f3e5 c6e4 e2f3 e4f3, tb=409, R50=46, }<br> Qh5 { ev=0.04, d=30, pd=Be2, mt=00:01:10, tl=00:48:59, s=19254 kN/s, pv=h3h5 d3e2 d7g4 f3g1 c7b6 e2g4 h5g4 c2e2 f7f5 e4f5, tb=8, R50=45, }<br> 44.Be2 { ev=0.00, d=26, pd=Bb6, mt=00:01:27, tl=00:35:22, s=707 kN/s, pv=d3e2 c7b6 c2b2 d7c6 f3e5 c6e4 e2f3 e4f3 e5f3 h8g8, tb=774, R50=45, }<br> 1/2-1/2<br> { Game Nr. 30 : Rybka 4.0 draws against Houdini 1.5a by GUI adjudication<br> GameDuration = 04:10:24, Finalposition 7k/p1bb1p2/7p/4p2q/4P3/5NP1/P1Q1B2P/7K b - - 10 44 }

Having said that, great matches at your TCEC Elite Match.


Best Regards
MichaelIsGreat

Michael,

Draw rules that work 100% of the time is hard to implement.

In this case both engines eval was within 0.05 for 10 consecutive plies,
without any pawn advances or captures and thus the game is drawn.

If any of the two engines had thought there was something
in the position their eval wouldn't be as low, would it?

Again, it's really hard to make the draw rules perfect. If I relax the
settings even more, other games could go on for another 50 moves where
they really should be drawn, and that isn't optimal either...

Best,
Martin

Game 32 was a nice technical win by Houdini in a rook and bishops ending. Eventually the b-pawn got pushed, and finis.[Round "32"][White "Rybka"][Black "Houdini"][Result "0-1"]1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. Be2 Ne7 6. O-O c5 7. Nc3 Nec6 8. Bg5 Qa5 9. a3 Nxd4 10. Nxd4 cxd4 11. Nb5 h6 12. b4 Qb6 13. Bc1 Nc6 14. Bb2 Be7 15. Bxd4 Qd8 16. c4 dxc4 17. Bxc4 O-O 18. Bc3 Qb8 19. Nd4 Nxd4 20. Qxd4 Qe8 21. Be2 Qa4 22. Qe3 Rac8 23. g3 Bg5 24. f4 Be7 25. Rfd1 Bc2 26. Rd2 Rfd8 27. Rc1 Rxd2 28. Qxd2 Be4 29. Kf2 a5 30. Bd1 Qe8 31. Be2 Bd5 32. Qe3 Qf8 33. Qd4 Rc6 34. h4 Qc8 35. Bb5 Rc7 36. Bd3 f6 37. Be2 fxe5 38. fxe5 axb4 39. axb4 Qf8+ 40. Ke3 Qf5 41. Qg4 Qxg4 42. Bxg4 Bxb4 43. Kd2 Ba3 44. Ra1 Bc5 45. Ra8+ Kf7 46. Be2 Rd7 47. Ke1 b6 48. Ra4 Kg8 49. Bd2 Bc6 50. Ra2 Kf7 51. Bf4 Ke8 52. Ra6 Rc7 53. Ra1 Kd7 54. h5 Kd8 55. Bc4 Ke7 56. Be2 b5 57. g4 b4 58. Rc1 Bb6 59. g5 b3 60. gxh6 gxh6 61. Bd3 b2 62. Rb1 Bd4 63. Bxh6 Bxe5 64. Bg5+ Kf7 65. Kd2 Rd7 66. Ke3 Kg8 67. Bh6 Bd4+ 68. Kd2 Bf3 69. Kc2 Rc7+ 70. Kd2 e5 71. Bf5 e4 72. Bg5 Bc3+ 73. Ke3 Ra7 74. Be6+ Kg7 75. Bb3 Rd7 76. Be6 Rd3+ 77. Kf4 Bxh5 0-1Black has many moves than win on move 68, but I was hoping for (say) 68...Bh8 69. Ke3 Rxd3+ [here again other moves win, such as Bf3+ first] 70. Kxd3 Bf3, and White is helpless. [In some of the game sidelines, there might be a few traps when RBP vs BB doesn't win if White can blockade the pawn on the right-coloured square, though I can't construct a specific such problem that looks that applicable here].

Again it's often hard to provide any trenchant real-time comments, but 61... Bf3 might be better than the final b-pawn push. After 62. Rb1 Rc2 63. Bg6 [here Kd2 is met by forcefully Ba5 it seems] Be3 64. Bxe3 Rxe3 65. Kf2 Rc3 (if nothing else, Black moves the King up, and Ra1-a6 for White does not work to prevent this), Black should be able to win both the White pawns in exchange for the b-pawn -- from my point of view, being 2 pawns up looks to be a cleaner win that being one pawn up and trying to force the b-pawn home, though of course Houdini's method worked too. Note that all the various 2-pawns-up endgames with either Rooks or Bishops should be wins (as the pawns are separated by 2 files).

Game 39, rather fast decay of Black's position:3r4/2pq1pk1/1r5p/p1p1PPp1/P1Pp2P1/1P3Q1P/3R3K/4R3 w - - 3 54Score of +0.35 after White's 54th move, Black resigned after move 62. Humans instinctively "just know" that the h4-push here is going to lead to danger for Black, but not so for computers, I guess. note also that there were three consecutive decisive games (Rybka had a pedagogical win with a queenside breakthru and passed b-pawn in Game 38, while she seems not to have calculated deeply enough to avoid 40... Nd5 in Game 37 -- again this was a rather deep tactical sequence, so maybe Black was already in trouble -- EDIT: Norway's 2nd largest newspaper seems to have chosen a position from this sequence in their article about TCEC), when in the first half these openings were part of a long draw string.

Game 40 has Rybka with a mild advantage after an exchange sac to obtain a passed pawn.

Game 40 has Rybka with a mild advantage after an exchange sac to obtain a passed pawn.

Again it seems that the evaluation differences (as opposed to something like pruning details) between the engines are displayed, as Houdini has blockaded the passed pawn, and is now using the material advantage.
[Round "40"][White "Rybka"][Black "Houdini"][Result "*"]1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. g3 c6 4. e4 d5 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. e5 Ne4 7. Bg2 Nc6 8. d4 Nxc3 9. bxc3 Bf5 10. Ne2 e6 11. O-O h5 12. h3 Rc8 13. f3 g5 14. g4 hxg4 15. fxg4 Bg6 16. Rf6 Be7 17. Bxg5 Rg8 18. h4 b5 19. Qd2 Bxf6 20. Bxf6 Qb6 21. h5 Bh7 22. g5 Nb8 23. Rf1 Rc7 24. h6 b4 25. Qe3 Nd7 26. Bg7 bxc3 27. Nxc3 Rc4 28. Ne2 Nf8 29. Qa3 a5 30. Rf2 Qb4 31. Qf3 Rc7 32. Bf1 Be4 33. a3 Qb6 34. Qe3 Nh7 35. a4 Qb1 36. Ng3 Bg6 37. Kh2 Kd7 38. Bb5+ Kc8 39. Kh3 Qb4 40. Ne2 Kb8 41. Kh4 Rc2 42. Nf4 Rgc8 *With move 42, Houdini jumped from -0.76 to -2.37 or so. It was a nice process of running the King out of the way (Kd7-c8-b8) to allow the Rook on g8 to finally come into play with great effect.

The match has now concluded and Houdini is the TCEC Season 1 Champion.

Congrats!

Final result was 23.5 for Houdini to 16.5 for Rybka.

Best,
Martin