The Official Chess Thread

[Pabst16oz]

Anyone up for a game?

 

[Pabst16oz]

The Shannon number, named after Claude Shannon, is an estimated lower bound on the game-tree complexity of chess. Shannon calculated it as an aside in his 1950 paper "Programming a Computer for Playing Chess". (This influential paper introduced the field of computer chess.) His notes:

"With chess it is possible, in principle, to play a perfect game or construct a machine to do so as follows: One considers in a given position all possible moves, then all moves for the opponent, etc., to the end of the game (in each variation). The end must occur, by the rules of the games after a finite number of moves (remembering the 50 move drawing rule). Each of these variations ends in win, loss or draw. By working backward from the end one can determine whether there is a forced win, the position is a draw or is lost. It is easy to show, however, even with the high computing speed available in electronic calculators this computation is impractical. In typical chess positions there will be of the order of 30 legal moves. The number holds fairly constant until the game is nearly finished as shown [...] by De Groot, who averaged the number of legal moves in a large number of master games. Thus a move for White and then one for Black gives about 10^3 possibilities. A typical game lasts about 40 moves to resignation of one party. This is conservative for our calculation since the machine would calculate out to checkmate, not resignation. However, even at this figure there will be 10^120 variations to be calculated from the initial position. A machine operating at the rate of one variation per micro-second would require over 10^90 years to calculate the first move!"

Shannon also estimated the number of possible positions, "of the general order of roughly 10^43". This includes some illegal positions (e.g., pawns on the first rank, both kings in check) and excludes legal positions following captures and promotions. Taking these into account, Victor Allis calculated an upper bound of 5×10^52 for the number of positions, and estimated the true number to be about 10^50. Recent results improve that estimate, by proving an upper bound of only 2^155, which is less than 10^46.7.

Allis also estimated the game-tree complexity to be at least 10^123 moves, "based on an average branching factor of 35 and an average game length of 80". As a comparison, the number of atoms in the observable universe, to which it is often compared, is estimated to be between 4×10^79 and 10^81.

Shannon number - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Pabst16oz]

World Chess Championship 2012 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Viswanathan Anand (2791 World No.4)- defending champion

vs.


Boris Gelfand (2727 World No.20)- challenger

Match series *update*
World Chess Championship

World Chess Championship 2012
Game Players Result Opening # moves Aggregate
Anand - Gelfand
1 Anand - Gelfand 0,5 - 0,5 Gruenfeld Defence 24 0,5 - 0,5
2 Gelfand - Anand 0,5 - 0,5 QGD Meran Def. 25 1 - 1
3 Anand - Gelfand 0,5 - 0,5 Neo Gruenfeld Defence 37 1.5 - 1.5
4 Gelfand - Anand 0,5 - 0,5 QGD Meran Def. 34 2 - 2
5 Anand - Gelfand 0,5 - 0,5 Sicilian Def. Pelican 35 2 - 2
6 Gelfand - Anand 0,5 - 0,5 QGD Meran Def. 29 2.5 - 2.5
7 Gelfand - Anand 1 - 0 QGD Meran Def. 38 4 - 3
8 Anand - Gelfand 01 - 0 Sicilian Def. Pelican 17 4 - 4
9 Gelfand - Anand 0,5 - 0,5 Nimzo Indian 49 4.5 - 4.5
10 Anand - Gelfand 0,5 - 0,5 Sicilian Rossolimo 25 5 - 5
11 Gelfand - Anand 0,5 - 0,5 Nimzo Indian 24 5.5 - 5.5

Chess news and headlines
Results & Games - Anand-Gelfand - FIDE World Chess Championship 2012

Wow. The series remains tied 5.5- 5.5 today after yet another Queens Gambit opening by white, this time by Gelfand. Anand, choosing to mobilize into a Nimzo-Indian, after having some success with it 2 matches prior, used the queen's side flank to control the center and forced white to play catch up. Book-lines were the name of the game today, with each Grandmaster vying for temporal control through standard chess theory. The final 12th match, set to take place 5/28, is gearing up to be an all or nothing fireworks show, can't wait.

