Daily Chess Puzzle: AlphaZero

Today’s problem is the simul Matthew Sadler gave after his talk with Natasha Regan about their book Game Changer, about AlphaZero.

Their talk was part of Chester chess club’s centenary celebrations; an excellent event organised by Phil Crocker and his team mates.

As is my custom, I only say which side is to play: and not giving an idea if the move wins or otherwise, unless on occasion I think signposting would be helpful. Instead, the problems are posed with the instruction to decide what you would play, as in a game.

White to play

Matthew Sadler v Allan Beardsworth, simul 11/5/19

Solution

1 Bf5! Rf5 2 Ne4 and I was bust

Also, this was my game in the style of Alphazero. But not after its 44 million self-play games after 9 hours of learning, but after its first few hunded games, as it learned how pieces moved. Rather than play my normal way, I decided to play a Kings Indian type structure, hoping for an unbalanced game to give the simul giver chances to go wrong; but playing not according to my style back-fired right out of the opening.

I managed to give Matthew at least some pause for thought by 2…Qh4, getting an unbalanced position with many active pieces; but it was never enough. Matthew kept control, winning this game (and all the other games in his simul).

FEN

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