Another and interesting chess engine debut on Chessengeria.eu.
What it tastes like... Rice 5.0.0 ?
Preceding the facts, I'll say, deliciously!
Very nice Rice chess engine logo. Source: GitHub
Its Creator very quickly skipped the stage (if one can write so) of creating an engine with hand craft eval. Rice uses a neural network which allows its latest fifth version to play with a strength above 3000 Elo!
Source: MCERL
The first version of this engine appeared just a month ago (yes!) in March 2023. You can see by the results that the author approaches the development of his chess engine with great dedication and knowledge of things (3073 Elo).
I am very excited about the further progress of this very promising chess engine.
The quality of the Rice engine code deserves high praise and recognition.
The author of this engine has made his work available in such a way that it is easy to create binaries for different operating systems.
Which I have hereby done, also making Rice available for Linux, Mac and Windows users.
So let's see how the young Rice 5.0.0 plays :)
White: Rice 5.0.0.
Black: Hiarcs 14 WCSC, a well-known and respected chess engine, whose 14th version, although old, is able to put up a fight against many modern competitors.
White's move. An equal position was created after the classic King's Indian. Rice can "bounce" the pawn on e4 in several ways. What will it choose ?
17. Ne6
A very interesting follow-up. Rice resigns for the time being to take the black pawn on e4 and without delay begins to penetrate its opponent's camp.
18...d5
Hiarcs removed Knight from the e6 square and strengthens the center with its last move. White Pawn on e6 seems to be at a loss.
19.Ba3!
Strong and natural move. Bishop from the far square a3 will give black trouble.
19...e3
Hiarcs finds an interesting move that can disorganize the cooperation of the white pieces.
21.Rd1!
Rice is not worried about "forks" on d4. Black's pawns center although looking threatening, poses no real threat.
23.Rf7!
Here's what a "stranded" Pawn e6 can be useful for.
26.Rexe6
Hiarcs finally takes the inconvenient Pawn e6.
27.Qd5
Pawns are the soul of the game :)
In exchange for one sacrificed Pawn, Rice has the initiative and good prospects.
28...Rec6
Hiarcs, is a demanding computer player. In his last move, it provokes the Rooks exchange, which is not favorable to white.
30.a3
Rice allowed himself to be provoked and the Rooks exchange took place. The position is again equal. Hiarcs is defending itself hard.
31.g4
White must play actively, which they do. Having the initiative, even with an equal position, Rice forces its opponent to play accurately.
31...Nh6
A weak move by the blacks. Hiarcs being under constant "fire" keeps the guard. Better was 31...Rd8 responding blow for blow.
34...Re8?
Another “sluggish” move by Hiarcs. This time it's a mistake of the losing kind. Much stronger was 34...Rb8 with an attack on the white Queen.
37.a4
Rice eagerly agreed to Rooks' exchange. White Pawn on the A column is in practice unstoppable in its forward march, which will ensure Rice's victory in this game,
40.a7
The game is coming to an end. Rice allows 41...Qd1+. Is this an oversight ?
41.Be1!
Nice. If white had chosen the King move, it would have led to a checkmate of their King.
42.Kg2
The Black Queen, after taking Bishop e1, has no access to the f3 square. The White King is safe.
44.Nf2
Now nothing can stop the promotion of Pawn a7 into Queen.
Hiarcs still put up hopeless resistance, but this changed nothing. Rice wins.
63.Qxf8#
Looking at the course of this game, I saw a lot of “confidence” and consistency in Rice's chess engine.
Certainly, Rice tried, made efforts and put pressure on its experienced opponent. And as we saw – not without mistakes and inaccuracies – it ultimately resulted in victory.
Feel free to download the Rice 5.0.0 chess engine.
Linux arm64 & x64 – Compiled by Darius
Mac Apple Silicon & Intel – Compiled by Darius
Windows x64 – Compiled by Darius
* Diagrams created in the ChessGenius Classic.