Games of the month - March 2023
- Darius
- Apr 5, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Dec 11, 2023
Are you tired of boring commentaries that fail to capture the beauty of the chess game ?
Do you feel embarrassed when listening to YouTubers or reading online comments on games that leave you with a sense of inadequacy ?
If the answer is yes, then you have come to the right place !
This month on Chessengeria.com debuts a new series "Games of the Month". In this series, we highlight the most exquisite games played by chess engines in the MCERL series of games. Of the 10 games selected, one will be analyzed and shown in detail.
"Games of the Month" will provide games - chess gems that are true works of art that take your breath away.
MadChess vs Galjoen
Without further introduction, I invite lovers who appreciate the true beauty of the game of chess to read.
Game of the month - March 2023
In March, well over 20 000 games were played in the MCERL cycle. It took me a long time to choose the most worthy of interest, and it took me even longer to choose the one - the most beautiful one, which is worth highlighting with analysis and presentation to readers.
Among these 10 games are those played by the strongest engines such as Stockfish, Berserk, Lc0 or Wasp, but there are also those in which lesser-known chess engines took part. And it is such a game that I would like to highlight.
The game between MadChess 3.2b (white) and Galjoen 0.41.2 (black.
Let's get started!
The following position was created in the French defense, after white chose the aggressive continuation 7.Qg4.
11...dxc3!
Materially, the forces are aligned. White will look for its chance on the King's wing, black on the Queen's wing. The resulting hand is unbalanced and full of many different possibilities for both computer players.
13...d4N
Novelty by Galjoen. Usually Bishop's move 13.Bd7 is chosen, which provides an opportunity for a quick long castling and further mobilization of forces. As you can see, black already at the beginning of this game wants to put pressure and hinder further development of his opponent.
14.Bf2?
This seemingly natural move is not a good choice. In this dynamic position, one should not give way to the field. A better choice would have been to play an equally aggressive white Knight to the h5 square.
15.Ne4
A good move activating Knight, who heads for the excellent d6 field.
17.Rb1
MadChess occupied the d6 field with his Knight and launches his Rook.
Taking black's Pawn f7 is not the best idea, which white rightly abandons.
17...Qxa3
Gajloen has no intention of avoiding an exchange of blows through 17...b6. The position is fairly even.
18...Qa2!
Black quietly moves the Queen near the undefended white Rook while limiting the white Bishop's movement to the c4 square. Black's King, despite losing his defender on the b7, can feel safe.
20...Rdf8
Not the best move by black, as did white earlier by moving his Bishop to the f2 field. A worthy consideration was 20...Kc7! offering white to take black's Rook in exchange for white's very strong Knight.
22.Qe4!
MadChess taking advantage of the blacks' not so good previous move.
23.g3?
Why MadChess did not get rid of the white Bishop by playing 23.Bxd4 will remain a secret to me. Pawn's move on g3 further restricts the freedom of movement of the Bishop standing on the f2 field. Probably the idea behind this move is to bring the white Bishop to the g2 field in the future. But... will MadChess make it?
23...f5!
An excellent counter to the blacks. The position evens out again.
25...e5
Galjoen is the first to activate all his forces, black Bishop can finally reach further.
26.Nxd7
Strategic mistake. Too bad MadChess didn't activate Bishop by putting him on the g2 field. That would have been a perfect balance moment.
26....e4-+
White probably did not anticipate this "interjected" move. Instead of taking Knight from the d7 field, Galjoen blows the wind even more into the sails of it's initiative. The black Pawns begin to pose big threats.
27...d3!
Black doesn't stop, smelled the scent of victory and regardless of losses stormed the position of the white King and.... Queen.
29.Ke2
The white figures stand as if by magic on their starting fields. Their King begins his trek and they can only watch. Here's how passive moves that give away the initiative end.
30...Nd5+!
Galjoen without hesitation offers the black Pawn inviting the white King closer and closer to his camp. The stranded King...
32.Kxd5
And the King went to war. An unusual sight.
34...Rxe5+!
Black sacrifices everything just to get to the wandering white King.
36...Qd7+
MadChess has one Rook and two Bishops more, but that doesn't save it from losing this game anymore.
41...Qf7#
That's the brilliant style Tal played, that's how naturally Morphy played. And although the play of both computer players was not flawless, it was undoubtedly very interesting, full of twists and turns and providing opportunities for both sides to win.
I hope you enjoyed this game, dear reader.
I invite you to review the other selected games of the month of March 2023. The download file is below.
* Diagrams generated in the ChessBase program.