 

[newworldafro]

Chess to me is like weed or sex. Its something I foresee, as always being part of my life.

Plays dramatic music as I enter the realm of real chessheads........



I love this game. Period.

 

[newworldafro]

Barnes - Morphy London 1858 C41 - YouTube

Philidor defense: Philidor Counter-Gambit


Play this with varying success. Personally one of my favorite openings for black against white's 1.e4.. It's just so counter intuitive.​

We going be in thread, I see that already.... crazy game...



Pogo?? FICS??? ......I'm not hating on those sites......but I get my chess fix on yahoo games......there is advanced, intermediate, and basic rooms.......nobody messes with that????

 

[iMajor]

We going be in thread, I see that already.... crazy game...



Pogo?? FICS??? ......I'm not hating on those sites......but I get my chess fix on yahoo games......there is advanced, intermediate, and basic rooms.......nobody messes with that????

Pogo has that too... I just like the simplicity of the layout. And I found that between FICs, yahoo & pogo well the competition suited my liking on pogo. People are brats on FICs and yahoo is way too easy.

 

[South Paw]

Chess.com?

 

[Pabst16oz]

If you have a favorite website and username, post'em. All of chessdom is welcomed here

 

[GulfCoastGhost]

been playing chesswithfriends on the iphone with a couple people from work, very very addicting game, makes you feel smart

 

[Predator]

subs

 

[Pabst16oz]

FWCCM Anand vs Gelfand/ Match 12- Game Broadcast - Official site of the match for the title of World Chess Champion.

All even in classical chess as tie-break awaits​

In the final game of the match with classical time control, the opponents once again played the Rossolimo variation of the Sicilian Defence. Unlike the previous game when this system was used, the world champion managed to provide a surprise, sacrificing the pawn with e5 on the eighth move. Boris Gelfand thought long and hard before finding an interesting solution – on the tenth move he voluntarily returned the material and then sacrificed another pawn in order to reveal the position and activate his pieces. The challenger’s decision proved to be justified as he was well compensated. Anand agreed that he was lacking the sufficient resources to fight for an advantage, eased the situation in the centre, and on the twenty-second move the opponents agreed to a draw.


Following the twelfth game, the score is equal at 6-6. According to the rules, the players must now play a tie-break: four games of rapid chess (25 minutes until the end plus 10 seconds per move). If they finish with a score of 2-2, a match of two blitz games will be played (5 minutes plus 3 seconds per move). If the score is still even, another match of two blitz games will be played (in total no more than 5 such matches). If the winner is not determined from these 10 games, the decisive Armageddon will be played.

All even in classical chess as tie-break awaits - Official site of the match for the title of World Chess Champion.

Gelfand: I realised that I needed to activate my bishops at any cost​

At the press conference, Boris Gelfand explained why he had spent so long on move 10…с4. The challenger said that moves 7.h4 and 10.Nd2 by White were simply excellent and made Black's task “very difficult”. “I was trying to figure out the best way to play at that moment because, if you make one wrong decision, it may already be too late. I realised that I needed to activate my bishops at any cost.” Boris Gelfand also explained that, if White had refused to exchange queens after 12...Qd5, then Black would simply have exchanged the “bad” white-squared bishop on c4.


Viswanathan Anand confirmed that he wanted to surprise his opponent in the opening, which he was able to do. But he noted that the challenger responded very handily to this. He also said that 10...c4 was the right move to make, insofar as Black had to play quickly in order to avoid getting into a bad position. He wasn't sure, however, if he should have gone for the continuation with an extra pawn, as Black was fully compensated with two bishops and open lines on the queenside.


When asked if he could have exploited his time advantage and continue the game, the World Champion explained that there weren't enough pieces on the board to play for the win. “It's very easy for Black to play after 22.Се7 Кре7, and I didn't see any reason to continue the game.”


Both players said that they hadn't considered what colours they would choose for Armageddon, if it should come down to that. They also could not remember the rapid chess score between the two.

