Despite that engines play today much stronger than humans, interest in games played between engines is much smaller than games played between humans. Quality is not enough to attract a big audience. Every player will admit that chess played in a competition between humans is many times richer than purely calculating the best move. Besides what is considered as the best move by an engine can even be a mistake in a specific game. I can imagine a situation where the best move leads to a perpetual while a draw is no option due to the tournament-situation.
Obviously engines have evolved enormously in the last decades. However if we look to 1990 then I dare to state that engines aren't playing more human today, at contrary. It was in that era that I learned to play chess. In my blogarticle schaakcompositities I already mentioned that I bought a tablet : Mephisto Europa A to practice. Well I believe that I have played hundreds, maybe even thousands of games against it. After I started to win on the highest level of the Mephisto Europe A, I bought the Tandy Chess Champion 2150. Also against that tablet I again played several hundreds of games. Around 1995 I switched to the PC and I played 40 games with a long time control against Siberian Chess and Fritz 2. These gigantic matches were my last engine confrontations as next the door opened to tournament-chess against humans and I never looked again to engine-games.
It is evident that this unusual competition lasting for several years had a serious impact on my style. A computer punishes every careless move and doesn't lose the attention. You are forced to be very concentrated during the complete course of the game and you learn to double check each move if it is tactically correct. Prudence is the key to score which generated a big aversion of anything risky. While this approach works well against engines, it quickly appeared to be much less effective against humans. My new opponents spent much less attention to material and were ready to take risks for the initiative or to get compensation, counterchances,... which was totally new for me. Besides I experienced that it was very hard to acquire these new skills as it was fully contradicting my auto-didactic prudent style. In this aspect Jacob Aagaard is right in his comments below the blogarticle Is chess really a young man's game? that engines are bad for the early development of a chessplayer. On the other hand it is clear that practicing against engines is still many times better than no practice at all for the development.
In the comments below my blogarticle mijn mooiste zet I already stated that I was aware that improving would require a more aggressive approach of my playing-style. However this didn't go easily. I remember once that I tried an interesting gambit in one of my very first interclubgames in Belgium. I received excellent chances but in the game I didn't use them and suffered a painful defeat.
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12.Be3(With this gambit I manage to complete quickly the development.)Na513.Bd3Qxb214.Qd2?!(White misses a number of chances in the game. Here Bg5 is better to first provoke f6 after which we can follow up with Bd2.)14.Bg5!14...Qb615.Nb4Nc616.Rab1Qd817.Rec1e618.Bc4Nc719.Bb3?!19.Nxc6!19...a520.Nxc6bxc621.Ba4Ra622.Rb7Qc823.Rb2Qa824.Bf4Nb525.Rbc2?!25.Bh6!25...Rd826.Bg5?!26.Bh6!26...Rc827.Qd3?!27.e5!27...Rb828.Bf4Bf829.Nh2Be830.Ng4Bg731.Be3??31.Bxb5!±31...Qb732.Nh2?!32.e5!32...d533.e5f534.Nf3??(White blows his last winning-chance and in timetrouble it goes completely wrong.)34.exf6!±34...Qe735.Nd2Rab636.Rc5Qa737.Nb3Bf838.R5c2Na339.Nc5Nxc240.Nxe6Nxe341.Qxe3Rb10–1
A complete swap from a positional player to a pure attacking player didn't happen but I dare to state that today my game has become more dynamic. I can direct better an initiative which means the risks of investing material have become smaller. In the past Open Gent I played a few nice attacking games of which my game against the German player Olaf Pienski probably best illustrates how I treat today material in a more flexible way.
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21.c4(I was looking already for some time to this breakthrough but only now I considered it sufficient which is confirmed by the engines. )Nxc421...dxc422.Bxa5cxd323.d5Ne724.dxe6Bxe625.Rfd1+-22.Bxc4dxc423.d5g523...exd524.e6(This triple-gambit was obviously the purpose. )Bxe625.Bc3Ne725...d426.Rfd1+-26.h6d427.Rxb7(There are several roads leading to victory but this one is the fastest.)Qxb728.Bxd4Nc629.Bc3+-24.hxg6Ne725.Qh4Rxg626.Nxg6+Nxg627.Qf6+Kg8(Black did not want to wait for Bh6 after which the position collapses. )1–0
Now I admit that this example is pretty lame for real attacking players. Some players make it even a duty in each game to sacrifice material so they can force their own attacking style upon their opponent. We surely all know players whom fit this description. We admire but at the same time fear these players. 1 Belgian FM whom fits surely in this category is Luc Henris. Twice I had the pleasure to meet him on the board and each time the game was a wild affair.
