Hi,
as the meteo is not great around Paris, France, I could play more games than usual.
Here are the next ones: Applied Concept Sargon 2.5 vs Novag Constellation 3,6/Quattro. The later means my device is equiped with a Quattro ROM, which appears to be one of the configurations built and sold by Novag, most probably close to the end of life of the Constellation 3,6 device. Unfortunately, the combination results in a shifted clock/levels managements; level 2 is close to 20-25 secs/move therefore too slow for my standard pace (15 secs/m); and the 3,6 Quattro must climb down to level 1 which is significantly faster. At least it can ponder and use more time awaiting its opponent...
According to relative strengths, the Sargon 2.5 could hope for half a point from this match, but it didn't happen.
In the first game as White, Sargon 2.5 can't do much, a short game already pretty decided around move number 15.
In the second game, Sargon 2.5 blunders as soon as move number 10; but the Constellation 3,6/Quattro needed many moves to achieve this win.
[Event "The 64-cup"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2023.10.26"]
[Round "5-1"]
[White "Applied Concept Sargon 2.5 (lv 2)"]
[Black "Novag Constellation 3.6/Quattro (lv 1)"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1442"]
[BlackElo "1659"]
[EventDate "2023.09.26"]
[ECO "D23"]
[PlyCount "54"]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Na3 {Out of book} 4...Nc6 {Out of book} 5.e3 e5 6.dxe5 Qxd1+ 7.Kxd1 Ng4 {Sargon displays: "good but not great"} 8.Rg1 Bxa3 9.bxa3 Nxf2+ 10.Ke1 Nd3+ 11.Bxd3 cxd3 12.Rb1 b6 {Sargon displays: "very interesting"} 13.Rb2 Bg4 14.Rb5 O-O {Sargon displays: "maybe so"} 15.Bd2 f6 16.exf6 Rxf6 17.Ne5 $6 {this is an exposed position!} 17...Rf5 {Sargon displays: "give me more time"} 18.Bc3 Re8 19.Rxb6 $6 Nxe5 20.Rb7 Nc4 21.Bd2 Nxa3 22.Bc3 Nc4 {Sargon displays: "I need help"} 23.Bd2 c5 24.Rxa7 Rb8 25.Bc1 d2+ {Constellation announces mate in 3} 26.Bxd2 Rb1+ 27.Bc1 Rxc1# {Sargon displays: "congratulations"} 0-1
[Event "The 64-cup"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2023.10.26"]
[Round "5-1"]
[White "Novag Constellation 3.6/Quattro (lv 1)"]
[Black "Applied Concept Sargon 2.5 (lv 2)"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "1659"]
[BlackElo "1442"]
[EventDate "2023.09.26"]
[ECO "B22"]
[PlyCount "111"]
1.e4 c5 2.c3 Nf6 {Out of book} 3.e5 Nd5 4.d4 e6 5.c4 {Out of book} 5...Nb4 6.a3 N4c6 7.Be3 cxd4 8.Bxd4 Qa5+ 9.b4 {Sargon displays: "are you another computer?"} 9...Qc7 10.Nc3 Nxe5 $2 {this Knight is now lost, the Queen won't support it. NxB was much better.} 11.Nb5 $1 Qc6 12.Bxe5 {Sargon displays: "but of course"} 12...Qe4+ 13.Qe2 Qxe2+ 14.Bxe2 Na6 15.Nd6+ Bxd6 16.Bxd6 g5 17.Nf3 g4 18.Ne5 h5 19.O-O {Sargon displays: "good but not great"} 19...b6 20.Rad1 Bb7 21.b5 Nb8 22.Bxb8 Rxb8 23.Nxd7 Rd8 24.Nf6+ Ke7 25.Rxd8 Kxd8 26.f3 gxf3 27.Bxf3 Bxf3 28.Rxf3 Ke7 29.Kf2 Rc8 30.Rf4 Rc5 31.Ng8+ {Sargon displays: "spot me a Queen"} 31...Kf8 32.Nf6 Ke7 33.Ne4 Rxc4 34.Rxf7+ Kxf7 35.Nd6+ Kf6 36.Nxc4 Kf5 37.Nd6+ Kf4 38.Nc8 e5 39.Nxa7 e4 40.a4 e3+ 41.Ke2 {Sargon displays: "should we switch sides?"} 41...Ke4 42.a5 {Sargon displays: "ready for this?"} 42...bxa5 43.b6 h4 {Sargon displays: "dazzling"} 44.b7 h3 {Sargon displays: "I need help"} 45.gxh3 a4 46.b8=Q a3 47.Qb4+ Kd5 48.Qxa3 {Sargon displays: "may I cheat?"} 48...Kd4 49.Qxe3+ Kd5 50.Nc8 {Sargon displays: "usually I play better"} 50...Kc6 51.Qb6+ Kd5 52.Qd6+ Ke4 53.h4 {Sargon displays: "should we switch sides?"} 53...Kf5 54.Ne7+ {Constellation announces mate in 3} 54...Ke4 55.Qd5+ Kf4 56.Qf5# {Sargon displays: "congratulations"} 1-0
MfG,
Tibono