Second match for group 1, round 1, is Novag Beluga vs Conchess Escorter (basic module).
According to my Elo scale, the odds were 2/3 to 1/3 in favor of the Beluga. Well, the actual score being 1.5 to 0.5 can be considered well done from the Conchess; but zooming into both games is a bit more deceptive.
The Conchess played rather well as white until late middlegame, reaching a rather balanced position after exchanges, where both computers had equal material: 1 Queen, 1 Rook, 1 minor piece and 6 pawns
. This was already an achievement with regards to its weaker Elo; but later the Conchess was 2 Pawns down and failed to provide support to its own center Pawns that could have put some pressure on the Beluga. The Beluga did not shine then, using around 30 moves to slowly convert the game into a win .
On the second game as black, the Conchess manages to get a piece ahead thanks to a blunder move from the Beluga (on move 15), but lets a position repetition later happen. The Beluga can be thankful for that!
[Event "The 64-cup"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2023.09.27"]
[Round "1-2"]
[White "Conchess Escorter (basic module lv P2)"]
[Black "Novag Beluga (lv 12)"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1420"]
[BlackElo "1701"]
[EventDate "2023.09.26"]
[ECO "B03"]
[PlyCount "134"]
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.exd6 exd6 {Out of book} 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Bb5 {Out of book} 6...a6 7.Bxc6+ bxc6 8.Bg5 Be7 9.Qe2 O-O 10.Bxe7 Nxe7 11.Nc3 Re8 12.O-O-O Nd5 13.Qc4 Be6 14.Qxc6 Nxc3 15.Qxc3 Bxa2 $6 16.Qa5 $2 {b3 would have trapped the Bishop} 16...Bc4 17.Rhe1 Qd7 $6 {Be2 was much better} 18.Rxe8+ Rxe8 19.Nd2 Bb5 20.d5 Qc8 21.c4 Bd7 22.Rf1 $6 Qb7 23.b4 {white King is getting unsafe} 23...Re2 24.Kd1 Re5 25.f4 Bg4+ 26.Kc1 Re2 27.Rg1 Qa7 $1 28.c5 dxc5 29.bxc5 Qb7 30.c6 Qa7 {back to a strong attacking position} 31.Rh1 Rxg2 $6 {Qd4 was stronger} 32.h3 Rg1+ 33.Rxg1 Qxg1+ 34.Kb2 Qd4+ 35.Qc3 Qxc3+ 36.Kxc3 Bxh3 37.Nf3 $6 {best chances for white are to provide support to c and d Pawns, the Knight should not move away from them. Nc4 was a better choice.} 37...Bg2 38.Ne5 $2 {loser move} 38...Bxd5 39.Kd4 Bg2 40.Kc3 Bh1 $2 {loss of tempo: time to get the King to the fight, or to increase pressure with marching Pawns} 41.Kd4 f6 42.Nd3 Bxc6 43.Nb4 Bb5 44.Nd5 c6 45.Ne7+ Kf7 46.Nf5 g6 47.Nd6+ Ke6 48.Kc5 Kd7 49.Ne4 h5 50.Nxf6+ Ke6 51.Ne4 Kf5 52.Nd6+ Kxf4 53.Kd4 h4 54.Kc5 h3 55.Nf7 h2 56.Nh8 h1=Q 57.Nxg6+ Ke4 58.Nf8 Qh8 59.Kd6 Qxf8+ 60.Ke6 Qf5+ 61.Kd6 Qe5+ 62.Kd7 c5+ 63.Kd8 Qe8+ 64.Kc7 Qd7+ 65.Kb6 Qc6+ {Beluga announces mate in 2} 66.Ka7 Qc7+ 67.Ka8 Bc6# 0-1
[Event "The 64-cup"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2023.09.27"]
[Round "1-2"]
[White "Novag Beluga (lv 12)"]
[Black "Conchess Escorter (basic module lv P2)"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[WhiteElo "1701"]
[BlackElo "1420"]
[EventDate "2023.09.26"]
[ECO "C61"]
[PlyCount "67"]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nd4 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.O-O Bc5 6.c3 {Out of book} 6...Ne7 7.b4 Bb6 {Out of book} 8.cxd4 Bxd4 9.Nc3 a6 10.Bc4 b5 11.Bb3 Bb7 12.Re1 Nc6 13.Qf3 Ne5 14.Qe2 Qf6 {Qh4 was stronger} 15.Nd5 $2 {opens pressure on the a1 Rook} 15...Bxd5 $1 16.Bxd5 c6 $1 17.Rb1 {and Black is down a piece} 17...cxd5 18.exd5 O-O 19.Ba3 $6 Nc4 20.Rb3 Qf5 $6 {Nxa3 looked better} 21.Qf3 Qxf3 22.Rxf3 Nxd2 23.Rd3 Nc4 24.Rxd4 Nxa3 25.Re7 Rad8 26.Rd3 Nc2 27.a3 Rfe8 28.d6 Rf8 $6 {Kf8 was stronger} 29.Kf1 Kh8 $2 30.Re2 Rc8 $1 31.Re7 Rcd8 $6 32.Re2 Na1 $2 {there was another chance to play Rc8 (supports the Knight and gains control on c-file, for later coordinated attack Rook+Knight)} 33.Re1 Nc2 34.Re2 {3-rep draw} 1/2-1/2
MfG,
Tibono