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1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bb5f54.Nc3fxe45.Nxe4d56.Nxe5dxe47.Nxc6Qg58.Qe2Nf69.f4Qh4+10.g3Qh311.Ne5+c612.Bc4Bc513.d3Ng414.Nf7Bf2+15.Kd1e316.Qf3Nf617.f5Nd5(Obviously I prepared the game as I did not know previously so much theory about the Schliemanngambit. Till here I followed exactly the recommendation of Gary Lane his book. The variation continued with Rf8 and after 2 more moves white would have a winning advantage. Now accidentally Gary Lane sit 2 boards further so I found it already suspicious why Luc Henris followed this variation. Luc naturally had a novelty in his sleeve which I only later discovered in the openingbook of Rebel.)18.Bxd518.Nd6+!?Kd719.Ne4Rf820.Nxf2exf221.Qxf2Rxf522.Qe2(This is another continuation which exists and in this unclear position I have the feeling that black has not enough compensation for the pawn.)18...cxd519.Nd6+(Later at home I discovered Be3. First I thought this wins easily but analyzes showed that it is still very complicated.)19.Bxe3Bxe319...0-020.Nh6+gxh621.Qxd5+Rf722.Bxf2Bxf523.Bd4Bg4+24.Kd2Bf325.Qe5Qg2++-20.Nxh8d420...Bxf521.Qxe3+Kf822.Re1Qh5+23.Kc1Kg824.Qe5Kxh825.Qxd5Qh6++-21.Qe4+Kf822.Qd5Qh5+23.Ke1Qe823...Bd724.Qxd7Re824...Bg525.Qf7+Qxf726.Nxf7Kxf727.Kd1Kf628.Rf1Be329.a4Re8+-25.Qf7+Qxf726.Nxf7Kxf727.Ke2h528.h3Bg5+29.Kf1Re3+-24.Rf1Bg5+!N(Unbelievable but till here I found everything back in the databases. A serious improvement on the correspondence game which I found.)25.Kd1!?(My original choice was Kf2 to activate the 2nd rook a.s.a.p. However after a5-Ra6 it is not clear immediately if white got a winning advantage. The f-line is blocked by the white king and the king is less safe on f2 than d1. Of course the big disadvantage of Kd1 is that the rook on a1 is locked up. At this moment I believe white does not need the rook to organize the attack.)Qd7!25...Bd726.g4Rc826...Ba427.b3Bc628.Ng6+hxg629.fxg6+Bf630.Qh5Qe631.g5Bg2+-27.Ng6+hxg628.fxg6+Bf629.Qh5Be630.g5Qc631.Rf2Ke7+-25...Qh5+26.Rf3Qe826...Ke727.h4Bd728.Qf7+Qxf729.Nxf7Bxh430.gxh4Kxf7+-27.h4Bf628.g4Bxh429.Rf1Bd729...Qd730.Ng6+hxg631.fxg6+Bf632.Qxd7Bxd733.g5+-30.Ng6+hxg631.fxg6+Bf632.g5Qxg633.gxf6+-26.Qb3a5!26...b627.h4Bf628.g4Bb729.Qe6Qc730.g5Re831.Qf7+Qxf732.Nxf7Kxf733.gxf6Kxf6+-27.h4Bd8!27...a428.Qf7+Qxf729.Nxf7Bxh430.gxh4Kxf7+-27...Bf628.g4a429.Qe6Qxe630.fxe6Ke731.g5Be5+-28.Rf4(White threatens Rd4-Rd8 and black can not recapture due to mate on f7.)Bf6!28...Bc729.Rxd4Qxf530.Qa3+Kg831.Qe7b532.Qe8+Qf833.Qxf8+Kxf834.Kd2+-28...a429.Qc4Bf630.Re4b531.Qc5+Be732.Qxd4Qxd433.Rxd4Bf634.Rd5+-29.g4a429...b530.g5Be530...a431.Qe6Qc732.Qd5Bb733.Qf7+Qxf734.Nxf7Kxf735.gxf6Kxf6+-31.Rf1a432.Qe6Qxe633.fxe6+Ke734.Nf7Bg335.Rg1Bxh4+-29...Ra630.g5Be531.Rf2a432.Qe6Qxe633.fxe6++-30.Qc4!?