Gelfand: I realised that I needed to activate my bishops at any cost - Official site of the match for the title of World Chess Champion.

World Chess Championship 2012
Game Players Result Opening # moves Aggregate
Anand - Gelfand
1 Anand - Gelfand 0,5 - 0,5 Gruenfeld Defence 24 0,5 - 0,5
2 Gelfand - Anand 0,5 - 0,5 QGD Meran Def. 25 1 - 1
3 Anand - Gelfand 0,5 - 0,5 Neo Gruenfeld Defence 37 1.5 - 1.5
4 Gelfand - Anand 0,5 - 0,5 QGD Meran Def. 34 2 - 2
5 Anand - Gelfand 0,5 - 0,5 Sicilian Def. Pelican 35 2 - 2
6 Gelfand - Anand 0,5 - 0,5 QGD Meran Def. 29 2.5 - 2.5
7 Gelfand - Anand 1 - 0 QGD Meran Def. 38 4 - 3
8 Anand - Gelfand 1 - 0 Sicilian Def. Pelican 17 4 - 4
9 Gelfand - Anand 0,5 - 0,5 Nimzo Indian 49 4.5 - 4.5
10 Anand - Gelfand 0,5 - 0,5 Sicilian Rossolimo 25 5 - 5
11 Gelfand - Anand 0,5 - 0,5 Nimzo Indian 24 5.5 - 5.5
12 Anand - Gelfand 0,5 - 0,5 Sicilian Rossolimo 22 6 - 6

 

[Pabst16oz]

Shadowboxin' these fools.. Just had a successful game in a Bird's opening 1.f4 d5.

 

[Pabst16oz]

Anand retained the World chess champion title after tie-break games!!!!!....tie advan. 2.5 - 1,5

Games played earlier today/ simulcast--- Video Archive - Official site of the match for the title of World Chess Champion.

World Chess Championship 2012
Game Players Result Opening # moves Aggregate
Anand - Gelfand
1 Anand - Gelfand 0,5 - 0,5 Gruenfeld Defence 24 0,5 - 0,5
2 Gelfand - Anand 0,5 - 0,5 QGD Meran Def. 25 1 - 1
3 Anand - Gelfand 0,5 - 0,5 Neo Gruenfeld Defence 37 1.5 - 1.5
4 Gelfand - Anand 0,5 - 0,5 QGD Meran Def. 34 2 - 2
5 Anand - Gelfand 0,5 - 0,5 Sicilian Def. Pelican 35 2 - 2
6 Gelfand - Anand 0,5 - 0,5 QGD Meran Def. 29 2.5 - 2.5
7 Gelfand - Anand 1 - 0 QGD Meran Def. 38 4 - 3
8 Anand - Gelfand 01 - 0 Sicilian Def. Pelican 17 4 - 4
9 Gelfand - Anand 0,5 - 0,5 Nimzo Indian 49 4.5 - 4.5
10 Anand - Gelfand 0,5 - 0,5 Sicilian Rossolimo 25 5 - 5
11 Gelfand - Anand 0,5 - 0,5 Nimzo Indian 24 5.5 - 5.5
12 Anand - Gelfand 0,5 - 0,5 Sicilian Rossolimo 22 6 - 6
Tie break games
TB-1 Gelfand - Anand 0,5 - 0,5 QGD: semi-Slav 32 0.5 - 0.5
TB-2 Anand - Gelfand 1 - 0 Sicilian Rossolimo 77 1.5 - 0.5
TB-3 Gelfand - Anand 0,5 - 0,5 QGD: semi-Slav 61 2 - 1
TB-4 Anand - Gelfand 0,5 - 0,5 Sicilian Canal-Sokolsky 56 2.5 - 1.5

 

[ahomeplateslugger]

what's a good chess tutorial? ive been getting my ass kicked against the computer

how did ya'll improve your game?

 

[South Paw]

what's a good chess tutorial? ive been getting my ass kicked against the computer

how did ya'll improve your game?

Just keep playing, breh