mclure%sri-unix@sri-unix.UUCP (07/07/84)
Here is a fascinating game between me (USCF 1553/15) and my Prestige (est. 1800+) which got a performance rating of 1868 in a recent U.S. Open. Dr. Irazoqui, an independent rater, estimates Prestige at USCF 1875. I do not know if it has a formal USCF rating, but I am sure it has played at least the required 20 games for a rating. Also, its play is definitely class A. I have played 33 games against it and have whatever miniscule percentage is required for it to be rated 300+ points ahead of me according to the ELO curves. This puts it well into the 1800's. Also, it makes mincemeat of the various other programs on the market as shown in Irazoqui's 1984 Computer Chess Digest. This is the original Prestige and does not have the recent upgrades that boost the rating a supposed 20-50 points which I am leery of paying $200 to obtain. I am White and play into a Sicilian I know nothing about. I make a few weak moves and am in a bind early. Just at the point I think I am consolidating and getting all my pieces developed, the machine plays a devastating move (17.... Ng3!!). I would be interested to hear what strong players think of this move and the ensuing variations should White avoid returning the material. I was totally unprepared for the move and lost quickly. This is the best game I've seen any micro play. Indeed, I think it rivals the famous Blitz vs. Belle game a few years ago when Belle played a stock rook sacrifice at h2 against Blitz in a long mating combination. This has similarities. Here it is a stock sacrifice when the enemy has all his pieces on one side of the board away from the defence of the king. But I prefer the sacrifice here to Belle's for aesthetic reasons. The position just didn't seem that alive here to warrant such a move, whereas in the Belle game, the rook sac seemed plausible from the outset because of the open rook file. Cracraft/1553 vs. Prestige, Time control: 40 moves in 2 hours, 20 in 1 1. e4 c5 11. o-o Bb7 21. Kf1 Bd4 2. Nf3 Nc6 12. f3 Rd8 22. Ke1 Qe5 3. d4 cd4 13. Rd1 Qd4 23. Kf1 Qe3 4. Nd4 g6 14. Kh1 o-o 24. Rde1 Qg1 5. c4 Bg7 15. Nc3 Qc5 25. Ke2 Qg2 6. Nc6 bc6 16. Bf4 Nh5 26. Kd1 Qf3 7. Qc2 Nf6 17. Bd2 Ng3! 27. Kc1 Bc3 8. Bd3 d5 18. hg3 Qh5 28. resigns 9. ed5 cd5 19. Kg1 Bd4 10. cd5 Qd5 20. Be3 Be3