(Surely other continuations must be sufficient too for the win.)b531.Qc5+Kg832.g5Be733.Qxd4Kxh834.Kd2Qxd435.Rxd4Kg8+-(The endgame must be won for white as the 2 bishops can not be sufficient compensation for the rook with the 3 pawns. The endgame remains however a technical job as black can resist still for quite some time with his pair of bishops.)19...Kd720.Nxc8Re821.Qxd5+Kxc822.Ke2Qg4+(Black probably still follows theory which I did not know. Re5 was played in several correspondence games and is likely also playable.)22...Re523.Qg8+(If white chops the rook then black can force immediately the draw with Qg4,Qh3.)Kd724.Qxg7+Re725.Qd4+Ke826.Qf4Rc827.c3Rc528.g4h5!(Black has 3 pawns less but generates enormous piece-activity. The position is totally unclear.)23.Qf3Qa424.b3Qd425.Ba3N(After the game Luc told me that this is the first new move of the game. He still knew Rb1 against which he drew twice against fide masters.)25.Rb1Qc326.Rb2a5!(White has 2 pawns extra but his pieces are not active. Black clearly has compensation but I believe that white with precise play still has the better chances.)27.Qd5Kb828.Qc4Qe529.Qf4Qxf430.gxf4Ra631.b4a432.b5Rf6±25...Qc326.Qd5Qd2+27.Kf3e228.Qc4+Kd729.Qd5+(I preferred here to force the draw with a perpetual as there remained less than a quarter on my clock and I did not trust the kingsafety. Nevertheless I had noticed that with Bb4 I could still do a try to win the game and prove that my novelty was an amelioration of the theory.)29.Bb4Qe3+30.Kg2Rad8(Recommended by my opponent after the game and indeed the best.)31.Qb5+(I showed after the game Be1 after which white has no problems anymore but also probably can not win anymore the endgame. Qb5 is a lot more complicated and gives excellent winning-chances.)Kc832.f6!g6(White threatened Qf5 with taking on f2.)32...Kb8?!33.f7Re634.Qd7‼Rxd735.f8Q+Re836.Qxf2+-33.Qc4+Kd734.f7Re535.f8QRxf836.Bxf8e1N+37.Raxe1Bxe138.Rf1Qe2+39.Kg1+-(This endgame is clearly won for white as blacks attack has been repelled.)29...Kc830.Qc4+Kd731.Qd5+(I proposed here a draw which black accepted after 10 minutes as he realized nothing extra was possible.)½–½
Also in the second encounter Luc surprised me with his better knowledge of the gambit although also this time I have my doubts about the correctness.
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1.e4e52.f4exf43.Nf3d64.d4g55.h4g46.Ng1Qf67.Nc3Ne78.Nge2Bh69.Qd2Bd710.Nxf4N(Luc played this novelty in this critical modern variation of the kingsgambit very fast so I deduct that he must have studied this at home. Normal is g3 which I checked during my preparation.)Nbc6!(Accepting the gambit with Bxf4, gives white excellent compensation. Stronger therefore is my move which completes the development as quick as possible.)11.Nb5!?(The alternatives are discussed below.)11.Nce2Ng612.d512.c30-0-013.g3Nce514.dxe5dxe515.h5Bc616.Qxd8+Rxd817.hxg6exf418.Rxh6f312...Nce513.h5Nc414.Qc314.Qb4Nxf415.Qxc4Nxe216.Bxe2Bxc117.Rxc10-0-018.Rb1Rde819.Bd3Qe514...Qxc3+15.bxc3Nge511.d5Nd4!12.Kd1g3!13.Nce2Nxe214.Bxe2Qe515.Qc3Qxc316.bxc30-0-017.Rb1Rde818.Bf3Rhg811...0-0-0!?(An interesting alternative is Kd8 with the plan to exert quickly pressure via the e-file. Black has in both cases the better prospects.)11...Kd812.Qf212.d5Ng613.g313.Ne6+Qxe614.Qe2Qe515.Bxh6Qxb216.Rc1Nd417.Nxd4Qxd413.dxc6Bxf414.cxb714.Qd4Qxd415.Nxd4bxc616.Bxf4Nxf417.g3Nh518.Ne2Rb814...Bxd2+15.Bxd2Rb816.Bg5Qxg517.hxg5Rxb718.a4a619.Nd4Rb420.c3Rxb213...Re814.Kd114.dxc6Rxe4+15.Kd1Bxc616.Bg2Bxf417.gxf4a618.Bxe4Bxe419.Nxd6Bf3+20.Ke1-+14.Bg2Bxf415.gxf4Nce716.h5Nh417.Nc3Nxg2+18.Qxg2Qd414...Nxf415.gxf4Ne716.h5g317.c4Nc818.Bg2Nb619.Qd3Na420.Kc2Rg821.Re1Bxb522.cxb512...a613.d5g314.Qxg3axb515.dxc6Bxc616.Nh5Qe617.Bxh6Qxh618.Qg5Qe619.Nf612.d5Ne513.Qf2!?(Taking on a7, is not good due to Kb7 followed up with N7g6. H5 to avoid Ng6 is too slow as after a6 white is too far behind with the development.)13.h5a614.Nc314.Nd4Rde815.Be2g316.Qe3Ng417.Bxg4Bxg418.Qxg3Qxd419.Qxg4+f514...Kb815.Qf2Rhg816.Qg3Qg717.Bd2f518.0-0-0fxe419.Nxe4Qf713...Bxb5?!(I make the wrong decision as I estimate incorrectly the consequences of Nxc7. After my move I lose my advantage as f5 becomes much harder to complete. Black can not control the e6 square anymore.)13...a6!14.Nxc714.Nd4Rde815.Be215.g3c516.dxc6N7xc617.Nfe2Nf3+18.Nxf3gxf319.Nc3Bxc120.Rxc1d5-+15...g316.Qxg3Rhg817.Nh5Qh818.Qf2Bxc119.Rxc1f520.exf5Ng421.Qf414.Nc3Kb815.Be2Rhf815...Qg716.Nh5Qf817.Nf6Bxc118.Rxc1Ng819.Nxd7+Rxd720.g3h5=16.Rf1Qh817.Rb1Bg718.Kd1f519.Qd4N5c620.Qc4Nd421.exf5Nxe222.Ncxe214.Na3Kb815.Be2N7g616.Nxg6Qxg617.Bxh6Qxh618.0-0Rhf819.Qg3f520.exf5Bxf514...Bxf415.Nxa6Nxd5‼(I missed this possibility during the game.)16.exd5Rhe817.Be2Nf3+18.Kd1Bxc119.Rxc1Qd4+20.Qxd414.Bxb5a6!?(Immediately Kb8 is likely a bit stronger but the balance is not broken.)15.Be2Kb816.g3!?(White expects that black can not use the f3 square. A more careful continuation is Qg3 to follow up with 0-0 and Qb3. The position contains mutual chances.)Rhf8!?(Black wants to play f5 but without the bishop covering the white squares, this is not possible without concessions. An alternative is Rde8 to exert pressure on the e-pawn.)17.Be3Bxf4!? (Black solves the problem of e6 in a drastic way but Qh8 immediately followed with f5 was a very interesting alternative. Black sacrifices the exchange but gets beautiful compensation in the center. )18.gxf4Nf3+?(A big calculation error which immediately gives black a serious disadvantage. Much better was Nd7 which leaves b2 for capturing. Black can next consolidate g4 with h5 and does not stand worse.)19.Bxf3gxf320.0-0-0Qh621.Qxf3f522.e5Rg823.exd6?(Better was H5 which puts the rook on a more active position with a clear advantage for white. Now black gets a chance to free himself. )Qxd624.Rd3!?Rg425.h5Ng8!?26.c4!?Qb427.Rc3!?Nf628.Rg1!?Rdg829.Rxg4Rxg4(I proposed here a draw which white declined although he has not a better position. )30.Bd4?!(More precise is Kb1.)Ne431.Qe2?!(White sacrifices or blunders a pawn. Better is a3.)Rxf432.Rg3?!(White provokes b6 but something does not work.)b6?(I miss in timetrouble a beautiful winning chance with the awkward Rf1.)33.Rb3Qd2+?!(Qd6 would have given black a clear advantage. )34.Qxd2Nxd235.Rxb6+?(Objectively Kxd2 is better with a drawn rookendgame despite the pawn less but white wants more. )cxb6??(I remember that I was shocked after whites answer and started to miss some trivial things like the check on e5. White now gets a very good, probably winning endgame. Kc8 was good for a clear advantage for black.)36.Be5+Kc837.Bxf4Nxc438.b3Na5!? (With a few seconds remaining on my clock, I had to take quickly a difficult decision. However Na3 does not hold the position either on the long term.)38...Na339.Kd2Nb540.Be5Nc740...Kd741.Ke3Na342.Kf4Nc243.Kxf5Nb444.d6Nxa245.Kf6Nc146.Kg7Nd347.Bg3a548.Kxh7+-41.Bxc7Kxc742.Ke3Kd643.Kf4Kxd544.Kxf5b545.a3a546.Kf6a447.b4Kc448.Kg7Kb349.Kxh7Kxa350.h6Kxb451.Kg6a352.h7+-39.Kd2Kd740.Ke3Nb741.Kd4Nd6(My opponent offered here a drink in the assumption that it was won and I should resign. Realizing that I blundered a few moves ago, I initially thought indeed to resign but after a quarter reflection I still wanted to try one last plan which I considered worth trying.)42.Ke5Ne4!?(It is difficult to estimate what gives the best practical chances. After my move white can win forcefully with precise play which eventually did not happen in the game. B5 probably could have resisted longer although white would not have to find many difficult moves as Bd2 followed up with g6 does the job. )43.Kxf5Nc344.d6Nxa2(After b5 recommended by Fritz, white plays simply Kg5 and wins easily. Taking on a2 was the only chance to confuse the matter. )45.Kf6Nc346.Kg7Nd547.Be5Ke648.h6Ne349.Kxh7Nf5 (Ng4 is no salvation either. )49...Ng450.Kg7Nxe551.h7Nf752.d7Ke753.d8Q++-50.Bd4??(Strange here Fritz shows an exclamationmark. However Kg6 assures the win. Now it will be a draw.)50.Kg6‼Nxh651.Kxh6a552.Kg5b553.Kf4a453...b454.Ke4a455.bxa4b356.Kd3b257.Kc2+-54.b4a355.Ke3a256.Ke4a1Q57.Bxa1Kxd6+-50...a5!51.Bxb651.Be5b5!52.Kg6Nxh653.Kxh6b454.Kg5a455.bxa4b3=51...a452.bxa4Kxd653.Kg6Nxh6(Disappointed white had to agree to the draw.)½–½
I am curious what is mentioned about the chosen variation of the above game in the recently published book The King's Gambit. Feedback of the readers, bought this book, is surely welcome.
That Luc Henris loves gambits can also be seen off the board. Recently he published after years work the colossal book about the Albin-tegengambiet. The book weights 1kg 200 gram and counts 615 pages of which we can deduct that we deal here with an authentic openingbook which explains every detail of what is interesting about the opening.
I couldn't find a proper review on the internet of this book but there was some commotion on chesspub about plagiarized work. Seems you can find some pages literally in an earlier published work while no references are shown in the book. I also find this annoying as you could already read in my earlier blogarticle sos. However at contrary with my story, the publisher was willing to apologize which prevented further escalation.
It is evident that today there is still a lot of interest in gambits. Players are aware that nobody can play like Houdini (if we exclude vals spelen). Gambits differ us from the engines. It is not mandatory that it should be fully correct as long it creates problems on the board for our opponents so they make sooner or later a mistake.